The History of Mystery by Max Allan Collins

He had already written a book when he enrolled in the prestigious University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. That character would later inspire prolific Iowa writer Max Allan Collins.Ĭollins wanted to be an artist, but family friend Keith Larson, a poet, farmer and part-time writing teacher at Muscatine Community College, encouraged the younger Collins’ writing talent. Gould “said of all the kids in America that sent him drawings, mine was the best,” Collins said.Ĭhicago Tribune artist Chester Gould created Dick Tracy in homage to Eliot Ness. Gould returned the note with a drawing of Tracy saying, “Hello, Allan,” and signed by Gould. His mother sent a letter with some of her son's drawings to Gould. He spent his allowance on Dick Tracy comic books and he drew Tracy.

The youngster thrilled to the yellow trench-coated, fedora-wearing Tracy’s never-ending battle against the monstrous underworld filled with grotesque villains such as Big Boy, the Brow, Flattop, Pruneface and Little Face Finney (no relation to this friendly paragraph stacker.) Patricia Ann read Dick Tracy comic books to her son. Friends and family called the boy Allan his father went by Max. I've turned my hobbies into a career, but it's still a hustle.' Early years of reading, drawingĬollins was born Max Allan Collins Jr., the son of Patricia Ann Rushing Collins and Max Allan Collins Sr., on March 3, 1948, in Muscatine, where he continues to live. 'I'm waiting to hear back on three pitches right now. 'I'm still wondering where my next check is going to come from,' Collins said in an interview with the Register.

The History of Mystery by Max Allan Collins