Red Barry: Undercover Man Volume 1

A forgotten gem this underrated competitor to <i>Dick Tracy</i> will astound new readers with its innovative style and delight vintage comics fans to no end.<i><br><br>Red Barry</i> 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. <i>Red Barry</i> and <i>Secret Agent X-9</i> were King Features&#146; answers to the Tribune Syndicate&#146;s popular <i>Dick Tracy</i> by Chester Gould. While <i>X-9</i> continued for decades under hands of various quality <i>Red Barry</i> by Will Gould (no relation to Chester) was an auteur&#146;s vision that lasted less than four years (primarily because Gould couldn&#146;t meet his deadlines). Regardless it is today considered one of comics history&#146;s great unsung masterpieces one which famed mystery writer Anthony Boucher (<i>Rocket to the Morgue</i><i> Nine Times Nine</i>) said was the only detectives strip&#133;worthy of any consideration from my scholarly viewpoint.<br><br> This two-volume series reprints the complete dailies and color Sundays.