Locher was born in
Dubuque,
Iowa. After high school, he studied at
Loras College before studying art at the
University of Iowa. He then graduated with honors from the
Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. While in
Chicago, he became an assistant to
Rick Yager, who was drawing
Buck Rogers at the time. However, he left the job after a few months to enlist in the
Air Force during the
Korean War, where he became a
test pilot where he inked the figures and colored the Sunday strips. He also contributed to a story that was cited in Gould's 1959
Reuben award. He left the strip in 1961 to work on other areas, including starting an advertising company, where he worked on designing characters for
McDonald's. Locher kept in touch with Chester Gould even after leaving the strip. In 1973, an editorial cartoonist position at the
Chicago Tribune opened up and Gould recommended Locher to take the position. Despite having no experience in editorial cartooning, the
Tribune hired Locher. Locher retired May 1, 2013. Locher, working with his son John, returned to work on
Dick Tracy in 1983, In 2009, Jim Brozman took over the drawing of
Dick Tracy; however Locher continued to write the storylines and contributed sketches. In 2011, Locher retired from
Dick Tracy and handed the reins to the new creative team of Mike Curtis and Joe Staton. Locher's last
Dick Tracy strip was published Sunday, March 13, 2011. Dick got honorary doctorates from
Benedictine University and
Loras College. He was a long-tenured trustee of Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. In 2008, he was inducted to the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame. In 2013, Locher helped design and make a 9.5-foot bronze statue of
Naperville's founding father, Capt.
Joseph Naper. He also designed the
Land of Lincoln Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Northwestern-Illinois college football game. Throughout his career, Locher published over 10,000 cartoons. == John Locher Memorial Award ==