Valentine #3 October 1970
In "The Reluctant Find," Marcia finds herself caught between duty and desire as a tense evening at a design fair unfolds into a quiet, charged journey home. With only the flicker of a broken-down car’s headlights and the weight of unspoken words between them, she and her colleague Alan confront the quiet ache of what might have been. Illustrated with delicate precision by José Gual, this poignant slice of 1970s British comic life captures a moment suspended between choice and resignation.
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Marcia loves Bob, but has feelings for work colleague Alan. They go to a design fair for work and share dinner after an exhausting day. Alan asks about Bob and annoys Marcia when he recognises it is dull for her with Bob studying. They dance to avoid talking. Going home, the car breaks down and they sit close for warmth. Alan nearly says he loves Marcia when the mechanic arrives. They finish the journey in silence and Alan tells Marcia he is accepting a job up north. It hurts to say goodbye, but Marcia knows it is the only way to continue loving Bob.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).