Review: DICK TRACY, DEAD OR ALIVE #1

EDITOR’S NOTE:  In an effort to post more reviews on Pop Culture Podium, I’m going to a shorter format. I’ll comment on a comic, and make a recommendation to buy or not buy a particular book rather than elaborate at length about the merits or non-merits and the ten-point rating scale. For readers who prefer the latter format, I will still post extensive reviews and include the rating system.  For now, I’m just trying to achieve a little more balance.  Pop Culture Podium is essentially a one-person endeavor, so I don’t have unlimited time to devote to this (even though I might welcome that). 

 

DICK TRACY: DEAD OR ALIVE #1 of 4  (IDW Publishing, September 2018)  Written by Lee and Michael Allred. Penciler Rich Tommaso. Inker Michael Allred.  Colors Laura Allred.  Letters Shawn Lee.  

 

Since it’s origins in 1931 as a daily newspaper comic strip, DICK TRACY has been treated to comic book and graphic novel treatment as well as several movies, most recently the 1990’s Warren Beatty/Al Pacino version that failed to grab a big box-office return. I’m familiar with the character, having grown up with the Sunday newspaper color comic strips featuring the iconic wrist tv/radio and colonization of the Moon.  But Tracy got his start beating up and taking down mobsters with funny faces and funny names. 

 

The text section in the back of the new IDW comic refers to DICK TRACY: DEAD OR ALIVE as “an all-new take on one of the most iconic comic-strip heroes of all time . . .   reimagined for the 21st century through a retro lens.”

 

There’s a lot more retro in the Allred family version of Dick Tracy, but that’s perfect. Why mess with the things that made him famous?  You wouldn’t dare tamper with Tracy’s trademark yellow trench coat and matching hat, or his hawklike nose and chiseled chin.  They don’t. In fact, all the characters in the first issue dress and in most cases speak like they are from an earlier time. Likewise, good is good and bad is bad   - there’s no gray areas here.  The only hints of modernization are the presence of a burner phone and a streamlined train.  The cars and planes are from the 1930’s, as well as the tommy gun and pistols. I don’t care about that discrepancy because this is just a fun book. 

 

Tracy can’t work in California anymore because he’s too much of a straight-shooting, straight up detective who follows the rule of law to a T.  When he arrests a white-collar crook who’s buddies with people in high places, Tracy loses his job.  He gets hired by the city of Chicago, with government in the pocket of mobster Big Boy, who feels that Tracy can be a mock representation of law and order while things remain as corrupt and crooked as ever.  That’s a mistake, as you might imagine. 

 

With the Allred influence on story, inks and colors the art of Tommaso has the same easy-on-the-eye and dynamic appeal as the best of Allred’s work. 

 

It’s a good beginning.  I’m not ready to give it a full recommendation just yet, but this will definitely appeal to readers who like pulp-style crime stories, and are fans of either Dick Tracy, Michael Allred, or both. WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION.