Patsy and Hedy #21

This November 1953 Atlas romance-comedy gem features a delightfully breezy cover by Al Jaffee, where a suave artist at his easel has apparently been painting a giant apple rather than the portrait Hedy expected — her exasperated reaction says it all, while Patsy looks on from a nearby rock with a real apple in hand. The speech bubbles — "Poor Patsy, she must be simply MAD with jealousy!" and "Poor Hedy! Wait'll she sees what she's been posing for!" — set up the playful rivalry between the two leads with sharp comic timing. At just a dime a copy and written, drawn, and inked entirely by Al Jaffee, this is a charming snapshot of early-'50s teen humor comics at their most fun.