Short Lived Comic Series #11 - Brenda Starr, Reporter (Dell Comics)

Brenda Starr is a name that is likely familiar to you. The glamorous reporter had her own comic strip in the newspaper for many years, and she was also featured in several films, both on the big screen and the small screen. And while she had a couple of comic book series, the one I am focusing on for this blog posting is the shortest series of them all, published by Dell Comics back in 1963. Lasting all of one issue, Brenda Starr Reporter (Oct-Dec 1963) was written and drawn by the character's creator, Dale Messick.

It's funny - I used to never be one to read "romance" comics - I never found them appealing at all. As I've gotten older, I have found that my tastes have changed, and I've come to appreciate more than just your standard super hero comics. Sure, I like a big hero vs. villain battle; but, I've also come to really enjoy some well-told stories that center around the lives of everyday people who don't wear spandex, don't have super powers, and don't fight world-challenging battles. And while Brenda Starr may have a certain level of romance in it (the mysterious Basil St. John being her love interest), she is a reporter, and with that comes some rather dangerous and exciting situations.

I have both of Hermes Press's hardcover collections of Brenda Starr's various comic series, but the Dell Comics' only issue of Brenda Starr Reporter is the only actual Brenda Starr individual comic book that I own. And being that it is written and drawn by Brenda's creator, I feel like this is much more of a treasure than the reprint books.

As the cover so aptly totes, in this single issue, Brenda must sole the mystery of "The Poisoned Black Orchid." The story centers around a mysterious black orchid that is delivered to the City Room where Brenda Starr works a a reporter. Brenda collapses after opening the orchid, and soon enough, it is discovered that the orchid is not really black - someone sprayed it black, and its scent is enough to knock a person out!  Of course, the black orchid is a very important symbol for Brenda - it seems any time Basil St. John is in town, he sends her a black orchid, a very rare species of the orchid family, with a note of where to meet him. But when Brenda receives another black orchid at her apartment, she immediately takes it to the incinerator, assuming it is another fake. She fails to notice to card that falls to the ground - but someone else definitely notices, and Olga Volga thrills that her plan has worked!

It's part mystery (who sent the poisoned orchid, was the second orchid real or poisoned, and can Brenda discover who the mysterious woman is that was seen in the company of Basil St. John?), and part romance (will Basil think that Brenda has given up on him when she doesn't show for their rendezvous? will Olga Volga win his heart? and what will Brenda do when she discovers the wedding dress meant for her in Basil's empty apartment?), and all fun! Messick's story moves along rather quickly, and her art is somewhat exaggerated, but the facial expressions are so spot-on (just look at Teaser's and Twirl's expressions in the beginning of the story - you'd know what was going on even without any word balloons!).  The hairstyle, though?  Whoooo-boy, those woman has some bouffants, that's for sure! But, I'm guessing that was what was in style back then.

Having read the 12-issue series published prior to this by Superior Comics in the Hermes Press's collected edition, I can easily see there is a strong difference in storytelling and style between Messick's Brenda Starr and the stories told by other creators in the Superior Comics' run. Messick's Brenda is definitely more romance-oriented, and while she is still strong-willed and determined, her story is not so focused on the adventure and action end of things as the previous comic book series was.  Still, this one-hit wonder was a great read, and it's a shame Messick didn't do more.

RATING:  8 little frowzy looking wigs out of 10 for still holding up nearly 60 years after the fact - a female character comic book written and drawn by a female creator - a comic way ahead of its time!