While everyone may know about Archie and the gang, they were hardly the only comics that dealt with typical rom-com style hi-jinx. These mostly forgotten comic books from the 1940s and 1950s are a really interesting glimpse into American culture at the time. As you might expect, the lead female characters are regularly subservient to men and are mostly cookie-cooker representations of women of the era.

But they’re still pretty fun to look at! Take a step back in time with these 10 mid-century comics aimed at girls.

1. Vicky

Vicky was about a spoiled, rich girl who likes to get her way and to hang out with her stuck-up sister, Helen.

Vickie and her friend Gertie also like to trick overeager boys into kissing each other.

2. Ginger: America’s Typical Teenage Girl

Ginger was the typical American teenage girl. She also had a creepy nerd named Ickky constantly on her tail.

3. Tessie the Typist

The legendary Stan Lee actually wrote a few of these stories. The storylines were pretty typical, with Tessie finding herself in all kinds of comedic situations.

4. Sherry the Showgirl

Stan Lee had a hand in this comic as well.

5. Teena

Teena was based on a comic strip about a boy-crazy teenage girl.

6. Wendy Parker

Pretty standard fare, but the title character does unleash a great insult at the end here…

7. Lucy: The Real Gone Gal

Lucy was your typical 1950s teenager who just loved hijinx! Gee whiz!

8. Junie

A typical teenage love comic. In this one, all the boys in town are after the title character.

9. Hedy of Hollywood

Hedy was a Hollywood starlet constantly battling a rival for attention and fanfare.

10. Cindy

Cindy has a rival, Sandy, and the two constantly do battle. This one is a little odd though, because the confrontations get strangely violent…hmmmmmm.

 

Then again, there’s no accounting for the tastes of an era.

h/t: flashbak