Sunday, September 12, 2010

Romance Comics Are From Venus--Second Chance At Love

Portrait of a stable relationship:

Joe and Elaine have a chance reunion while walking down the street, and discuss why it never worked out...


So the inevitable decision:

Elaine clearly states her goal:

And pursues it with fierce determination.

Unfortunately:

Don't give up, Elaine!!

You know, I'm put in mind of the seen from Ian Flemings' Goldfinger novel, wherein James Bond is about to have the circular saw slice into his crotch, and he tries to will himself to die before the pain starts, chanting in his head "Die damn you die die damn you die damn you die damn you die damn you die..."

It didn't work there, either.


So, they agree to break up again. But Joe goes to see her off at the airport:

Yet in the very next panel:

WHAAATTTTT!?!?!?!?!



OK...what's the over-under on how long until this couple breaks up again? Until "I tried too hard to love you" Elaine flips-flops again, or until passive-aggressive Joe gets tired of shrugging and saying "I know" and "Are you sure?" to everything? Two weeks? Less?

I don't think this is what the Supremes had in mind (although Phil Collins, just maybe...)



Second Chance At Love is from Heart Throbs #126 (1970)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

and we wonder why people are stupid about relationships....

Perplexio said...

Actually I kept hearing Tom Petty's Stop Dragging My Heart Around while I was reading it. I know, wrong era, but if I were Joe, I'd be right pissed. I wouldn't have stuck around for 4 years... it's almost like that really cheesy song by Smokie, Living Next Door To Alice... in the song the singer has lived next door to Alice for 24 years and never acted on his feelings for her and feels regret after she's finally moved away.