First Love Illustrated #25
"Jilted Pride!" is a poignant 1953 tale from First Love Illustrated #25, a standout moment in the series' run. Written and drawn by John Sink, the story follows Grace as her hopes for romance unravel in a series of heart-wrenching encounters—first with the charming but elusive Terry, then with Paul on a fateful moonlit sail. The emotional weight of the narrative is matched by Lee Elias’s evocative cover, capturing the moment’s tension with striking clarity.
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While en route to her aunt's place, Grace pulls into a motel for the night. Her next-door neighbor Terry takes her to dinner and his post-prandial lovemaking leads Grace to believe she's in love with him. When Grace discovers he left while she slept, she feels used. At Aunt Mary's, she is haunted by Terry and wants to forget him. She dates Paul. They go sailing on a moonlit night and Paul attempts to force himself upon her. Still in love with Terry, she dives overboard and swims for shore but suffers a cramp, loses consciousness, and sinks. She wakes in hospital and finds Terry is an intern at the hospital. He says he left a note for her with the motel clerk but Grace admits she was so distraught that she drove off without inquiring. The two pledge undying love.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).