Cartoonists Make Better Lovers : Alberta Tewks

Today’s example is from a fairly obscure, woman cartoonist named Alberta Tewks. She began her career in the industry in the 1940’s as a letterer over at Timely. By the 50’s she was penciling and inking as a freelance for several publishers. At times she was known to disguise her gender by signing her work as “Al Tewks” and “Al Tews”.

The examples I’m posting were all found in comics published by an outfit called Comic Media. Here is a pair of splash pages from a pair of horror stories she did in WEIRD TERROR and HORRIFIC.

 

  

Alberta’s artwork is solid, if unremarkable. But I’m fascinated by the extreme aura of sexual violence I found in the romance stories she did for the company. Here are two from DEAR LONELY HEARTS. Most stories I’ve read in this milieu have been fairly benign, dealing simply in heart break or romantic misunderstandings. “Pin-Up Girl” and “Mountain Love” however, deal explicitly in rape!

“Headstrong Woman” is from a 1954 issue of ALL TRUE ROMANCE. Not only do we get an atmosphere of erotic danger, we get bondage elements as well. I find these strange story ingredients to assign to a female artist.

Pat