I used to get letters from girl reporters saying that their lives were nowhere near as exciting as Brenda's. I told them that if I made Brenda's life like theirs, nobody would read it.

Patterson reputedly biased against female cartoonists wouldn't sign her up for daily publication in the News but he accepted Brenda Starr Reporter for syndication as a Sunday comic and it made its debut on June 30 1940. Dalia Messick (April 11 1906 – April 5 2005) was an American comic strip artist who used the pseudonym Dale Messick. No glamour no curves no fashion — but it's still going pretty good.

Dalia Messick (April 11 1906 – April 5 2005) was an American comic strip artist who used the pseudonym Dale Messick. She had an interest in writing and drawing since childhood. She was the creator of Brenda Starr which at its peak during the 1950s ran in 250 newspapers.