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!).

Secret Love Of Young Hearts

One doesn't think of reoccurring characters in romance comics, nor of stories that crossover titles, but, for the trials and tribulations of young socialite Melanie Winters, and her ill fated romance with Juan Ricco/Perez, as told by Barbara Friedlander, Alex Toth and Vince Colletta....it took four issues in two titles to tell the story of "20 Miles To Heartbreak"!

Here are the covers mostly by Dick Giordano! (with Secret Hearts #141 by Bill Draut and Vince Colletta)

Young Love #78 (Jan-Feb, 1970)/Secret Hearts #141 (January, 1970)

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Secret Hearts #142 (March, 1970)/Young Love #79 (Mar-Apr, 1970)

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First, Melanie starts her story by secretly being in love with stepfather, and running away from home.  As she flees, she's picked up by Juan, whom people would not approve of (and as a fight breaks out as they dance, she flees again, and is hit by a car!).  Recovering, Melanie finds that Juan was arrested for causing her accident, but Melanie's estranged sister returns, getting Juan freed (to see the shock of Melanie's mom when Melanie hugs Juan).  Then, realizing he is a pawn Melanie is using against her mom, Juan takes off as Melanie's sister announces her own upcoming wedding!

So much drama for eight pages an issue, but great Alex Toth art, even if heavily inked by Vince Colletta (and the four part story is reprinted over Young Love #122 to #125...).

Giant Young Love

Young Love #69 (August-September, 1968 with cover by Dick Giordano) was Young Love's one and only giant, squarebound issue (though the series did have 100 Page Spectaculars towards the end of its run), full of jealousy, rage, heartbreak, rage, loneliness and even love (all as it says on the cover)...all gathered from past issues of other romance comics!

Here's a look at the issues that have stories from them reprinted within...

Tears For A Dream/Heartbreak In Paradise

This cover of Heart Throbs #85 (August-September, 1963) is by John Romita, and actually features the Dream story reprinted in the giant, while the Paradise story was only inside Secret Hearts #91 (October, 1963), but the cover was also drawn by John Romita!

A Shoe For Cinderella/Moment Of Truth and Curtain For A Heart

John Romita provides the covers for both Secret Hearts #88 (June, 1963) and Falling In Love #54 (November, 1962), though A Shoe doesn't feature on the cover, nor Moment or Curtain on its either...but you can definitely see the Romita style on the women's faces!

To Hide From Love/Forgive Me, Forget Me

Arthur Peddy might have started the cover for Falling In Love #56 (January, 1963), with Romita finishes, but John Romita did all of Girls' Love Stories #74 (November, 1960), neither of which were the cover feature of the issue that they came from either!

Plus, the issue had "Mad Mad Modes For Moderns", with fashion art by Jay Scott Pike (creator of Dolphin), and could be considered one of the first dozen Super DC Giants (which oddly started with the number, S-13...and include volumes with Supergirl, Batman team ups, Jerry Lewis and even more romance comics for Valentine's Day!).