Tuesday, March 2, 2010

90% Of The 1970s can Be Explained By This Advice Column

One of the most charming aspects of 1960s "teen" comics was their advice columns.

Because after all, who wouldn't want to take advice from this gal?

Tippy was created by Samm Schwartz, who worked for Archie comics in the 50s and 60s. He mainly worked on Jughead, and according to some, created Big Ethel!!

Anyway, Schwartz left Archie comics to join Tower Comics, and work on...a spunky teen comic. Really, why bother to leave if you're just going to do the same thing?

Ahh, but Tippy was a teenage girl. Very different. With lots of stories by Schwartz and other Archie veterans like Dan DeCarlo. So, yeah, completely different.

Some of Tippy's sidekicks were so popular, they goth their own comic!! Hence, the awkwardly titled Tippy's Friends Go Go And Animal. (Sadly, this was not Animal from the Muppet Show)

In between wacky teenage adventures (completely unlike those of the Archie gang), fashion pages, hair and make-up tips, and other hilarious hijinks, Go Go loved to dispense advice to teens (and pre-teens):

Yes, let's. Particularly interesting is this letter from Tippy's Friends Go Go And Animal #7 (1967):

So, just to be clear, kids:
  • "Never discuss your intimate feelings with anyone"
  • "Next time you like someone, remember--mum's the word!"
NEVER!!! Not with ANYONE!!!! Yup, repress those feelings, confide in no one, have no real friends with whom you can discuss your life. Trust no one, and keep every little emotion locked up tight inside. Die friendless And alone before you actually admit to liking someone!! Sage advice for pre-teens girls from middle-aged white collar men.

No wonder that generation turned to drugs and free love...

1 comment:

Abe Lucas said...

Those same middle-aged WWII-generation guys never expressed emotion, unless it was rage or disgust at something their boomer children did or said. Of course, the boomers would take emotions to the opposite end of the spectrum with their touchy-feeliness and what did we get from that? Primal Scream Therapy, Transcendental Meditation, and Iron John.

What a world, what a world...