Secret Hearts was a romance comic anthology published by DC Comics in the United States , primarily in the 1950s and '60s. A staple of the company's romance line, it was "one of the publisher's most successful and well-known romance titles."
32-453: Notable artists featured in Secret Hearts include Mike Sekowsky , John Romita Sr. , Jay Scott Pike , Tony Abruzzo , Liz Berube , John Celardo , Gene Colan , John Rosenberger , Joe Rosen , and Werner Roth . Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein based a number of his works, including Drowning Girl (1963), on panels from Secret Hearts . DC published Secret Hearts under a variety of
64-566: A Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal limited series on the Marvel Unlimited app. Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal are a type of traditional comedy duo, the straight man and the stooge . Ziggy, who wears a blue hat and a black and yellow sweater with a red "Z", is the slightly smarter of the two, with Silly, a white seal with a toboggan cap and a scarf, the bumbling but occasionally triumphant sidekick. The two often find themselves united on comic book covers against antagonist Toughy Cat. Ziggy Pig makes
96-539: A superhero artist on such star characters as Captain America and the Sub-Mariner in issues of All Winners Comics , Daring Comics , Marvel Mystery Comics , USA Comics , and Young Allies Comics . Sekowsky developed a reputation as one of the fastest artists in the comics field. Fellow Timely artist Gene Colan commented on his work: "His pencils were something to behold. Very loose, but so beautifully done. At
128-481: A 2004 interview, I created Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal from scratch. [ Editor-in-chief ] Stan [Lee] said to me, 'Create an animated-type character. Something different, something new'. I searched around and thought, 'I’ve never seen anyone do anything about a seal', so I made him the lead character. So I created 'Silly Seal'. One day, Stan said to me, 'Why don’t you give him a little friend of some sort?' I had already created Ziggy Pig, who had his own little feature, so it
160-548: A cover with Krazy Komics #5 (Jan. 1943), and continued as the cover feature through #24 (Sept. 1946), generally with their regular antagonist , Toughy Cat ; they also appeared on the ensemble cover of the final issue, #26 (Fall 1946). Ziggy and Silly became the cover stars of all eight issues of Animated Funny Comic-Tunes (#16-23, Summer 1944 - Fall 1946; Silly not on cover of #18), all seven issues of Silly Tunes (Fall 1945 - April 1947; as part of ensemble on last issue), on issues of Ideal Comics , and elsewhere. They appear on
192-584: A flashback tale in issue #240 (July 1985), which featured the Justice League from his era. For the last decade of his life, Sekowsky lived in Los Angeles and worked primarily on Hanna-Barbera animated television series , including Scooby-Doo . After hospitalization with health problems stemming from diabetes , he began freelancing for publisher Daerrick Gross , who was developing a line of skateboard and ninja comics. Sekowsky died before he could complete
224-487: A variety of themes, from espionage to mythological adventure. He contributed a story about Wonder Woman and Batman to The Brave and the Bold . Comics historian Mark Voger has praised Sekowsky's work from this era by noting "More than any other artist then working for DC Comics, Sekowsky...captured the look and sensibility of the late 1960s." Sekowsky wrote and drew features for the series-tryout comic-book series Showcase during
256-478: A week as a [staff] inker , and you can [additionally] freelance over the weekend. I'll let you ink my stuff'. He went to editor Stan Lee and got me the job. I didn't know anything about inking. [Staff artist] Dave Gantz taught me — just by watching him". Sekowsky bestowed expensive gifts on her even after his marriage to Latta, causing friction in the Timely bullpen, which she left in 1949. She later described
288-629: The Marvel Adventures : Fantastic Four issue "A Timely Family Appearance". Previously, Ziggy appeared in the non-canonical novelty humor comic Marvel Fumetti Book #1 (April 1984), by writer Mike Carlin and artists Vince Colletta and Terry Austin . Ziggy and Silly appear in Deadpool (2018) #8, with the latter hiring Deadpool. A later one-shot reveals that the actual culprit was Silly's lookalike cousin Willy. On August 19, 2022, Marvel released
320-679: The Apache Kid , the Black Rider , and Kid Colt for Marvel's 1950s iteration, Atlas Comics . He later freelanced for other companies, drawing the television show spin-offs Gunsmoke and Buffalo Bill, Jr. for Dell Comics ; romance comics (for Crestwood , Fawcett Comics , Nedor , Quality Comics , and St. John Publications ); the jungle adventure Ramar of the Jungle for ( Charlton Comics ); war , including Ziff Davis ' G.I. Joe , and others. He continued to draw for Dell in particular through
352-493: The Golden Age of Comic Books . Initially appearing as individual stars of solo features in the comedy anthology Krazy Komics #1 ( cover dated July 1942), they were soon teamed to become, along with Super Rabbit , the most prominent stars of what Timely called its "animation" comics. With such Krazy Komics cohorts as Toughy Cat, the anthropomorphic duo are among the first talking-animal characters created specifically for
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#1733086073707384-734: The Justice Society of America as well as the first use of the term "Crisis" in reference to a crossover between DC's characters. The following year's JLA team-up with the Justice Society introduced the threat of the Crime Syndicate of America of Earth-Three . Sekowsky married his second wife, Josephine, called Pat, in October 1967. Sekowsky and writer Bob Haney introduced B'wana Beast in Showcase #66 (Feb. 1967). In 1968, Sekowsky became
416-526: The Super Rabbit -dominated ensemble covers on all but issues #10 & 12 of the dozen-issue All Surprise Comics (Fall 1943 - Winter 1946), and in both the ensemble covers and their own covers on all six issues of Comic Capers (Fall 1944 - Fall 1946). Ziggy and Silly headlined their own six-issue Ziggy Pig-Silly Seal Comics (Jan. 1944 - Sept. 1946). Silly Tunes #7 (April 1947) marked their final Golden Age appearance. After this era, they reappeared in
448-405: The one-shot 3-D comic book, Animal Fun 3-D (Dec. 1953), from Premier Magazines. Ziggy and Silly also appeared in issues of the unauthorized reprint titles Billy And Buggy Bear , Wacky Duck , Super Rabbit , and Ziggy Pig from Israel Waldman's I. W. Publications / Super Comics, for a short time beginning in 1958. Ziggy Pig, Silly Seal, and several other Timely animal characters appear in
480-573: The penciler for DC Comics ' Justice League of America during most of the 1960s, and as the regular writer and artist on Wonder Woman during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Sekowsky was born in Lansford, Pennsylvania , and began working in the comics medium in 1941, as an artist at Marvel Comics ' predecessor, Timely Comics , in New York City. There he worked as both a cartoonist on such humor features as " Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal ", and as
512-747: The 1940s. From 1971 to 1975, he sporadically provided penciling for stories in Amazing Adventures vol. 2, featuring the Inhumans ; and Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up . Sekowsky and writer Greg Weisman planned a Black Canary miniseries in 1984 for DC Comics. After the first issue was pencilled, the project went unpublished due to the character being used in writer/artist Mike Grell 's Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters series. Elements were used for Weisman's DC Showcase: Green Arrow short film. Sekowsky returned to Justice League of America to pencil
544-466: The assignment. Sekowsky won a 1963 Alley Award for Favorite Novel ("Crisis on Earths 1 and 2" in Justice League of America #21 and #22 with Gardner Fox ) and a 1981 Inkpot Award . Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal are fictional, talking animal comic-book characters created by cartoonist Al Jaffee for Marvel Comics ' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics , during
576-483: The company's romance line imprints, including Arleigh Publishing Co./Corp. and Beverly Publishing Co. , as well as the typical National Periodical Publications, Inc. . Debuting with a Sept.–Oct. 1949 cover-date, Secret Hearts ran for 153 issues, ending with the July 1971 issue. Secret Hearts was released on a bimonthly schedule from 1949 to mid-1957, when it went to an eight-times-a-year schedule. The first six issues of
608-478: The early 1960s. In 1952, Sekowsky began working at DC Comics , where he drew romance comics and science fiction titles under the editorship of Julius Schwartz . Sekowsky drew the first appearance of Adam Strange in Showcase #17 (Nov. 1958). Sekowsky and writer Gardner Fox co-created the Justice League of America in The Brave and the Bold #28 (March 1960). After two further appearances in that title,
640-436: The fledgling medium of comic books, rather than adapted from film , comic strips , or other media. Some stories used the logo Silly Seal and Ziggy Pig , and at least one used simply Silly and Ziggy . Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal were created by cartoonist Al Jaffee for Timely Comics , a predecessor of Marvel Comics , in the comedy anthology comic book Krazy Komics #1 ( cover dated July 1942). Jaffee recalled in
672-708: The last three years of its run. This included "The Maniaks" in Showcase #68–69 (June–August 1967) and #71 (December 1967) and "Jason's Quest", an adventure series about a young man on a motorcycle searching for his family, in Showcase #88–90 (Feb.–May 1970). He became the writer/artist of the Supergirl feature in Adventure Comics as of issue #397 (Sept. 1970) and frequently disregarded continuity by scripting stories which contradicted DC's canon . Upon leaving DC, Sekowsky returned to Marvel, where he had gotten his start in
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#1733086073707704-419: The nascent Marvel Comics' mainstays, chose to remain and "make George's life hell", Barclay said in 2004. She further described, "I was married before I met Mike, but my husband's divorce was not final. ... [I] had to go to court and get an annulment. Mike paid for it and it cost $ 350". Sekowsky continued drawing for Timely in multiple genres through the 1940s and into the 1950s, on such Western characters as
736-630: The office environment, Mike was a very good human being. Everybody at Timely liked Mike. Nobody liked me because they thought I was doing a number on him. Which was true. World War II was on and there were no men around, so I just killed time with him. Everybody, Dave Gantz especially, picked up on that. ... [Mike] once tried to get me fired over my fling with [Timely artist] George Klein . Mike went to Stan Lee and said, 'Stan, I want her fired, and if she doesn't get fired, I'm going to quit'. Well, you couldn't ever tell Stan Lee what to do. Stan said, 'Well, Mike, it's been nice knowing you'. Sekowsky, one of
768-469: The penciler of Metal Men . The following year, Sekowsky also became the writer and changed the direction of the series by having the Metal Men assume human identities. The series was canceled six issues later. At roughly the same time, Sekowsky began working on Wonder Woman with issue #178 (Sept.-Oct. 1968), first as artist and then as writer and editor, until issue #196. His run on the series included
800-452: The team received its own series which Sekowsky drew for 63 issues. Fox and Sekowsky added to the membership of the Justice League by inducting new members Green Arrow , the Atom , and Hawkman . Among the adversaries which Fox and Sekowsky introduced for the team were Amazo and Doctor Light . Justice League of America #21 and #22 (Sept. 1963) saw the first team-up of the Justice League and
832-469: The time period, to say the least: On the final page, heroine Karen asks hero Greg, 'Oh, Greg, Greg, Greg, my darling — will you marry me?' To which our man of few words replies, 'You bet I will!'" The title's letters page , called Ann Martin, Counselor-at-Love , featured romantic advice to readers. Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein based a number of his works on panels from Secret Hearts . One of Lichtenstein's most well-known works, Drowning Girl (1963),
864-450: The time, there was no one like him." During the 1940s, Sekowsky married his first wife, Joanne Latta. Concurrently, he began a complicated relationship with artist Valerie (a.k.a. Violet) Barclay , who was working at the Manhattan restaurant Cafe Rouge. As Barclay recalled in a 2004 interview, "I was 17, and ... was making $ 18 a week as a hostess. Mike said, 'I'll get you a job making $ 35
896-457: The title were 52 pages each; it underwent a publishing hiatus of nearly a year and a half between issue #6 (July-August 1950) and #7 (December 1951-January 1952). When the comic returned, it was 36 pages per issue, where it stayed for the remainder of its run. By the title's 150th issue (cover date March 1971), circulation had dropped to an average of 140,927, with only 53 subscriptions. The final issue of Secret Hearts came out on May 20, 1971. It
928-405: Was adapted from the splash page of "Run for Love!", from Secret Hearts #83 (Nov. 1962), illustrated by Tony Abruzzo and lettered by Ira Schnapp . Other notable examples of Lichtenstein works based on panels from Secret Hearts include: Mike Sekowsky Michael Sekowsky ( / s ə ˈ k aʊ s k i / ; November 19, 1923 – March 30, 1989) was an American comics artist known as
960-409: Was another serialized story that ran for 29 consecutive episodes from issue #110 (Mar. 1966) through issue #138 (Sept. 1969). About the town of Danville Corners, "Reach for Happiness," was a knockoff of the hit TV soap opera Peyton Place . The story grew increasingly complex, so much so that the publisher included a one-page update about the cast. The ending of "Reach for Happiness" "was unorthodox for
992-481: Was quite easy to combine them into one series. I said, 'How about Ziggy Pig?' Stan said, 'Okay!' I should add that, while I created Ziggy Pig, it was Stan who named him. Aside from Jaffee, artists associated with the feature include Joe Calcagno, Harvey Eisenberg , Al Fago, Al Genet, and Mike Sekowsky . Following their individual debuts, Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal were teamed and became stars of Timely Comics ' children's-comedy line. They first appeared together on
Secret Hearts - Misplaced Pages Continue
1024-538: Was the first of DC's seven romance titles to be canceled. Each issue of Secret Hearts featured at least three separate stories of romance, each one usually about 8 pages in length. In 1964, the title began running serialized soap opera -style story stories; the first one beginning in issue #96 (June 1964), featuring Amy Ames, "Miss Listening Heart" of the Daily Star . The series lasted through #109 (Jan. 1966) (skipping #108). "Reach for Happiness," written by Jack Miller,
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