Dick Tracy - The Mike Curtis/Joe Staton years

Monk · 19 Jun 2006

Marcus wrote:

Doing a comic strip isn't that easy. You only have three panels. The first panel is the set-up/recap from the day before. The second moves the story forward and the third id the cliff hanger for the next day. So the story can move kind of slow.

Yeah, that's definitely the tricky thing. Keeping the story interesting and moving along, while also keeping readers caught up who might be jumping on later. Also definitely something where the schedule is very important. If I were going to try it, I'd want to have at least a month's worth of strips done before starting it.

Bolgani Gogo · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 15157

Marcus wrote:

Doing a comic strip isn't that easy. You only have three panels. The first panel is the set-up/recap from the day before. The second moves the story forward and the third id the cliff hanger for the next day. So the story can move kind of slow and you don't really have room for "big" things happening.

Yeah... I'm cheating and using four panels. My pacing formula is totally ripped off from Milt Caniff's first Steve Canyon story. :oops:

Marcus · 27 Nov 2004

Yeah, that's what we did in school.

Steve · 21 Oct 2004

I'm reading the first volume of IDW's collected editions and really enjoying it. Chester Gould really zoomed out on all cylinders. I can't wait to read the rest.

Highly recommended.

Bolgani Gogo · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 15157

Bolgani Gogo · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 15157

Bolgani Gogo · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 15157

Based solely on the strength of this strip, I AmazWaned:

Quote:

Presenting a deluxe hardcover collection of Chester Gould's timeless comic strip, Dick Tracy. The first volume of this multi-year project will include the five sample strips that Gould used to sell his groundbreaking strip, as well as nearly 500 comic strips encompassing the series' beginning, from October 1931-May 1933. Among these strips are the first appearance of many long-time Dick Tracy characters, such as Tess Truehart, Junior and Chief Brandon. This special first volume features an overview and introduction from Consulting Editor and writer Max Allan Collins, as well as a never-before-published interview between Collins and creator Chester Gould. Each volume will feature book design from award-winning designer/artist Ashley Wood. 352p

Steve · 21 Oct 2004

That's what I just got, Trevor. Let me know what you think.

Bolgani Gogo · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 15157

It just arrived. Looks great - they do an amazing job on these things.

Bolgani Gogo · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 15157

James C. Taylor · 16 Aug 2004

I think (judging from the comments on the gocomics.com site) that the gray thing being pulled from the Fifth's jacket is also supposed to be the blue thing the pouch is stuffing into his, well, pouch.

Steve · 21 Oct 2004

Sometimes the coloring is done by hacks -- go by the B&W edition to be sure.

Beachy · 18 Sep 2005

Bolgani Gogo wrote:

It just arrived. Looks great - they do an amazing job on these things.

My only problem with the Little Orphan Annie books is that you sometimes
have to flip through a number of pages to get to the right Sunday strip, but
I understand why they printed the color pages separately.

Steve · 21 Oct 2004

For Dick they put everything in exact continuity order. Is IDW doing Annie or is that Fanta?

Beachy · 18 Sep 2005

IDW is doing the Annie strips.
I gather, at least in the early years, that most of the Annie Sundays were stand-alone
stories, and did not continue the daily strips. Occasionally, though. So, sometimes
when I'm reading the daily strip, I see a reference off in the margin telling me to turn
to such-and-such page to read the Sunday.

Bolgani Gogo · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 15157

When IDW did the Terry & The Pirates volumes, they ran into the same problem as you describe with Annie. Early in the strip, the dailies and Sundays had separate stories. Rather than go strict chronologically, they bundled the stories together. I think this only impacts vol. 1 - for some reason I could never find vol. 2.

Beachy · 18 Sep 2005

I have the first six volumes of Annie, but have only had time so far to read Volume one.
Many of the strips I have read before abridged in smaller collections or redone as Big
Little Books. I'm in no hurry. I enjoy reading a complete story all at once, but have to
budget my time, so such opportunities don't come up that often.

Bolgani Gogo · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 15157

Jeff · 05 Oct 2006

That "flash drive" is pretty jarring in what is otherwise a very retro writing and art style.

Steve · 21 Oct 2004

You don't think the wrist iPhone in Staton's first panel is jarring enough?

Jeff · 05 Oct 2006

Did he call it a "wrist iphone"? If not, the wrist radio thing is a standard trope rather than a specific modern technological gadget name dropped in an otherwise retro environment, the effect of which is a bit jarring. (The answer is no, he did not, btw).

Steve · 21 Oct 2004

Wrist GeeNee. Just as jarring as a thumbdrive to me. But thanks.

Dick Tracy - The Mike Curtis/Joe Staton years

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