The Library of American Comics; $100.00

Milton Caniff’s Terry and the Pirates is frequently identified as the greatest comic strip of all time. While such proclamations about any creative field practically beg for arguments to the contrary, it’s pretty hard not to find a great deal of truth in the claim. During Caniff’s 12-year run on the strip, he developed and refined an unparalleled visual language of storytelling that benefits other creators to this day.

And while the Library of American Comics’ (LOAC) previous complete editions of Terry helped them become the Gold Standard of comic strip reprints, the current series, Terry and the Pirates: The Master Collection, blows their previous excellence out of the water. Comprised of 12 deluxe 11″ x 14″ hardcover volumes reproduced from Milton Caniff’s personal set of color syndicate tabloid proofs. There’s also a thirteenth volume by LOAC’s Dean Mullaney and Bruce Canwell with “making of” and behind the scenes material, but the Caniff adventures end with volume 12.

In Volume 10, which features the Sunday and daily strips from 1944, we get more World War II adventure, action, and intrigue, which along with romance and personal drama made the strip a “can’t miss” experience for its daily readers during the war.

As with the other volumes in this edition, this one is not to be missed by anyone who loves graphic storytelling. There’s something to learn at every turn, and the production is simply the best the strip has ever received.

– J.C. Vaughn