Mad Cave Studios is launching a new Rip Kirby comic series in November 2026, helmed by Christopher Sebela and Tango.
Mad Cave Studios is reviving Alex Raymond's classic newspaper strip detective, Rip Kirby, with a new comic series set to debut in November 2026. Written by two-time Eisner-nominated Christopher Sebela and drawn by rising star Tango, the series is described as a blend of "Only Murders in the Buildings meets Knives Out," promising a charming yet thrilling mystery for contemporary audiences.
Rip Kirby, originally created by Alex Raymond and Ward Greene, ran for 53 years from 1946 to 1999, distributed by King Features Syndicate. Raymond, who won a Reuben Award in 1949 for his work, handled the art and scripting, while Greene contributed to early stories. After Raymond's death in 1956, John Prentice took over the art, earning multiple National Cartoonists Society awards.
Remington "Rip" Kirby is an urbane, intellectual ex-Marine who became a private detective and criminologist after World War II. Unlike the hard-boiled pulp detectives of his era, Kirby relies on brains, science, and observation, though action was always present. His world, which includes his fashion model girlfriend Judith Lynne "Honey" Dorian and reformed burglar butler Desmond, is about to get complicated.
The new series will see Kirby's unflappably decent ways tested against a rapidly changing world, questioning if he can maintain his morals or be swallowed by ugliness. The original strip was a major success, influencing later detective and adventure strips, with IDW Publishing having reprinted its complete run. Sebela and Tango now face the challenge of living up to this enduring legacy.
