Addiction and Romance in Youthful Hearts #1, Up for Auction

Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: harry donenfeld, Romance Comics

Youthful Hearts 1 options an ignored drug dependancy story “Monkey on My Back” that precedes the better-known “The Monkey” in Shock SuspenStories 12.

Article Summary

Youthful Hearts #1’s drug dependancy story “Monkey on My Back,” predates EC’s “The Monkey.”
Publisher Pix-Parade / Youthful Magazines had ties to DC Comics founder Harry Donenfeld.
This problem additionally options widespread singer-songwriter Frankie Laine function.
William Ok. Friedman is linked to a number of comics that examined the bounds of the period.

Youthful Hearts writer Pix-Parade and its most intently related firm Youthful Magazines had been each half of a bigger constellation of publishing firms with free connections to DC Comics founder Harry Donenfeld. One principal of the corporate, William Ok. Friedman, had acted as Donenfeld’s lawyer on quite a few events, whereas one other, Adrian Lopez, had beforehand co-founded {a magazine} writer with Donenfeld.

Youthful Hearts #1 (Youthful Magazines, 1952)

We’ve mentioned Friedman right here a number of instances earlier than, most just lately in reference to Romantic Hearts #9, as a result of he had made a profession of serving to publishers take a look at limits. Youthful Hearts #1 can definitely be thought-about in that class, because the story Monkey On My Back is among the most excessive drug use tales in comedian books throughout this period.

The Heritage blurb right here means that Monkey on My Back drawn by Ed Goldfarb and Bob Baer is a swipe of the extra well-known Shock Suspenstories #12 (December 1953) story The Monkey by Bill Gaines, Al Feldstein, and Joe Orlando. However, Youthful Hearts #1 (May 1952) was printed round 18 months previous to Shock Suspenstories #12, so if something, it is Monkey on My Back which may have influenced the EC Comics basic. However, whereas the tales clearly have comparable themes and are each now-familiar tragedies of dependancy, the main points play out considerably in another way. Both tales had been undoubtedly impressed by the media issues over drug use of the period.

While Monkey on My Back is definitely extra of against the law than romance story, Youthful Hearts #1 has a canopy story that includes widespread singer-songwriter of that day Frankie Laine in a extra conventional romantic comedy. But this problem is extremely ignored for Monkey on My Back alone, and there is a copy up for public sale in the 2024 February 29 – March 1 Golden Age Romance Featuring Fox Comics & Comic Art Showcase Auction #40258.

Youthful Hearts #1 Davis Crippen (“D” Copy) Pedigree (Youthful Magazines, 1952) CGC FN 6.0 Off-white to white pages. Frankie Laine partial photograph cowl, story, and biography. Drug story swipe from Shock Suspenstories #12. Ed Goldfarb and Bob Baer artwork. Overstreet 2023 FN 6.0 worth = $141. CGC census 1/24: 1 in 6.0, 3 greater.