My Secret Life #41, August 1961
“Charlton Comics Give You More!” screams the blub atop every page — and in this case, they certainly gave us something different.
Myra loves her boyfriend Neil and is excited about the time she’s going to be spending with him. A newspaper headline tells her that a shark has been seen in the bay, but she thinks this is just hyperbole to increase sales. At Joan’s party, Myra and Neil happily dance the night away while professing their love for each other. As Neil has the next day off, Myra suggests they go swimming, but Neil reminds her of the shark scare. “Don’t be childish!” chides a smiling Myra.
The next morning Myra and Neil head for the beach. “C’mon, I’ll race you to the water!” teases Myra, and Neil follows as she splashes into the surf.
Right into the jaws of a shark! Chomp!!
Neil pulls her from the water and summons an ambulance. At the hospital the surgeons make a “valiant attempt to save [her] life” — and succeed. However, Myra is told that she’ll never walk again.
Neil arrives for a vist, but finds Myra disconsolate. She’s concerned that she’ll be a burden.
“Nonsense,” says Neil, “you’ll be no burden!”
What a stand up fellow Neil is. Myra’s bagged herself a good ‘un there.
Finally, some months later, as Myra sits in her wheelchair, she and Neil are pronounced man and wife.
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C’mon, everybody: awwwwww….
Well, it moved me. After all, it’s not every romance story that features the heroine getting her leg munched off by a shark. Car crashes, frequently; sharks, not so much.
As this is Charlton there are no credits, but the art is very nice.
©2009 Charlton/the respective copyright holder
It’s a pity she wasn’t a little younger, then I could use the old gag, “Well, she may grow another couple of inches, but she’ll never grow another foot!”
Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all week. Try the veal, it’s terrific!
According to the Grand Comic Database, the story Out of the Depths was penciled by Joe Sinnott and inked by Vince Coletta. — Mykal
That shark is bit of a wimp. Hookjaw would have eaten Myra, whole.
Holy moly! Thats some pretty crazy stuff for a romance book. I like how Myra has a classic jazz hands pose as she is being chomped on!
Stephen: Well, yeah, Hookjaw would have taken things to a whole other level…
Jacque: come to think of it, with the current vogue for adapting famous films to the West End and Broadway stages, can Jaws: The Musical be far away..?
Pretty innovative cover!
Allan! I will personally choreograph Jaws: The Musical. I knew all those years of dance lessons and acting classes would come in handy!