Something for the girls
Something for the girls |
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Page 6 of 17  Cover, Romeo (DC Thomson, 1968), one of the early British romance comics. Art: Anon. The name 'Jackie' was itself very 'modern', and the comic's mix of beauty tips, pop-star pin-ups, and strips starring Mary Quant-attired teenagers was a daring new direction (in fact, much of Jackie's more adult content was due to the fact that it originated out of the branch of Thomson's that published women's magazines, rather than from its comics department). Other aspects were also new. Unlike Bunty and its competitors, the characters in Jackie did not go to school: they were wage earners, enjoying their 'freedom', and commonly shared accommodation with other hip wage earners in some large metropolis. They were physically and mentally more mature than the intended readership, and this was undoubtedly a major attraction. The strips themselves tended to be romantic in an essentially traditional way, but with a 'sophisticated' veneer. 'Catching a man' was a top priority, and stories typically ended in the conventional final-panel snog. However, the artwork was more cinematic than most comics (there were a large number of foreign artists who were allowed to indulge in European styles), and the plots usually had some measure of psychological depth. Later, the addition of romantic black-and-white 'photo stories' would become one of the comic's most popular features. As for the text content, this varied from lightweight articles about pop stars ('Who's Your Favourite Rolling Stone?') to more serious advice columns ('Can Kissing Make You Pregnant?'), though increasingly more space was given to consumer-style pieces about beauty products, as advertising became more important. |