Creative Shuffle for Dick Tracy

D. D. Degg Published: September 27, 2026 Updated: September 28, 2026 1 minute 4 comments

**Dick Tracy by Eric Costello and Charles Ettinger** – Sept. 26, 2026

After two and a half years Dick Tracy artist Charles Ettinger said goodbye to the Dick Tracy syndicated comic strip with a small insert in the Sept. 26, 2026 issue. Regular “guest writer” Eric Costello confirmed it in a GoComic comment:

“I want to take this opportunity to thank Charles Ettinger for the work he did on my stories over the last few years. I found him a very easy and pleasant person to work with, and I admire the skill he brought in translating the scripts to final artwork. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

For now the new regular artist for the strip is unknown. Shelley Pleger, who has been with the strip longer than anyone except Mike Curtis, is currently the illustrator of what Costello called a weeklong “intermezzo” episode from Sept. 27 to Oct. 4, 2026 in a letter to Joseph Nebus. Since April. 19, 2026 Pleger has been credited as “showrunner” on the Sunday pages that credit could mean she is editor/director (or not) and I have to wonder if she came back as inker for the strip.

Oct. 4, by the way, will be the 95th anniversary of Dick Tracy’s debut as a comic strip in 1931.

**Dick Tracy by Chester Gould** – Oct. 4, 1931

As is the practice with the current Dick Tracy there are plenty of interruptions in the regular continuity with guest artists and writers spelling the acknowledged creative team. Ettinger’s time on the strip began as one of those guests. His terms of service credits:

Nov. 19, 2017 – Nov. 26, 2017 (guest artist)

Jan. 1, 2018 – Jan. 6(?), 2018 (inker)

Jan. 16, 2022 – Jan. 23, 2022 (rerun of the 2017 week)

Feb. 24. 2024 – Aug. 10, 24 (begins his run as regular artist)

Aug. 26, 2024 -Oct. 5, 2024

Oct. 21, 2024 – Nov. 30, 2024

Dec. 16, 2024 – Oct. 25, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025 – Jan. 3, 2026

Feb. 16, 2026 – Sept. 26, 2026

Dick Tracy by **Mike Curtis and Joe Staton** – March 14, 2011

This modern version of Dick Tracy began when Mike Curtis and Joe Staton took over the comic on March 14, 2011. Staton left the strip 5 years ago on Oct. 24, 2021 (he returned briefly as one of those guest artists) but Curtis’ name has been on the strip for all of the 15 years, even during the guest writer stints. That has now changed. Beginning Monday, Sept. 28, 2026 the Curtis credit is not appearing, at least for this week, while Costello is still being credited as “guest writer.” Curtis has been dealing with health problems for years and the health problems and eventual death of his wife last year. The Dick Tracy scripting credits for Curtis to date are:

March 14, 2011 – Aug. 26, 2023

Sept. 11, 2023 -Sept. 16, 2023 (9-11 tribute)

Dec 25, 2023 – Feb. 10, 2024

Feb. 26, 2024 – May 18, 2024

Aug. 26, 2024 – Oct. 5, 2024

May 18, 2025 – July 12, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025 – Jan. 3, 2026

Everyone is being tightlipped about the next regular creative team for the Major Crimes Unit. When the word comes down the pike we will update this item.

This post has been edited for clarity’s sake.

Comments ⁴

Carl Pietrantonio

I am hoping for something very different as far as a new creative team. I was thinking maybe Bill Griffith writing and Olivia Jaimes on the art. It would be like a brand new Tracy!

Mark Mathes

A toast from Sarasota to Dick Tracy, the talented creative teams and crime stoppers everywhere on this 95th anniversary! Many terrific memories editing Dick Tracy with cartoonist Dick Locher and writer Mike Kilian 1994-99 as editor of international syndication at Tribune in Chicago. They shared the next story arcs over many courses of Chinese on Michigan Avenue down from Tribune Tower when it was headquarters of the publishing and broadcasting empire. After the plotting, Dick shared memories of drawing his Pulitzer-prize winning cartoons on the top of the tower with Jeff MacNelly, who held the Pulitzer record. Mike shared the Washington scoop where he covered beats that included the intelligence services and the DC social scene. He had autographed photos of A-listers plastered around his desk. Oh yes, he was a novelist too. Lotta fun working to promote Dick Tracy Days in Woodstock, Illinois where Chester Gould created Dick Tracy. Dick Locher presided as grand marshal. Dick shared that Col. Robert McCormick surprised Gould with a Cadillac in the 1930s. Dick Tracy endures around the country. Pawnee, Oklahoma, birthplace of Gould, also celebrates their native son. When then-TMS was working with early webcomic animation, I chose Tracy as a beta test. Yes, a salute to one of America’s longest running comics!

Loran J Skinkis

When Howie Noeldechen was a guest artist there was a special kind of magic in the panels. I’d love to see him do a long run on the strip….

Dennis Sisneros

Howie Noeldechen would be my pick hands down. He brought so much excitement to the strip during his last stint on the strip, alongside Matthew K. Manning.

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