"Dateline: Danger!" Daily Comic Strips Original Art

"Dateline: Danger!" Daily Comic Strips Original Art consists of the hand-drawn, published daily newspaper strip panels from the groundbreaking American adventure series created by writer John Saunders and artist Al McWilliams. Syndicated from 1968 to 1974, the strip followed two undercover intelligence agents—Danny Raven, an African American, and his partner Troy Young—posing as reporters while facing global intrigue. These original art boards represent both the creative process and finished forms as they appeared in print, rendered in bold pen and ink by McWilliams and typically signed or initialed by the artist.​

"Dateline: Danger!" is historically significant as the first mainstream American comic strip to regularly feature a Black lead—Danny Raven—reflecting the influence of the era’s civil rights and Black Power movements. The strip broke ground in representation, story themes, and dramatic structure, drawing inspiration from contemporary TV series like "I Spy." Original daily art from the strip is rare and historically important, as it captures a moment when Black characters began entering popular media as complex protagonists rather than sidekicks or stereotypes. For collectors, comic historians, and institutions, these artworks embody the intersection of comics, race, and evolving American culture.