First Love Illustrated #26
In "Dangerous Rival," Roz, a driven secretary at an ad agency, navigates office politics and personal ambition as she strives to become account executive. Her growing romance with her boss Larry hits a snag when he discourages her career goals, leading her to report him—only to find her own path complicated by his engagement to a new secretary, Ruth. Written by Joe Certa and illustrated with crisp, period-perfect detail, this 1953 story captures the tension of ambition and love in a world where professional success and personal desire collide. The cover by Al Avison perfectly frames the drama with its sharp, expressive lines.
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Roz is hired as a secretary in an ad agency and works to get ahead. She and her boss Larry fall in love, but when Larry discourages her career ambitions, she reports him to the president of the firm. Roz is promoted to copywriter. Since the company won’t employ married couples, Roz promises to quit and marry Larry when she reaches her goal: account executive. Larry gets tired of waiting and becomes engaged to his new secretary Ruth. Roz’s work is not satisfactory and she doesn’t get her dream job.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).