Russ Heath -- Gunsmoke/National Lampoon

GUNSMOKE was the hottest TV series in the 1950s and Russ drew these three large (23" x 7 1/4") try-out strips as samples in order to generate work. They are all very detailed and technically accurate per Russ's high standards of realism. Each strip is also hand-signed by Russ in one panel. His signature, like many other comic legends, is a piece of stylish artwork in itself. Not wanting work he was proud of to go unseen (or unpaid for), Russ "recycled" various panels of the three samples in 1975 for The National Lampoon in a story titled: "Il Showdown A Rio Jawbone" which was published in NATIONAL LAMPOON PRESENTS: THE VERY LARGE BOOK OF COMICAL FUNNIES.