Rip Kirby

• Title — Rip Kirby • Author — Ward Greene (1946–1956) Fred Dickenson (1956–mid-1980s) John Prentice (mid-1980s–1999) • Illustrator — Alex Raymond (1946–1956) John Prentice (1956–1999) • Status — Defunct daily strip • First — March 4, 1946 • Last — June 26, 1999 • Syndicate — King Features • Publisher — David McKay Publications IDW Publishing • Genre — Detective fiction

After World War II, Raymond did not return to work on any of his previous successful comic strips (Flash Gordon, Jungle Jim, Secret Agent X-9), but instead began work on a new strip in which ex-Marine Rip Kirby returns from World War II 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 significant promotion by the syndicate, even including fully painted promotional art, a rarity in comic-strip promotions. The strip enjoyed 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. In 1956, Raymond was killed in a car crash. King Features quickly needed a replacement, and found it in John Prentice. 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 Story Comic Strip Award for 1966, 1967, and 1986 for his work on the strip. Over the years of publication, the strip was ghosted and assisted by many artists and writers, including Frank Bolle (who completed the last episode), Al Williamson, and Gray Morrow.

Comics historian Don Markstein notes how the character of Remington "Rip" Kirby broke away from the usual pulp detective archetype:

In 1948, Rip Kirby strips were reprinted in issues #51 and #54 of David McKay Publications's Feature Book. Issue #51 included a biography of Alex Raymond with a photograph showing him sketching an unnamed model for Honey Dorian. In 1980, Pacific Comics Club reprinted the 1946-1950 strips in 16 comic books. In 1988, Pioneer published 6 books and 2 more collections the following year.

In 2009, IDW Publishing started to reprint the Rip Kirby strip as part of its The Library of American Comics. The first four volumes contain a complete reprint of Raymond's stories including the last one, finished by Prentice. Volume 5 continues with Prentice's work. • № — Years — ISBN — Notes • 1946–48 — Preface (by Dean Mullaney); Crime does pay (by Tom Roberts); "The war made a realist out of me" (by Brian Walker) • 1948–51 — Introduction (by Howard Chaykin); "Let's not slurp our soup" (by Brian Walker) • 1951–54 — "Comic-Art Work is an Art-Form in Itself" (by Brian Walker) • 1954–56 — "He was completely absorbed with Rip and seeking his own pleasures" (by Brian Walker) • 1956–59 — "Getting Rip Kirby was the natural way for him to go" (by Brian Walker) • 1959–62 — Introduction (by Brian Walker) • 1962–64 — "Like father, like son" (by Brian Walker) • 1964–67 — "John Prentice in his own words" (compiled by Brian Walker) • 1967–70 — "The tenor of the times" (by Bruce Canwell) • 1970–73 — "Untarnished after twenty-five years" (by Bruce Canwell) • 1973–75 — "A Respite from the Headlines"

• The Rip Kirby comic strip stories • № — Title — Writer(s) — Artist(s) — Dates — № 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 — 1956-07-30 / 1956-09-29 1956-10-01 / 1956-10-20 — style="line-height: 11pt" — |style="line-height: 11pt" — | • 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 — The Cherub Locket — 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 — The Death Cave — 1977-12-05 / 1978-02-18 • 114 — Madam Casino and Joe Rimfire — 1978-02-20 / 1978-04-22 — 10009-10062 • 115 — The Hunt for Cinderella — 1978-04-24 / 1978-08-05 — 10063-10152 • 116 — The Shark and the Treasure — 1978-08-07 / 1978-11-04 — 10153-10230 • 117 — Dirty Business — 1978-11-06 / 1979-02-03 — 10231-10308 • 118 — The Return of Mangler — 1979-02-05 / 1979-06-09 — 10309-10416 • 119 — Dangerous Eyes — | — 1979-06-11 / 1979-08-18 — 10417-10476 • 120 — The Imposter — | — 1979-08-20 / 1979-11-10 — 10477-10548 • 121 — Kidders Treasure — | — 1979-11-12 / 1980-02-23 — 10549-10638 • 122 — Back to Harmony — | — 1980-02-25 / 1980-06-28 — 10639-10746 • 123 — Kidnapped — | — 1980-06-30 / 1980-11-01 — 10747-10854 • 124 — The Tiger Hunt — | — 1980-11-03 / 1981-01-24 — 10855-10926 • 125 — The Gold Curse — | — 1981-01-26 / 1981-05-16 — 10927-11022 • 126 — Desmond on the Run — | — 1981-05-18 / 1981-09-05 — 11023-11118 • 127 — The Narkobarons Castle — | — 1981-09-07 / 1981-12-12 — 11119-11202 • 128 — Gold from Heaven — | — 1981-12-14 / 1982-03-06 — 11203-11274 • 129 — The Pickpocket — | — 1982-03-08 / 1982-06-05 — 11275-11352 • 130 — The Stuntman — | — 1982-06-07 / 1982-10-09 — 11353-11460 • 131 — The Sea of Death — | — 1982-10-11 / 1983-02-05 — 11461-11562 • 132 — The Scorpion — 1983-02-07 / 1983-05-28 — 11563-11658 • 133 — Casinoville — 1983-05-30 / 1983-09-17 — 11659-11754 • 134 — The Star of Zanzibar — 1983-09-19 / 1983-12-03 — 11755-11820 • 135 — The Ghost Ship — 1983-12-05 / 1984-02-25 — 11821-11892 • 136 — The Princess of Xyman — 1984-02-27 / 1984-06-30 — 11893-12000 • 137 — Honeys Heritage — 1984-07-02 / 1984-11-10 — 12001-12114 • 138 — Desmond Pickpocket Again — 1984-11-12 / 1985-02-09 — 12115-12192 • 139 — The Malkuk Indians — 1985-02-11 / 1985-04-13 — 12193-12246 • 140 — Maggie the Magpie — 1985-04-15 / 1985-06-22 — 12247-12306 • 141 — Mangler Back in Action — 1985-06-24 / 1985-10-12 — 12307-12402 • 142 — Return to Harmony — 1985-10-14 / 1986-02-22 — 12403-12516 • 143 — Zadan the Sorcerer — 1986-02-24 / 1986-05-24 — 12517-12594 • 144 — The Ghost of the Castle — 1986-05-26 / 1986-09-06 — 12595-12684 • 145 — The Chiing Urn — 1986-09-08 / 1986-11-22 — 12685-12750 • 146 — Honeys Uncle — 1986-11-24 / 1987-02-07 — 12751-12816 • 147 — Money and Power — 1987-02-09 / 1987-04-25 — 12817-12882 • 148 — Trip through the Amazon — 1987-04-27 / 1987-07-25 — 12883-12960 • 149 — Omega 9 Project — 1987-07-27 / 1987-10-24 — 12961-13038 • 150 — Plot in Alibar — 1987-10-26 / 1988-01-23 — 13039-13116 • 151 — Drug Trafficking with Homicide — 1988-01-25 / 1988-04-23 — 13117-13194 • 152 — The Scorpio Case — 1988-04-25 / 1988-07-16 — 13195-13266 • 153 — The Ecologist — 1988-07-18 / 1988-11-05 — 13267-13362 • 154 — Engagement Party — 1988-11-07 / 1989-02-04 — 13363-13440 • 155 — The Secret of the New Atlantis — 1989-02-06 / 1989-04-29 — 13441-13512 • 156 — Chain Attack — 1989-05-01 / 1989-08-05 — 13513-13596 • 157 — Tommy's Escape — 1989-08-07 / 1989-10-21 — 13597-13662 • 158 — Final Scene — 1989-10-23 / 1990-01-20 — 13663-13740 • 159 — The Big Boy Problem — 1990-01-22 / 1990-04-14 — 13741-13812 • 160 — The Mystery of the Floppy Disk — 1990-04-16 / 1990-07-14 — 13813-13890 • 161 — Little Doris — 1990-07-16 / 1990-11-10 — 13891-13992 • 162 — The Bodyguard — 1990-11-12 / 1991-02-16 — 13993-14076 • 163 — The Simsby Sapphire — 1991-02-18 / 1991-06-01 — 14077-14166 • 164 — The Treasure of the Galleon — 1991-06-03 / 1991-08-17 — 14167-14232 • 165 — Illegal Hunting — 1991-08-19 / 1991-10-26 — 14233-14292 • 166 — Straw Dreams — 1991-10-28 / 1992-02-01 — 14293-14376 • 167 — The Crazy Sage — 1992-02-03 / 1992-05-02 — 14377-14454 • 168 — The Missing Briefcase — 1992-05-04 / 1992-07-18 — 14455-14520 • 169 — The Former Ambassador — 1992-07-20 / 1992-08-29 — 14521-14556 • 170 — The Haunted House — 1992-08-31 / 1992-12-19 — 14557-14652 • 171 — Advertising Assassination — 1992-12-21 / 1993-03-06 — 14653-14718 • 172 — The Hidden Treasure — 1993-03-08 / 1993-07-03 — 14719-14820 • 173 — Theft of Songs — 1993-07-05 / 1993-08-28 — 14821-14868 • 174 — The Perfect Alibi — 1993-08-30 / 1993-11-27 — 14869-14946 • 175 — A Unique Case — 1993-11-29 / 1994-01-29 — 14947-15000 • 176 — The Abduction of Dust — 1994-01-31 / 1994-06-04 — 15001-15108 • 177 — The Sword of Malcolm Mac Doodle — 1994-06-06 / 1994-07-23 — 15109-15150 • 178 — Export of Stolen Cars — 1994-07-25 / 1994-10-22 — 15151-15228 • 179 — The Great Detective — 1994-10-24 / 1994-12-24 — 15229-15282 • 180 — Dangerous Relations — 1994-12-26 / 1995-04-08 — 15283-15372 • 181 — Curtis Bangs The great Patriot — 1995-04-10 / 1995-07-22 — 15373-15462 • 182 — The Resort Jewel Thief — 1995-07-24 / 1995-10-28 — 15463-15546 • 183 — The Judge Clark Records — 1995-10-30 / 1996-01-20 — 15547-15618 • 184 — Mangler and the Inheritance — 1996-01-22 / 1996-05-04 — 15619-15708 • 185 — Donny the Duke Coyle — 1996-05-06 / 1996-08-10 — 15709-15792 • 186 — Identical Twins — 1996-08-12 / 1996-10-12 — 15793-15846 • 187 — The Mine — 1996-10-14 / 1997-01-18 — 15847-15930 • 188 — The Celebrity — 1997-01-20 / 1997-03-08 — 15931-15972 • 189 — Lord Desmond, Earl of Ffagan — 1997-03-10 / 1997-06-21 — 15973-16062 • 190 — Fishing in Alaska — 1997-06-23 / 1997-08-30 — 16063-16122 • 191 — Enid Townsend Will — 1997-09-01 / 1997-12-13 — 16123-16212 • 192 — Pagan Lee in Trouble — 1997-12-15 / 1998-02-28 — 16213-16278 • 193 — The Mob Guy — 1998-03-02 / 1998-06-13 — 16279-16368 • 194 — The Desmond Clan — 1998-06-15 / 1998-08-08 — 16369-16416 • 195 — Mangler's Daughter — 1998-08-10 / 1998-12-19 — 16417-16530 • 196 — Princess Leila of Tanga — 1998-12-21 / 1999-02-27 — 16531-16590 • 197 — Last Case — 1999-03-01 / 1999-06-26 — 16591-16692

• Writers — Artists — Assistants • * AR Alex Raymond * FB Frank Bolle * FD Fred Dickenson * JP John Prentice * WG Ward Greene — * AR Alex Raymond * AW Al Williamson * FB Frank Bolle * JP John Prentice — * AM Al McWilliams * AW Al Williamson * AT Angelo Torres * BF Bob Fujitani * DA Dan Adkins * FB Frank Bolle — * GE George Evans * GM Gray Morrow * LS Leonard Starr * NA Neal Adams * TB Tex Blaisdell * WB Wayne Boring

Some of the Rip Kirby comic strips were reprinted in India as comic books in the popular comic book series called Indrajal Comics. The strip was published in a dozen comic book magazines in former Yugoslavia. In 1983 Radio Television of Serbia produced an educational series about comics, which included live action sequences featuring Nebojsa Krstic as Rip Kirby and Predrag Milinkovic as his butler. Milinkovic looked the part insomuch that he was nicknamed Desmond. From 2011 to 2019 Croatian publisher Fibra reprinted the complete 1946-1999 strip in 19 volumes.