Presenting the first volume of Alex Raymond's modernist classic Rip Kirby from its start in 1946. Created by Alex Raymond when he was deactivated from the Marines after World War II, Rip Kirby was a fresh approach to the genre, a departure from the prevailing hard-boiled style of detective fiction. Rip Kirby was urbane and cerebral, and used scientific methods as often as he used his fists when solving crimes and mysteries. Edited and designed by Eisner Award-winner Dean Mullaney, the strips are reproduced from pristine syndicate proofs that will allow readers to see, for the first time, the full luxurious detail of Raymond's brushwork. Includes a biographical and historic essay by Brian Walker, and an introduction by Raymond biographer and authority Tom Roberts.