Leeman - that first volume is a little tricky, as the daily and Sunday continuities are separate for a while.

Once upon a time, I made up a reading sequence that sort of jumps around between episodes, and let's you get a flavor for the characters as they originally developed - here you go:

"Treasure Hunt" - Dailies 10/22/34-1/25/35 (pg 116-143) - introduces the cast, and explains why Terry & Pat are in China, so it's a good place to start.

"The Dragon Lady" - Sundays 12/9/34-3/10/35 (pg 24-37)

"Shipwrecked" - Dailies 1/26/35-6/8/35 (pg 143-181) - my favorite sequence - introduces Normandie Drake

"Prisoner of the Dragon Lady" - Sundays 3/17/35-8/25/35 (pg 38-61)

"The Krunch Caper" - Dailies 6/10/35-12/19/35 (pg 182-237)

"Captain Blaze" - Sundays 9/1/35-4/5/36 (pg 62-93)

"Judas and Burma" - Dailies 12/20/35-8/24/36 (pg 237-308)

"Pat Takes Command" - Sundays 4/12/36 - 8/23/36 (pg 94-113)

The 8/25/36 daily strip is where the continuities merge (pg 308)


Enjoy!


"As for contentment, that is a myth.  Give a man everything he wishes and he will be unhappy, because he didn't wish for more; give him more, and he will die of his worries.  Only a turtle, asleep on a sunny log, knows contentment!"
-Merlin to Prince Valiant

            Hal Foster 3-7-43