In 1931, legendary cartoonist Chester Gould introduced readers to a gadget-wielding ace detective in the eponymous series Dick Tracy. Initially, Tracy was a simple man looking to spend the rest of his life with his girlfriend Tess. Unfortunately, shortly after getting engaged, they were attacked by a gang of thugs led by Big Boy Caprice and Tess was kidnapped. After rescuing his fiancée, Tracy found a new calling in being a plainclothes detective. Using the latest in advance gadgetry, coupled with his detective skills and firm belief in justice, Tracy became feared throughout the criminal underworld.
One of the most recognizable villain’s Tracy faced was freelance hitman Flattop Jones. When Flattop was eventually killed, fans of the series actually went into public mourning. Over the years, Tracy worked as a federal agent, a second grade lieutenant in World War II, he tracked other spies, assisted the naval forces, and even traveled to the moon to deal with alien forces. Despite his relentless work schedule, Tracy found time to adopt a young thief who called himself Dick Tracy Jr. or Junior for short. Junior regularly assisted his adopted father on investigations before becoming a forensic artist in the precinct.
In addition to an extensive run in newspaper strips, the character also appeared in radio serials, five movie serials from 1937 through 1941, three television series, and six movies. The most popular live-action adaptation, directed by Warren Beatty, starred Beatty in the title role alongside Madonna, Al Pacino, and Dustin Hoffman. Chester Gould won the Reuben Award for the strip in 1959 and 1977. He was later honored for his work with a Special Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America in 1980. This marked the first time MWA ever honored a comic strip.
Did you know the enduring legacy of Dick Tracy is far from over? In April 2018, Archie Comics is launching an all-new monthly series, focused on the early days of the hardboiled detective. Leading this new series is Archie Comics co-president Alex Segura and Michael Moreci, with art by Thomas Pitilli. The debut issue will be available on April 11.
