Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: John Buscema, Romance Comics

Love Diary #35, A Rarity Of A 1953 Comic From John Buscema at Auction

A copy of Love Diary #35 by John Buscema from 1953, listed by Heritage Auction, is a real rarity - the only copy Heritage Auctions has seen.

Published Sun, 11 Feb 2024 11:47:08 -0600

by Rich Johnston

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Article Summary

Rare 1953 Love Diary #35 by John Buscema surfaced at Heritage Auctions.
The issue is the sole CGC-graded copy known, with a 4.0 rating.
Orbit's Love Diary featured work by industry icons like Buscema and Leav.
Romance comics boom traced back to Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's creation.

There were three romance comics from three different publishers called Love Diary. The first from Quality Comics which ran from 1937 to 1956. The second was from Orbit Publications, which ran from 1949 to 1955, while it was operated by publisher, editor, cartoonist and a rare woman at the top of a comics publisher back then, Ray Herman. And a third from Charlton Comics, from 1958 to 1976.

A copy of Love Diary #35 from the Orbit run from 1953, listed by Heritage Auction, is a real rarity. It is CGC graded at 4.0 and is both the only graded copy that has been recorded by CGC, and the only copy of this comic that Heritage Auctions has seen. It has a cover from John Buscema, who draws stories inside the comi, alongside creators Bill Woolfolk and Mort Leav.

Orbit was co-owned by Herman and Marjorie May, the niece of World Color Press owner Roswell Messing, Sr. Love Diary was one of the company's longest-running titles, though it only published for ten years, and contributing artists included John Buscema, Syd Shores, Bernard Krigstein and Mort Leav. Ray Herman was secretary and board director for the Association of Comics Magazine Publishers, and Obit was a founding member.

Love Diary #35 (Orbit, 1953) CGC VG 4.0 Off-white to white pages. The only CGC-graded copy of the issue, and the only copy we've ever seen! John Buscema cover. Overstreet 2023 VG 4.0 value = $30. CGC census 12/23: 1 in 4.0, none higher. light staining to cover, moderate finger bends on cover, multiple readers crease full left of front cover breaks color, small tear left bottom of spine, spine stress lines breaks color

The romance comics genre in the USA was created by Captain America co-creators Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, with Young Romance in 1947, looking for a new hit and something that might appeal to older audiences. They got it, and the series would last for over 200 issues. By 1950, more than 150 romance titles were on the newsstands from Quality Comics, Avon, Lev Gleason Publications, and DC Comics.