Roy Crane (1901–1977)

The continuing adventures of Buz Sawyer, formerly a fighter pilot during WWII, now happily married and a trouble-shooter for Frontier Oil, a position which frequently involves Buz in dangerous situations in all manner of exotic locales. "Buz Sawyer" remains one of my favorite adventure strips. The stories are generally varied and interesting, the action is exciting and suspenseful, there is a welcome light touch to the episodes, and I really enjoy the bantering, but always loving, relationship between Buz and his wife Christy, who often accompanies him on his employer's missions. I will admit that the impact of the strip has diminished since the end of the War, and Buz's marriage to Christy, however satisfying their relationship is. Also, I learned in this issue's foreword that by this time Roy Crane had assistants handling the art and writing; Crane merely acted as a general director who would provide guidance and strip approval. I suppose it was naive to have thought otherwise. But Crane chose his assistants well. The artwork and writing have remained remarkably consistent with Crane's earlier style, and the strip remains one of my favorite newspaper adventure comic strips.… (mais)

Buz Sawyer is one of my favorite adventure strips, but this volume does represent the beginning of a letdown after the marvelous first two volumes, which chronicle Buz's harrowing exploits during World War II, and the beginning of his romance with Christy. Here, Buz is a troubleshooter for an international oil company, engaged to Christy. After the high adventure of his WWII experiences, being an oil company adventurer doesn't quite measure up. And even though Christy is one of the more personable spitfires I've seen in adventure comics, the marriage that finally takes place in this volume signals an end to the free-spirited romances that spiced his earlier adventures. This is still a fine strip, with good art, interesting stories and snappy banter, all of which almost measures up to Milton Caniff's work.… (mais)

Buz Sawyer continues his WWII adventures in the Pacific, up to the end of the war, after which he seeks work as an adventurous troubleshooter and tries to wend his way between the affections of Tot Winter, Christy Jameson, and the Dragon Ladyish Sultry. These strips were published during the war's progress, and it is a measure of Crane's courage that he showed no reluctance to display the human cost of the war, with one character having a foot amputated, and another losing his life in battle near the war's end. This is a near-great strip, comparable to "Terry and the Pirates" in every way, and in every way just slightly the inferior of that great strip. But only just.… (mais)

A compilation of the Buz Sawyer strips from his time as a navy pilot in the Pacific during WWII, with his stalwart companion Roscoe Sweeney. Buz Sawyer was the first adventure strip I remember liking as a boy, and it still holds immense appeal to me. The stories are exciting, Buz Sawyer himself is a likeable and admirable sort of brave All-American boy made good, Crane's artwork is better than most, and the occasional heart-string tugs, whether elicited by patriotism, love of hearth and home, sacrifice for a loved one, or bravery in the face of death, are strong, simple and effective without veering into maudlinity. Crane's plots are occasionally outlandish, and his women, while beautifully drawn, are much of a sameness. In addition, his portrayal of the Japanese is stereotypical to a point that today we would consider racist. One must consider the times and the situation this country was in then, however. A measure of how good the strip is, is that these quibbles don't bother me.… (mais)