Advance Review: Dick Tracy #1

“Calling all cars! Calling all cars!’, the familiar voice over tells every viewer just who is coming on the TV next. Thats right, Dick Tracy! The cop with more tech than Batman, more rogues than the Spirit; Dick Tracy who predates both The Spirit, Batman with the Shadow appearing on radio before them all! I am going to say from the outset, I was never a huge Dick Tracy fan.

Mad Cave Studios have caught the nostalgia train along with the likes of Transformers, G.I. Joe and Thundercats, treading a well worn path; familiarity with a hint of difference. In this case, a city thats a little darker, a little more violent, at least in some places, than you may recall from the yellow coated detective. Brought on to a case of a dual murder hidden in plain sight, Dick is up to his gumshoe in plots and counter plots as he tries to rid his city of crime.

Writers Alex Segura and Michael Moreci have built on the Tracy mythos by adding a noir infusion. Noir seems to be the trendy genre of choice at the moment, with a wealth of books using its shadowy storytelling tendrils. The pair ramp up the aciton from the get go, giving the impression that this “isn’t your Dad’s Dick Tracy”. The plot moves along quickly enough, hinting to various dark deeds and origins. The dialogue also works in a cheesy manner. I did have a head shake moment, when Dick Tracy, takes a kids cartoon way out of. life or death situation. C’mon! Segura and Moreci have already set the table of the city being dark and violent. Why then step back then? If you want to paint a cartoon / daily strip character as darker then the expected, go the distance gentlemen!

The art by Geraldo Borges works for the most part. It many ways it reminds me of Howard Chaykin’s Accident Man, albeit without the thigh high stockings. Characters are bulky square jawed, full of expressions. Heavy lines help give the book its density, with camera angles that look to make the most of the panel design. It is the square jawed element that, whilst screams noir detective, also serves to distract as no tow panels of Dick Tracy seem to show the same face; it is consistently inconsistent! I do love the colors of the book. Mark Englert goes for bold colors regardless of the scene; bloody swathes of red quickly replace the glistening rains soaked exterior of the opening panels. Of course, standing strong against the chaos is Dick Tracy in his customary yellow fedora and overcoat, the hope of the city never diminished by its encroaching darkness! Letters are provided by lettering veteran Jim Campbell who deals with the surprising amount of verbiage with skill and gets a cover credit to boot!

I was enjoying this book quite a lot, with its noir elements replacing the more obviously quirky aspects of the cartoon, which if I recall, barely feature Dick Tracy at all, right up to taking the kid friendly approach to getting out of trouble. I just don’t understand the vibe switch. I get that this book isn’t aimed squarely at adults, but the opening mass murder is also, by virtue not for kids. Still, if you are a Dick Tracy fan, I am sure that there is enough going on for you to tune in your wrist radio in for the next issue.

Writing – 3.5 Stars
Art – 3.5 Stars
Colors – 4 Stars

Overall – 3.5 Stars

Written by; Alex Segura & Michael Moreci
Art by; Geraldo Borges
Creative Consultant; Chantelle Aimée Osman
Colors by; Mark Englert
Letters by; Jim Campbell
Published by; Mad Cave Studios

Dick Tracy #1 is due in shops April 24th.

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network