This upcoming Halloween season, Mud Cave Studios invites readers to slip into the shadows of the city for a moody new 40-page noir thriller alongside Dick Tracy Halloween special. Alex Segura and Michael Moresi, authors of the regular series, are joined by crime editor and consultant Chantelle Amy Osman, and Craig Kelmac’s art. It’s a great stepping stone for the character, as Dick Tracy is the first time it’s been made in the history of the character that she’s written by a woman.
We sat down with Osman to discuss the character’s charm and her experience writing the legendary pulp hero.
Art by Soo Lee
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Jared Bird: Dick Tracy Halloween Special #1 will be released on October 29th, 2025 by Mad Cave Studios. How would you explain Dick Tracy’s personality and his appeal to someone you’re not familiar with?
I think Chantelle Aimee Osman: Dick Tracy’s long-lasting appeal is a combination of universal themes shared with other golden age heroes, such as justice, the rough treatment of crime.
Bird: Why did you lead you to join the project?
OSMAN: This was a passion project of Alex Segura and Michael Moreci. Alex and I are friends and have worked together on a bunch of different projects over the course of a decade, so when we learn that rights are available it seemed natural to jump on the opportunity to cooperate with this too!
Bird: How was it working with Mad Cave Studio on the project?
OSMAN: Mad Cave was a great home for Dick Tracy, who has seen and supported the series’ traditional qualities, embracing the new vision that Alex and Michael bring to the reboot.
Bird: Much of my previous experience has been in prose and edited novels. How was it like adjusting it to suit your work in the comic industry?
OSMAN: The background in my script was definitely handy. Writing a graphic novel is the best combination of script and novel. You can write all the dialogue, but in a way, you can tell the director what to do by setting the scene and providing notes for the artist to bring it back to life. It’s much more supportive than prose, and I love seeing how different hands literally make marks, creating far more final products than the sum of the parts.
Bird: As far as I know, you are the first woman to write the character of Dick Tracy. How did you feel that you are someone who has achieved that achievement?
Osman: It’s beyond honor to contribute to even a character who has been part of American experience for almost a century. I follow in the footsteps of many women who contributed to this legendary series. There are only two Leealled and Shelley Pleger. But being the first woman to write only credit on the issue is humble. It’s a dream to do it with such a talented female creative cast. I hope that’s just the start.
Bird: He also works as a creative consultant in the mainline Dick Tracy series. Do you think it’s the most convincing thing about the character?
OSMAN: It was exciting to see Alex and Michael bring about their unique sensibilities – especially Alex’s background as a crime writer – and at the same time, they remain completely true to Chester Gould’s vision. Pushing the envelope is fun, but at the same time, it’s very important to maintain Dick Tracy’s spirit.
Byrd: What do you think people will return to classic pulp-era noir fiction, almost a century after their first popularity?
Osman: A combination of familiarity and evergreen themes. Whether each one had its own penis traces, whether it was an original newspaper comic, a 1990 film (the mine), or a great iteration since. It’s like visiting old friends and making new friends at the same time.
Bird: Dick Tracy What other works would you recommend to readers who enjoy the Halloween special?
Osman: I recommend The Rejects, co-authored by me and Alex Segura, and Awakened, written by Alex Segura and Michael Moreci.
Dick Tracy Halloween Special will be coming to the comic shop on October 29th, 2025, and you can see a preview of the book below.
Craig Selmac Art by Craig Selmac Art Craig Selmac
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