Milton Caniff's Steve Canyon: 1949 (Steve Canyon Series)
Steve Canyonwas Caniff's postwar follow-up to the hugely popularTerry and the Pirates. These 1949 episodes feature Caniff's celebrated strengths: exotic locales, vivid characters, snappy dialogue, good-looking dames, and the bold style and cinematic storytelling that remain major influences on comics artists. In these adventures, globe-trotting pilot-for-hire Steve and his young protege, Reed Kimberly, rescue a Himalayan princess, fight the Communists as they march to power in China (Caniff's treatment of the Communists, referred to as "the rebels," anticipates the jingoism that marred the laterCanyon), and continue their rivalry with comely aviatrix Doe Redwood. Unfortunately, while reproduced from sharp black-and-white proofs, the strips are printed so small that Caniff's magnificent detail is lost; at times, it's difficult to discern what's happening. (Ironically, this mirrors the diminished size that has debilitated the few dramatic strips left in today's newspapers.) Although not ideally presented, these tales of high adventure remain quite a pleasure.Gordon FlaggCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved