Red Barry: Undercover Man Volume 1

Red Barry was one of the most visually innovative adventure strips of the mid-1930s, combining fluid brushwork and noir shadows (in bold blues and purples) with figures that were constantly in motion, plus a level of violence that brought cries of protest from its syndicate. Red Barry and Secret Agent X-9 were King Features’ answers to the Tribune Syndicate’s popular Dick Tracy by Chester Gould. While X-9 continued for decades under hands of various quality, Red Barry by Will Gould (no relation to Chester) was an auteur’s vision that lasted less than four years (primarily because Gould couldn’t meet his deadlines). Regardless, it is today considered one of comics history’s great unsung masterpieces, one which famed mystery writer Anthony Boucher said was “the only detectives strip…worthy of any consideration from my scholarly viewpoint.” This two-volume series will reprint the complete dailies and color Sundays.

Will Gould (1911-1984) was a sports cartoonist when he created a pair of sports-related syndicated strips before Red Barry hit the national stage. He worked in Hollywood in the 1940s and was a cartoon editor in the 1960s.