After Alexander Gillespie (Alex) Raymond studied at the Grand Central School of Art in New York City, he began working with Russ Westover, the creator of King Features Syndicate's Tilly the Toiler comic strip. For four years, he also assisted other King cartoonists until in 1933 he created the science fiction character Flash Gordon, conceived as a competitor to the popular Buck Rogers. He drew the strip until 1944, when he joined the Marines in World War II and Austin Briggs took over. At the same time, Raymond drew the strips Jungle Jim and Secret Agent X9, the latter scripted by Dashiell Hammett. Simultaneously, Raymond illustrated for Collier's Weekly and Cosmopolitan, among other magazines. Raymond's career was cut short by his early death but other artists took up Flash Gordon, which has been adapted to radio, film and television into the 21st century.
