Pawnee to celebrate 73rd birthday of comic strip

Thursday, September 30th 2004, 11:51 am

By: News On 6

PAWNEE, Okla. (AP) _ The 73rd birthday of comic-strip crime fighter Dick Tracy will be celebrated Saturday in this north-central Oklahoma town, which is the birthplace of his creator.

Chester Gould, who died in 1985 at age 85, saw his comic debut on Oct. 4, 1931, in the Chicago Tribune. He drew the strip until his retirement in 1977.

Sharon Bradley, the celebration's coordinator, said its purpose is to educate children about the character of Dick Tracy and what he stood for.

The square-jawed Tracy at one time appeared in hundreds of newspapers and also was featured in comic books, on radio and television programs and in movies. Several cartoonists and writers, will be on hand to display, sell and autograph their work.

Others expected include R.A. Jones, who has written ``Captain America and Wolverine'' and ``Star Trek'' comic books; Michael Vance of Tulsa, the writer of the ``Adventures of Captain Nemo'' and ``Straw Men'' comic books; and Terry Tidwell, the artist of the ``Green Hornet'' and ``The Twilight Avenger'' comic books.

Works by other artists are due to be on display also at the Pawnee Historical Museum, across from the county courthouse, where a ``Dick Tracy'' exhibit is on permanent display. Old ``Dick Tracy'' movies will be shown continuously at the museum.

A downtown parade will start at noon in Pawnee, which is about 60 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.