Tim Tyler's Luck

Tim Tyler's Luck was an adventure comic strip created by Lyman Young, elder brother of Blondie creator Chic Young. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, the strip ran from August 13, 1928, until August 1996.

Lyman Young studied at the Chicago Art Institute and served in World War I before beginning his career as a cartoonist in 1924, taking over C. W. Kahles' strip The Kelly Kids. In 1927 he created The Kid Sister, a spin-off of The Kelly Kids.

Characters and story

When Tim Tyler's Luck started in 1928, Tyler was living in an orphanage. However, he soon left the orphanage for the outside world. When he teamed with an older sidekick, Spud, they began globe-trotting for a series of international adventures. Many tales took place in Africa, as noted by comic strip historian Don Markstein:

Illustrators

In 1935, Young added a topper strip, Curley Harper. Young employed several artists, some of whom became famous and successful with their own strips. The illustrators included Alex Raymond, Burne Hogarth, Clark Haas, Tony DiPreta, Nat Edson and Tom Massey.

Tim Tyler's Luck (serial)

Tim Tyler's Luck (1937) is a Universal movie serial based on the comic strip Tim Tyler's Luck.

Plot

Tim Tyler stows away on a ship bound for Africa to find his father, Professor James Tyler. He meets, and is joined by, Lora Lacey, who is chasing the criminal "Spider" Webb, the man responsible for framing her brother.

Cast

Critical reception

Stedman considers this to be perhaps the best of Universal's "Jungle Thrillers." Tim Tyler's Luck has good direction and convincing performances. The serial has quiet moments balancing the action, which was rare for a serial. The characterization is more nuanced then "might have been expected in an action serial".