Chester Gould caught the attention of Joseph Patterson, head of the Chicago Tribune – N.Y. News Syndicate. Gould’s idea for a continuous strip was the first of the adventure style to be set in modern day reality and complete with plenty of violence. Likely because of the violence angle, Patterson debuted the strip in the small Detroit Mirror newspaper rather than the syndicate’s flagship newspapers in New York and Chicago. The strip began in October, 1931 in Detroit but its immediate acceptance and success quickly lead to debuts in New York and then in January, 1932 in the Chicago Sunday Tribune, followed by the Daily Tribune in March. Two of the following 3 buttons have a backpaper naming New York and Chicago. We have also seen these buttons with a Detroit Mirror backpaper but that paper is not present in this group. However, there is little question these 3 designs were issued early in 1932 in the first 3 cities to run the strip in order to build its circulation as a gateway to syndication across America. Each button is 1.25” and includes the facsimile signature of “Chester Gould.” All 3 read simply “Dick Tracy Detective.” On the button with Tracy pointing his gun straight at the viewer, the backpaper reads “Read Dick Tracy Every Day In The News/New York’s Picture Newspaper.” On the button with Tracy facing left and holding a gun, the backpaper reads “Read Dick Tracy Every Day In The Chicago Tribune.” The third button with Tracy in close-up profile facing left is without a backpaper. Hake book Collectible Pin-Back Buttons photo example Comic Characters section #170-171-172. All 3 are Exc. to essentially Mint and display Mint. Comes with Hake’s COA.