Dick Tracy writer/artist Dick Locher to retire; strip to continue

As reported in the Washington Post and The Comics Reporter among others, “Dick Tracy” comic strip writer-artist Dick Locher will retire after 32 years.  Dick Tracy was created by Pawnee, Oklahoma’s Chester Gould.

“Dick Tracy” will continue under a new creative team, artist Joe Staton and writer Mike Curtis.

Locher, 81, will continue to draw editorial cartoons for Tribune Media Services.

Both the Post and the Comics Reporter point out that other legacy strips — Little Orphan Annie and Brenda Starr — were recently canceled.  The viability of “Dick Tracy” under a new creative team appears to reflect the strip still has either more subscribers or more visibility and viability as a continuing concern.

TMS executive Jam Guszynski tells the Washington Post that the decision to continue involved the economics of the strip.

- Matt Price