| Skyroads | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Ace Ames and Buster Evans |
|
First Appearance |
Skyroads (May 20, 1929) |
|
Original Publisher |
John F. Dille Co. |
|
Created by |
Lester J. Maitland and Dick Calkins |
Origin[]
Ace Ames and Buster Evans owned and operated the Skyroads Unlimited transport company. They were soon joined by Peggy Mills, a fearless young aviatrix. The trio received a significant boost when Peggy's father, a visionary tycoon, offered to fund an aerial expedition to the Amazon, motivated by scientific interests.
Public Domain Comic Appearances[]
All published appearances of Skyroads from before January 1, 1931 are public domain in the US.
- Skyroads (1929-1930)
Notes[]
- Skyroads was created by aviation pioneer Lester J. Maitland and Dick Calkins, an ex-Army Air Service pilot who was already drawing the Buck Rogers comic strip. Like Buck Rogers, it was syndicated by the John F. Dille Co. (later known as the National Newspaper Syndicate). Maitland and Calkins continued to collaborate on Skyroads until 1933, when Calkins' assistant, the pilot Russell Keaton, took over the writing and artwork. Keaton remained until 1939, when it was taken over by Leonard Dworkins (using the pseudonym "Leon Gordon").
- Zack Mosley who was also an assistant Calkins' assistants and later regular artist on the strip Zack Mosley created The Adventures of Smilin' Jack, lanched in in 1933 by Chicago Tribune.
- In 1939, Russell Keaton created Flyin' Jenny for Bells Syndicate.
- The strip started out starring Ace Ames and Buster Evans, but later gave way to the duo Hurricane Hawk, Speed McCloud, and finally, Clipper Williams from the Flying Legion.