Rip Kirby

American comic strip

Rip Kirby is an American comic strip created by Alex Raymond and Ward Greene featuring the adventures of private detective Rip Kirby. The strip ran from 1946 to 1999 and was in the hands of artist John Prentice for more than 40 years.

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. and Gray Morrow.

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.

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.

The Rip Kirby comic strip stories № Title Writer(s) Artist(s) Dates № of strips Strip № Reprinted in1"The Chip Faraday Murder"WG&ARAR1946 03 04 / 1946 04 22431 43IDW12"The Hicks Formula" AR1946 04 23 / 1946 06 265644 99IDW13"Liquid Murder" AR1946 06 27 / 1946 11 02111100 210IDW14"Fatal Forgeries" AR1946 11 04 / 1947 01 2067211 277IDW15"Past Imperfect" AR1947 01 21 / 1947 05 24107278 384IDW16Death in the Doll's House AR1947 05 26 / 1947 10 11120385 504IDW17Bleak Prospects AR1947 10 13 / 1948 06 12210505 714IDW18Terror on the Thames AR1948 06 14 / 1948 12 04150715 864IDW19Major Mystery AR1948 12 06 / 1949 01 0830865 894IDW210Family Fortune AR1949 01 10 / 1949 05 21114895 1008IDW211Second Chances AR1949 05 23 / 1949 09 03901009 1098IDW212Lost and Found AR1949 09 05 / 1949 12 03781099 1176IDW213"Borrowed" Trouble AR1949 12 05 / 1950 03 25961177 1272IDW214Correspondence Crisis AR1950 03 27 / 1950 06 10661273 1338IDW215Treasure Hunt AR1950 06 12 / 1950 09 23901339 1428IDW216Mystery of the Missing Songstress AR1950 09 25 / 1950 12 23781429 1506IDW217Unlucky Seven AR1950 12 25 / 1951 04 281081507 1614IDW218The Great You AR1951 04 30 / 1951 09 221261615 1740IDW219The Disappearance of Bijou Benson AR1951 09 24 / 1952 01 261081741 1848IDW320Hell Hath No Fury AR1952 01 28 / 1952 05 241021849 1950IDW321Return of the Mangler AR1952 05 26 / 1952 09 271081951 2058IDW322The Millbanks Murder Case AR1952 09 29 / 1953 01 311082059 2166IDW323The Treasure of Silas Stone AR1953 02 02 / 1953 05 09842167 2250IDW324International Incident AR1953 05 11 / 1953 09 051022251 2352IDW325Monkey Business AR1953 09 07 / 1953 11 21662353 2418IDW326Calendar Girl AR1953 11 23 / 1954 04 171262419 2544IDW327Grand Passion AR1954 04 19 / 1954 07 10722545 2616IDW428In Freedom's Cause AR1954 07 12 / 1954 12 251442617 2760IDW429Kismet AR1954 12 27 / 1955 04 09902761 2850IDW430Carno's Carnivores AR1955 04 11 / 1955 07 09782851 2928IDW431Hep Cat Hijackers AR1955 07 11 / 1955 09 24662929 2994IDW432Turnabout Justice AR1955 09 26 / 1955 11 26542995 3048IDW433The Reluctant Heiress AR1955 11 28 / 1956 02 18723049 3120IDW434The Missing Key AR1956 02 20 / 1956 05 19783121 3198IDW435Zero HourFDAR1956 05 21 / 1956 07 28603199 3258IDW436Elixir of Youth ARJP1956 07 30 / 1956 09 291956 10 01 / 1956 10 2054183259 33123313 3330IDW437Misdirections JP1956 10 22 / 1957 02 161023331 3432IDW538Dangerous Deceptions JP1957 02 18 / 1957 05 25843433 3516IDW539Casino Con JP1957 05 27 / 1957 08 10663517 3582IDW540Sirene JP1957 08 12 / 1957 12 071023583 3684IDW541The Fatal Photo JP1957 12 09 / 1958 02 08543685 3738IDW542Into the Eye of Monara JP1958 02 10 / 1958 06 141083739 3846IDW543Murderous Masquerade JP1958 06 16 / 1958 08 23603847 3906IDW544ESP Extortion JP1958 08 25 / 1958 11 01603907 3966IDW545A Date with Destiny JP1958 11 03 / 1959 02 281023967 4068IDW546Case of the Twin Who Didn't Exist JP1959 03 02 / 1959 06 06844069 4152IDW547Matches in the Telescope JP1959 06 08 / 1959 10 031024153 4254IDW648Ghost Town Showdown JP1959 10 05 / 1959 12 05544255 4308IDW649Doom on the High Seas JP1959 12 07 / 1960 04 091084309 4416IDW650Fortune's Folly JP1960 04 11 / 1960 08 131084417 4524IDW651Treasure Haven JP1960 08 15 / 1960 11 19844525 4608IDW652Honor's Choice AW1960 11 21 / 1961 04 081204609 4728IDW653The Town That Time Forgot JP1961 04 10 / 1961 09 161384729 4866IDW654Too Much Amour JP1961 09 18 / 1962 02 101264867 4992IDW655All for Love JP1962 02 12 / 1962 04 28664993 5058IDW756Peril of the Poet Crook JP1962 04 30 / 1962 08 11905059 5148IDW757The Unwilling Heir JP1962 08 13 / 1962 11 10785149 5226IDW758Ming the Merciless JP1962 11 12 / 1963 03 091025227 5328IDW759Sting of the Scorpion JP1963 03 11 / 1963 08 031265329 5454IDW760Poison Pen Campaign JP1963 08 05 / 1963 12 141145455 5568IDW761Duelling Detectives JP1963 12 16 / 1964 03 14785569 5646IDW762Fagin's Folly JP1964 03 16 / 1964 07 111025647 5748IDW763Bond Hunt JP1964 07 13 / 1964 10 10785749 5826IDW764Prettypetal's Poison Plant Plan JP1964 10 12 / 1964 11 28425827 5868IDW865A Prince in Peril JP1964 11 30 / 1965 04 031085869 5976IDW866Past and Present JP1965 04 05 / 1965 06 26725977 6048IDW867Prim's Plunder JP1965 06 28 / 1965 09 25786049 6126IDW868The Chameleon Strikes JP1965 09 27 / 1965 12 04606127 6186IDW869Deceiving Appearances JP1965 12 06 / 1966 03 19906187 6276IDW870The Shape of Things to Come JP1966 03 21 / 1966 07 301146277 6390IDW871Hi Seas Hi Jinx JP1966 08 01 / 1966 10 22726391 6462IDW872Fatal Fortunes JP1966 10 24 / 1966 12 31606463 6522IDW873Too Much Amour, Too JP1967 01 02 / 1967 03 25726523 6594IDW874Hostile Takeover JP1967 03 27 / 1967 07 08906595 6684IDW875Desmond's Betrayal JP1967 07 10 / 1967 11 041026685 6786IDW976Hijacked JP1967 11 06 / 1968 03 161146787 6900IDW977The Almost Perfect Crime JP1968 03 18 / 1968 07 06966901 6996IDW978Who's Got Who JP1968 07 08 / 1968 10 26966997 7092IDW979You Can't Judge a Book JP1968 10 28 / 1969 03 081147093 7206IDW980Treachery on Tanga JP1969 03 10 / 1969 06 07787207 7284IDW981Rip Kirby, Butler JP1969 06 09 / 1969 10 041027285 7386IDW982Kirby on Campus JP1969 10 06 / 1970 01 10847387 7470IDW983Immortal Mystery JP1970 01 12 / 1970 04 25907471 7560IDW984Dr. Data's Deadly Predictions JP1970 04 27 / 1970 08 01847561 7644IDW1085Ghost Town Death Duel JP1970 08 03 / 1970 11 281027645 7746IDW1086Femina Fatale JP1970 11 30 / 1971 03 20967747 7842IDW1087Perils of Pierre JP1971 03 22 / 1971 06 26847843 7926IDW1088Revival JP1971 06 28 / 1971 09 18727927 7998IDW1089Precognition Peril JP1971 09 20 / 1972 01 291147999 8112IDW1090Paragon of Vice JP1972 01 31 / 1972 06 101148113 8226IDW1091The Counterfeit Countessa JP1972 06 12 / 1972 10 211148227 8340IDW1092Case of the Mixed up Missive JP1972 10 23 / 1973 01 20788341 8418IDW1093Danger in the Devil's Frying Pan JP1973 01 22 / 1973 05 261088419 8526IDW1194Secret of the Shark JP1973 05 28 / 1973 08 11668527 8592IDW1195Tomb Terror JP1973 08 13 / 1974 01 051268593 8718IDW1196Royal Double JP1974 01 07 / 1974 04 06788719 8796IDW1197House of Mystery JP1974 04 08 / 1974 06 29728797 8868IDW1198Ghost Ship JP1974 07 01 / 1974 09 07608869 8928IDW1199Conning the Con JP1974 09 09 / 1974 11 30728929 9000IDW11100The Pillars of Destiny JP1974 12 02 / 1975 02 22729001 9072IDW11101The Rebel Queen JP1975 02 24 / 1975 04 05369073 9108IDW11102Mangler's Big Heist JP1975 04 07 / 1975 06 28729109 9180IDW11103The Power JP1975 06 30 / 1975 10 11909181 9270IDW11104The Hades Hexagon JP1975 10 13 / 1975 12 20609271 9330105The Monkey's Secret JP1975 12 22 / 1976 02 28609331 9390106The Cherub Locket JP1976 03 01 / 1976 06 05849391 9474107Lost Empire JP1976 06 07 / 1976 10 091089475 9582108Lethal Letters JP1976 10 11 / 1977 01 08789583 9660109Manhunt JP1977 01 10 / 1977 03 26669661 9726110Macho Mayhem JP1977 03 28 / 1977 06 25789727 9804111Return of Dr. Destiny JP1977 06 27 / 1977 09 24789805 9882112Cat Burglar JP1977 09 26 / 1977 12 03609883 9942113The Death Cave JP1977 12 05 / 1978 02 18669943 10008114Madam Casino and Joe Rimfire JP1978 02 20 / 1978 04 225410009 10062115The Hunt for Cinderella JP1978 04 24 / 1978 08 059010063 10152116The Shark and the Treasure JP1978 08 07 / 1978 11 047810153 10230117Dirty Business JP1978 11 06 / 1979 02 037810231 10308118The Return of Mangler JP1979 02 05 / 1979 06 0910810309 10416119 Dangerous Eyes JP1979 06 11 / 1979 08 186010417 10476120 The Imposter JP1979 08 20 / 1979 11 107210477 10548121 Kidders Treasure JP1979 11 12 / 1980 02 239010549 10638122 Back to Harmony JP1980 02 25 / 1980 06 2810810639 10746123 Kidnapped JP1980 06 30 / 1980 11 0110810747 10854124 The Tiger Hunt JP1980 11 03 / 1981 01 247210855 10926125 The Gold Curse JP1981 01 26 / 1981 05 169610927 11022126 Desmond on the Run JP1981 05 18 / 1981 09 059611023 11118127 The Narkobarons Castle JP1981 09 07 / 1981 12 128411119 11202128 Gold from Heaven JP1981 12 14 / 1982 03 067211203 11274129 The Pickpocket JP1982 03 08 / 1982 06 057811275 11352130 The Stuntman JP1982 06 07 / 1982 10 0910811353 11460131 The Sea of Death JP1982 10 11 / 1983 02 0510211461 11562132 The Scorpion JP1983 02 07 / 1983 05 289611563 11658133 Casinoville JP1983 05 30 / 1983 09 179611659 11754134 The Star of Zanzibar JP1983 09 19 / 1983 12 036611755 11820135 The Ghost Ship JP1983 12 05 / 1984 02 257211821 11892136 The Princess of Xyman JP1984 02 27 / 1984 06 3010811893 12000137 Honeys Heritage JP1984 07 02 / 1984 11 1011412001 12114138 Desmond Pickpocket Again JP1984 11 12 / 1985 02 097812115 12192139 The Malkuk Indians JP1985 02 11 / 1985 04 135412193 12246140 Maggie the Magpie JP1985 04 15 / 1985 06 226012247 12306141 Mangler Back in Action JP1985 06 24 / 1985 10 129612307 12402142 Return to Harmony JP1985 10 14 / 1986 02 2211412403 12516143 Zadan the Sorcerer JP1986 02 24 / 1986 05 247812517 12594144 The Ghost of the Castle JP1986 05 26 / 1986 09 069012595 12684145 The Chiing Urn JP1986 09 08 / 1986 11 226612685 12750146 Honeys Uncle JP1986 11 24 / 1987 02 076612751 12816147 Money and Power JP1987 02 09 / 1987 04 256612817 12882148 Trip through the Amazon JP1987 04 27 / 1987 07 257812883 12960149 Omega 9 Project JP1987 07 27 / 1987 10 247812961 13038150 Plot in Alibar JP1987 10 26 / 1988 01 237813039 13116151 Drug Trafficking with Homicide JP1988 01 25 / 1988 04 237813117 13194152 The Scorpio Case JP1988 04 25 / 1988 07 167213195 13266153 The Ecologist JP1988 07 18 / 1988 11 059613267 13362154 Engagement Party JP1988 11 07 / 1989 02 047813363 13440155 The Secret of the New Atlantis JP1989 02 06 / 1989 04 297213441 13512156 Chain Attack JP1989 05 01 / 1989 08 058413513 13596157 Tommy's Escape JP1989 08 07 / 1989 10 216613597 13662158 Final Scene JP1989 10 23 / 1990 01 207813663 13740159 The Big Boy Problem JP1990 01 22 / 1990 04 147213741 13812160 The Mystery of the Floppy Disk JP1990 04 16 / 1990 07 147813813 13890161 Little Doris JP1990 07 16 / 1990 11 1010213891 13992162 The Bodyguard JP1990 11 12 / 1991 02 168413993 14076163 The Simsby Sapphire JP1991 02 18 / 1991 06 019014077 14166164 The Treasure of the Galleon JP1991 06 03 / 1991 08 176614167 14232165 Illegal Hunting JP1991 08 19 / 1991 10 266014233 14292166 Straw Dreams JP1991 10 28 / 1992 02 018414293 14376167 The Crazy Sage JP1992 02 03 / 1992 05 027814377 14454168 The Missing Briefcase JP1992 05 04 / 1992 07 186614455 14520169 The Former Ambassador JP1992 07 20 / 1992 08 293614521 14556170 The Haunted House JP1992 08 31 / 1992 12 199614557 14652171 Advertising Assassination JP1992 12 21 / 1993 03 066614653 14718172 The Hidden Treasure JP1993 03 08 / 1993 07 0310214719 14820173 Theft of Songs JP1993 07 05 / 1993 08 284814821 14868174 The Perfect Alibi JP1993 08 30 / 1993 11 277814869 14946175 A Unique Case JP1993 11 29 / 1994 01 295414947 15000176 The Abduction of Dust JP1994 01 31 / 1994 06 0410815001 15108177 The Sword of Malcolm Mac Doodle JP1994 06 06 / 1994 07 234215109 15150178 Export of Stolen Cars JP1994 07 25 / 1994 10 227815151 15228179 The Great Detective JP1994 10 24 / 1994 12 245415229 15282180 Dangerous Relations JP1994 12 26 / 1995 04 089015283 15372181 Curtis Bangs The great Patriot JP1995 04 10 / 1995 07 229015373 15462182 The Resort Jewel Thief JP1995 07 24 / 1995 10 288415463 15546183 The Judge Clark Records JP1995 10 30 / 1996 01 207215547 15618184 Mangler and the Inheritance JP1996 01 22 / 1996 05 049015619 15708185 Donny the Duke Coyle JP1996 05 06 / 1996 08 108415709 15792186 Identical Twins JP1996 08 12 / 1996 10 125415793 15846187 The Mine JP1996 10 14 / 1997 01 188415847 15930188 The Celebrity JP1997 01 20 / 1997 03 084215931 15972189 Lord Desmond, Earl of Ffagan JP1997 03 10 / 1997 06 219015973 16062190 Fishing in Alaska JP1997 06 23 / 1997 08 306016063 16122191 Enid Townsend Will JP1997 09 01 / 1997 12 139016123 16212192 Pagan Lee in Trouble JP1997 12 15 / 1998 02 286616213 16278193 The Mob Guy JP1998 03 02 / 1998 06 139016279 16368194 The Desmond Clan JP1998 06 15 / 1998 08 084816369 16416195 Mangler's Daughter JP1998 08 10 / 1998 12 1911416417 16530196 Princess Leila of Tanga JP1998 12 21 / 1999 02 276016531 16590197 Last Case JPJP&FB1999 03 01 / 1999 06 2610216591 16692