Born: 11 April 1906, United States
Died: 5 April 2005
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Dalia Messick
The following is republished from the Library of Congress. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
Creating an atmosphere of suspense in this strip, Dale Messick set the stage for adventure and romance for her heroine, reporter Brenda Starr. Plying her skills as a storyteller, Messick chronicled Brenda’s pursuit of jewel thieves, search for a missing model, and longtime romance with the mysterious inventor Basil St. John. Messick’s worthy female counterpart to male heroes marked a milestone among comics by women. At its peak, the strip ran in 250 newspapers.