Singh, Jeff :: Milton Caniff Terry and the Pirates

Terry and the Pirates 10/9/41 daily by Milton Caniff - Death of Raven Sherman storyline

Artist: Milton Caniff (All)

4 Comments - 2,459 Views - 2 Likes

Terry and the Pirates 10/9/41 daily by Milton Caniff - Death of Raven Sherman storyline Comic Art

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Artwork Details

Title:	Terry and the Pirates 10/9/41 daily by Milton Caniff - Death of Raven Sherman storyline
Artist:	Milton Caniff (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Comic Strip
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	2,459
Likes on CAF:	2 3
Comments:	4
Added to Site:	6/24/2020
Comic Art Archive:

Description

This is a daily from the one of the most important and memorable story-lines in the Terry and the Pirates series and perhaps in comic strips in general. In this daily, Raven had just been thrown off a truck by Dr. Judas in an attempt to evade the pursing Terry and Duke Hennick. To avoid Raven, they crashed their truck during this mountain pursuit in remote Japanese occupied China. Despite their heroic efforts, Raven was gravely injured. She would pass away in a few days with the battered Terry and Duke trying to care for her in this isolated locale but essentially having to helplessly wait for the inevitable to happen. The death of Raven Sherman was headline news in the US. This was the first time a major comic strip character had been killed off and Caniff received so much fan mail over this, most of it negative including several death threats. Some of his syndicated newspapers also complained but it was a turning pivotal point in the story. It was time for Terry to grow up and join the war effort. It was time for America to join the war effort and I think the sense of loss and helplessness felt by Terry and the readers reflected a broader societal zeitgeist. Pearl Harbor was still a little over 8 weeks away at this point. Caniff's predictions and insights of the war and events in the Asian theater prompted scrutiny by the military once the war effort had started. In today's world where comics are dying a slow death, it is hard to appreciate just how many readers and how many average citizens followed the comic stories and Terry was one of the most popular and widely syndicated. Comics sold newspapers.

Another thing to note here is the change in Caniff's style around this period. It was maturing and departing from his heavily Sickle influenced style to the style he would use during the War years. I prefer the style of the earlier years but this new look would better serve the war themes that would overtake the strip. It would still be a few years until he reached his full maturity in form that would carry him through the rest of his career and on to his next endeavor...Steve Canyon.

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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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LB Jefferies
Member Since 2003

Posted on 6/24/2020

Whoa!

DC's Showcase
Member Since 2006

Posted on 6/24/2020

Whoa!!

Aaron N.
Member Since 2009

Posted on 6/24/2020

The strips in this sequence have a gravity I don't think Caniff ever matched again... not sure if anyone has.

Thomas Ward
Member Since 2004

Posted on 6/26/2020

Such a historic strip! Congrats my friend!

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