Hip Flask
Created by Richard Alan (AKA Richard Starkings)

Not a real comic book eye, but an incredible facsimile. HIP FLASK is a tough-talking, wise-cracking private eye, who walks softly, but carries a big gun. And, um, he's a hippopotamus. In fact, according to the cover of the very first faux issue of Hip Flask Mysteries, way back in 1958 (yeah, right!) he's "One Hungry Hippo..." And another blurb goes on to relate how Hip is "Harder than Rockford, more Frank than Cannon, but not quite as Foxy as Mulder, his mother named him Hieronymous Flask; only his colleagues call him "Hip." The people that really know him well don't call him at all."

He seems to be accompanied at times by his voluptuous and well-endowed Gal Friday, Satin, or his partner, the equally hot Vanity Case.

Hip was actually created by Richard Alan for Active Images as a marketing tool for their comic book fonts on their web site. Hip may only be a shill, and a gag, but he's a great one, as some of the best artists in the comics biz (Jim Lee, Brian Bolland, Sergio Aragones, etc...) pay loving tribute to the funny books, with some loving parodies that manage to poke some gentle fun, and maybe even sell a few fonts.

As a graphic designer myself, I must admit these are some tasty typefaces, and as a fan of detectives and comic books, I only wish Hip were real. From what I can see, his books would be a lot more fun than some of the stuff out there that actually exists.

And there is a precedent of sorts, for the P.I. as corporate mascot. Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade (and later Charlie Wild) were used in a string of comic ads in newspapers to plug Wildroot hair oil.

By the way, any similarity between Hip and Bodine Amerikah's Hairbutt the Hippo is purely coincidental. As Starkings say, " I later abandoned his P.I. identity when I became aware of (him)."

What? The world can only have one hippopautamus gumshoe?

COMIC BOOKS (HAH!)
All are actually 1997 or later, and as far as I know, none of these books actually exist. But the covers sure are tasty...

• HIP FLASK MYSTERIES
  (1958)
  Written by Simon Furman
  Art by Steve Platt
  ."
• HIP FLASK: GLADE RUNNER
  (Water Horse Comics)
  Written by Jeph Loeb
  Art by Ian Churchill
  

• "Jungle To The Zoo" (Ivory Towers, Part Four"; #4).

• FLASK THE BARBARIAN
  Written by Simon Furman
  Art by Steve Platt
  A parody of a certain popular axe-wielding barbarian.
  

• "Frost Giants and Fire Demons"
  

• HIP FLASK'S SILENT NIGHT
  Written by Chris Francis
  Art by Sergio Aragones
  ..
• HIP FLASK'S DIVINE RIGHT
  Written by Richard Alan
  Art by Jim Lee, Troy Hubbs
  A crossover with Jim Lee's Max Faraday (wink, wink).
  ...
• ENTER: FLASK
  Written by Richard Alan
  Art by Jim Lee, Troy Hubbs
  .
• HIP FLASK, PRIVATE HIPPOPOTAMUS
  Art by Brian Bolland
  This one's available as a T-shirt, I think.
  .
• HIP FLASK: LONG AND LARGE
  (2001)
  Written and drawn by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill
  .
• HIP FLASK: SAHARA
  (2001)
  Written and drawn by Ian Churchill
  .
• HIP FLASK: THE LONG HOT SUMMER
  (2001)
  Written and drawn by Tim Sale
  .
• HIP FLASK, AGENT OF T.R.U.S.T.
  (2001)
  Written and drawn by Mike Weringo
  .
• HIP FLASK: DANGER, AS USUAL
  (2001)
  Written and drawn by J. Scott Campbell and Tim Townshend
  With Danger Girl..
  

MORE COMIC BOOKS (BUT THESE ARE APPARENTLY REAL)

• HIP FLASK: UNNATURAL SELECTION... Buy this comic
  (2002, Active Images)
  Written by Richard Starkings
  Art by Joe Casey & Ladronn
  How'd this get in here? This is a real book!
  .
• HIP FLASK: ELEPHANTMEN
  (2003, Active Images)
  Written by Richard Starkings
  Art by Joe Casey & Ladronn
  How'd this get in here? This is another real book! The second REAL Hip comic.
  .
• HIP FLASK: MYSTERY CITY... Buy this comic
  (2005, Active Images)
  Three-part mini-series
  48 pages
  Written by Richard Starkings
  Art by Ladronn
  Holy shit! A third REAL book! In this one, a pulverized body sets Hip Flask off on the trail to more action! Thrills! Excitement! Heavy private eye action just like you like it!

• "The Big Here and The Long Now" (Part One) (July 2005)

ALSO:

• COMIC BOOK LETTERING... Buy this comic
  (2003)
  Written by Richard Starkinga and John "JG" Roshell
  Another real book! Includes tips on lettering and a Hip Flask short story by Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen, lots of the Hip artwork done over the years, and eight pages of a Hip strip drawn by Ian Churchill...
  

RELATED LINKS

• Hip Flask
  The official site. Sample covers, excerpts from stories, lots of great art by some of the best in the biz
  
  
• Active Images: The World's Greatest Comic Book Fonts
  Once the only place in the world to check out Hip's latest adventures, but since the big guy got his own site, this has gone back to being a place where Hip's creators sell their fonts. But, Good God a Mighty, what awesome fonts!

Report respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.