Other'n ANDY CAPP I know just about nada about English comic strips. So this collection of BUCK RYAN comics was a nice slice of comical education for me. Too bad I gotta say that I really didn't cozy up to this for a number of reasons on which I will exemplify on further down the ol' page.
Don't get me wrong, I like adventure comics and this World War II 'un with Ryan fighting the Big 'Un in the South Pacific sure seemed like the kinda comic romp that a fellow like myself really could go for. However, the end results come off more like some quickie cash in on the whole TERRY AND THE PIRATES genre that one would have seen distributed by one of those picayune syndicates that seemed to handle the dross. Artwork isn't anything to crow about (has more of an early-thirties fine pen look that at times reminds me of the early SUPERMAN) while the sagas presented just don't have that gut-gripping nervewrack that a fanabla such as I prefers in his classic comic strip reading. Creators Monk and Freeman shoulda studied up on some of the more successful comics of the day before setting out to do a contemporary comic that was bound to capture the imaginations of many a thrillseeker back during those hyper times.
Oddly enough, BUCK RYAN actually continued into the early-sixties and was revived a little over five years ago so I guess there were fans out there. But count me out because I find this strip rather sedate to the point where FERD'NAND came off amphetamine-fueled in comparison. Is it me, or is it the English?
Pip pip! Cheerio!
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