If you’re reading this today, thank you, but turn the computer off and find that special person to really make Valentine’s Day special.

Valentine’s Day.

Also, my wedding anniversary.

New Kids on the Block Valentine Girl (1991)

It’s doubly sweet. Toss in some comic books and, well, it just doesn’t get any better.

Really, the day has been commemorated with many inhabitants of the four-color world. Today we’re going to mix it up a little and remember one of the pioneering boy bands of the 1990s, New Kids on the Block.

Harvey Comics licensed the name and likenesses of the quintet in a fictious fan fest told over 32 pages. Bryce Maritano and Ernie Colon serve up the tweenie heart throbs in story and pin ups.

NKOTB consisted of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood. Together, with marketing and choreography, they sold an estimated 70-million albums worldwide. In addition, they were named Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group of 1990.

They would perform together until 1994 when they went their separate ways. At least until nostalgia and the promise of easy money brought them back for a new record in 2007. In 2011 they teamed with fellow former boy band the Backstreet Boys for a tour.

Valentine’s Day began as a Christian feast honoring Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It wasn’t until the 14^th and 15^th centuries the day became associated with romance and love.

On average, Americans spend over $150 a person on Valentine’s Day currently.

Go, spread the love.

And, happy Valentine’s Day.

I just hope no one is snooping around my browser history and finds my research for today.

Before the fools and bunnies; before taxes and fireworks is Valentine’s Day. A day for flowers and flowery words; confection and affection.

It’s also a time for Marvel to march out some of its sweethearts, well and lesser known, to entertain and pass along a little wisdom.

Mary Jane and Peter spend a romantic day in a cocoon of webs and memories.

Marvel Valentine Special (1997) 1

While enjoying a text book and good weather, Peter sees himself. His teenage self when his future wife was still a set up date between their aunts.

Deciding to help, Peter gives the nebbish grad student fashion and dating tips.

The opening Valentine volley – My Fair Spidey – comes to a close when Mary Jane helps Peter realize it wasn’t who he was trying to be, but who he was she fell in love with. Donning his union suit, Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, saves the day and the couple’s future.

Love Hurts is a much more serious look at love.

Daredevil and girlfriend Karen Page work to save a young woman’s life from an abusive boyfriend.

Venus and Goom return readers to more of a comfort zone in Atom-Age Amore. The story is a whimsical stab at world domination through a dating agency.

The Greatest Gift is another fun fable showcasing Absorbing Man and Titania.

Crusher Creel is caught in his past while trying to find the perfect gift for his wife. With her help, together they find what that is; one that doesn’t come in a box nor need wrapped.

Valentine’s Day is coming. Better start thinking of what your main squeeze would love most.

February is almost over, but winter drags on. This second helping of winter whimsy features one Christmas story with the remainder of the book focusing on seasonal activities and other notable days.

The Simpsons Winer Wingding (2007) 2

Not a Groundhog Day clone, The Christmas That Lasted Forever, is a nightmare lived over and live.

Chuck Dixon hired out his talent for the opening salvo in the second winter special.

Bart makes a simple wish that every day would be Christmas. Rather than relive the day over and over, every following day is Christmas.      Industry halts and life entropies.

Otto’s Gnarly Snowbaorder’s Glossary for When You Need to Comp a Boarder’s Lingo is a two page, well, what the title says.

Brave Bart does not mean a smart Bart. His courage outweighed his cranium as he takes on the neighborhood bullies in a snowball fight.

Bart stumbles into a sledding contest that leaves he and Ralph struggling for survival in Junior Camper Snow Sled Jamboree.

That’s so glavin! is a New Year’s resolution turned bad. Fortunately, Lisa is able to save the day.

The middle Simpson child is the focus of the last story as well as Lisa attempts to find her secret admirer in VSI (Valentine Scene Investigators).

This is the story we’re looking at as we lead into the second month and second holiday of the year with Valentine’s Day. This is a head’s up to give you time to find that perfect gift for that perfect person.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Another year, another visit from Cupid. At least there better be cupid in the picture if there’s a significant other.

Valentine’s Day, aka Saint Valentine’s Day or Feast of Saint Valentine, as defined by Wikipedia, originated as a Western Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is recognized worldwide as a romantic and commercial non-holiday.

Sugar and Spike (1956) 39

Paper Valentines became popular in 19^th-century England. Despite postage costs, they were even sent via mail. In 1868 Cadbury created what it called Fancy Boxes or chocolates in a decorated, heart-shaped box.

Esther Howland began mass-production of Valentine’s in America about the same time. Currently, around 190 million valentines are sent each year in the United States alone. In 2013 the individual cost of Valentine’s Day per person in America was estimated to be $131.

Costs weren’t as extravagant in 1962 when Sugar and Spike were trying to decipher Valentine’s Day in The Big Mail-Box Mystery.

What began as the discovery and misunderstanding of mail, led to a Valentine’s Day lesson. One that neither grasped by stories end.

For the holiday savvy readers, a page of Valentine’s cards in prose follow.

Included in the book are two non-related seasonal stories of snow and activities. The first is Ski-Wheeee that opens the comic. The New Kid closes.

Again, happy Valentine’s Day. We here at Four Color hope it is as magical as the books that ignited this Web site. Spend it with those you love and cherish.

It’s Valentine’s Day. I’ve gotta get this one right. Not only is it supposed to be the most romantic day of the year, but it is also my anniversary.

Our anniversary.

Sandy’s and mine.

She has nothing to do with the Web site, but she might see it at some point.

So, happy Valentine’s Day from the Looney Tune’s gang.  Issue 171 promised “Heart-Pounding Giggles Ahead!”

Really.

Looney Tunes 171

It does.

Just read the kicker over the title.

While the cover reads ‘There’s Something About Taz,’ the story title is ‘The Debonair Devil.’ Pepe Le Pew steals more than just the spotlight in this torrid tale of love lost and won.

Daffy Duck and Foghorn Leghorn yuck it up for a two-page side tickler.

Bugs gets the girl in ‘Roll Out the Bunny’ for the second and final Valentine’s Day tale in the book.

Elmer Fudd gives up hunting – for this issue – after tackling technology in ‘Reach Out and Bugs Someone.’

If you’re still looking for that perfect last-minute gift, this may do the trick…but, probably not.  Comic books aren’t as cool when girls are looking at them.  If they are, you’ve found a keeper.

Hope your day of romance is a good one.

Cutting this short to spend some time with my Valentine.

Simply put issue 117 is Mystery Inc. meets Valentine’s Day.

“Kingdom by the Sea” is a romantic tale of unrequited love lost in the mists of time and the sea.

“Ravenous” is the first of two Poe-inspired stories, this one in verse. Shaggy is the protagonist as a feverous dream causes him to worry about his friends.

Scooby-Doo (1997) 117

Finally, “The Tell-Tale Heartburn” puts a new twist on the 1843-short Gothic fiction tale. Unlike the original villain the new culprit does commit the crime for greed.

Over the previous 50 years – yes, Scooby and those meddling kids have been around that long – have experienced their share of romance. Mostly flirtations and, as with the lead story, unrequited (pun intended) puppy-love within the gang.

Since the franchise was revitalized in 1998, the various incarnations have offered tongue-in-cheek speculation as to the inter-group relationships. Freddy has proclaimed his love for Daphne over and over in both Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010-13) and even more unabashedly in DC’s most recent comic book take Scooby Apocalypse. Daphne has returned affections, only at different times, most notably in Mystery Incorporated.

Both have shown jealousy when the other has expressed interest in other persons.

Shaggy and Velma were on-again, off-again in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, much to Scooby’s dismay. Shaggy also found a kindred soul in the feature-length animated Scooby-Doo! And the Alien Invaders.

Scooby himself has been smitten throughout the years even having his head turned as early as episode nine of the original series “The Backstage Rage.”

No matter what love triangles – or geometric contortions – there’s no shortage of affection for Scooby-Doo and those meddling kids. Happy 50th and Happy Valentine’s Day.

As a long-time horror fan and one who still appreciates the Universal fore-fathers, Young Monsters in Love promised a tantalizing twist to the 2018 Valentine’s Day.

Kelley Jones’ depiction of Swamp Thing planting a big, wet one on the Frankenstein monster’s bride while the cobbled creation looks on, set the mood.

This 80-page anthology is a mixed bag. Ten stories ranging from tale tellers James Robinson to Paul Dini with art by the aforementioned Mr. Jones, Guiseppe Camuncoli, Cam Smith, Stephanie Hans, Javier Fernandez, Mirko Colak, Nic Klein, Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Razer Irving, John McCrea and Guillem March.

Young Monsters in Love

Jones is the perfect choice to render the opening Man-Bat story, worthy of a read. Skip the Frankenstein monster’s tale for Solomon Grundy’s as Superman passes along some words of wisdom to Superboy.

Too bad Raven’s – of Teen Titans – story isn’t more like Edgar Poe’s.

Dini does Deadman – gotta love alliteration – proud keeping Boston Brand from spinning in his grave.

Swamp Thing is represented by Russell and Frazer with a flowery tale. Pun intended.

The book is rounded out with some mediocre stories. Maybe the most memorable is the Mallah and Brain taboo romance.

The torrid torch the two carry deals with their dissimilar species, but same sex attraction.

Like the allure of any solicitation, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Don’t take my opinion, try it for yourself.

“Just Batty Over You” plucked another five bucks outta fanboys pockets in 2015. In the Golden, Silver and Bronze ages those five bucks may have been the only money spent on anything Valentine’s Day-oriented for us, the comic book fans. With the wide reaching influence of silver screen appearances we, the lovers of print and picture, no longer need suffer in solitude.

Harley is one of the reasons for this. With her popularity throughout the various mediums, Harleen Frances Quinzel, PhD, was and, to an extent, is still hot. Hot as in dollars and cents. Men, women, boys and girls were throwing down money for pretty much anything she appeared in at the time. Any holiday gave the harlequin honey an excuse to appear in a special.

With skimpy attire and double entendre Valentine’s Day was a no brainer. But, with her and Mr. J’s relationship over, who to target? Why not dust off a notion from the animated series and target Gotham’s most eligible bachelor.

Harley robs from the rich to secure a date with Bruce Wayne who is pimping himself out in a charity auction. Harley has plenty of time to fantasize what her $1 million, $100 bid will buy her. Those dream sequences allowed guest writers and pencilers a chance to fill some blank pages.

Not a bad way to spend Valentine’s Day, but here’s hoping you spend it with someone even more special. Sorry Harley.

Harley Quinn Valentine’s Day Special 1

Harley Quinn Valentine’s Day Special 1 (Retailer Roadshow Custom Cover)

Harley Quinn Valentine’s Day Special 1 (Conner Variant)

Harley Quinn Valentine’s Day Special 1 (Blank Variant)

 

As the first of February dawns cold and promising little, but more of the same to come, flower, greeting card and jewelry shops wait with baited breathe. February is the month for love. Valentine’s Day.

Zombies go with pretty much anything. Why not Valentine’s Day?

Much like George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, Dan Mendoza uses the mall setting – to a lesser extent – to pontificate on American culture and Valentine’s Day itself.

The main thrust of the book is love (?) and loss.

Not much to say about the title. Not one I read, so no background to relate. Just a (moldy) cheesecake comic featuring a shapely zombie.

Sorry. You’ll hafta wait till Valentine’s Day for a better posting.

Zombie Tramp: VD Special

Zombie Tramp: VD Special Gaylord cover

 

DC Valentine’s Day cards, circa 1980.