5.75x17.5" thin artboard features original pen and ink daily strip art for Dec. 9, 1981 daily strip that features three panels. Strip was from the then new Lone Ranger comic strip (see previous item #1603) by Cary Bates and the legendary Russ Heath. Bates is a prolific DC Comics artist while Heath's career w/DC and "Playboy" magazine has stretched decades. Strip shows The Lone Ranger clinging to small pine tree on side of cliff. First panel shows a rope being tossed to him. Second panel shows Lone Ranger grabbing for rope w/"Grab Hold, Kemo Sabe" word balloon from unseen assistant, who is revealed as Tonto in last panel, Lone Ranger saying "Tonto, Your Timing Has Never Been Better!" as he scales the cliff wall. First panel has names of both Bates and Heath and is missing copyright strip (small streak of aged glue indicates where it was once applied). Second panel has inked "12-9" at bottom. Upper right has penciled "Week 13" notation while upper left has "Wed. 12/9" pencil notation. Artboard is lightly aged but o/w Exc. Upon publication, much of the original art for this short-lived series was destroyed by the Syndicate, w/very little remaining. Of those that have survived, very few feature both Lone Ranger and Tonto in the same strip as seen here. While Lone Ranger is not wearing his cowboy hat in this strip, his iconic mask can be seen in first and last panels. Rare.