Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 17

Dick Tracy celebrates its 25th Anniversary as Chester Gould ups the ante in his assault on juvenile delinquency in the startling - and literally haunting - conclusion to the Flattop Jr. saga. Meanwhile, the squad room becomes co-ed when Lizz permanently joins the cast. Money remains the motivating factor for a new host of crazed villains, including the gymnastic murderesses, the Kitten Sisters; killer con men, the Clipso Brothers; two different spouse slayers; a notorious counterfeiter; and a "blind" drug pusher. And, Gould interposes some comedic relief - the return of bandleader Spike Dyke and the introduction of Morin Plenty (B.O.'s 88-year-old father) and his sugar-addicted wife Blossom - but humorous interludes are short-lived. Tragedy rules the day in Volume 17, reprinting strips from May 14, 1956 through December 14, 1957.

The son of a newspaperman, Chester Gould was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma in 1900. He produced a pair of forgettable comic strips before creating “Plainsclothes Tracy” — changed to “Dick Tracy” — in 1931, and continued as its mastermind for an astonishing 46 years, until his retirement in 1977.