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Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy goes into action to prevent a slaughter when "Big Boy" Caprice and his henchman, Flattop, set out to elimate their gangster competition
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1990
8 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Max Allan Collins
803 books1,321 followersReceived the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2006.
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 10, 2019
I think its clear to anyone who follows my reading habits, that I'm random. I like to read, watch and do random shit. If I had a brand it would be randomness.
It really doesn't get more random than Dick Tracy.
Dick Tracy was a comic strip back in the 1940's about a detective who fights crime and corruption. Their were movies and all kinds of other mass media. This particular story is a novelization of the 1990 Warren Beatty movie Dick Tracy. I have never watched this movie or read any of the comic strips. The only things I knew about Dick Tracy was that he was famous for his yellow hat and trench coat and that the characters all had fantastic names: Tess Trueheart, Big Boy Caprice, Lips Manlis and Breathless Mahoney.
Dick Tracy was a fun read if you like noir or cool classic detective novels. It was of course filled with noir tropes but I don't think that's a bad thing. I also love the author of this novel Max Allen Collins. I've read about half of his books and hope to eventually read everything.
No rec.
It really doesn't get more random than Dick Tracy.
Dick Tracy was a comic strip back in the 1940's about a detective who fights crime and corruption. Their were movies and all kinds of other mass media. This particular story is a novelization of the 1990 Warren Beatty movie Dick Tracy. I have never watched this movie or read any of the comic strips. The only things I knew about Dick Tracy was that he was famous for his yellow hat and trench coat and that the characters all had fantastic names: Tess Trueheart, Big Boy Caprice, Lips Manlis and Breathless Mahoney.
Dick Tracy was a fun read if you like noir or cool classic detective novels. It was of course filled with noir tropes but I don't think that's a bad thing. I also love the author of this novel Max Allen Collins. I've read about half of his books and hope to eventually read everything.
No rec.
dnf
February 16, 2025DNFd for now….ill finish it yet…
July 14, 2018
***1/2
Long-time "Dick Tracy" comic strip writer Max Allan Collins delivers this adaptation of the 1990 film. Or rather, the screenplay for said film, as is typically the case with movie novelizations. Accordingly, the book contains scenes and dialogue not found in the Warren Beatty-directed blockbuster. Collins has also included some elements of the famed detective's history, culling from the long-running comic strip details such as Tracy's original motive for bringing Big Boy Caprice to justice (the murder of girlfriend Tess Trueheart's father by a thug in Big Boy's employ).
Curiously--and there are spoilers here, if anyone's concerned about that kind of thing--Collins' book leaves the identity of The Blank a mystery, i.e. he or she is not revealed to be the alter ego of Breathless Mahoney. Weird. I wonder if that decision was made late in production?
Collins does a good job with the material. Hell, if anyone knows the Dick Tracy character, it's him. The writing is a little clunky at times, but for the most part, gets the job done. One of the highlights of the movie is its first-rate visuals, set design, costuming, etc. Good job, then, to Collins, for creating a worthy adaptation that, of course, relies not at all on visuals.
Long-time "Dick Tracy" comic strip writer Max Allan Collins delivers this adaptation of the 1990 film. Or rather, the screenplay for said film, as is typically the case with movie novelizations. Accordingly, the book contains scenes and dialogue not found in the Warren Beatty-directed blockbuster. Collins has also included some elements of the famed detective's history, culling from the long-running comic strip details such as Tracy's original motive for bringing Big Boy Caprice to justice (the murder of girlfriend Tess Trueheart's father by a thug in Big Boy's employ).
Curiously--and there are spoilers here, if anyone's concerned about that kind of thing--Collins' book leaves the identity of The Blank a mystery, i.e. he or she is not revealed to be the alter ego of Breathless Mahoney. Weird. I wonder if that decision was made late in production?
Collins does a good job with the material. Hell, if anyone knows the Dick Tracy character, it's him. The writing is a little clunky at times, but for the most part, gets the job done. One of the highlights of the movie is its first-rate visuals, set design, costuming, etc. Good job, then, to Collins, for creating a worthy adaptation that, of course, relies not at all on visuals.
August 12, 2014
I actually enjoyed this more than I (intially) enjoyed the movie as it was obvious there was a slight wink and nudge campiness facilitated by the director (Warren Beatty) and his fellow performers. Here, the plot seems a bit more "dark crime pulp" and the characters come off as brutally or maniacally dangerous (which is another notch in the plus column with the tough guy dialogue). This seems to be a more adult themed Dick Tracy though it's essentially what those that have seen the movie are already familiar with. A good, entertaining read all around.
April 15, 2008
All right, that's enough. I want this no-face character dead and I want Tracy dead. What's the matter, you bums forgotten how to kill people?
I love movie novelizations.
Have you no sense of pride in what you do? No sense of duty, no sense of destiny? I'm looking for generals; what have I got? Foot soldiers! I want Dick Tracy dead!
I love movie novelizations.
Have you no sense of pride in what you do? No sense of duty, no sense of destiny? I'm looking for generals; what have I got? Foot soldiers! I want Dick Tracy dead!
May 18, 2020
I read this book just for fun, and it delivered. It’s a book based on the movie which is a bit unique in its own right, and the descriptions and pacing make it a quick and delightful read. I love all the characters and the simplicity. Enjoy!
January 25, 2023
4.5 stars rounded down to four. I want to give it five stars because I loved every minute of this, but... is five stars allowed for a novelization? It's definitely nowhere near as good as other things to which I've assigned five stars. Does it deserve to be associated with such distinguished company? No. And yet... I know. I'll consult Shardik. He'll know what to do. Stand by while I flip the coin.
Tails, so at 4.5 the rating will stay. Phew. I'm glad that's over.
There isn't any coin flipping in this though there should've been because coin flipping is totally a depression era gangster thing to be doing, and this story is the epitome of mobster yarns. Seriously, just look at these peeps.
I won't deny that I love this movie, though I only watch it once every three of four years since they never show it on TV and I need to get out the DVD. It should be the model of how to do a comic book (or comic strip) movie. Not too serious and not too silly. It's juuuuust right. Plus it has the best Tommy Gun shootout scene I've ever seen. Yeah, so what if the bad guys couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat; it's still visually stunning cinema. Add to that the stellar performances by Al Pacino, Warren Beatty, Madonna, and several others from the who's who cast, and how can you not love it?
Due to my infatuation with the movie, I'm not sure if I can be objective with the book. I saw the film version of the characters in my head while reading, and they played their roles perfectly in my mind. Would someone who had never seen the movie be able to enjoy this book based on the book alone? I have no idea; my experience was tainted from the start. Still, this kind of reads like the other hardboiled books I've read, so I reckon Collins did it right. (Apparently it was much more hardboiled in the original draft, but the producers forced him to tone it down.)
There were very few changes between the screenplay upon which this was based and the novel, and all of them minor except one. This means that my book is a first edition. The filmmakers were trying to keep The Blank's identity a secret and used Darth Vader "No,-I-am-your-father" level security around it, but come on. I mean, it's not that hard to figure out. I saw it in the theaters with a couple of cousins, and one of them said he knew who it really was from the first time we saw him. Turns out there's a later edition of the book that puts the full ending in, but that is apparently pretty rare and rather hard to find, so I doubt I'll ever be reading it. It also turns out that Collins made a ton of changes in his original draft to make the characters and scenes truer to the originals in the comic strip (Collins wrote the strip for 15 years, so he should know), but the filmmakers said "cut it out, stick to our story even if you don't like it all that much. We want the movie and book to match up pretty closely." (For further details, see this article/interview.) He still ended up liking the movie a lot, but thinks the book could've been better. That's probably true, but as for me, I loved the book because it let me relive the movie in my head.
Another thing I like about the book are the subtle touches to prohibition/depression era life. At one point Itchy tells Tracy "Say goodnight, Tracy" which is probably a nod to George Burns and Gracie Allen's "Say goodnight, Gracie" line. (If it isn't, then it should've been.) In short, Collins did a fantastic job with this. I really would like to see his original draft, but he's not even sure where it is. Alas.
As usual, I can't discuss a movie novelization without mentioning movie music if the music in the film is good, and so I'll leave you with some music notes.
No, not those, doofus! Danny Elfman's score is great, but it's the soundtrack pieces which titillate me the most with this one. Actually, since we have a gangster theme and coin flipping going on here, MJ, would you do the honor and kick it off?
Thanks.
Madonna isn't my favorite person, but I love most of her music, and she was perfect as Breathless Mahoney. Her I'm Breathless album includes the songs used in the film (as well as Vogue which is in a class all its own.) It showcases Madonna's versatility as a singer that was hitherto subdued even though she'd already had seven number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This is best exemplified in Sooner or Later. It was never released as a single which is a shame because it won an Oscar for best original song. I don't know how it would've done on the charts since it definitely doesn't have any kind of 90s feel to it; this kind of arrangement belongs in the distant past. Stephen Sondheim wrote it along with More which is just a load of fun. Another song he wrote which wasn't on Madonna's album (because Madonna isn't in it) is Back in Business which is even more fun. Madonna wrote a "Back in Business" song which is on the album, but it wasn't energetic enough for the scene it needed to accompany, so it didn't get used. (It actually has a "Tomorrow Never Dies" by Sheryl Crow feel to it for some reason. Maybe it's the chord progressions; I don't know.) It's still a good song, but using the Sondheim number instead was definitely the right way to go.
Final analysis: This was a great book, but the movie is still better. It's not a time waster, though.
Tails, so at 4.5 the rating will stay. Phew. I'm glad that's over.
There isn't any coin flipping in this though there should've been because coin flipping is totally a depression era gangster thing to be doing, and this story is the epitome of mobster yarns. Seriously, just look at these peeps.
I won't deny that I love this movie, though I only watch it once every three of four years since they never show it on TV and I need to get out the DVD. It should be the model of how to do a comic book (or comic strip) movie. Not too serious and not too silly. It's juuuuust right. Plus it has the best Tommy Gun shootout scene I've ever seen. Yeah, so what if the bad guys couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat; it's still visually stunning cinema. Add to that the stellar performances by Al Pacino, Warren Beatty, Madonna, and several others from the who's who cast, and how can you not love it?
Due to my infatuation with the movie, I'm not sure if I can be objective with the book. I saw the film version of the characters in my head while reading, and they played their roles perfectly in my mind. Would someone who had never seen the movie be able to enjoy this book based on the book alone? I have no idea; my experience was tainted from the start. Still, this kind of reads like the other hardboiled books I've read, so I reckon Collins did it right. (Apparently it was much more hardboiled in the original draft, but the producers forced him to tone it down.)
There were very few changes between the screenplay upon which this was based and the novel, and all of them minor except one. This means that my book is a first edition. The filmmakers were trying to keep The Blank's identity a secret and used Darth Vader "No,-I-am-your-father" level security around it, but come on. I mean, it's not that hard to figure out. I saw it in the theaters with a couple of cousins, and one of them said he knew who it really was from the first time we saw him. Turns out there's a later edition of the book that puts the full ending in, but that is apparently pretty rare and rather hard to find, so I doubt I'll ever be reading it. It also turns out that Collins made a ton of changes in his original draft to make the characters and scenes truer to the originals in the comic strip (Collins wrote the strip for 15 years, so he should know), but the filmmakers said "cut it out, stick to our story even if you don't like it all that much. We want the movie and book to match up pretty closely." (For further details, see this article/interview.) He still ended up liking the movie a lot, but thinks the book could've been better. That's probably true, but as for me, I loved the book because it let me relive the movie in my head.
Another thing I like about the book are the subtle touches to prohibition/depression era life. At one point Itchy tells Tracy "Say goodnight, Tracy" which is probably a nod to George Burns and Gracie Allen's "Say goodnight, Gracie" line. (If it isn't, then it should've been.) In short, Collins did a fantastic job with this. I really would like to see his original draft, but he's not even sure where it is. Alas.
As usual, I can't discuss a movie novelization without mentioning movie music if the music in the film is good, and so I'll leave you with some music notes.
No, not those, doofus! Danny Elfman's score is great, but it's the soundtrack pieces which titillate me the most with this one. Actually, since we have a gangster theme and coin flipping going on here, MJ, would you do the honor and kick it off?
Thanks.
Madonna isn't my favorite person, but I love most of her music, and she was perfect as Breathless Mahoney. Her I'm Breathless album includes the songs used in the film (as well as Vogue which is in a class all its own.) It showcases Madonna's versatility as a singer that was hitherto subdued even though she'd already had seven number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This is best exemplified in Sooner or Later. It was never released as a single which is a shame because it won an Oscar for best original song. I don't know how it would've done on the charts since it definitely doesn't have any kind of 90s feel to it; this kind of arrangement belongs in the distant past. Stephen Sondheim wrote it along with More which is just a load of fun. Another song he wrote which wasn't on Madonna's album (because Madonna isn't in it) is Back in Business which is even more fun. Madonna wrote a "Back in Business" song which is on the album, but it wasn't energetic enough for the scene it needed to accompany, so it didn't get used. (It actually has a "Tomorrow Never Dies" by Sheryl Crow feel to it for some reason. Maybe it's the chord progressions; I don't know.) It's still a good song, but using the Sondheim number instead was definitely the right way to go.
Final analysis: This was a great book, but the movie is still better. It's not a time waster, though.
July 22, 2025
Well, the gang's all there from the comics that I remember. The book stays close to the style of the comic books and the newspaper cartoons from years ago, from what I remember. But the story got a little cliche at the end. I guess that too was staying in that style.
The names of the characters were funny, but I remember some of them from the newspaper cartoons. It was fun to read because I do remember, and I encourage anyone not acquainted with Dick Tracy to read the book. I did not see the movie made about Dick Tracy, starring Warren Beatty, and if I remember right, Madonna had some role. Not sure who. There are only two women in the story.
I've read a lot of books by Max Allan Collins, including the Nathan Heller mysteries and the Spenser books he inherited from Robert B. Parker. I recommend reading them.
The names of the characters were funny, but I remember some of them from the newspaper cartoons. It was fun to read because I do remember, and I encourage anyone not acquainted with Dick Tracy to read the book. I did not see the movie made about Dick Tracy, starring Warren Beatty, and if I remember right, Madonna had some role. Not sure who. There are only two women in the story.
I've read a lot of books by Max Allan Collins, including the Nathan Heller mysteries and the Spenser books he inherited from Robert B. Parker. I recommend reading them.
November 17, 2017
Novelizacion de la pelicula de 1990 de Disney. Aunque engañosamente pareciera una novela dirigida a un publico juvenil, el novelista de crime fiction y guionista del strip de Tracy por 11 años, lleva la historia a niveles algo mas complejos y oscuros, incluyendo personajes del strip que no salian en la pelicula, lo cual agradecen los fans de Dick Tracy. La novela esta bien escrita y resulta amena. Los cambios de la trama, enriquecen la historia, y el manejo de los personajes es muy bueno, no por gusto Collins tenia mucha experiencia previa con ellos.Sin embargo, los niveles de violencia no llegan al del strip original. Sin ser perfecto, este es un libro muy disfrutable, hayas visto o no la pelicula.
April 16, 2018
Enjoyable, loved the assortment of bad guys
July 10, 2019
Not a bad pulp detective novel
Have to admit though, the
supposed chemistry between
Breathless and Tracy seemed
a bit forced when you consider
the dialogue
Have to admit though, the
supposed chemistry between
Breathless and Tracy seemed
a bit forced when you consider
the dialogue
April 19, 2024
Classic book filled with twists and amazing use of creative characters not too every bodies taste but was a very good read
June 7, 2020
An adaptation of the screenplay, Collins does a good job.
March 5, 2013
Novelization of the 1990 Disney film might be enjoyable for young adults, though the character may not resonate with them as he did with newspaper readers in the '40s and '50s. Film buffs may find the read interesting, as the book is based on an early version of the script and differs in places from the film.
Since Collins (a fan of the comic since childhood) took over writing "Tracy" when original creator Chester Gould retired, there's many more references to characters and situations in the strip - for example, Tracy's entry into the plainclothes division is mentioned, which adds more motivation to his campaign against crime boss "Big Boy" Caprice. Some material is extraneous - Junior is depicted as being a good artist, though his drawings of the story's opening gunfight become more important later. Other plot elements, like the identity of the mysterious, featureless Blank, are entirely different.
Tweens and young teens may find "Dick Tracy" a fun read, but curious readers would be better off heading to the source and exploring IDW's archival volumes of the classic newspaper strip.
Since Collins (a fan of the comic since childhood) took over writing "Tracy" when original creator Chester Gould retired, there's many more references to characters and situations in the strip - for example, Tracy's entry into the plainclothes division is mentioned, which adds more motivation to his campaign against crime boss "Big Boy" Caprice. Some material is extraneous - Junior is depicted as being a good artist, though his drawings of the story's opening gunfight become more important later. Other plot elements, like the identity of the mysterious, featureless Blank, are entirely different.
Tweens and young teens may find "Dick Tracy" a fun read, but curious readers would be better off heading to the source and exploring IDW's archival volumes of the classic newspaper strip.
December 31, 2023
Great! I saw this as a kid on TV and taped it, watching it over and over again until the tape malfunctioned. I enjoyed this classic comic book turned into a movie: the sets, the costumes, the story. The thing about the movie was that it wasn't perfect but the style was unforgettable.
The book is excellent too. I loved how much more was done in the book, it worked better being kept chronological than jumping from scene to scene. An interesting difference is that we don't know who the Blank was. My guess was the author was told to do this so that the moviegoers wouldn't be spoiled. Still very good. B+
The book is excellent too. I loved how much more was done in the book, it worked better being kept chronological than jumping from scene to scene. An interesting difference is that we don't know who the Blank was. My guess was the author was told to do this so that the moviegoers wouldn't be spoiled. Still very good. B+
May 1, 2014
I'm so lucky to finally got this novel (due to my research of Madonna). But if you think that I have an interest or eager to read anything about detective-story, you're wrong. Breathless Mahoney is the reason why I decide to have this novel. So I only read parts where Breathless was in them, the rest, I give it to DICK.. :D
August 9, 2011
This is one of my all-time favorite books, but I'm not sure why. A nice gritty feel-good kind of read? Something like that. Be forewarned, as some movie adaptations do, it has a different ending so the movie's ending is not spoiled.
Read
August 1, 2013I don't believe I am reviewing Dick Tracy.. I have read this 3 times so far and have enjoyed the cliches every single time!
August 5, 2014
like the movie it has a hard time going for an audience rating but unlike the movie everyone is given a great amount of charactor development and is a great read
June 20, 2021
I just read this to imagine cool funky faces of the hoodlums how rampant and true real corruption is in law enforcement.
Rad book ::
Fun read ::
Rad book ::
Fun read ::
May 15, 2017
Can't really remember, but I think it was okay.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews