Imprisoned by Frizz - Young Love #106 (October/November 1973)
"Imprisoned by Frizz" featured in Young Love #106 (October/November 1973) is a romance comic book story I can completely identify with. Girl meets boy, boy breaks... er... holdup. Actually, this isn't your usual romance yarn. Maria, our doubtful heroine, is plagued by a mop top of curly golden locks and fancies herself an ugly duckling. Over the years, I have learned how to tame the beast that is curly hair, but things aren't so easy for teenage Maria. Keep reading, and join me for the expertly drawn (thank you Creig Flessel!) "Imprisoned by Frizz."
Yup, I too had those baby soft curls that quickly turned out-of-control!
Like most curly girls, Maria tries everything on the market to tame, subdue and otherwise obliterate her curls. Nothing works, and she is left with a broken heart and a cross mother.
Instead of dwell on her hair, Maria makes the resolution to turn her attention to her books and her schoolwork, declaring, "I'll be a smart ugly duckling!"
Awash in a sea of straight-haired cohorts, Maria develops an intense dislike for the popular, smart and handsome man on campus -- Bruce. Despite his attempts to get to know Maria, she brushes him off and buries her nose even further into her books. She feels that the only reason he is nice to her is because he pities her.
Now, as any curly haired person knows -- rain and humidity are foes, not friends! So when the weather forecast calls for rain on the day of Maria's huge presentation (determining whether or not she will be sent to the state conference) she naturally is spooked. Fortuitously, Maria's hair holds up, despite the rain.
Maria's dedication pays off, and she is picked to go to the state competition... and so is Bruce!
Feeling frustrated that she has to share the glory with her arch-nemesis, Maria pitches a fit. Quickly realizing that she has made a terrible mistake in being so cold to Bruce, she is doubly crushed when Bruce suddenly withdraws his hat from the ring.
Being the little ball of fiery passion that she is, Maria runs off into the woods surrounding the school -- despite the frizz-inducing storm going on outside. As she clings to the trees, Maria sobs over the way she behaved towards Bruce and laments, "Please, please, let me start this day again!" Hearing her cries through the downpour, Bruce comes running to her side. As he kisses her moist cheek, Bruce whispers that it is her wildness and down-to-earthiness that made him fall for her long ago. The following weekend, basking in the glow of young love (and a good hair day) Maria and Bruce head to the state capital, together.
I love this story because frankly, there is no other romance story quite like it! The story is unique, and so is the art. Flessel sure could draw some mean curly hair!