Dick Tracy and American Culture: Morality and Mythology, Text and Context

In October 1931, Dick Tracy made his debut on the pages of the Detroit Mirror. Since then America's most famous crime fighter has tangled with a variety of protagonists from locations as diverse as the inner city and outer space, all the time maintaining the moral high ground while reflecting American popular culture.

Through extensive research and interviews with Chester Gould (the creator of "Dick Tracy"), his assistants, Dick Locher (the current artist), Max Allan Collins (who scripted the stories for more than 15 years) and many others associated with the strip, Dick Tracy as a cultural icon emerges. The strips use of both innovative and established police methods and the true-to-life portrayals of Tracy's family and fellow cops are detailed. The artists behind the strip are fully revealed and Dick Tracy paraphernalia and the 1990 movie Dick Tracy are discussed. Dick Tracy's appearances in other media--books, comics, radio, movie serials, "B" movies, television dramas, and animated cartoons--are fully covered.

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Dick Tracy and American Culture: Morality and Mythology, Text and Context

In October 1931, Dick Tracy made his debut on the pages of the Detroit Mirror. Since then America's most famous crime fighter has tangled with a variety of protagonists from locations as diverse as the inner city and outer space, all the time maintaining the moral high ground while reflecting American popular culture.

Through extensive research and interviews with Chester Gould (the creator of "Dick Tracy"), his assistants, Dick Locher (the current artist), Max Allan Collins (who scripted the stories for more than 15 years) and many others associated with the strip, Dick Tracy as a cultural icon emerges. The strips use of both innovative and established police methods and the true-to-life portrayals of Tracy's family and fellow cops are detailed. The artists behind the strip are fully revealed and Dick Tracy paraphernalia and the 1990 movie Dick Tracy are discussed. Dick Tracy's appearances in other media--books, comics, radio, movie serials, "B" movies, television dramas, and animated cartoons--are fully covered.

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Dick Tracy and American Culture: Morality and Mythology, Text and Context

Dick Tracy and American Culture: Morality and Mythology, Text and Context

by Garyn G. Roberts
Dick Tracy and American Culture: Morality and Mythology, Text and Context

Dick Tracy and American Culture: Morality and Mythology, Text and Context

by Garyn G. Roberts

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Overview

In October 1931, Dick Tracy made his debut on the pages of the Detroit Mirror. Since then America's most famous crime fighter has tangled with a variety of protagonists from locations as diverse as the inner city and outer space, all the time maintaining the moral high ground while reflecting American popular culture.

Through extensive research and interviews with Chester Gould (the creator of "Dick Tracy"), his assistants, Dick Locher (the current artist), Max Allan Collins (who scripted the stories for more than 15 years) and many others associated with the strip, Dick Tracy as a cultural icon emerges. The strips use of both innovative and established police methods and the true-to-life portrayals of Tracy's family and fellow cops are detailed. The artists behind the strip are fully revealed and Dick Tracy paraphernalia and the 1990 movie Dick Tracy are discussed. Dick Tracy's appearances in other media--books, comics, radio, movie serials, "B" movies, television dramas, and animated cartoons--are fully covered.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780786416981
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date: 09/11/2003
Series: Morality and Mythology, Text and Context
Edition description: ALT
Pages: 350
Product dimensions: 7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Garyn G. Roberts is a multiple award-winning author, university and college faculty member and administrator. He is the author of a number of articles and books on diverse American culture topics. He lives in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS     

FOREWORDS      Some Context for a Serious Study
           Max Allan Collins     
     Dick Tracy’s Sister Remembers
           Jean Gould O’Connell      xiii
     The Enduring Qualities of Dick Tracy
           Dick Locher     

PREFACE: A PIECE TO THE PUZZLE      xvii

1. The Dick Tracy Comic Strip: An American Culture Phenomenon     

2. Chronicling a Culture: A History of the Development of the American Comic Strip     

3. Of Blue Knights and Social Injustices: The Police Procedural Detective Story and Dick Tracy     

4. From Historical Fact to Historical Fantasy: The Dick Tracy Comic-Strip from 1931 to the Present     
            The Thirties     
            The Forties     
            The Fifties     
            The Sixties     
            The Seventies     
            The Eighties     
            The Nineties     

5. Builders of a Legend: The People Behind Dick Tracy     
            Chester Gould     
            Max Allan Collins     
            Richard E. Fletcher     
            Dick Locher     
            John Locher     
            Richard Arnold “Dick” Moores     
            Russell Stamm     
            Jack Ryan     
            Coleman Anderson     
            Ray Gould     
            Ray Shlemon and Susan Anderson     
            An Overview of the Contributors to Tracy     

6. A Proliferation of Moral Storytelling: Dick Tracy in Media Other Than the Comic Strip     
            Big Little Books     
            Feature Books     
            Comic Books     
            Radio Drama     
            Movie Serials     
            “B” Movies     
            Television Drama     
            Animated Cartoons     
            Television Pilot     

7. Premiums, Paraphernalia, and Material Culture: The Dick Tracy Toys     

8. The 1990 Blockbuster Movie     

9. The Second Most Famous Detective     

BIBLIOGRAPHY     

INDEX     

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