Romance
Romance comics is a comics genre portraying romantic love and its potential problems like jealousy, rivalry, betrayal, and heartache. Romance normally features dramatic stories about the romantic relationships of older teens and young adults.
Overview
Romance comics is a comics genre portraying romantic love and its potential problems like jealousy, rivalry, betrayal, and heartache. Romance normally features dramatic stories about the romantic relationships of older teens and young adults.
The beginning of romance comics took place following the Second World War when adult comics readership increased and superheroes were on the decline. Veteran comics creators Joe Simon and Jack Kirby were inspired by the pulp magazines, radio soap operas, and adult confession magazines to create a new comic for adult readers. After brainstorming, the duo created the seminal romance comic book Young Romance in 1947. It was an immediate success and spawned the creation of dozens of romance titles from major comics publishers by the early 1950s. By 1954 the Comics Code Authority was created to insure that comics contained wholesome stories for young readers. Publishers who produced romance comics were careful to self-censor their story-lines and artwork to comply with the comics code. Any material that might be inappropriate or controversial was avoided, and “safe” stories which focused on traditional family roles (which included strong male leadership and submissive female stereotypes) were written and produced.
The sexual revolution of the 1960s challenged the concept of marriage and the traditional roles of the family. Readership steadily declined and by the mid-1970s, romance comics were coming to and end.
Romance comics often had backup features related to fashion and dating advice.
Common Plotlines
Love Interest
The idea of a 'love interest' in which the state of one character in a story finds romantic feelings towards another character in the story. The love interest has developed strong romantic or platonic feelings usually towards the main character in the plot. Love interests can also deliver ongoing story plots devices at times taking years to develop into a true relationship. Frequently unrequited love has turned into some iconic pairings such as Superman and Lois Lane. As a theme it has been a frequent subject in popular culture in comics.
A few of the most well-known love interests in the pages of comics are in the following list.
- John Carter and Dejah Thoris
- Kent Allard and Margo Lane
- Conan and Zenobia
- Kit Walker and Diana Palmer
- Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart
- Flash Gordon and Dale Arden
- Clark Kent and Diana Prince
- Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle
- Barry Allen and Iris West
- Arthur Curry and Mera
- Reed Richards and Sue Storm
- Katar Hol and Shayera Hol
- Black Bolt and Medusa
- Peter Parker and Mary Jane-Watson
- Scott Summers and Jean Grey
- Remy LeBeau and Anna Marie
- Bruce Banner and Betty Ross
- Thor and Sif
- Hawkeye and Mockingbird
- Snake-Eyes and Scarlett
- Flint and Lady Jaye
- Destro and Baroness
- Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon
- Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance
- Captain America and Diamondback
- Bucky Barnes and Natasha Romanoff
- Cliff Secord and Betty
- Guy Gardner and Ice
- Yō Hinomura and Emu Hino
- Ryu and Chun-Li
- Han Solo and Leia Organa-Solo
- Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade
- He-Man and Teela
- Tigatron and Airazor
- Egon Spengler and Janine Melnitz
- Casey Jones and April O'Neil
- Eric Draven and Shelly Webster
- Jackie Estacado and Jenny Romano
- Ripclaw and Velocity
- Jen and Kira
- Spartan and Voodoo
- Grifter and Zealot
- Victor Fries and Nora Fries
- General Zod and Ursa
- Chamber and Jubilee
Love Triangle
A love triangle is a romantic relationship involving three or more people.A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three or even more people. Although it can also refer to two characters independently romantically linked to a third. It most often implies that each of the three individuals has some form of a relationship with the other two. It is a complex theme used to illustrate a triangle where three persons are connected by the love of one common individual.
As a story plot theme it has been a frequent subject in popular culture in comic books. A few of the most well known character involved in a love triangle within the pages of comics are in the following list.
- King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot (a stock type for several of the comic book romances).
- Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Bluto (one of the earliest love triangles in comic book history).
- Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, and Veronica Lodge.
- Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Wolverine.
- Crystal, Quicksilver, and the Human Torch.
- Thing, Alicia Masters, and the Human Torch.
- Starfire, Dick Grayson, and Mirage.
- Crystal, Black Knight, and Sersi.
Stealing a Kiss
The act of stealing a kiss from someone instantly in panels when they least expected it to happen has been used as a comic trope for ages. Characters in a ‘stealing a kiss’ panel are utilized as the act of surprise when kissing someone suddenly or secretly. To steal a kiss simply means kissing that person without consent. Depending on the relationship between the characters it might be a pleasant surprise, or cause further tension between the two.
A few of the most well known scenes in the story lines of comics are in the following list.
- Gambit and Rogue in the X-Men
- She-Hulk and Hawkeye in the Avengers
- Harley Quinn and Dick Grayson in Grayson Annual
- Hawkeye and Valkyrie in the Defenders
- Domino and Warpath in Weapon X
