Dean Young
About
Chic Young, the visionary creator of the Blondie comic strip, and Athel Young, an exquisite concert harpist, brought me into a household filled with humor, music, and a unique blend of talents. Their love story sparked at one of my mother’s concerts and set the stage for a life surrounded by the enchanting sounds of a golden harp and the whimsical musings of my father, who often quipped about my mother always “harping on something.”
Our family journeyed through different chapters, from California to Florida. After navigating advertising and sales promotion in Miami post-college, destiny called me back to my roots: Blondie. Working side by side with my father for ten years in our bayfront studio was an immersive experience where laughter and hard work went hand in hand. Following his passing in 1973, I faced the challenge of keeping Blondie alive as newspapers everywhere began to drop us. I remembered how my father, while literally on his deathbed, told me, “Listen, don’t worry about the comic strip. If it seems funny to you, do it.” His parting advice to trust my instincts became the guiding force that reignited the magic, reclaiming those lost newspapers and establishing Blondie as a timeless icon.
The evolution of Blondie remains a collaborative effort, with gratitude extending to the talented artists who played crucial roles, from Jim Raymond to Stan Drake and now John Marshall and his assistant David Reddick. Like my collaboration with my father, my two daughters, Dana and Dianne, actively contribute to the comic strip alongside me. It brings me immense joy to impart the intricacies of the comic strip realm to them, and thus, the legacy of our family business endures!
Outside of the comic strip world, my life revolves around cherished family moments, the excitement of spearfishing, and a deep appreciation for food. While some may see similarities between me and Dagwood Bumstead, I prefer to consider myself as his alter ego, albeit one infused with a touch of contemporary finesse.