Love Tales #53

Al Hartley's cover for this 1952 Atlas romance title sets the mood perfectly — a woman in a striking red dress is caught in a tense dance with one dark-haired man while a second man watches from the shadows, the whole scene swirling with colorful balloons and streamers that give it a bittersweet party atmosphere. The heart-shaped caption teasing "The Downfall of Lizbeth Webster!" promises exactly the kind of emotionally charged drama that made Love Tales a monthly destination for romance readers. With Morris Weiss handling the interior art, this is a fine example of early '50s romance comics at their most dramatically compelling.