Love Behind Bars

Love Behind Bars...where love flourished, even when jail time is involved.

Here's a pair of issues of DC's Young Love that focuses on a couple, imprisoned by love!

Love Behind Bars

First up, Young Love #119 (December-January, 1975/1976) with a cover by Bob Oksner, and story by Robert Kanigher, Art Saaf and Vince Colletta, with the story of how Stephie's boyfriend, Vic, went to jail for auto theft,  as he stole a car to keep her from getting wet in the rain.  

Stephie then had to decide if she would take him back after he served his time against all the advise of her friends...

...this one ended with a cliffhanger...

...but wait!  There's more!

Love Behind Bars II

With Young Love #124 (March, 1977), under a cover by Dick Giordano, Robert Kanigher, Ric Estrada and Vince Colletta continue the story of Stephie and Vic.  

Stephie runs away when Vic gets out of prison, heads to New York City, has her wallet stolen by an old man on the bus, is taken advantage of by an older couple, who take her to a house of prostitution pretending to be a halfway house, where she was about to be taken by a client, but saved as the police raid, though she is arrested with the other street girls.  

In prison, Stephie is surprised, as Vic arrives to take her home, who still loves her (even if she inexplicably went from a redhead to a brunette!).

Batman Behind Bars

True, readers know that Batman is there to uphold the law, but, at times in his career, Batman has ended up on the wrong side of prison bars.

Here's a couple of quick examples from early issues of Detective Comics!

The Outlaw Batman

Batman gets hit in the head fighting some crooks in Detective Comics #228 (February, 1956) by Bob Kane and Charles Paris, with a cover by Win Mortimer. 

Luckily, Robin gets him to a doctor, who insures he's okay, treating the Caped Crusader.  Over the next few nights, Batman works on his own, committing robberies instead of stopping them!  Robin follows him the next night, stopping him, waking Batman out of a trance.   Taking him back to the doctor, the doctor says there is no way to prevent Batman from being a thief, so he should go to jail.  Batman exposes the doctor as Spade Stinson, a crook who gave Batman pills that that turned him into a thief.  Batman, after a days of not taking the pills, reverts to his normal self.

The Crime Of Bruce Wayne

It is Bruce Wayne working for Commissioner Gordon in Detective Comics #249 (November, 1957) by Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff and Charles Paris, with a cover by Sheldon Moldoff. 

Wayne goes undercover in a prison as the criminal Collector, with Gordon as the only one on the outside who has proof of his innocence, so Bruce can find who is planning an escape.  In prison, Bruce finds escape plans with Squint Neely, who dies in an accident....but Bruce is accused of his murder.  Robin, recruiting Batwoman for help, go to find the real Collector, to clear Bruce (when Gordon is incapacitated).  The duo find the Collector in just in time to prevent Bruce from being executed, and he is cleared of all charges and released.

Two issues showing where people jumped to conclusions early, assuming the good guy was a bad guy!