This
blog-post features Lucey’s hard-boiled tuff guy, Sam Hill. All my
previous entries in this series have dealt with costumed characters
and in a way Sam still continues this trend. The guy must have a
closet fulla identical blue suits and if you include his “skunky”
shock of white hair, Sam has a look as distinctive as any cape and
cowl..
The
SAM HILL – PRIVATE EYE series ran for 7 issues over the course of
1950 and 51. This was the Archie Comics toe in the water, testing the
arena of the popular Crime comic genre. Sam is just about my favorite
title in that milieu. He’s as cool as ice and brimming with street
smarts and snappy patter. With his able gal-Friday Roxy by his side
the strip seems torn from the screen of a film noir. This territory
granted Lucey license to illustrate a number of gorgeous ‘dames’
in each multi-story issue.
Comparing
the strip against his mystery men work a decade earlier, you’ll
note a much more sophisticated style. He fills each panel with
carefully rendered detail. Partially this comes for raw experience in
the medium but like a number of the pioneers of the industry, Harry
was called to serve in WW2. When he returned he left the field to
work in advertising and his time there profoundly effected his work.
Harry rejoined the comic book industry in 1949 and found steady work
from his old employer MLJ, now renamed Archie Comics.
Here
is a caper from issue # 2
Also
from that comic is this 3-pager that challenges you to match wits
with Sam.
The
final strip is from issue #3. It gives a generous wink to “The
Maltese Falcon”.
Sam
Hill was Lucey’s last hurrah in the world of adventure comics. For
the rest of his career he spent his time working on the Archie
properties, along with a brief fling at Tower Comics where he did a
couple pieces for the Archie-clone TIPPY TEEN.
Pat
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