Those fabulous floppy funny books that were everywhere in our youth began as showcases for comic strips.
Now, except for the Archie Digests, comic books are only found at select locations.
And mostly star super heroes. But once in a while the old traditions return.
As Newsarama/Games Radar reports:
The adventures of Chester Gould’s iconic detective Dick Tracy have been thrilling us for more than 90 years in the form of comics, radio serials and a 1990 film. Now the sleuth is returning to his four color roots with a “fresh and modern” limited series from Mad Cave Studios.
The six-issue series, which launches in April, will feature the return of several of Tracy’s most infamous foes in what Mad Cave is calling “a hardboiled and realistic take” on the sleuth’s world.
The series is written by Alex Segura and Michael Moreci, drawn by Geraldo Borges, with creative consultation from Chantelle Aimée Osman, coloring by Mark Englert, and lettering by Jim Campbell.
Dick Tracy #1 is published by Mad Cave Studios, in partnership with Tribune Content Agency and New Wave Comics, on April 24.
That same Mad Cave Studios got the license to produce Flash Gordon comic books last year.
King Features Syndicate, a unit of Hearst and home to some of the world’s most popular entertainment characters, today announced a master publishing partnership with Mad Cave Studios to develop a full line of new narratives, comics reprints and graphic novels starring its iconic hero Flash Gordon. The initial Flash Gordon stories are slated to be released in 2024.
The first Flash Gordon comic book from Mad Cave will be available on May 4, 2024 – Free Comic Book Day.
Another King Features character will hit your local comic book store on May 4th.
The webcomic character Eye Lie Popeye, will now appear in comic books too.
The century old comic strip and legendary cartoon character is reimagined for the modern age, in this brand new series by Marcus Williams (Marvel’s Captain America). Popeye: Eye Lie Popeye reimagines the pop culture staple in a high-energy, manga-inspired monthly comic series that explores Popeye’s past and finally reveals the century-long mystery of how he lost his eye!
Here’s a surprise – Andrews McMeel Publishing entering the comic book market.
Both Phoebe and Her Unicorn’s Unicorn Crush and Snoopy Beagle Scout Adventures list Andrews McMeel as publisher of these Free Comic Book Day floppies. Is this the start of AMP expanding as a comic book publisher?
This Spring has comic strips and comic books together again, just like the old days.
(When visiting your local comic book shop for the freebies look for that Dick Tracy book.)
One of the variant covers for the new Mad Cave Dick Tracy comic book due in April 2024 was planned for the never made 2018 Archie comics Dick Tracy comic book series.