He looks pretty good for over 90. Chester Gould’s iconic comic strip detective Dick Tracy returns to comic books through an alliance among publisher Mad Cave Studios, comics imprint New Wave Comics, and IP owner Tribune Content Agency. Let that be the last time we refer to the great detective as content, at least on this page.
Though a release date has not been announced, the book has a stellar creative team. They’re doing what’s harder to do in a comic strip, and that previous comic book incarnations haven’t. Dick Tracy is going back to the beginning through a 21st century lens. Always hard-boiled and surprisingly violent for a syndicated newspaper strip, Tracy’s atittude likely wouldn’t change, but the world around him would. Though credit to creator Gould for inventing the 2-way wrist radio/TV watch, this writer says as he gazes lovingly at his Apple Watch.
Who’s the team? Acclaimed mystery writer Alex Segura, no stranger to writing comics either, collaborates with Michael Moreci, Chantelle Aimée Osman, and artist Geraldo Borges to bring the square-jawed detective to life. It won’t be your father’s Dick Tracy nor your grandfather’s. But this take might just be yours.
Only the logo is the same.
From Mad Cave Studios:
Mad Cave Studios has partnered with DICK TRACY comics rights-holders Alex Segura, Michael Moreci, and Chantelle Aimée Osman, with oversight from DICK TRACY owners, Tribune Content Agency, to bring the iconic lawman back to comics!
Not QUITE as square-jawed as Chester Gould’s art
For over 90 years, the evolution of Chester Gould’s detective DICK TRACY has gone from comic strip to a radio show and merchandise, all the way to hitting the big screen in 1990. (and a few movie serials in the 1940s – Editor) Now the square-jawed crimestopper is making his way to Mad Cave for all new adventures and a super sly takeover of nostalgia.
At the helm of Mad Cave’s DICK TRACY series debut is bestselling and award-winning author Alex Segura (SECRET IDENTITY, ARANA/SPIDER-MAN 2099: DARK TOMORROW), acclaimed author Michael Moreci (BARBARIC, STRANGER THINGS), and renowned artist Geraldo Borges (NIGHTWING, NO/ONE, THUNDERBOLTS), with creative consultation from Chantelle Aimée Osman (THE REJECTS).
Glenne Headley as Tess Trueheart, Warren Beatty as Dick Tracy in 1990. He still has the film rights.
“Alex, Chantelle, and I have been pursuing DICK TRACY for many years, so to say this is a passion project, even that’s an understatement,” said Michael Moreci. “We love this character, we love this world. And we’re approaching it with great care—we don’t want to make a new DICK TRACY; we just want to make a DICK TRACY that feels rich and layered, that feels suited to our times. We can’t wait to share, with our great partners at Mad Cave, what we have in store.”
“This has been a long time coming, and we are all so excited to bring our grounded, noir take on the DICK TRACY mythos to life at Mad Cave,” said Alex Segura. “Michael and I have loved DICK TRACY, his stellar rogues gallery, and unforgettable supporting cast since we first became aware of the character as kids. It’s been a winding road to not only get the rights to publish new stories starring the iconic detective, and I’m so thankful that my journey with Chantelle and Michael brought us to Mad Cave. The stuff Geraldo is cooking up perfectly evokes the grounded, cinematic vibe we’re bringing to this origin story.”
“Mad Cave Studios is pleased to partner with Alex, Michael, Chantelle, and Tribune as part of our continued growth in the licensing arena,” said Mark Irwin, Mad Cave Senior Vice President. “DICK TRACY brings a wealth of colorful characters and stories that greatly enhance Mad Cave’s already strong licensing output.”
“We’re proud to see DICK TRACY, an all-time classic of truth and justice, return to comic books through our partners at Mad Cave Studios,” said Wayne Lown, Vice President & General Manager at Tribune Content Agency. “We look forward to daring new detective cases for this cultural icon, guided by their exceptional team of top-notch creators.”
“Calling all DICK TRACY fans – with over 90 years of storytelling across various mediums, everyone has ‘their’ version of Chester Gould’s yellow-jacketed detective,” said Mad Cave Studios Senior Editor, Chas! Pangburn. “Mad Cave Studios is beyond honored to continue this legacy through a neo-noir reinvention of the character. We’ve partnered with all-star creators to deliver new tales of corruption, thievery, and murder.”
In addition to running Fanboy Planet, Derek has written for ActionAce, Daily Radar, Once Upon A Dime, and The Wave. He has contributed stories to Arcana Comics (The Greatest American Hero) and Monsterverse Comics (Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave). He has performed with ComedySportz and Silicon Valley Shakespeare, though relocated to Hollywood to... work in an office? If you ever played Eric's Ultimate Solitaire on the Macintosh, it was Derek's voice as The Weasel that urged you to play longer. You can buy his book "I Was Flesh Gordon" on the Amazon link at the right. Email him at [email protected].
