In 1944 Raymond left the strip and joined the Marines, fighting in the Pacific theatre on the battleship Gilbert Islands, leaving the armed services as a Major in 1946.

After returning home, Raymond successfully syndicated his fourth comic strip, Rip Kirby. A detective who tackled seemingly unsolvable cases with science and a keen analytical mind, Rip was as popular as any of Raymond's other creations.

Raymond's art influenced untold numbers of comics artists in subsequent generations. Frank Frazetta and Al Williamson among them.

The world truly mourned when Raymond was killed in a car accident on September 6, 1956. He was only 49 years old, but had accomplished several lifetimes worth of works and ongoing influences in his field.