EXTRACTS: Illustrators issue 25 © 2019 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition)

93 The Gallery: Alex Raymond Although known primarily for his work on the comic strips ‘Secret Agent X-9’, ‘Flash Gordon’, ‘Jungle Jim’ and ‘Rip Kirby’, Alex Raymond also worked as an illustrator for various magazines during the 1930s - 1940s. For Esquire he also did pin-ups, which were very popular with the readers, making household names out of artists such as George Petty and Alberto Vargas. Even though Raymond didn’t become as well known in the pin-up world as the two previously mentioned artists, he nonetheless became one of the most admired comic strip artists of all time, belonging to the triumvirate of the three greatest along with Hal Foster and Milton Caniff. He was also one of the best ‘good girl’ artists, as this pin-up, in both its preliminary pencil drawing and finished printed page, can attest to. Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions PIN-UP ( Esquire , 1940):