Comic Book Coffee, number 104: Young Romance #2, drawn & lettered by Bill Draut, published by Prize Comics in Nov-Dec 1947.
“My Broken Heart Was Page One News” features a love triangle between newspaper photographer Nan Carter, reporter Clark Dexter and editor Ed Hunt. Nan wants to marry Clark, but he seems completely disinterested, so when Ed proposes to her instead she accepts… but has she made a terrible mistake?!? (Cue dramatic music!) In this scene we see Nan and Clark exchanging witty banter while grabbing a cup of coffee after turning in their story & photos to the paper about a sensational murder case.
Young Romance is generally regarded as the first romance comic book series. It was devised by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby, who did a lot of work on the series. Among the other creators who drew stories for Young Romance was Bill Draut.
Draut worked for publisher Prize Comics in the late 1940s thru the mid 1950s, with his art also appearing in their series Black Magic and Headline Comics. From the mid 1950s on he drew numerous stories for DC Comics on their romance titles. In the 1970s Draut was a regular contributor to DC’s horror anthologies House of Mystery, House of Secrets and Weird War Tales. Draut passed away in 1993 at the age of 71.
The complete issue of Young Romance #2 can be read on the Comic Book Plus website.
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