Secret Agent X-9 Daily Strip, 9 June 1934

Compare the style used by Raymond in this original Secret Agent X-9 from 1934 with any Flash Gordon or Jungle Jim from the same time. It should be obvious that Raymond could work in more painterly, "sophisticated" styles early on and that his use of more traditional cartoon images (such as what he had been doing while ghosting Tim Tyler's Luck) was probably a matter of choice, not of any early lack of artistic ability.

This original was part of the collection of D.C. Golden Age comic book artist, Chet Kozlak, who was responsible for the preservation of a large number of D.C. originals from the 1940s (including the two pages of Starman art by Jack Burnley from All Star Comics No. 9, one of which I still own, and a few pages of Dr. Fate art by Howard Sherman, including my page from All Star Comics No. 11). Joel Thingvall obtained the Kozlak collection in the early 1990s, and I will forever be in his debt for making a major dream of mine come true. I never thought I would see a Jack Burnley Starman original, let alone that I would at one time own two such pages.

But I came to value, almost as much, this great Raymond original, which is truly one of Raymond's most accomplished early works. Joel had priced the original on the high side, compared to what most Secret Agent X-9s were going for at the time. When I called him with the intention of buying it, even at a premium price, I asked why he wanted so much. Instead of the typical dealer hype, I was a little surprised when he told me that it was the one piece of the Kozlak collection which he really wanted to keep for his own collection, so he had priced it not-to-sell. I actually felt a little guilty when I told him that I wanted the strip, without any haggling over the price, since I really understood where he was coming from and knew that a strip of such quality was well worth the price he was asking. I only hope that Joel takes some comfort in knowing that so many collectors, like myself, sincerely appreciate his role in making it possible for us to obtain some of the rarest and best pieces of comic art - pieces which could have easily been destroyed instead, never to be seen by those of us who now treasure them so much.