1972 Comic Strips: A Summary

Source*: Curtis, Dal. Rex Morgan, MD. 1 Jan - 30 Dec 1972, Publishers-Hall Syndicate (Chicago, IL). 
*p. 465-492 on disk from King Features Syndicate.


All comic strips are posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate, Inc.

• January 1 - 22: Justin Babcock & Kathy Taylor, minors  (see 1971)
• January 23 - March 19: MISSING
• March 20 - April 22: Suzy & the Professor
• We start in the middle of a story with: "As Mrs. Woody expresses her concern about Suzy, Dr. Rex Morgan promises to stop by and see the young waitress!"
• We see Suzy out with a Jess Wilder, who's trying to coax her into drinking while badgering her about liking a Professor Alex Grant
• Rex tries to comfort Alex Grant, who appears innocent but has been receiving harassing phone calls - this is causing his peptic ulcer to flare up
• Jess and some henchman waits for Rex to beat him up - aren't they surprised when Rex also turns out to be a much smarter fighter!

Rex Morgan, MD - April 8, 1972    © King Features Syndicate

• We learn Jess has fire-bombed Alex's house; he pretty much tries to destroy anyone who's "trying to make time" with Suzy
• The story is cut short after Suzy confesses her love to Alex, and June has an urgent phone call for Rex
• April 23 - July 23: MISSING
• July 24 - 29: Laura and Mark Pace, mental health
• We start in the middle of story with: "Firm in her refusal to have Mark court committed, Laura breaks down when Brice becomes angry with her."
• After Mark is hospitalized briefly, Laura, his wife, wants to bring him home, thinking he would be happier
• July 30 - August 20: MISSING
• We start up in the middle of a fight - Laura wants to leave Mark because she's in love with Dr. Brice Adams; she's also afraid of Mark, suggesting we missed some strips where he may have hit or threatened her
• After a big mix-up, Laura finds Mark already at Brice's apartment with a gun
• The story is cut short, but they are able to talk Mark down and convince him he needs treatment for his illness

Rex Morgan, MD - September 16, 1972    © King Features Syndicate

• September 17 - September 24: MISSING
• September 25 - June 2, 1973: Kenny Baron & the proposal (see 1973)

1971 Comic Strips: A Summary

Source*: Curtis, Dal. Rex Morgan, MD. 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1971, Publishers Syndicate (Chicago, IL). 
*p. 447-465 on disk from King Features Syndicate.


All comic strips are posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate, Inc.

• January 1 - February 12: The Delacort's, stroke and alcoholism (see 1970)
• February 12 - May 15: Beth & Kevin Brown, child abuse
• A mother brings her child in with a head injury, having fallen from his high chair in the morning and has now become unresponsive
• February 14 - April 11: MISSING
• Beth's mother, Mrs. Stevens, and Beth's husband, Kevin, are concerned about Beth - she's been unusually agitated in the past 6 months
• Kevin initially agrees to see a psychiatrist with Beth, but changes his mind when he thinks "airing" out their problems might lead to her being committed
• Kevin keeps the appointment, and his interview with the psychiatrist suggests that he's a bit more aggressive than necessary with his 2- and 3-year olds (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - April 29, 1971    © King Features Syndicate

• It turns out that Kevin has been abusing the children, and Beth has been covering for him (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - May 12, 1971    © King Features Syndicate

• Story ends with Kevin admitting that he'll do anything the doctor asks (including reporting himself to juvenile court authorities)
• May 16 - September 19: MISSING
• September 20 - October 23: Heidi Claridge, the pathological liar
• Enter the middle of a story with Heidi, Melissa's niece, driving a suspicious Dr. Brice Adams out to the lake, but she gets upset and leaves him in the middle of nowhere
• Rex has asked Heidi to marry him?! Or so Heidi tells Melissa...
• Heidi turns out to be a pathological liar. Phew!
• Heidi files a complaint to the police against Rex when he won't submit to her wooing
• Melissa slaps her in the face for what she's done!

Rex Morgan, MD - October 16, 1971    © King Features Syndicate

• The story is cut short, but ends with Melissa seeing Heidi off, Heidi again tricking her into feeling guilty for what's she done.
• October 24 - December 19: MISSING
• December 20 - January 22, 1972: Justin Babcock & Kathy Taylor, minors
• We start in the middle of a story, with this description text, "When Rex Morgan and Scooter Babcock question Beth Weldon, they find her very defensive!"
• We learn something about Justin Babcock breaking into an apartment thinking that inside, a Kathy Taylor had overdosed on drugs
• Justin sneaks out of the hospital - he's just had knee surgery - to find Kathy, who sounds like she's on drugs
• We find out Justin's mother passed away from alcoholism, that Justin is a clean kid but has gotten caught up in messes by trying to help other kids break their addictions
• Kathy is brought to intensive care after passing out in a diner, but recovers well
• The story is cut short, but likely only by one strip that may/may not have added anything else to the plot