Exclusive Announcement: Dick Tracy Goes to War In New Veterans Day Special From Mad Cave Studios

By Chad Burdette

on August 20, 2026

Before he became the legendary detective, Dick Tracy was a soldier which will be explored in a new standalone special that looks back at the war that would follow him home.

A standalone entry in Mad Cave Studios’ Dick Tracy universe, Dick Tracy: Veterans Day Special offers longtime readers a deeper look at the man behind the badge while giving new readers a self-contained entry point into the series.

Traces of War Takes Dick Tracy Back to the Front Lines in a Hard-Hitting Standalone Story From Alex Segura, Michael Moreci, and Keir Graff
Before the yellow coat, the badge, and a lifetime spent chasing criminals, Dick Tracy was a soldier.

Mad Cave Studios, in partnership with Tribune Content Agency, returns to the past in DICK TRACY: VETERANS DAY SPECIAL, a 40-page standalone story from writers Alex Segura
(Secret Identity, Alter Ego), Michael Moreci (Barbaric, Wasted Space), and Keir Graff, with art by Francesco Scimonelli, colors by Marissa Louise, and letters by Patrick Brosseau and will feature a main cover by Geraldo Borges and a variant cover by Francesco Scimonelli.

Set years before Tracy became the detective readers know, Dick Tracy: Veterans Day Special turns its attention to an earlier chapter of his life and an assignment that exposes the distance between the image of war and its reality. What begins as a straightforward protection detail becomes an experience Tracy will carry long after leaving the battlefield.

Co-Writer Alex Segura said about the special:

Michael and I have always wanted to tell a classic war story starring Tracy – and this gives us the perfect chance to craft an adventure that honors the combat adventures we love, while also tipping the hat to the many veterans who have served our country.

Don’t miss it.

Michael Moreci added:

It’s an honor to celebrate our country's veterans with this issue–and we’ve got something really special planned, in the spirit of Sgt. Rock and classic G.I. Joe, to mark the occasion

Keir Graff also said about being included on the project:

I’m thrilled to be making my Dick Tracy debut—and my comics debut!—in the company of legends Michael Moreci and Alex Segura.

My contribution adds a new chapter to Tracy’s combat history while tipping a yellow fedora to some of the characters who shot cameras, not guns, during WWII.

I offer it in honor of the real-life men and women who served or are still serving. I hope readers enjoy it!

Francesco Scimonelli Variant Cover:

Dick Tracy: Veterans Day Special

Dick Tracy is a soldier on the front lines of the deadliest conflict the world’s ever seen. Today’s assignment is supposed to be easy: Dick’s assigned to protect a camera crew gathering footage of the glories of battle. But there is nothing glorious about war. And this one will haunt the detective-to-be for years to come.