Casey Ruggles #1 May 22, 1949

Artist: Warren Tufts (All)

8 Comments - 383 Views - 7 Likes

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Artwork Details

Title:	Casey Ruggles #1 May 22, 1949
Artist:	Warren Tufts (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Comic Strip
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	383
Likes on CAF:	7 8
Comments:	8
Added to Site:	10/10/2023
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Here is something pretty neat, the first Casey Ruggles strip. Unlike most strips that start with dailies and then grow into Sundays or start with both dailies and Sundays, Casey Ruggles started as Sundays before the dailies were added and this is the first one. I have always been a fan of Tuft's art and over the years he had some interesting assistants and ghosts including Alex Toth, Rubimor, Al Plastino and Nick Cardy. This Sunday is pretty impressive with that spectacular stage coach entrance. This comes from my friend John Biernat's collection and although he knew strips well I think he had forgotten this was the first strip as it would have been uncharacteristic of John to not point out important items in his collection. Very happy to have it. It does have a bit of water damage and I am debating getting it conserved.

Warren Tufts is a pretty interesting character too. Called a perfectionist, he put 80 hours a week in on Casey Ruggles and struggled to meet deadlines. The strip was widely popular and at one point there was an offer from television to create a TV series. When the syndicate put a stop to that avenue, Tufts got frustrated and left the strip which soon ended after he left. He later went on to create another popular strip, Lance. By the time 1960 rolled around he had had enough with syndication and went on to do a bit of comic work too although that didn't pay nearly as well as syndicated work. I think he is a fantastic artist and very disciplined in his approach to characters and action. It is a shame we only got a decade of his best work to enjoy and what a decade that was.

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About the Owner

	Jeff Singh ( 7 ) Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	November 2004
Last Login:	September 2025
Website:	http://www.art4comics.com
Country:	CANADA
On CAF:	Premium Member Q&A Jeff's Classifieds Jeff's Want List Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF Read More About JeffSingh

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Comments on this Artwork

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Mark Yanko
Member Since 2009

1 - Posted on 10/10/2023

I think I'd opt to conserve it, but I understand your quandary too. It's easy to see from this where Frazetta, Toth and Williamson came from, in deciding on and adopting their approaches to comic book illustration. This is a beauty.

Amir E
Member Since 2020

1 - Posted on 10/10/2023

A lot of wonderful art and story packed into that Sunday to get the adventure started! Great addition to your collection Jeff!

Chris K.
Member Since 2008

1 - Posted on 10/10/2023

Wow...that is a seriously special piece of sequential storytelling history, Jeff. It's in the right collection!

Ruben DaCollector
Member Since 2008

1 - Posted on 10/10/2023

First of all, congratulations on the coup of owning the very FIRST Sunday! The movement of the coach and horses in the 2nd panel is out of this world. I really wish this was all collected, as I'd really love to sink my teeth into readon some good Western comics material again! That the strip was widely popular and at one point was considered to be translated to the small screen, is no surprise to me as the majority of this strip was published throughout the 1950's and at one point during that decade, something like 8 out of the top 11 rated shows were Westerns!

Kasra Ghanbari
Member Since 2004
CAF Administrator

1 - Posted on 10/10/2023

The density, world-building, characterization, technique...astounding.

Ian Saint
Member Since 2021

1 - Posted on 10/10/2023

Bery elaborate panels. Awesome first piece. Congrats?

Aaron N.
Member Since 2009

1 - Posted on 10/11/2023

Pretty, pretty...pretty good.

John Voytek
Member Since 2008

1 - Posted on 11/15/2023

Congratulations Jeff...beautiful Sunday and historic! I love Tufts work on Casey Ruggles.

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