Dick Locher Adds Writing to His 'Dick Tracy' Duties

By: Dave Astor Longtime "Dick Tracy" artist Dick Locher is now writing the comic, too.

Locher took over the writing on an interim basis after Michael Kilian died last October. Now the double-duty arrangement has been made official by Tribune Media Services, which also syndicates Locher's Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoons.

How does Locher feel about having sole responsibility for the detective strip, which will turn 75 this October?

"It's awesome," he replied, during a phone interview this morning from his Illinois home. "I'm very pleased."

Locher is ready for the challenge. He was an assistant to "Dick Tracy" creator Chester Gould from 1957 to 1961, has drawn the comic since 1983, and had a collaborative relationship with Kilian that gave Locher input into writing "Dick Tracy"and Kilian input into the art.

"I miss Michael a lot," said Locher. "He was a very intelligent, very talented guy." Kilian -- who wrote "Dick Tracy" between 1993 and 2005 -- was a Chicago Tribune reporter and columnist, as well as the author of two dozen books.

Locher will continue to draw four editorial cartoons a week.

In other news, Locher is slated to receive the Silver T-Square honor for service to cartooning at the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award gathering in Chicago this Memorial Day Weekend.