Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: punisher, Romance Comics, ross andru

Punisher Co-Creator Ross Andru Drawing Romantic Hearts, at Auction

Comic book artist Ross Andru had a lengthy career ranging from 1950s romance comics to Wonder Woman, Flash, Spider-Man, and much more.

Published Wed, 14 Feb 2024 13:32:09 -0600

by Rich Johnston

Comments

Article Summary

Rare Romantic Hearts #4 was published in 1954 by Master Publications
Golden Age to Modern artist Ross Andru illustrated the story "Heartbreak" that issue..
Ross Andru's early work long predates his co-creation of The Punisher.
Andru’s career spanned from romance comics to iconic superhero titles.

Romantic Hearts was a romance anthology comic, first published by Story Comics from 1951 to 1953 and then taken over and relaunched by Master Comics from 1953 to 1955 before it closed. Up for auction from Heritage Auctions is the fourth issue from the second run of Romantic Hearts; it's the only copy Heritage has ever seen. And they have seen plenty. The lead strip in Romantic Hearts #4 is No Law in Love! by Golden Age-t0-Modern Age artist Ross Andru, in which a Law professor, Marcia, agrees to marry the rather stuffy Dean Monroe, although he is 20 years older than she is. You wouldn't get away with that kind of thing in an educational establishment these days. Then, a former Korean War POW called Pete enrolls as a student, and Marcia falls in love with him. When Marcia overhears Monroe threatening to ruin Pete's future if he doesn't dump Marcia, she breaks up with Pete for his own good. It's a completely different Peter on the cover by Don Beck, of course.

Romantic Hearts #4 (Master Publications, 1954) Condition: FN. Dick Beck cover and art. Ross Andru art. The first copy we've ever seen. Overstreet 2023 FN 6.0 value = $39.

Ross Andru is best known for his work on The Amazing Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and The Metal Men and for having co-created The Punisher. He also formed three separate comics publishers with inker Mike Esposito, Mr. Publications in 1951, MikeRoss in 1953 and Klevart Enterprises in 1970. With Esposito, he was a DC Comics war mainstay, defined the look of the Silver Age Wonder Woman, before co-creating the Metal Men in 1962. At Marvel, as well as co-creating the Punisher, he pencilled the first major comic book, Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man (soon to be reprinted) and in 1992, he drew the graphic novel Spider-Man: Fear Itself. But here are some of his earlier days.