Secret Agent X-9 / Book One [ & Book Two ]

Hammett, Dashiell & Alex Raymond

Published by David McKay Co; Philadelphia; 1934/nd, 1934

About this Item

Beginning in 1931 The News Syndicate's "Dick Tracy" comic strip soared in popularity among newspaper readers. _____ All the other strip wholesalers scrambled to create similar crime dramas. _____ King Features, controlled by The Hearst Company, had "Dan Dunn: Secret Operative 48" but felt compelled to generate another competitive strip as well. _____ They were delighted when the well-established hard-boiled writer Dashiell Hammett agreed to create stories for the new strip. _____ King selected Alex "Flash Gordon" Raymond, already in their stable, to provide the artwork. _____ This team worked until 1935, when Hammett turned over the story work to Leslie Charteris. _____ We offer the complete two-volume set of the anthologies issued in the 1930's, they would not be re-issued until the 1970's. _____ Both are bound in full-color, cardboard covers, stapled through front to back, with a cloth spine glued over. _____ This was a binding format cheap to produce and difficult to preserve. _____ This set shows all the problems inherent in binding style and all the enthusiasms of their juvenile readers _____ . _____ BOOK ONE; 1934/nd; 80 pp.; VG-; Both covers show considerable crazing to the the illustration, probably from having been bent back for reading. _____ The top inch of the red cloth spine has peeled down, both head & foot of the cloth are frayed. _____ The lower inch of the front forecorner is missing from the front cover and first two pages. Layman=A7.1. _____ . _____ BOOK TWO; 1934/nd; 120 pp.; VG- Both covers show considerable crazing to the the illustration, probably from having been bent back for reading. _____ The head & foot of the blue cloth spine are frayed. _____ The front cover has a messy 2" tear up the front panel. _____ It has also nearly detached from "paper fatigue" at the hinge, now reinforced on the inside. _____ There are also a pair of 1" tears to the bottom of the title page. Layman=A8.1. [kwA_ 1st Ed. ]. Seller Inventory # 24536

Bibliographic Details

Title: Secret Agent X-9 / Book One [ & Book Two ]

Publisher: David McKay Co; Philadelphia; 1934/nd

Publication Date: 1934

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Edition: 1st Edition