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DIANA CUMMINGS

Real Name: Diana Cummings

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: Film actress (retired)

Group Membership: None (see comments)

Affiliations: Larry (last name unrevealed)

Enemies: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Los Angeles, USA

First Appearance: Love Romances I#85/6 (January, 1960)

Powers/Abilities: Diana Cummings is an accomplished and popular film actress. She initially reveled in the glamor of stardom but found it fleeting when she was temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. Personal willpower helped her achieve recovery.

Height: 5'5"
Weight: 127 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

History:

(Love Romances I#85/6 (fb) - BTS) - Diana Cummings was a Hollywood film actress and rose to prominence over five years, achieving considerable fame with her agent Larry's assistance. However, her fame caused her to become smug and selfish; she desired romance with famous and wealthy men and dismissed the declarations of love from Larry as playful banter, not wanting to engage any further as she considered him beneath her station.

(Love Romances I#85/6) - Cummings wrapped up another film performance and shrugged off another of Larry's expressions of love. She reveled in her glamorous film premieres and the exciting parties that including adoring fans and would-be friends fawning over her; through it all, Larry stood quietly by. But one day on set, a dizzy spell led to a hospital stay and eventual diagnosis of a virus that caused partial paralysis. The studio dropped her contract and began building up another starlet while Cummings was left with no cure except hopeful recuperation. Her friends' visit declined, but Larry stayed with her as much as he could, again attesting his love, also suggesting exercise and willpower for recovery. Months later, after much effort, Cummings could walk again and it made the newspapers. The studio offered her a new movie contract, but she declined it and declared that she was in love with Larry and chose instead to become his wife (despite no wedding proposal from him). The two kissed to seal their true love for each other.

 

Comments: Created by uncredited writer, Jack Kirby, Christopher Rule.

Given the era, she likely changed her surname, but this is unconfirmed. Nevertheless, popular actresses sometimes kept their surname.

She probably belonged to the Screen Actors Guild.

Another example of similar names for similar characters around this time, in this case romance-stricken actors: Diana Cummings (January 1960), Louise Cummings (July 1960) and Diane Cummings (August 1961).

These romance stories often had the flavor of the time in which they were written, and nothing else to tie them into Marvel's sliding timescale. As such, it's likely that the stories took place at the time of publication rather than being part of the sliding timescale.

Grand Comics Database suggests Jack Kirby as the possible author, although this seems unlikely given the strong plot similarities and name to the romance character of retiring actor Louise Cummings (also from 1960), likely created by Stan Lee/Larry Lieber, and Diane Cummings (from 1961) penned by Stan Lee (with art by Kirby).

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Diana Cummings name has no known connections to:

Larry

Romantic at heart, Larry was popular film actress Diana Cummings' agent. Initially secretly in love with her, he later told her of his feelings, but she brushed them off as playful talk. But Cummings was struck down with a virus that partially paralyzed her and she was confined to a wheelchair. Larry stayed by her side when many of her friends visited her less and less, and encouraged her with her recovery efforts. Once mobile and able to walk again, Cummings was offered movie roles, but dismissed them as she realized that Larry truly loved her. The pair soon married.

 

 

 

 

--Love Romances I#85/6

images: (without ads)
Love Romances I#85/6, p4, pan7 (main image)
   p5, pan4 (headshot)
   p2, pan1 (in costume on set)
   p3, pan3 (Larry)

Appearances:
Love Romances I#85/6 (January, 1960) - uncredited writer, Jack Kirby (pencils), Christopher Rule (inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 02/14/2023 - happy Valentine's Day!
Last updated: 02/14/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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