My Own Romance #76

This July 1960 ten-cent gem from Marvel captures the emotional tug-of-war at the heart of mid-century romance comics: on the cover, penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Vince Colletta, a conflicted blonde woman in a red coat stands torn between a suitor pressing his case and the joyful wedding scene unfolding behind her — a bride tossing her bouquet amid a crowd of well-wishers — while speech bubbles lay bare her anguished inner debate about marrying someone she doesn't love. The teaser "Will I Be a Spinster?" and the promise that "each thrilling tale is taken from real life" give the issue that distinctly earnest, emotionally charged flavor that made romance comics a staple of the era. Inside, a creative team that includes writer Stan Lee, artist Dick Giordano, and colorist Stan Goldberg brings "The Night We Kissed!" and more to life.