For Lovers Only #78, Charlton Comics, April 1975
You can’t press love nor can you assign it a grade, and as much as you’d like to you can’t “Buy it Now” either. If you’re making an offer then it’s simply not love!
Love is not ours to control, it chooses its own path and is oblivious to such trivialities as religious edicts, tribal rivalries, bribes, threats and family feuds. What chance do simple comic collectors like us have against the power of love?
This week’s Undervalued Spotlight pick was easy because there are honestly hundreds of undervalued romance comics to choose from. In my opinion Charlton Romance titles from the 1970s are particularly undervalued as collectibles. Comic books are a very visual media and many of Charlton’s romance comic covers are simply irresistible.
The cover to For Lovers Only #78 is fantastic! The painted Joe Staton cover is gorgeous. The issue also contains a six page story inside features pencils and inks by Charlton romance veteran Art Cappello.
For Lovers Only #78 is one of only 14 (my unofficial count) Charlton romance painted covers. These 14 are a unique collecting strain that reward the completist with exquisite covers by great artists like Don Newton, Tom Sutton and this issue’s maestro, Joe Staton.
There are no copies of this comic graded by CGC and thus no sales data to speak of but from personal experience I can tell you this book sells and it sells fast. Get yourself a nice copy, grade it and then keep it! Don’t let this book go! Yes you will be rewarded financially for a very nice copy of this comic but you’ll suffer a heartache that no amount of money can cure.
It seems even the mighty Undervalued Spotlight is not immune to love!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
The 41st edition of the Overstreet Price Guide shows $11/$16/$20 as the splits at the 8.0/9.0/9.2 grades.
Strengths that make this comic book a good long-term investment are:
- If thinking that $20 is too cheap for a beautiful painted cover Charlton romance comic is wrong then I don’t want to be right!
- One of only 14 Charlton painted romance covers
- Dramatic cover romance comics will always be in demand
Feb 14 just isn’t Valentines without one of Walters romantic recommendations. I’ve been waiting for this all day… lo and behold it’s another Charlton!
But you know… many of these books have it wrong. You don’t have be in love to enjoy frolicking on the beach, or gazing into each others eyes. Heck… that’s easy. Some of us know that true love is about endurance…
True love is about eating that unusually heavy experimental muffin that lands with a “thud” on your plate. It’s about changing the light bulb in the middle of your favourite show. It’s about drinking that expired carton of milk so that it doesn’t go to waste. But I guess these acts of kindness and sacrifice just aren’t the stuff of escapism.
It’s great the people are falling in love in your Charlton picks… but Walter, maybe next year you can explore what happens next… just to spice things up. Is there nothing undervalued in the Eros Comix catalogue…?
Ahh Charlie! Thanks for showing me love. Your tolerance and understanding of my weakness for the Charlton romance speaks volumes of your understanding of love. You understand that I am but flesh and bone and that my weaknesses run deep as do my needs.
You are correct when you say that love manifests itself in many ways. Are not the readers of this blog and other blogs that champion our vice expressing their love with every unique visit?
I shall give great consideration for the next Valentine post and I shall choose without fear of judgement or recrimination for I’ll know that whatever I choose you will know it was chosen with love.
Wendy Whitebread #1 for next year.
Ah,”Modern Love”,but will”Boys Keep Swinging”and
dip in??
Face it Walter,…your a BIG Mushball!!
Thanks Dennis!!!!