Rip Kirby
Encyclopedia
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
featuring the adventures of the eponymous lead character, a private detective created by Alex Raymond
Alex Raymond
Alexander Gillespie "Alex" Raymond was an American cartoonist, best known for creating Flash Gordon for King Features in 1934...
in 1946. Displaying the talents of more than a dozen writers and illustrators, the strip had a long run, spanning five decades.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Raymond did not return to work on any of his previous successful comic strips (Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash...
, Jungle Jim
Jungle Jim
Jungle Jim is the fictional hero of a series of jungle adventures in various media. The series began in 1934 as an American newspaper comic strip chronicling the adventures of Asia-based hunter Jim Bradley, who was nicknamed Jungle Jim...
, Secret Agent X-9
Secret Agent X-9
Secret Agent X-9 was a comic strip begun by writer Dashiell Hammett and artist Alex Raymond . Syndicated by King Features, it ran from January 22, 1934 until February 10, 1996....
) but instead began work on a new strip in which ex-Marine Rip Kirby returns from WWII and goes to work as a private detective, sometimes accompanied by his girlfriend, fashion model Judith Lynne "Honey" Dorian. Her given name and nickname were borrowed from the names of Raymond's three daughters.
Rip Kirby was based on the suggestion by King Features editor Ward Greene that Raymond try a "detective-type" strip. First published on March 4, 1946, the strip was given a huge promotional boost, even including fully painted promotional art, a rarity in comic strip promotions. The strip enjoyed enormous success, and Raymond received the Reuben Award in 1949.
During Raymond’s years on the strip, the stories were initially written by Ward Greene and later, following Greene's death, by Fred Dickenson. Some sequences were also written by Raymond.
Characters and story
Comics historian Don Markstein noted how the character of Rip Kirby broke away from the usual pulp detectivePulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
archetype
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
:
In 1956, Raymond was killed in a car crash. King Features quickly needed a replacement and found it in John Prentice
John Prentice (cartoonist)
John Prentice was a cartoonist who took over the comic strip Rip Kirby upon the death of the strip's creator, Alex Raymond.Prentice was born in Whitney, Texas. From 1940-1946 he served in the United States Navy...
.
Dickenson continued to write the series until the mid-1980s when he was forced to retire for health reasons. Prentice then took over the writing along with others. Prentice kept the strip going until his own death in 1999. The strip ended with Rip’s retirement on June 26, 1999. Prentice received the National Cartoonists Society
National Cartoonists Society
The National Cartoonists Society is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the troops...
Story Comic Strip Award for 1966, 1967 and 1986 for his work on the strip.
Over the years of publication, the strip was ghosted
Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
and assisted by many artists and writers, including Frank Bolle
Frank Bolle
Frank Bolle is an American comic strip artist, comic book artist and illustrator.-Career:-Children's books:...
(who completed the last episode), Al Williamson
Al Williamson
Alfonso "Al" Williamson was an American cartoonist, comic book artist and illustrator specializing in adventure, Western and science-fiction/fantasy...
, and Gray Morrow
Gray Morrow
Dwight Graydon "Gray" Morrow was an American illustrator of paperback books and comics.-Biography:Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Morrow is best known as art director of Spider-Man between 1967 and 1970 and as illustrator of the syndicated Tarzan, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon and Prince Valiant comic...
.
Reprints
In 1948, Rip Kirby strips were reprinted in issues #51 and #54 of David McKay's Feature Book. Issue #51 included a biography of Alex Raymond with a photograph showing him sketching an unnamed model for Honey Dorian.In 2009, IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
started to reprint Raymond's Rip Kirby strip as part of its Library of American Comic Strips.
- Volume 1: 1946-48 ISBN 9781600104848
- Volume 2: 1948-51 ISBN 9781600105821
- Volume 3: 1951-54 ISBN 9781600107850
- Volume 4: 1954-56 ISBN 9781600109898
Story list
| |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| № | Title | Writer(s) | Artist(s) | Dates | Number of strips | Strip № | Reprinted in |
| The Chip Faraday Murder | 1946-03-04 / 1946-04-22 | ||||||
| The Hicks Formula | 1946-04-23 / 1946-06-26 | ||||||
| Liquid Murder | 1946-06-27 / 1946-11-02 | ||||||
| Fatal Forgeries | 1946-11-04 / 1947-01-20 | ||||||
| Past Imperfect | 1947-01-21 / 1947-05-24 | ||||||
| Death in the Doll's House | 1947-05-26 / 1947-10-11 | ||||||
| Bleak Prospects | 1947-10-13 / 1948-06-12 | ||||||
| Terror on the Thames | 1948-06-14 / 1948-12-04 | ||||||
| Major Mystery | 1948-12-06 / 1949-01-08 | ||||||
| Family Fortune | 1949-01-10 / 1949-05-21 | ||||||
| Second Chances | 1949-05-23 / 1949-09-03 | ||||||
| Lost and Found | 1949-09-05 / 1949-12-03 | ||||||
| "Borrowed" Trouble | 1949-12-05 / 1950-03-25 | ||||||
| Correspondence Crisis | 1950-03-27 / 1950-06-10 | ||||||
| Treasure Hunt | 1950-06-12 / 1950-09-23 | ||||||
| Mystery of the Missing Songstress | 1950-09-25 / 1950-12-23 | ||||||
| Unlucky Seven | 1950-12-25 / 1951-04-28 | ||||||
| The Great You | 1951-04-30 / 1951-09-22 | ||||||
| The Disappearance of Bijou Benson | 1951-09-24 / 1952-01-26 | ||||||
| Hell Hath No Fury... | 1952-01-28 / 1952-05-24 | ||||||
| Return of the Mangler | 1952-05-26 / 1952-09-27 | ||||||
| The Millbanks Murder Case | 1952-09-29 / 1953-01-31 | ||||||
| The Treasure of Silas Stone | 1953-02-02 / 1953-05-09 | ||||||
| International Incident | 1953-05-11 / 1953-09-05 | ||||||
| Monkey Business | 1953-09-07 / 1953-11-21 | ||||||
| Calendar Girl | 1953-11-23 / 1954-04-17 | ||||||
| Grand Passion | 1954-04-19 / 1954-07-10 | ||||||
| In Freedom's Cause | 1954-07-12 / 1954-12-25 | ||||||
| Kismet | 1954-12-27 / 1955-04-09 | ||||||
| Carno's Carnivores | 1955-04-11 / 1955-07-09 | ||||||
| Hep-Cat Hijackers | 1955-07-11 / 1955-09-24 | ||||||
| Turnabout Justice | 1955-09-26 / 1955-11-26 | ||||||
| The Reluctant Heiress | 1955-11-28 / 1956-02-18 | ||||||
| The Missing Key | 1956-02-20 / 1956-05-19 | ||||||
| Zero Hour | 1956-05-21 / 1956-07-28 | ||||||
| Elixir of Youth | FD |
JP |
1956-07-30 / 1956-09-29 1956-10-01 / 1956-10-20 |
18 |
3313-3330 |
||
| Misdirections | 1956-10-22 / 1957-02-16 | ||||||
| Dangerous Deceptions | 1957-02-18 / 1957-05-25 | ||||||
| Casino Con | 1957-05-27 / 1957-08-10 | ||||||
| Sirene | 1957-08-12 / 1957-12-07 | ||||||
| The Fatal Photo | 1957-12-09 / 1958-02-08 | ||||||
| Into the Eye of Monara | 1958-02-10 / 1958-06-14 | ||||||
| Murderous Masquerade | 1958-06-16 / 1958-08-23 | ||||||
| ESP Extortion | 1958-08-25 / 1958-11-01 | ||||||
| A Date with Destiny | 1958-11-03 / 1959-02-28 | ||||||
| Case of the Twin Who Didn't Exist | 1959-03-02 / 1959-06-06 | ||||||
| Matches in the Telescope | 1959-06-08 / 1959-10-03 | ||||||
| Ghost Town Showdown | 1959-10-05 / 1959-12-05 | ||||||
| Doom on the High Seas | 1959-12-07 / 1960-04-09 | ||||||
| Fortune's Folly | 1960-04-11 / 1960-08-13 | ||||||
| Treasure Haven | 1960-08-15 / 1960-11-19 | ||||||
| Honor's Choice | 1960-11-21 / 1961-04-08 | ||||||
| The Town That Time Forgot | 1961-04-10 / 1961-09-16 | ||||||
| Too Much Amour | 1961-09-18 / 1962-02-10 | ||||||
| All for Love | 1962-02-12 / 1962-04-28 | ||||||
| Peril of the Poet Crook | 1962-04-30 / 1962-08-11 | ||||||
| The Unwilling Heir | 1962-08-13 / 1962-11-10 | ||||||
| Ming the Merciless | 1962-11-12 / 1963-03-09 | ||||||
| Sting of the Scorpion | 1963-03-11 / 1963-08-03 | ||||||
| Poison Pen Campaign | 1963-08-05 / 1963-12-14 | ||||||
| Duelling Detectives | 1963-12-16 / 1964-03-14 | ||||||
| Fagin's Folly | 1964-03-16 / 1964-07-11 | ||||||
| Bond Hunt | 1964-07-13 / 1964-10-10 | ||||||
| Prettypetal's Poison Plant Plan | 1964-10-12 / 1964-11-28 | ||||||
| A Prince in Peril | 1964-11-30 / 1965-04-03 | ||||||
| Past and Present | 1965-04-05 / 1965-06-26 | ||||||
| Prim's Plunder | 1965-06-28 / 1965-09-25 | ||||||
| The Chameleon Strikes | 1965-09-27 / 1965-12-04 | ||||||
| Deceiving Appearances | 1965-12-06 / 1966-03-19 | ||||||
| The Shape of Things to Come | 1966-03-21 / 1966-07-30 | ||||||
| Hi Seas Hi-Jinx | 1966-08-01 / 1966-10-22 | ||||||
| Fatal Fortunes | 1966-10-24 / 1966-12-31 | ||||||
| Too Much Amour, Too | 1967-01-02 / 1967-03-25 | ||||||
| Hostile Takeover | 1967-03-27 / 1967-07-08 | ||||||
| Desmond's Betrayal | 1967-07-10 / 1967-11-04 | ||||||
| Hijacked | 1967-11-06 / 1968-03-16 | ||||||
| The Almost-Perfect Crime | 1968-03-18 / 1968-07-06 | ||||||
| Who's Got Who | 1968-07-08 / 1968-10-26 | ||||||
| You Can't Judge a Book... | 1968-10-28 / 1969-03-08 | ||||||
| Treachery on Tanga | 1969-03-10 / 1969-06-07 | ||||||
| Rip Kirby, Butler | 1969-06-09 / 1969-10-04 | ||||||
| Kirby on Campus | 1969-10-06 / 1970-01-10 | ||||||
| Immortal Mystery | 1970-01-12 / 1970-04-25 | ||||||
| Dr. Data's Deadly Predictions | 1970-04-27 / 1970-08-01 | ||||||
| Ghost Town Death Duel | 1970-08-03 / 1970-11-28 | ||||||
| Femina Fatale | 1970-11-30 / 1971-03-20 | ||||||
| Perils of Pierre | 1971-03-22 / 1971-06-26 | ||||||
| Revival | 1971-06-28 / 1971-09-18 | ||||||
| Precognition Peril | 1971-09-20 / 1972-01-29 | ||||||
| Paragon of Vice | 1972-01-31 / 1972-06-10 | ||||||
| The Counterfeit Countessa | 1972-06-12 / 1972-10-21 | ||||||
| Case of the Mixed-up Missive | 1972-10-23 / 1973-01-20 | ||||||
| Danger in the Devil's Frying Pan | 1973-01-22 / 1973-05-26 | ||||||
| Secret of the Shark | 1973-05-28 / 1973-08-11 | ||||||
| Tomb Terror | 1973-08-13 / 1974-01-05 | ||||||
| Royal Double | 1974-01-07 / 1974-04-06 | ||||||
| House of Mystery | 1974-04-08 / 1974-06-29 | ||||||
| Ghost Ship | 1974-07-01 / 1974-09-07 | ||||||
| Conning the Con | 1974-09-09 / 1974-11-30 | ||||||
| 100 | The Pillars of Destiny | 1974-12-02 / 1975-02-22 | |||||
| 101 | The Rebel Queen | 1975-02-24 / 1975-04-05 | |||||
| 102 | Mangler's Big Heist | 1975-04-07 / 1975-06-28 | |||||
| 103 | The Power | 1975-06-30 / 1975-10-11 | |||||
| 104 | The Hades Hexagon | 1975-10-13 / 1975-12-20 | |||||
| 105 | The Monkey's Secret | 1975-12-22 / 1976-02-28 | |||||
| 106 | 1976-03-01 / 1976-06-05 | ||||||
| 107 | Lost Empire | 1976-06-07 / 1976-10-09 | |||||
| 108 | Lethal Letters | 1976-10-11 / 1977-01-08 | |||||
| 109 | Manhunt | 1977-01-10 / 1977-03-26 | |||||
| 110 | Macho Mayhem | 1977-03-28 / 1977-06-25 | |||||
| 111 | Return of Dr. Destiny | 1977-06-27 / 1977-09-24 | |||||
| 112 | Cat Burglar | 1977-09-26 / 1977-12-03 | |||||
| 113 | 1977-12-05 / 1978-02-18 | ||||||
| 114 | 1978-02-20 / 1978-04-22 | 10009-10062 | |||||
| 115 | 1978-04-24 / 1978-08-05 | 10063-10152 | |||||
| 116 | 1978-08-07 / 1978-11-04 | 10153-10230 | |||||
| 117 | 1978-11-06 / 1979-02-03 | 10231-10308 | |||||
| 118 | 1979-02-05 / 1979-06-09 | 10309-10416 | |||||
| 119 | 1979-06-11 / 1979-08-18 | 10417-10476 | |||||
| 120 | 1979-08-20 / 1979-11-10 | 10477-10548 | |||||
| 121 | 1979-11-12 / 1980-02-23 | 10549-10638 | |||||
| 122 | 1980-02-25 / 1980-06-28 | 10639-10746 | |||||
| 123 | 1980-06-30 / 1980-11-01 | 10747-10854 | |||||
| 124 | 1980-11-03 / 1981-01-24 | 10855-10926 | |||||
| 125 | 1981-01-26 / 1981-05-16 | 10927-11022 | |||||
| 126 | 1981-05-26 / 1981-09-05 | 11023-11118 | |||||
| 127 | 1981-09-07 / 1981-12-12 | 11119-11202 | |||||
| 128 | 1981-12-14 / 1982-03-06 | 11203-11274 | |||||
| 129 | 1982-03-08 / 1982-06-05 | 11275-11352 | |||||
| 130 | 1982-06-07 / 1982-10-09 | 11353-11460 | |||||
| 131 | 1982-10-11 / 1983-02-05 | 11461-11562 | |||||
| 132 | 1983-02-07 / 1983-05-28 | 11563-11658 | |||||
| 133 | 1983-05-30 / 1983-09-17 | 11659-11754 | |||||
| 134 | 1983-09-19 / 1983-12-03 | 11755-11820 | |||||
| 135 | 1983-12-05 / 1984-02-25 | 11821-11892 | |||||
| 136 | 1984-02-27 / 1984-06-30 | 11893-12000 | |||||
| 137 | 1984-07-02 / 1984-11-10 | 12001-12114 | |||||
| 138 | 1984-11-12 / 1985-02-09 | 12115-12192 | |||||
| 139 | 1985-02-11 / 1985-04-13 | 12193-12246 | |||||
| 140 | 1985-04-15 / 1985-06-22 | 12247-12306 | |||||
| 141 | 1985-06-24 / 1985-10-12 | 12307-12402 | |||||
| 142 | 1985-10-14 / 1986-02-22 | 12403-12516 | |||||
| 143 | 1986-02-24 / 1986-05-24 | 12517-12594 | |||||
| 144 | 1986-05-26 / 1986-09-06 | 12595-12684 | |||||
| 145 | 1986-09-08 / 1986-11-22 | 12685-12750 | |||||
| 146 | 1986-11-24 / 1987-02-07 | 12751-12816 | |||||
| 147 | 1987-02-09 / 1987-04-25 | 12817-12882 | |||||
| 148 | 1987-04-27 / 1987-07-25 | 12883-12960 | |||||
| 149 | 1987-07-27 / 1987-10-24 | 12961-13038 | |||||
| 150 | 1987-10-26 / 1988-01-23 | 13039-13116 | |||||
| 151 | 1988-01-25 / 1988-04-23 | 13117-13194 | |||||
| 152 | 1988-04-25 / 1988-07-16 | 13195-13266 | |||||
| 153 | 1988-07-18 / 1988-11-05 | 13267-13362 | |||||
| 154 | 1988-11-07 / 1989-02-04 | 13363-13440 | |||||
| 155 | 1989-02-06 / 1989-04-29 | 13441-13512 | |||||
| 156 | 1989-05-01 / 1989-08-05 | 13513-13596 | |||||
| 157 | 1989-08-07 / 1989-10-21 | 13597-13662 | |||||
| 158 | 1989-10-23 / 1990-01-20 | 13663-13740 | |||||
| 159 | 1990-01-22 / 1990-04-14 | 13741-13812 | |||||
| 160 | 1990-04-16 / 1990-07-14 | 13813-13890 | |||||
| 161 | 1990-07-16 / 1990-11-10 | 13891-13992 | |||||
| 162 | 1990-11-12 / 1991-02-16 | 13993-14076 | |||||
| 163 | 1991-02-18 / 1991-06-01 | 14077-14166 | |||||
| 164 | 1991-06-03 / 1991-08-17 | 14167-14232 | |||||
| 165 | 1991-08-19 / 1991-10-26 | 14233-14292 | |||||
| 166 | 1991-10-28 / 1992-02-01 | 14293-14376 | |||||
| 167 | 1992-02-03 / 1992-05-02 | 14377-14454 | |||||
| 168 | 1992-05-04 / 1992-07-18 | 14455-14520 | |||||
| 169 | 1992-07-20 / 1992-08-29 | 14521-14556 | |||||
| 170 | 1992-08-31 / 1992-12-19 | 14557-14652 | |||||
| 171 | 1992-12-21 / 1993-03-06 | 14653-14718 | |||||
| 172 | 1993-03-08 / 1993-07-03 | 14719-14820 | |||||
| 173 | 1993-07-05 / 1993-08-28 | 14821-14868 | |||||
| 174 | 1993-08-30 / 1993-11-27 | 14869-14946 | |||||
| 175 | 1993-11-29 / 1994-01-29 | 14947-15000 | |||||
| 176 | 1994-01-31 / 1994-06-04 | 15001-15108 | |||||
| 177 | 1994-06-06 / 1994-07-23 | 15109-15150 | |||||
| 178 | 1994-07-25 / 1994-10-22 | 15151-15228 | |||||
| 179 | 1994-10-24 / 1994-12-24 | 15229-15282 | |||||
| 180 | 1994-12-26 / 1995-04-08 | 15283-15372 | |||||
| 181 | 1995-04-10 / 1995-07-22 | 15373-15462 | |||||
| 182 | 1995-07-24 / 1995-10-28 | 15463-15546 | |||||
| 183 | 1995-10-30 / 1996-01-20 | 15547-15618 | |||||
| 184 | 1996-01-22 / 1996-05-04 | 15619-15708 | |||||
| 185 | 1996-05-06 / 1996-08-10 | 15709-15792 | |||||
| 186 | 1996-08-12 / 1996-10-12 | 15793-15846 | |||||
| 187 | 1996-10-14 / 1997-01-18 | 15847-15930 | |||||
| 188 | 1997-01-20 / 1997-03-08 | 15931-15972 | |||||
| 189 | 1997-03-10 / 1997-06-21 | 15973-16062 | |||||
| 190 | 1997-06-23 / 1997-08-30 | 16063-16122 | |||||
| 191 | 1997-09-01 / 1997-12-13 | 16123-16212 | |||||
| 192 | 1997-12-15 / 1998-02-28 | 16213-16278 | |||||
| 193 | 1998-03-02 / 1998-06-13 | 16279-16368 | |||||
| 194 | 1998-06-15 / 1998-08-08 | 16369-16416 | |||||
| 195 | 1998-08-10 / 1998-12-19 | 16417-16530 | |||||
| 196 | 1998-12-21 / 1999-02-27 | 16531-16590 | |||||
| 197 | 1999-03-01 / 1999-06-26 | 16591-16692 | |||||
Writers and artists
| Writers | Artists | | Assistants | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Leonard Starr Leonard Starr is a Golden Age comic book artist, an advertising artist and award-winning cartoonist, notable for creating the newspaper strip On Stage and reviving Little Orphan Annie.-Early life:... Tex Blaisdell Philip Eustice Blaisdell , better known as Tex Blaisdell, was an American comic strip artist and comic book editor... Wayne Boring Wayne Boring was an American comic book artist best known for his work on Superman from the late 1940s to 1950s. He occasionally used the pseudonym Jack Harmon.... |
External links
- Thrilling Detective: Rip Kirby
- Tribute: John Prentice
- I Love Comix Archive: Rip Kirby
- English titles on IpComics
- Cómics de Lector Libro (Spanish list of Rip Kirby titles)
- Ediciones Viñetas (Spanish list of Rip Kirby titles)
- Johan Blixt (Swedish list of Rip Kirby titles)
- Seriene i Agent X9 etter nummer (Norwegian list of Rip Kirby titles)
- forum.stripovi.com - RIP KIRBY - uporedni hronološki kompletan popis (Serbo-Croatian complete list of Rip Kirby titles published in Yugoslavia)