 Hi everyone, this is Chih-chou. Welcome to my channel and welcome to another comic book reading. And what we're going to do for this reading, we're going to go to the Golden Age of Comics and we're going to read Love Scandals number one from 1950. Okay, and as before, what we're going to do, we're going to crack this thing open and we're going to flip through the comic and take a look at the whole comic and then what we're going to do, we're going to come back to the first story because this is sort of an anthology. There's three, four stories in this, four comic book stories with a one page sort of a, I guess, romance story, just text type set in here. But we're going to come back and read the first story in this. And just to let you know, this cover is done by a comic book artist called Bill Ward. Okay, and Bill Ward was around. He was born in 1990 and he was basically a good girl cartoonist. He was a creator of Torchy and Torchy made her first appearance in Dolman number eight in 1946. And then Bill Ward sort of had a series of Torchy from 1949 to 1950, right? And Bill Ward sort of started off, I believe, in graphic design and stuff like this and got into comic book publishing, sort of reprenticing at a comic book, a comic book house where he sort of got, did a little bit of work for some other comics as well. But basically he pulled out of doing comic book art in 1953, right? And then after that, he basically did a lot of sort of comic book, cartooning in the same style as sort of farsight, one page, one panel with a little bit of description in the art that different types of indie comics and magazines published, including some porn magazines, right? So he basically went from comic book, cartooning to, or comic book art to creating cartoons in the same style of farsight and whatnot, right? And I had the opportunity to take a look at a couple of the original pieces of his cartoon style that he did that they used to take pictures of and sort of print in the magazines that his art was being featured and that artwork was absolutely brilliant and they weren't like small pieces of art. They weren't, you know, little pieces of art or panels like this that he worked on. They were like one meter, one and a half meter by one, one and a half meter of art which was absolutely brilliant, the details in it. And, you know, I went to a comic book shop where the person was auctioning off two of the original art pieces by Bill Ward and they were magnificent. I tried to get my hands on them but they went for way above what I was, what my budget allowed to buy, right? There was, you know, I bid a maximum of like 300 or $350 and they went for $1,500 or so. So if I had the money I would have definitely, you know, pay that price for them but that was way beyond my budget. But at some point I would love to get my hands on some of those original pieces or at least one of them, right? But what we're going to do is flip through this thing and take a look at this thing, okay? Now, while doing the research in this, okay, I'm going to give you a little bit of more history regarding this comic book while we crack this thing open, okay? And I have the sort of little notes here. I basically ended up paying for this book. I ended up paying $61, $62 US for it, right? And it's graded at good, very good, okay? It's complete but it's the inside three, the center pages are loose from the staple and there's only one staple on this, okay? So let's just crack this open and we'll take a look at it and I'm going to give you a little bit of history regarding this comic book specific to this issue, okay? Let's bring this out and the glare is going to disappear because these are mylar bags I had these in. So they have a, you know, they provide more protection for the comic book but they do have a glare to them, right? So those of you who are into comic book collecting, right? There's a couple of things you're going to notice here. When you see the CDL in some of the old Golden Age comic books that means they're Canadian edition comic books, right? And you can see Canadian edition here as well. Now, this comic book was printed by Bell Features, a Canadian company but the original comic book was called Quarterly Comics and they were very active in the Golden Age of comics, okay? Now, in the Golden Age of comics, they, you know, they did superhero comics, war comics, humor comics, horror comics, and romance comics and this is one of the romance comics they published and this series Love Scandals has, I believe, I believe it has six issues in it, right? And this is number one, right? Now, Quarterly Comics is the American version of this comic book and this is the Canadian version, right? And the Quarterly Comics, instead of having the CDL on the logo here on where you see the CDL here, it has the Quarterly Comics logo and instead of having Canadian edition here it has February written on it, okay? So this thing came out in February 1950, okay? And let's flip through this and it's only sitting here by one staple, okay? Let's take a look at the back cover as well and like I mentioned, Quarterly Comics, instead of Fairbid of, you know, Fairbid of comic books in the Golden Age of comics they were basically existed, they were founded in 1937 and they went defunct in 1956 some pencil marks here, who knows how all these pencil marks are, right? What is this thing? Newspaperscope? Are you one of the lucky winners? Contest number 83 winner, Dick Lowe. Oh, they're actually names of the people that won the contest. 410 32nd Street, West, Saskatoon, that's cool. Wolverton, Kingston, oh, these are all from Canada, these are cities in Canada. Olivia Cassidy, 96th Bay Street, Kingston, Ontario, right? Contest winner number 84 winners, Saskatoon, Ontario, Quebec, Ontario, Ontario, and the Wisconsin, Dartmouth, that's cool. Ontario PEI, wow, wow, wow. North Market Street PEI, says, right? And Newcastle, New Brunswick. The bell features of publishing and they got a little thing on top which marks it off, Ontario, okay? So bell features was the Canadian company, okay? Now, before we start getting into this, let me read you how bell features came to be. Now bell features was known as a commercial sign, as commercial signs of Canada, okay? And while we're giving you, I'm giving you a little history of this, let's flip through this thing, okay? That way, take a look at this thing. Should we read the fine print first? Let's read the fine print first and then we'll flip through it and I'll give you, I'm going to give you a little history of this. What is this thing? 25 cents, dolls, plastic, rain capes. Add one of these pretty, add one of these pretty rain capes with hood attached to your dolls wardrobe to keep her dry and rainy days. Wow. Easy mail order, how much are they charging for this? Oh, 25 cents, that's cool. Take a look at that, 25 cents. And the fine print for this, as we've done before, right? Let's just read the fine print for this thing. Okay, look at this. Published by Bell Features and Publishing Company Limited, 165 York Street, Toronto, Ontario, okay? By monthly, contents copyright and must not be reproduced without permission. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. Any similarity between characters and names contained herein of any person, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. All names and characters used are fictional, okay? And this is the story that we're going to read. Yesterday's Darling, okay? So let's flip through this, and let me give you a little bit of history about Bell Features. Okay, I got some notes written here for us to go through. Now, Bell Features was also known as commercial signs of Canada and they were Canadian comic book publishing during, they became a Canadian publishing company during World War II, sort of before that a little bit as well, okay? It was founded in 1939 in a commercial art business, okay? And it changed its name in 1994, or 1994, 1942, okay? It changed its name to Bell Features. And the way it worked, I'm going to read you a little bit, just quoting something that I found online through Wiki, right? So Bell Features, okay? Brothers Gene and Cy Bell ran a commercial art business in Toronto called Commercial Signs of Canada. They had previously been approached by Edmund Lugart, who was looking to publish, looking for a publishing outlet for his comic books. When the War Exchange Conservation Act passed in December 1940, the importation of American comic books was cut off, right? And I'm going to read you a little bit about what this War Exchange Conservation Act is, right? But before we get into that, just to let you know, and here's the other story, my forbidden romance, check this out. After the war, so just quoting again, okay? After the war ended in 1945, trade restrictions were loosened and American comics were once again flooded the Canadian market with better distribution color interiors and glossy covers. Canadian publishers found it hard to compete in such a small market. And their last comic that they published was in 1947, and Bell ceased operations in 1953, right? So they were publishing from 1941. It was found in 1941 and they went defunct in 1953. And here's the pages that are loose, by the way. Take a look at this. Now, what is this War Exchange Conservation Act? So let me read you a little bit on the War Exchange Conservation Act that I found here, right? And you can find this online and I'll provide the link in the description of this video. Look at that beautiful artwork. Take a look at that. White Way Heartbreak. And it's very difficult to find who the artists and writers for these were. I could only find that Bill Ward, I believe, most likely did the artwork for the first issue, or for the first story. The rest of this, we don't know. There might be some kind of information on it online, but I couldn't find it. So if you do know who did the stories for the rest of these, please let me know. But let me read you this paragraph that I found online regarding the War Exchange Conservation Act. Now, quote, On September 15, 1939, shortly after Canada's declaration of war against Germany, the Foreign Exchange Control Board was established to oversee the rationing of foreign currency, which it did with varying severity until 1951. In December 1940, as Canada's trade deficit with the US grew and British gold shipments were curtailed, government intervention in the economy broadened with the introduction of the War Exchange Conservation Act. Aided countries outside the sterling bloc, sterling bloc countries traded heavily with England and kept their currency at parity with the English pound. It was primarily designed to conserve American dollars by restricting the importation of non-essential goods. Among the items banned were fiction peer articles, a category that encompassed pulps and other newsstand magazines including comic books. The government had inadvertently laid the groundwork for Canadian comic book industry. And what basically happened was because of this War Exchange Conservation Act, all of a sudden different publishing houses, different companies that were doing print media or graphic design and stuff got into printing comic books because there was a whole market that opened up and as soon as the War Exchange Act was lifted, a lot of Canadian publishers went under because the American companies were able to flood Canada with their comic books, which is absolutely brilliant which is something that I just recently found out. Just doing the research into this and some of the other romance comics that have gotten into in the last few years. And here's a little story, love story. Dark Angel. Should we read the first couple of paragraphs of this? Let's read the first couple of paragraphs of this. So that was sort of the history of the comic book that I wanted to give you guys. I thought that was really, really cool and I'm dying to get into more of this history as well. So Dark Angel. Noro came through the backstage door five minutes before rehearsal time. Herring her lovely face. Hold on, where is it? Rehearsal time. Herring herring. Her lovely face pink with the cold that had descended upon Broadway. Johnny Wingate was just wheeling the small practice piano out onto the barren stage. He turned quickly and his dark, handsome face lit up a smile. He hurried across to her. Let me bring this up closer. Maybe you can see it as well. Read it on this. You look lovely, Noro, he said softly. I lie awake at night, trying to make myself believe you're as beautiful as my heart tells me you are. And then I see you in the morning and find I was wrong. You're more beautiful. So this is the whole thing. Why not? You should be writing poetry, Noro. Noro dimpled. Your shiftings in scenery. Why are you a stagehand, Johnny? What I have met you if I were anything else, he asked. He took her cold hands and she came into his arms naturally and willingly. Her expressive fur coat crushing against his overhauls. I can't believe it's true, dearest. I still can't believe it. Why not, Noro asked? This is America, Johnny. Does the luck that made me a musical comedy star make me? Any better than the luck that had you shifting scenery instead of selling bonds or living in a mansion? It's you, a fallen in love with Johnny. Not your job or your clothes. Their lips met in a long sweet kiss that broke only when a dressing room door opened. It was Johnny who stepped hastily back. Gloria Darren came out in her practice clothes, waved gaily and went on across the stage. Other members of the cast began to drift in. Sammy Dakin ran chubby fingers over the piano keys. Some chorus girl rattled a swift tap break that echoed through the dark, empty theater. The outer door opened and Ken Murdock, the producer of the show, came in. He looked gloomy and downcast and barely grunted at them in passing. I'll see you after rehearsal, Noro said and left Johnny there in the entry. His face radiant. His eyes dazed with disbelief. He would never, it seemed, he would never, it seemed to Noro get over the fact that a star would fall in love with a stagehand, but it had happened. Noro went across the stage to the group. Instead of barking them into line for a rehearsal, Ken was facing them so worry, so somberly. I'm afraid it's all off, kids. Mark Hamilton was angling this show, you know, putting up the money for our opening. Last night, Mark was taken to a hospital with a severe stroke. Until he's out of danger, there'll be no money. We'll have to postpone the opening. Maybe give it all up. I've tried all morning to raise money, but it's no use. We're licked. I've saved some, Ken, Noro said quickly. I can let you have 10,000. Other voices spoke up quickly, offering everything from a few thousand to a few hundred out of hard-earned savings. Ken bit his lip, and when he answered, his voice was husky with emotion. Your grandkids, all of you, I wish it would help, but it won't. We need at least 150,000 to open. Anything less is useless. I'm sorry if we had an angle. I'll put 150,000 into your show, a soft voice set from the wings. They're all world. Johnny Wingate stood there in his overalls. He had a checkbook and fountain pen in his hand. He smiled at their stairs. Oh, I have it, all right. Ken, you must know the Wingate fortune on Johnny Albert Wingate, sole heir. There was bedlam for a time. When the shouting died down, Ken was facing Johnny Wingate. But what on earth were you doing as a stagehand then? Johnny smiled. A man in love does strange things. Ken, I was in love with a girl I'd never met, so I took the only way I could to find, to meet her and find out if she was as wonderful as my heart told me. Believe me, she was even finer, Ken. He turned then and put his arm around Nora and smiled into the wet blue of her eyes. In this case, it was a gamble that paid out. I guess with my kind of luck, I'll find myself backing another hit show. Got a contract, Handy Ken? Or a preacher? Love story, huh? And this is pre-code, right? There is no comic code. Stamp on this. So the pages are loose from the staple, right? The one staple. That is cool. Just imagine the 1950s reading this, right? This was basically your only form of, well, sort of entertainment to a certain degree, with visuals, right? Unless you had the money. Movies were around, but I think there were sparse. Comic books had a lot of distribution. Thief of hearts, look at this. Smash musical, Colorado. The artwork for these are brilliant. Very pretty. Embraces, the kisses, the dances. A lot of these stories, comic books, may they be horror or science fiction or romance comics from the 1950s. They had one-page text stories written as well. Which is something that's missing from comics. From the modern age, right? Now, take a look at the cigarettes. I highly recommend it. Look into the history of cigarettes. How cigarettes were marketed, especially to women. And it basically came out in New York during a Macy's parade with Bernice, I believe. That's what his name was. I believe the nephew of Fruitt and they decided to market cigarettes to women just to show that there were independent women smoke cigarettes and that whole bunch of women in the Macy's parade smoking cigarettes and cigarettes caught on, right? What is this guy? The new hockey album is out. Check this out. 1949 hockey album. The new hockey album is out. All new pictures, new stars, new thrills. Here it is, the 1949 50 hockey album. We have printed 15,000 advanced copies of this all-new edition. Some 30,000 hockey fans today are proud owners of the 1948-49 hockey album. Now, here's your chance to be one of the first to own the 1949 50 edition. Which, with its all-new pictures, makes your hockey library more complete. I wonder how much these things are selling for online. How much they're going for. Hockey album brings you bigger thrills, more excitement for this new edition of the big illustrated hockey book has more intimate, more revealing pictures. It brings you more than 104-page action and portrait pictures. You get close-ups of all the new stars like Alan Stanley and Ray Timgren. Take a look at this. I don't know my hockey history. And many, many others. I don't know how popular, how well-known those people are. I'm assuming well-known if they're in this, right? And the Canadian editions of these comic books have Canadian ads in them, right? You too can touch. You too can be touch. What? Oh, tough, not touch. Right? When dyslexia can get in. You too can be tough. Learn to defend yourself. 55 lessons worth $150 when given in training. So how much is this? This is $1.49, right? Not only $1.49. In an emergency, would your action show the lady in your life you are a man? Sure, you've gots. But is bravery alone enough to stand up against guns, knives, clubs, while you have only your bare hands? Jack Dempsey, show you how to fight tough. Hear his co-author, Rivas, in American Combat Judo. American Combat Judo. Bernard J. Kosnick. 200 photographs illustrated. Jujitsu, wrestling, foot fighting, police tactics. $1.50 at that time. You could have bought 15 of these comic books, right? I would rather buy 15 of these comic books. That's cool. Magic, you say? Yes, it does seem to work like magic, but there's no mystery about Combat Judo. It is simply applied science, a ruthless efficient method of counter-attack, the all-out method that pulls no punches, that moves with such blinding speed, it makes wrestling and first fighting look like creepy, creeping along with your brakes on. Wow, wrestling and fist fighting. Wrestling is pretty good. I've done a little bit of Jujitsu, and I've done a little bit more than a little bit of wrestling. Wrestling is pretty powerful. Check this out. See a fine print. I'm not sure if the camera is going to be able to zoom in. This thing says police tactics. Just read a couple of these things. Fighting two men at once. Rope strangle. Hammerlock comes alive. Taking an unwilling prisoner. Arm twist. Out of gouge out eye. Out of gouge out of night. Check this out, the last one. Break from front bear hug. So it has defensive measures as well. Breaks and releases, holds and locks. Disabling blows. Wow, cool. And this was the winner stuff, right? Very cool, very cool. So, should we have a read through? Love scandals. Let's read the text here. And these things are ridiculously collectible. Just to give you a little bit more info regarding Canadian-ish and Golden Age comics. In the 1990s where I got my hands on some E.C. comics that were Canadian-edition, the Canadian-edition comics were selling for less than the American-edition comics for E.C. comics, right? As well as some of the other Golden Age comics. The Canadian editions, there weren't too many people, you know, looking for them. Right now, from what I understand, Canadian-edition comics sell for a premium relative to the American-edition comics. One of the reasons is, the Canadian collectors are trying to get their hands on them. Canadian archives, museums are trying to get their hands on them. As well, the print run for the Canadian-editions is much lower than the print run for the American-editions, okay? For example, for this comic, I checked CGC's website to see how many of these were, this comic were graded, okay? There's only one CGC comic graded, okay? And it's graded at 8.0, okay? So, in the CGC database, there's only one of these things that's graded. I don't know how many of these were printed. I don't know how many of these are around, but I'm very happy to have this graded at around three, right? Good, very good, right? Only one graded in the CGC database. Very tempted to send this in to be graded. And if you can take a look at this thing, the staple on this is rusted, right? And there's only one staple on this, right? And there is no other holes. So, they printed these books with only one staple, keeping the comic book together, right? Which is one of the reasons that three or four center pages are loose from the staple, okay? Very cool, very cool. Let's read the cover of this. Let's do a reading of Love Scandals, number one from Quarterly or the Canadian edition Bell Features from February 1950. And this cover, Bill Ward, right? Amazing artwork, Bill Ward created. Amazing good girl pinups. He did work later on once he stopped doing comics in the 1950s. 1953 is the last time that he did any work for comic books. After that, he did work for indie comics, some porn magazines, and different types of magazines, sort of cartoon style of work, right on the big pages that we talked about, like one, one and a half meters, large, large original art, beautiful work, right? So, the cover is by Bill Ward, and the first story that we're going to read, the art is by Bill Ward, okay? Let's read this thing. I close my eyes in the sheer ecstasy of Carey's kisses, though I knew the specter of my father's sin would soon come between us. Wow. A big extra-value magazine, a bonsai tree here too, right? Take a look at this thing. Japanese figure here as well. At the beginning, we took a look at this, the art, and we read the fine print, as we always do. So, let's take a look at this thing. Let's read this. I'm super psyched about this. Really. As soon as I saw the Bill Ward artwork, the original pieces, I was like, oh, wow. This guy just became one of my top go-to people that I'd like to collect their comics. Yesterday's Darling, and I'm not 100% sure if any of the other stories is Bill Ward as well. Five years ago, everybody knew Darla Manners, the darling of Broadway. You saw me in Mantrap, in Kick It Up Your Heels, and in my crowning triumph. Yes, yes, Yvonne. You heard me on the radio. You played my records. And then you forgot me. You didn't know, didn't ask where I was, those five bitter, anguished years. But those who were closest to me, who shot up with my rising star, who swore eternal devotion, that they wonder, that they care, that they remember, I had to know the answer, answer, and so, one day, a ghost came back to Broadway. It was an afternoon and early fall when I saw Times Square again. Times Square. It hasn't changed much in five years. Some new signs, some storefronts, many men and girls in uniform. I registered in a little walk-up hotel. Five years ago, I had had a suite at the Park Royal. Park Royal. What became of Max Feinster, Finster, who ran this place years ago? She asks. Little fat guy with glasses? Oh, he died four years back. That would be 250, lady, in advance. 50 for a room on Broadway. A flood of memories poured in when I left myself, let myself into the room. Why? Why? It's the very room I had when I first came here from Indiana. A sacred little country girl, a scared little country girl with foot-light fever. And when no job came and my money ran out, there was incredible, heart-wrenching kindness to remember. You're a good girl, honey. No nonsense. You stay a while anyhow. Pay me when you land something. So she's remembering. Oh, Mr. Feinster, you're the kindest, sweetest man. Thank you, she says. And the job at last, in a little second-rate musical company. There she is right there. No, no, no. For the love of mud, can't any of you babes do a simple time step with a little extra flair? I can, she says. He's the conductor of the music, I guess. Jazzed up. That, by one of those miracles of Broadway, became a smashing hit sent my small star rising. Listen to them cheer. That makes the hours and hours of aching practice worthwhile. I can't stand the memories. I should never have come back to Broadway at all. That's all over, Mina. That's all over for me. Oh, she's all red, flushed, anxious. I hurried out into the crowd, but there, but where, in all those echoing side streets, could I find refuge from memories? Majestic South Pacific, the sign says. The majestic up. I wonder if they'll stay there as long as I did in Bolly, Bolly Who girl. That was my first starring role. Lindsay's. We used to have breakfast there at noon. Wasn't that silly sob? Breakfast at noon. That show business. I didn't want to walk that next block to see the queer little name that would wrench my heart. But something drove me on. Crick, a funny fat man with a flair for food and a nose for celebrities. I wonder whom he's toasting tonight. Nobody could pronounce Crick's full name, but every columnist and celebrity on Broadway made it a regular hunt. There's Winchwell, Winchell, Winchell, and the reporter for Variety and Jack Halfen, the producer, is at his usual private table. Check this out, the variety here that she's mentioning. When she checked into the hotel, check this out. In the magazine it says Variety. That's cool. Five years ago, almost to the night, they gave me a birthday party at Crick's life center photographer. It was news. Wow, she was in Life Magazine. Silence, please. Do you hear me? Quiet. A toast to our darla, everybody's. And that's the same guy making a toast to her, right? That's standing there. Harold whispered his own toast. Harold bondcrafted. My darling, my leading man, my star of secret dreams and spoken promises to the queen of Broadway and empress of my heart. Thank you, Harold. That makes my birthday perfect, she says. The club pig ale. But sweetheart, madly as I love you, I can't be late. People pay their money to see me in that show. Oh, Harold, with that girl from Hearts East, Variety said he was a hit in golden banners. I'm glad for him. Oh, wow. So these are all memory and this is going back to the present. Being his old, her old love. Oh, watch it, sister. Streets are for cars, you know. Oh, what a rude guy. He didn't know me. He looked right at me and didn't even know me and I believe all his ardent promises once. I hadn't wanted to come back to Broadway. Didn't want to do what I did but something stronger than my will was driving me. I'll go into Kirk's just being recognized and remembered will ease some of the pain. I know maybe I'll I'll meet old friends. I walked inside and Kirk, Kirk's Kirk came hustling forward as he did to meet all patrons. Aren't you in the wrong place, lady? Cafeteria is down street. Oh, hamburger? Or hamburger shops, maybe. This very expensive place. Yes. Yes, thank you. I am in the wrong place. Oh, he didn't recognize her. Kirk didn't even know me. I turned blindly to rush out and bumped into a man just entering. Watch it, girly. $40 shoes, you're mashing. I'm sorry, she says. That was Sam Burns going into Kirk's, my own agent. I wonder how rich he got off 10% of my earnings and now he doesn't recognize me. Face to face. Coming back was all a ghastly mistake. I'll take the next bus out and try to forget Broadway as he got me. What did the sign say? Immediate seating. Two chillers. King Kong and Dracula. That's cool. You got a bus stop, cop standing right there. Kinter, Virginia. There's a bus out at one in the morning, miss. Nothing before that. One in the morning? But what will I do all that time? It's only dinner time now. That's hours to spend on Broadway. Blindly, I stumbled into the first haven that I offered. I was through the door before the shock of memory hit me. Oh no. Not this place, dear heaven. I didn't want to remember this. Stage door seats. There were no familiar faces now. I made myself go to the counter. Coffee and donuts, please. Scuttle of mud and two sinkers coming right up. That's cool. Scuttle of mud and two sinkers. Wow. The stage door was a showgirl's headquarters. It was handy. Food was cheap and good. And Jimmy Sheldon had tips on jobs. Here you are. And a tip, honey. Keep an eye out. Keep an eye on Schubert Alley. Michael Todd may be casting for a new show next week. You're a prince, Jimmy. But you're slipping. I only ordered coffee with a cake as well or a donut or something. Jimmy knew when a girl was broke. Eat that sinker and no argument. It's on the house. Dishwasher's birthday. You're the sweetest, nicest guy who ever lived. You big luck, she says. It's just good business to keep customers eating. When you're a star you can give a give me a pass to your show, honey. I will, Jimmy. And I'll be a star. I won't quit until I am, she says. You will be. You've got that something, whatever it is. That'll put you at the top. Maybe it's confidence. Something inside you that knows you're good. The only date I ever had with Jimmy, I had to ask for. It was the day I landed my first course job. Jimmy Sheldon, I've been waiting for you to get off work. What must I do to get you to walk home with me? Do you mean it? I'd rather walk home with you than own Manhattan, he says. We strolled up Fifth Avenue to Central Park. You're a strange person, Jimmy. You're so swell and understanding to all the kids. And you never ask favor of anyone. I know what you've all gone through, honey. You see, I came here to crack on this, too. And went broke trying, he says. They're sitting on a bench. I'd written some plays and I thought they were good. Nobody else did. So I ended slinging hash at the stage door. But you haven't given up, have you? Your dreams are just bright and shiny. As ever, aren't they? She asks. And it's better. You see, Darla, I'm writing it for you. I visualize you as the star. That's the nicest compliment I ever had. We'll both reach the top, Jimmy. Someday I'll star in your play. Darla, Darla, the day you first walked in my heart went all crazy and it's never been the same since. It wasn't quite the same with me, darling. You were just an awfully nice guy. But you moved in on me and took over. I'm scared, honey. You'll hit the top because nothing can stop you. And there's no room up there for for a hasher. Silly lug. You silly lug. If I weren't queen of the earth, my first command, if I were the queen of the earth, my first command would be to put next to mine. Between rehearsals and dance lessons, I had no time for dates. But I managed to run to the stage door once a day. Happy birthday, Darla. I hear your shows opening next month. Oh, thank you, darling. Yes, we open at the Belknap. In three weeks, I'm so excited I can hardly breathe. She says. She says remembering all this. Wow. Jimmy, it's beautiful. I'll wear it always. He's giving her a necklace. It's a heart on it. It wasn't at all what I'd like to give you, Darla. You know that? Maybe someday. The night of my opening, my dressing room was crammed with flowers. But my heart found a single red rose. It's from Jimmy. I left the ticket for him at the lunch counter. I hope he saw the show. Then the miracle on Broadway and my rocket was rising. But each new opening brought that one red rose of memory. Jimmy, I've been so busy. I haven't seen him in ages. I'm so ashamed of myself, she says. And there was Harold Boncraft, my leading man who was always near me, nearby by, with little attentions, gifts, compliments. He looks simply ravishing, darling. I've had sherm, billingsley, reserve a table at the stork for us. I plan to hunt up an old friend tonight, Harold. But if you've already made the reservations, I'll postpone it, I didn't realize how much we were together or how fickle time was slipping past until I heard Walter Winchell's broadcast one night. Special to New York New York newspapers, watched the marriage license list. It may be wedding bells for lovely Darla Manners on Broadway and her leading man. Ah, that's a reporter. Releasing that info. Harold, do you know anything about that? I know it's a wonderful idea, sweetheart, Harold says. Ah, what a scumbag. If everybody knows it, but us, maybe it's time we got wised to realities, he says. You must know by now that I'm mad about you, sweet. And think of the publicity together on the stage and off. I'm not sure, Harold. Please leave me alone. I want to do some thinking, she says. And she's holding the single white rose. That's cool. The moment Harold left, I rushed out, Jimmy. I don't know what got into him. In the middle of Winchell's broadcast, he ripped off and quit. Walk right out. Oh, I guess this was a radio broadcast that was being broadcast. There's a microphone and he's reading the news, right? So Jimmy heard it and ripped off his apron. And I'm like, walk right out. Oh, I've got to find him, she says. Jimmy vanished that night and I couldn't find him. I was hoping, I was opening in my greatest smile and every moment of my time was taken. Are you positive there were no phone calls, Harold? Oh, I'm still trusting Harold. Great heavens, Darla, with Broadway at your feet, stop fussing about a broken down hash slinger and smile, people are looking, she says. And there's a sign, yes, yes, Yvonne. And then the unforgettable horror of that December day, Pearl Harbor bombed. How frightful all those poor boys killed without a chance. Just when we have another hit on our hands. Oh, let us come back. I wonder what this will do to the box office, he says. The show was a smash hit, but I took more and more time to help all I could in the big job we all faced. What'll it be, folks? The boys in front have all my recordings. I'll give one with every bond sold today. War bonds, we've seen this before in another comic jingle jangle that we read, right? All about the war bonds. I put in long, weary hours at the stage door canteen. Oh, this is one of the places where people used to buy tickets to dance with the ladies, I believe. The soldiers, right? Sheldon, Jimmy Sheldon in is his name. I'm sure he's in the service somewhere. Oh, she was still looking for him. If I ever hear of him miss, miss matters, you bet I'll let you know. What kind of a mug is he running out on a girl like you, he says. I made a move that changed everything. I'm sorry, Harold, but my mind is made up. There won't be any new opening this fall for me. Wow. You can't do this. Are you crazy? Going off to Europe with a bunch of USO hams? What about me? You ruined my career, Harold says. It was raining when our group took off for Newfoundland and the storm grew steadily worse. I think I'm getting air-sick. How bad can these storms get? She's on a plane. There's someone else saying that. Not half as bad as the boys go through every day over Germany, kit. It rains fire and steel on them. This is only water, she says. Rain was enough. Up there near Gander Bay on the first leg of flight that was never finished. Oh, they crashed. Look at that, the plane crashes. At first there was a deluge of flowers. Enough for everyone in the army hospital where they took me after the crash. This is queer. After all those gigantic bouquets, there's one red rose with no name card. Oh, wow. Jimmy, Jimmy. Oh, where is he? Why doesn't he come? She says. Months became years and then the flowers and messages dwindled away. But each birthday, a lone red rose came out of the past. Oh, she's in a wheelchair. I'm just a floor smith. I get a telegram order from New York with no name on it. It's paid. So I hear the rose, she said. And the guy says, the flower guy, right? All right. Thank you anyhow for coming out. I'd hope you might know something about him. He's were gone and was back in the dismal, lonely present. I have to go. How much do I owe you? See the tears coming down. Eat that sinker and no arguments. It's on the house. Dishwasher's birthday. Ha ha. Jimmy. No, it can't be. I'm still mixed up with memories. If if I can always be if I can always be mixed up in your memories, Darla, I'd ask no more of life. I like the Jimmy character. He's a nice guy. My dearest, it's been so long, so terribly long with so much pain and suffering for you. Why, Jimmy? Why didn't you write or come to me? You knew where I was. You always sent the rose. I had to know your future, darling. As long as there was any chance of you starring, I didn't want to interfere. I'll never star again, Jimmy. I can walk, but I'll never dance. And something went out of my singing. I'm through with the stage, she says. As if in a dream, I heard Jimmy's story. He had finished and sold his play, the play I had promised to star in. Jimmy says but it wasn't too good. I realized I'd never be a top writer. What I really wanted was to be on Broadway helping others. What are you doing, Jimmy? Have you been working here since you came back from the war? She asks. I owe the stage door, dearest. Bought it with the proceeds of my one play. I've kept everything as it was when I first saw you. You big, silly, sentimental goof. I had to ask you for our first date, remember? She says. Do I have to repeat the pattern and propose to you? Darla, Darla, my own. I've been frightened. You had everything at your feet. I couldn't dare hope you'd be happy with this. If you wouldn't hush your big, silly mouth, I'll do it for you. Al Albert. Joan. Bliss. Happy endings. That's cool. Look at the people's faces walking by. That's pretty cool. Same type of story as the text that we read, yeah? I don't think there's any comic books like this around right now. This should be. There's a void for comic books like this, I think. I hope anyway. My forbidden romance. Take a look at this. You're a fool, Carla. Scott doesn't love you. He loves your fame. Every time he kisses you, he laughs at you behind your back. No, no, no, she says. And then they go back into memory again, I guess. When she was a little girl. Look at the coloring. So weird on the older comics, right? The press would just... The colors go past. The lines and stuff. It's offset. Very cool. Very cool. So that's the first story from Love Scandals. Right? Number one. Does this look like a happy ending too? Let's check it out. Was this a happy ending as well? Looks like a happy ending to me. But of course I'll come. Of course I'll come. But I really never left you at all. She says. Look at this one. White way heartbreak. You in real life. What most girls can realize only in their dreams. For on the toughest, most heartless street in the world. I found both success and love. But everything must be paid for on Broadway. And the price exacted from me was disillusionment and my heart's bitter anguish. Super cool. Look at this. You got dancers and stuff. Stars everywhere. Picking up the girl, carrying her. And a guy. The girl's doing the same to her. To him. Right? And they mixed together with lightning in the middle. Very cool. Looks like all the stories in this were based on Broadway. New York. Actors and actresses and dancers. Does this have a happy ending? Let's take a look. Let's go to the last panel. Oh, hold on a second. What does the last panel say? Oh, let's read the last four panels of this. We're giving spoilers. If you ever plan on reading this, you don't want to watch this part. My world seemed at an end and I heard Ted Storm out the lobby. How horrible. How horrible. Not only to accuse me of such a thing but to quote that woman on it. The woman who was supposed to be part only of his dead past. Then as the first storm of emotion subsided, I lay there thinking, was this what I wanted? The success that was tinged with heartache? If I did, I could have it regardless of Ted or did I want only the love that had led me to this stardom? The heaven I could find only in Ted's arms. It's only Ted who counts. If I lose him, I'll have nothing. I mustn't blame him for what he just did. Every actor thrives only in the nourishment of his own ego. I'll have to accept that. I hurried to Ted's apartment. Let's take a look at this. I want to quit the show. I can't be happy in it when I know I'm hurting you. All I care about is your love. Windy, baby. I'm a selfish fool. I've been thinking about what I said and I'm sorry. You'll quit the show but only after it's had its full run and then you'll do it to take on the job of housewife. Ted and I were married after the show. After the show had run a year and we got Ben Yokom to be Ted's best man. That's Broadway for you. Where everybody's prediction can go wrong and usually do. But on how I love that great white way. That great white way. What a weird thing. Let's read what Ted had said to her. But the next morning I came crashing down to earth. Look at the reviews. All of them. Ted lain dwarf by Windy Mills. A new star in the ferment. I felt it all through the show. You were stealing every scene. Cheryl was right. You were playing me for a sucker all the time. She was dwarfing him in the reviews. Everyone loved her. Ted, you don't believe that. You can't. That's cool. The great white way. Thief of hearts. Should we read this one too? Let's read the opening for this one too. They say there are no true New Yorkers. It's a lie. I was born in the shadows of Times Square and when my dad died I took over his ticket agency. Tough and wise cracking and smarted up on all grabs until a big dumb city detective came along and fought me the one steal I'd overlooked. The thief of my heart by a guy I had been raised to hate. Does this have a happy ending? This looks like a happy ending book. Not too many love scandals. Is that it? Let's read the last three panels. You big clown. Haven't I been expecting you to kiss me for months and planning to slap you for it so you will not think it's too late? Marcy, Marcy, darling. Boom. Look at that kiss. That's a great kiss. And that's for keeping a lady waiting while she slaps her. Bam. And that's for keeping a lady waiting while you get up your big dumb nerve. That's a happy ending, too. Happy ending comics. Not that. Not that. I mean, just this. So when we put it back in the bag, the pages don't get squished. Love scandals number one. Canadian edition. I hope you enjoyed. And we'll be doing more love readings, love comics, Golden Age and Silver Age of comics as well. Cause those are the only ones I have. I don't know if there's any romance comics from the Modern Age of comics. If there is, I'll try to get my hands on them and maybe we'll do one and do a comparison between the Golden Age, Silver Age and Bronze and Modern Age as well. I think I do have some Bronze as well. Right? Thanks for watching. And I'll see you guys in the next reading. Bye for now.