Alex Raymond - Rip Kirby - 7-3-1956

(click for larger image)  I've touted the incredible talents of Leonard Starr here on my blog in the past.  He was one of the greatest of the newspaper strip artists, as well as one of its best writers - a rare combo that made him extra special. That combination of skills, which he wielded so deftly, makes him my personal favorite.  But the king of the strip artists has to be Alex Raymond.  Raymond was not the first to adapt his art style after the advent of the polaroid camera, which allowed artists to pose real people to get better "acting", staging, and lighting effects; but he was arguably the best.  Raymond already had an incredibly beautiful inking style which he used to great effect in his earlier Flash Gordon newspaper strips.  Raymond's Flash Gordon Sunday's are a sight to behold in person; large, and filled with incredibly lush inking and dramatic lighting.  Raymond was a master with a brush and reached heights few others, if any, could achieve.  

Raymond's Rip Kirby work, though not as lush and dramatic as his Flash Gordon art, would set the bar in the newspaper strip medium and would ultimately never be surpassed.  The polaroid camera was a new tool for Raymond when the strip began in 1946, and it took him years to master its use and adapt his style accordingly.  So while some of the earlier Rip Kirby work was not on par with his Flash Gordon material, he would continue to improve dramatically right up until his tragic death in an auto accident in 1956.  In reviewing the originals, it is easy to see the steady progress Raymond made year after year.  Though the strips had far fewer brush strokes than the Flash work, he used the fewer lines to much greater effect; he was a master of "thick" and "thin".  He also had a knack for drawing beautiful women and would often employ some of the incredible lighting effects seen in his earlier Flash work, made all the more dramatic thanks to the polaroid.  Raymond was only 46 at the time of his death and many wonder what incredible work he might have continued to create had he lived, but he had already cemented his legacy as the greatest and left behind an incredible body of work.

I've owned about a dozen Raymond Rip Kirby originals, and this one is probably my favorite.  This is from Raymond's final year on the strip (the last daily he drew was 9/29/56), and only a couple of months before his death.  Raymond never stopped getting better so I consider these later strips among his best, and I really love his style at this time.  From the panel layouts, to the inking, to the close-up in panel two, this daily fires on all cylinders.

On Stage 11-14-1962 by Leonard Starr

 

(click for larger image) I have taken great pleasure in collecting original comic book and strip art for well over a decade.  And I have been fortunate to have owned some pretty cool things; many of which are laden with nostalgia because of exposure to them in my youth.  There is no feeling like holding an original piece of art in your hands that was used to print a comic book that you read in your childhood or teens.  The art from those books really made an impression on me.  So much so that I can recall the fist time I saw specific pages and covers.  As a young man, I never imagined that the originals existed let alone that I could own one.  And while owning a piece of nostalgia has its thrills, there is also the art appreciation aspect of it as well.  Examining the originals, and studying layouts, penciling, inking, proportion and other aspects of the art are also rewarding.  As an artist myself, it's great to be able to see these pieces up close and, hopefully, to be able learn something from them.

Collecting strip art, however, is an anomaly because I was too young to have read any of them when they appeared in the various newspapers across America.  There simply is no nostalgia factor.  For many years, my interest in newspaper strip art was based entirely on aesthetics.  Some of the greatest artists to have worked in the funny pages were the strip artists; especially those of the photo-realistic era of the late 1940's to early 1970's.  Alex Raymond, Stan Drake, Jose Luis Salinas, David Wright, Frank Godwin, and of course Leonard Starr were among the greatest.  Ironically, though these artists had immense talent, strip art has typically been the least expensive art to buy; so you really get a bang for your buck.

I can't recall exactly when I first came across Leonard Starr's On Stage work, but I purchased my first original before I read any of it.  Fortunately, On Stage was reprinted in its entirety by Classic Comics Press - over 20 years worth of stories!  I purchased every volume.  It became quickly evident to me that On Stage was a high water mark in the medium of graphic storytelling.  And as a consequence of Starr's immense talent, the writing in On Stage holds up remarkably well these years later.  I can't recommend it enough to any fan of the medium - it's a must read.

I have to admit I've developed a minor obsession with On Stage (as evidenced in the length of this post), and I'm embarrassed to admit that I've owned well over 30 originals.  I can't seem to stop collecting them. And my good fortune as a comic art collector has continued as I have been able to acquire some very nice On Stage examples.  Despite owning some wonderful originals, I was taken aback when I first saw this 11-14-1962 daily come up for sale.  Simply put, it's the nicest example I own.  It also happens to be the earliest daily I own (though I have owned earlier ones - including dailies from the first year, 1957).  This is just a lovely example with both Mary and her Husband Pete featured.  I think all three panels are terrific, and that middle panel is really exceptional.  And the inking is also some of Starr's best.  I'll shut up now and let you look at the pretty pictures!