Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for March 15, 2011

So far, I’m liking this new look.

Now talk about “High Speed Excitment”

In two days, we have had an important phone call, Tracy made it to headquarters and we found out what was happening.

It would have taken Locher 3 weeks to do this.

These first two installments have been so great, I feel like having a cigarette after reading them. (I haven’t smoked for 30 years)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uUCIGmU5lM

This was from the Chicago Tribune

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New creative team lays out vision for Dick Tracy comic strip

Expect some classic villains, 21st century crimes

March 13, 2011|By Geoff Brown, Tribune reporter

“It is family legend,” says artist Joe Staton, “that I was trying to copy Chester Gould’s Tracy from the Sunday papers before I was actually able to read.” During writer Mike Curtis’ early childhood commutes with his parents, “The best way to keep me quiet was to buy me a comic book. At the time, Harvey Comics was reprinting Dick Tracy, and one issue would keep me occupied for hours.”

Makes sense that the duo would find their way back to the cartoon detective, separated by a combined 60 years in comics, which included work on “Casper the Friendly Ghost,” “The Green Lantern,” “Richie Rich” and “Scooby Doo.”

Their inaugural effort as the new creative team of “Dick Tracy” can be found in newspaper comics pages this week. Staton and Curtis succeed Dick Locher, who for 32 years shepherded the strip that he inherited from originator Gould. Locher, 81, has retired from the strip.

Here are excerpts from an e-mail interview with Staton, 63, and Curtis, soon to be 58.

Q What’s the guiding philosophy behind the new adventures?

Staton: We see Tracy functioning in a threatening environment, and the exaggerated nature of his villains underlines the nature of that threat. They may look funny, but they can do some damage.

Curtis: As Chester Gould envisioned him, he takes a stand against the crooks and outlaws that menace society. It was a good idea then, and it’s still good now. It’s just that today’s criminals have all new rackets and gadgets that he has to face, making it pretty dangerous.

Q What becomes of the Crimestoppers Textbook, and what futuristic gadgets can we expect?

Staton: The Crimestoppers Textbook will be on hand. We’ll be focusing a good bit on computer crimes there, as well as in the storylines. We’re working on a serious rethinking of the Wrist Radio. Mike is using his law enforcement contacts to find out what real cops would like to have on their wrists. Diet Smith, the hi-tech industrialist whose engineers originally created Tracy’s devices, is going to be a larger presence in our stories.

Curtis: We are soliciting information for the Crimestoppers from our law enforcement contacts across the nation. … Plus Diet Smith has a new dangerous scientific wonder in our very first story, which answers the question, “Whatever happened to the Space Coupe?”

Q Which original characters will resurface?

Staton: We’ll have a mix of the classic characters and our new ones. One thing that struck me in looking back over the classic stories is how many of them revolved around the media of the times, with characters like Ted Tellum, the TV talent scout, and Spinner Record, a villainous radio DJ. … We have plans for Tracy’s 80th anniversary later this year, when we’ll remind people of lots of bad guys from the past, and answer some nagging questions about Tracy himself.

Curtis: By original characters, if you mean the supporting cast, quite a few will be returning … That includes some folk who haven’t been in the strip for over 20 years. By villains, we have a few slated to return, but we will concentrate more on new criminals for Tracy to battle. And even the returning ones will get upgrades.

gfbrown@tribune.com

Thank you, thank you, thank you! It’s lookin’ good.

Take a look at Tracy in color, spectacular with yellow raincoat and hat. And Sam with his green suit… http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/comics/index.html?featureid=DickTracy

Come on Joe and Mike, couldn’t you have at least given us one continuity error? Maybe a misshapen hand? Throw us a bone, guys!

Welcome back, margueritem! We missed you!

Well I am very happy. I first encountered Joe Staton’s work on Charlton’s “E-Man” in the 70s (which I think was his first published work), and I’ve liked him ever since.

I remember when Max Collins took over the strip the first thing he did was kill Moon Maid, to signal a back-to-the-basics approach. Which was great, but I must admit I am delighted to read that they are going to be talking about the Moon Coupe again now. I just read those adventures for the first time and while they are goofy, they are entertaining.

I love you guys!!!!!

Nice to be back, Bill!

barticle35 said, 14 minutes ago

Take a look at Tracy in color, spectacular with yellow raincoat and hat. And Sam with his green suit… http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/comics/index.html?featureid=DickTracy —————————————————

So why can’t it be in color on GoComics?

Yea! Welcome back Pig on Wheels!

Flight Suit, what’s that growing out of Chief Patton’s shoulders? Could that be the buds of tiny hands …

Okay, it’s really the silhouettes of two people in the background, giving the impression that the work area is crowded and busy. I’m trying to find somehing to whine about, honest I am, but it ain’t there.

Pat is back!!!

margueritem - How do you insert pic’s into your postings??

Vista Bill - Whose picture is next to your comments????

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Kllpzzyam - Just in case you missed my comment on Monday.

Klypzyxm - Great to hear the old gang will be coming back.

Diet Smith, B.O and so on.

Are you guys into fishing???

Come up to International Falls, MN/Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada.

We can show you a good time.

We have a big Bass Tournament in July with over $100,000 in prizes

If Locher came, he can be the “Dock Boy” LOL!!!

safeway674 said, “Vista Bill - Whose picture is next to your comments????”

My avatar? That’s Walter Brennan.

And nary a granary to be seen.

BLISS!

@Flight Suit: Concur on the color dailies. C’mon, Tribune! :)

I just noticed that all the men characters are squinting. But VERY nice artwork from the new team, and a late farewell and thanks to Dick Locher.

Thanks Vista Bill,

I thought that might be Grandpa Amos McCoy

My pic is of Fearless Fosdick

What are many of the above people going to do with all the cheap shots they hit Dick Locher with? Lets get Charlie Brown.

So, ironclad2001, are you saying those “cheap shots” weren’t richly deserved?

Horn Hair lost her horn, Testicle Chin had his chin trimmed a bit, and the old chief is back from retirement.

Oh, and the Major Crime Squad is back in business. It was gone for a while if memory serves.

Pat Patton is back!!! Now let’s have Junior looking like Junior and I’ll be as giddy as a schoolgirl!

Really nice work (as the overwhelming consensus has it); those sharp, clean lines are a pleasure to look at.

I was really hoping, though, that the emergency call would go something like “It’s bad news, Dick; Internal Affairs isn’t buying that ‘eaten by rats’ story. Not buying it at all. In fact they say your whole account makes less sense than the latest Fearless Fosdick episode in Li’l Abner. And I just can’t argue with that, can I?”

The artwork is gorgeous!!

All do-badders had better take heed The Major Crime Squad is back up to speed If it’s a crime you are seeking to commit They’ll be on your case, lickety-split With Pat Patton back at the top The action soon will be nonstop A return to true police work Their duty, they will not shirk Science and deduction will make their mark This Dick Tracy will be no lark No rambling stories, no missing continuity Only arcs that show ingenuity So settle back and kick up your feet I think we are in for a very pleasant treat. Thank you BillT.

Woo Hoo! Its good to see these two ‘kids’ getting a chance on the venerable Detective. It’s the first really good news I’ve gotten on a classic strip since Annie and Brenda ended.

I’m not in2 it yet, Lizz looks like Veronica from The Archies…

“Ye Gods!” This looks like a real comic strip.

If memory serves, this is the same storyline from the Major Crime Squad when they were at the Tribute site. It was a good story, but did seem a bit brief. Even if it is, it’s a good start, and I’m pretty sure they can flesh it out into a full-scale story line.

What happened to the AWACS plane?

I checked out the colorized version. It washed out all the details of the art. Save the colors for Sunday. Daily strips should be in glorious black and white.

Ha! Anything would seem brief compared to what we’ve just been through!

The AWACS plane ?

I think they diverted it to Japan.

The great news for me is that the strip is back in the New York Daily News.

That’s where I read it as a kid

WaitingMan - colors look vibrant on my screen coming out of Comics Kingdom. Why they don’t put them on GoComics during the week is strange, but they should.

great stuff! why is locher’s name still there?

Talk about a ‘Power Approach’ to story telling! This is off to an excellent start!

Excellent one wndrwrthg!

its about time

Liz looks quite happy about her demotion. Pat looks like he’s put on weight during his retirement.

safeway674 said, “…My pic is of Fearless Fosdick”

My favorite detective! (Sorry, Joe and Mike… your day will come).

Vista Bill - can you remember a series of short subjects that appeared on TV in the late 1950’s with chimps dressed up as Sherlock Holmes.

These were live, not cartoon.

Duluth, MN TV used to run 3 Stooges, Little Rascals,popeye, little lulu, Laurel & Hardy, Warner Bros. cartoons after school. But they also included these dectective stories using the chimps.

Does it ring a bell to you or anyother of the posters.

Dick Tracy may have returned to the NY Daily News online comics, but it’s not returned to the print edition.

(That print edition was recently cut from 3 to 2 pages, with what I thought were pretty good choices to ouster, but I’d swap back Sherman’s Lagoon for Hagar the Horrible any day.)

I remember Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp (who worked for A.P.E., the Association to Prevent Evil).

But I don’t recall a chimp version of Sherlock Holmes.

NVash called it (like Tracy’s) a “Power Approacch”. It is and it’s also at BREATHTAKING PACE.

Just 5 panels and look where we are. Tracy’s mentally dispatched thoiughts of his old case, a word with Tess, the Wrist Geenee flashes into action, Gould’s little arrow in play, then Tracy arriving at HQ in the “traditional” hat and coat only to find the clock has been happily reset with Patton ‘reinstated’ as Chief of Police. -* and things back the way readers wanted them to be !

Contrast that with Braces ‘TALKING’ for 8 weeks about getting revenge before kick starting the action.

http://www.gocomics.com/dicktracy/2008/10/05/

Dicky never put his foot on the accelerator, he was always hitting the brakes !

I think I’m going to cry…

Finally our old pal Dick is back from the precipice!

Ok ok, the strip is back to norm….so what are we comic cannibals ‘sposed to do with our unspent sarcasm??

Have only read Dick Tracy the last year as the paper my folks got and the ones that I got as I moved from different areas of our country never carried that strip. Now I can enjoy the real Dick Tracy of old as I celebrate my 81st birthday next month.

The strip keeps getting better and better!

@Bill Thompson Thanks for the pointers on the Wrist GeeNee. I actually got up this morning and check this before going to work. Why?, Cause Dick Tracy back and Pat Patton too!!!!! In Heaven Mr. Gould is smilin. :)

safeway674 said, “I thought that might be Grandpa Amos McCoy”

Sorta looks like Amos, doesn’t he?

Fusnr said, “…I celebrate my 81st birthday next month.”

Happy birthday, Fusnr!

Whatever became of Junior and Moon Maid and whatever their little girl’s name was? Will they be returning?

Do you see the size of Dick’s shoulders ? Seem out of proportion to me .

The coat has padded shoulders, Rene.

Harlan, Moon Maid was killed off when Gould retired. Junior remarried Sparkle Plenty, but I don’t know where the little girl is. I do know that her antennae became little pigtails of hair so she wasn’t so obviously half human.

fabulous but yes, we need the color too

I thought it was Liz being Chief. But the artwork reminds me of classic Gould. Yes I remember some of ape shows, also. And Stanton’s E-Man. An earlier version of Firestorm.

For the first time in my lifetime, I’ve actually told my friends about the current Dick Tracy comic strip. I’m really pleased with the new artwork and dialogue - and progress! In two strips we’ve had two conversations, three locations and a surprise twist!

Keep it up, guys!

Been gone for a while. This is quite refreshing…Looking forward to quality work and story lines.