Mexican Madness! The return of Hump Day with Jonnie L♥ve

"Mexican Madness!"
Teen-Age Love

Charlton Comics

Cover and Story Art by José Luis Garcia-Lopex
Number 95
1973

Ah yes, the term "Mexican Madness" brings such fantastical images to mind. The possibilities seem almost endless. Possibilities that can't be dampened even by the laws of mortal men.

So, when I found that Jonnie Love starred in a story by that title, I knew I must posses it. Which then lead to Hump Day with Jonnie Love.

Now my schedule has left poor Jonnie by the wayside for a few weeks, but not forgotten. So today, I will present the 2nd to last tale in the Hump Day series. The one that started it all, 'Mexican Madness!' So please seat back and enjoy ... well, an extremely similar Jonnie Love story to the one we just read back in Teen-Age Love # 93.

As the Jonnie Love saga continues, Jonnie has once again gotten turned around only to head back into the open arms of sunny Mexico. Of course, as always, his off-beat bearded beatnik looks draw all kinds of attention.

And, in the economic boom that was Mexico in 1973, it isn't long before employment falls right into his lap.

Accepting the job due to a lack of 'bread', Jonnie agrees to accompany the "couple" back to their hotel. (Wow, this is getting even wilder than I dared imagine!) And then Jonnie, the man who seems to possess only a guitar and the cloths on his back, whips out a blue suit and ascot as if from another dimension.

Luckily for Jonnie, Uncle Arthur, everyone's favorite guardian, isn't well enough to attend dinner and generously offers this car for the young pair's use.

Of course, nothing makes for a more romantic evening than a little queso fundido and the music of a mariachi band.

Maybe it was the setting of moonlight and ancient history, or perhaps it was the warm breeze and the smell of nicotine breath, but Jonnie Love finds himself falling for Susan. Or, at least, falling enough.

But if I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times, you can not trust a blonde with that must volume.

We were all well aware that something about Jonnie Love makes people what to run him down in a car, but this is the first time I realized that there was something about his motorcycle that makes people want to shove diamonds into its gas tank.

Too bad "the Latimers" hadn't bothered to read Teen-Age Love #93. If they had, they would have known how Jonnie Love rolls.

Happy Hump Day everyone!

Jonnie Love - NARK!

"Buy me a Dream!"
Charlton Comics
Teen-Age Love

Script by Joe Gill

Cover and Story art by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez

Number 89
1972

Well we all knew it was only a matter of time. Jonnie Love's attention to grooming, his unquestionable knack for running into trouble and his nearly mythical respect for authority could have lead to only one thing.

Jonnie Love - Nark!

And who makes a better undercover agent than a guy who looks just a little to old to be hanging out with teenagers. (For those of you over 30 like myself, think of it like 21 Jump Street with only Richard Grieco.)

In "Buy Me a Dream", Jonnie Love "the rover" is, well, run off the road. And, in fact, he is run off the road by a beautiful blonde. That Joe Gill doesn't beat around the bush.

Jonnie quickly deduces that this beautiful blonde in under the influence of something very powerful. And it's not his machismo, not yet anyway.

At the party Joanne tries to score more illegal substance from Bunkie. But Bunkie senses that Jonnie Love is not a man to be trusted. (Maybe because he looks to be about 40.)

Joanne offers to take Jonnie to his bike. Jonnie excepts and takes advantage of the time to question her about her drug of choice. ( Which is still not him, but don't worry, it will be.)

Told you!

After they part ways, Jonnie find some ditch somewhere to sleep in. Despite the fact that he is just passing through and can't afford to get involved, he finds himself thinking about Joanne.

And then Jonnie Love is hassled by the man.



After a speech worthy of Dragnet, Jonnie excepts the offer of his dream job.

Jonnie Love knows the seriousness of using controlled drugs, so he get started right away. And soon has his suspections about Buckie being the source of the tranks confirmed.

Finally Jonnie starts to gain the trust of the pusher.

And, like any good sting operation, it takes almost no time at all and the police take the time to point out the nark.

Good going cop! Let just hope Bunkie never gets out of jail or Jonnie IS going to be rundown in the street.