The Complete Peanuts 1969-1970 (Vol. 10)
In these strips, Caniff’s heady brew of adventure, comedy, and romance approaches perfection. Titular protagonist Terry Lee is growing out of adolescence, and he’s given a love interest in the Southern belle April Kane. While the focus remains on Terry and soldier of fortune Pat Ryan, Caniff keeps things fresh by introducing new supporting characters, notably, dashing pilot Duke Hennick and the ill-fated Raven Sherman. Soon real-life events would transform Terry from an exotic high-adventure tale into an equally thrilling wartime saga. Many aficionados feel that the just-prewar period represents the newspaper adventure strip at its peak. --Gordon Flagg