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Topic: DICK TRACY - A Tale Untold Post Reply | Post New Topic
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John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132129
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 6:15am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

About a month ago, Chris Ryall called to ask if I would be interested in working on a DICK TRACY comic. Would I?!? TRACY was a strip I'd found fascinating since I was a kid. I'd love to take a crack at it. (Watch yer back, Joe Staton!)

To this end, I did a sample page to show the syndicate. Just random images, character shots. Here it is:

A blending of my own style and Chester Gould's. Chris told me the syndicate "adored" it, and we were off -- to a false start.

Ever wonder why I have not had an extended run on Batman, despite the character being one of my top favorites? Most often I have expressed it thus: I am the guy to call when you want a story about two planets crashing into each other. But not so much for detective stories. After three weeks of pondering, I had nothing. A few character bits, maybe, but no STORIES.

Clearly, DICK TRACY was not going to be taken off my bucket list.

So, now you know.

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Trevor Smith
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 21 September 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 3514
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 6:31am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

Ohhhhh, man! Seriously sad "what might have been".
Tracy is a childhood favourite adventure strip, along
with the Phantom. I would have *loved* to have seen
this come to fruition, JB!
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Robbie Parry
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 17 June 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 12186
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 6:34am | IP Logged | 3 post reply

Although nothing came to fruition, I am so glad to have read this topic - and seen the imagery. Thanks! 
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Brennan Voboril
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 15 January 2011
Posts: 1731
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 6:54am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

That is amazing.  You really nailed it!  
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Doug Centers
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 17 February 2014
Location: United States
Posts: 5436
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 7:06am | IP Logged | 5 post reply

Too bad!
At least you can go to sleep at night knowing you gave it a shot.

Sure would've liked to see you script all those characters. Especially Mumbles  :-)
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John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132129
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 7:12am | IP Logged | 6 post reply

Sure would've liked to see you script all those characters. Especially Mumbles :-)

••

One of the walls I ran into is that Tracy villains are not recurring, unlike Batman's. Most of them died at the end of their first stories.

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Michael Hogan
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 2052
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 7:43am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

Beautiful renderings, JB. Too bad there's not a writer out there dying for someone to draw their stories of these characters. I would've loved to see it.

Side note: I've always thought that, although he is an uprgight, square-jawed guy, Tracy isn't particularly handsome, unless you compare him to the rest of the denizens of this universe.
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Doug Centers
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 17 February 2014
Location: United States
Posts: 5436
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 7:49am | IP Logged | 8 post reply

Yeah, a lot of his villains had bad luck with water.

I was surprised to learn Flattop was only around for a short period.
I think I cross pollinate him with Spidey's Hammerhead.
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Richard White
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 28 August 2009
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1058
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 7:49am | IP Logged | 9 post reply

That's a shame, I could go for a lot more of that art!
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Wallace Sellars
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 01 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 17659
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 8:21am | IP Logged | 10 post reply

Maybe one day…

*fingers crossed*
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John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132129
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 8:34am | IP Logged | 11 post reply

Beautiful renderings, JB. Too bad there's not a writer out there dying for someone to draw their stories of these characters. I would've loved to see it.

••

At this stage of my career (and based on recent poor experiences) I have no desire to return to the role of Art Robot.

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Sean Watson
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 24 June 2012
Location: United States
Posts: 608
Posted: 11 March 2018 at 9:20am | IP Logged | 12 post reply

Thanks for sharing JB! I really like the mix of styles. Would have been a fun ride!
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