Sure, love is like a drug sometimes — but what kind of drug? Is it a quick pick-me-upper like caffeine? Is it the kind of drug that makes you taste colors? Heck, some might argue that it’s the type of drug that makes you look like Nick Nolte’s mugshot after a couple of weeks.

As a special Valentine’s Day treat, Journalista points readers to a pair of stories that deal with exactly that question, in their own ways.

In Our Love Story #5, Jim Steranko provides the trippy interior art to a Stan Lee story titled "My Heart Broke in Hollywood."

Honestly, I didn’t even have a chance to read the story. I started looking at the art and woke up two hours later covered in Sun Chips and Kool-Aid. It’s THAT good.

Next we have George Evans’ anti-drug themed "Slave of Despair" from a 1951 issue of Romantic Secrets.

This one tells the tale of Edith, a girl-next-door type with a world of opportunities and a steady beau, who makes a couple of bad decisions and ends up seduced by the "jungle beat" of hazy dance clubs and a pill-pushing, smooth-talking stranger. Soon she’s stealing from cash registers and acting like a funnybooks version of Amy Winehouse.

… But seriously, folks, who hasn’t had a first date like that, right?

Anyone?

sigh

Over at ISB (otherwise known as "Chris’s Invincible Super-Blog" for you late-arrivers), love is in the air this week, as Chris Sims casts the spotlight on some of comics’ questionable romantic storylines and dialogue.

Among the highlights of ISB’s "Romance Special" series are a few scary/romantic encounters by Superman’s pal Jimmy Olsen, including an experience that gives new meaning to the term "male enhancement" and a tryst involving Jimmy Olsen Jr. and none other than… his super-cousin?

Seriously, it blows my mind every time I see this thing that this cover went through at least three people–including Jerry Siegel, Kurt Schaffenberger and editor Mort Weisinger–saw this and thought it would be a fine idea to just slap up a cover with two people in the throes of passion while their mothers–who are sisters–look on with emotions that are far more mild than the situation warrants. And what’s more, not only isn’t it mentioned on the cover, but nobody even thinks to bring it up in the actual story, either. Truly, 1961 was a different time.

Ah, Valentine’s Day.

Pappy’s Golden Age Comics Blogzine has posted a set of pages from Herbie, one of my favorite old comic series, and it’s a very, very special issue.

What’s the appeal of Herbie, you might be wondering? Well, as far as I can tell, Herbie is sort of a slacker’s Little Nemo in Slumberland. Each issue follows the plump, lollipop-sucking title character as he gets caught up in one magical, supremely bizarre and occasionally controversial (by today’s standards) adventure after another — all while trying to avoid doing his chores.

After reading many issues of the series (courtesy of a friend who picks at least one issue up at every convention he attends), I can honestly say that I still don’t have a clue what Herbie’s powers really are or how he controls them.

But therein lies the fun, dear reader.

Oh, and the cameos by celebrities of the time are pretty entertaining, too. For example, there’s the time when Herbie was investigating the mystery of popcorn that made people whistle out their ears, but ended up meeting The Beatles, kidnapping Ringo, becoming a teenybopper sensation and foiling the diabolical machinations of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.

See what I mean? Now go read it for yourself.

(via journalista)