Supersleuth Nancy Drew first appeared in 1930 in the novel The Secret of the Old Clock. To put that in context, she solved her first mystery eight years before Action Comics #1 debuted and revolutionized the comic book industry, and for nearly ninety years now, she’s continually pursued the truth - the format of the novels have changed, the tone has evolved, but Nancy’s still out there, putting together the clues and saving the day.

This past month, Nancy returned to comics in a new series from Dynamite Entertainment, written by Marvel-exclusive Kelly Thompson and illustrated by Jenn St-Onge. The revival does what every new incarnation featuring the young detective has succeeded in doing, keeping Nancy’s timeless charm and wit intact while inserting her into a modern world filled with current dangers.

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Nancy Drew #1 also brings back Nancy’s popular supporting cast Bess Marvin and George Fayne, introduces new players to complicate Nancy’s world, and guest stars her dear friends and fellow detectives Frank and Joe Hardy, the famous Hardy Boys.

Series writer Kelly Thompson, speaking to CBR, said taking the job writing Nancy was a no-brainer. “Well, she’s probably the most iconic female detective of all time, so that was pretty much the clincher!” Thompson said with a laugh.

Babs Tarr's cover for Nancy Drew #2

One constant of Nancy’s history is the series evolution to match the tenor of the time. From the early Grosset & Dunlap hardcover to the mass market impact of the Casefiles and On Campus series, Nancy’ stories reflect the world around her. “For me, the trick with any reinvention of a classic property is about trying to find the spirit of the thing – the core characteristics that make it work,” Thompson explained.

“In this case, with Nancy – her resolve, her independence, her intelligence and savvy, her obsessions with mysteries – and just bringing them forward into an updated modern context," Thompson continued. "I don’t want Nancy too hung up on tech or gadgets as that sometimes feels like it pulls her too far away from more “classic sleuthing” that helped define her but otherwise the classic detective noir formula is so tried and true – and relatively unchanged over the years – that you can really lean into the genre and let it help you along.”

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In setting up the cast, Thompson said there was never any question of bringing in Nancy’s longstanding detective pals, the Hardys. Nancy first met the brothers on the small screen in the TV series The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, which ran from 1977 to 1979, and the pairing has continued through dozens of young adult novels and several comic book incarnations.

“Yeah, I was excited to bring in the whole gang from go. The characters all have such wonderful history and chemistry together, I really wanted to smash them all together and see what kind of magic we could make. And they didn’t disappoint!” Thompson enthused.

“It was really important to get the core supporting characters of The Hardys, Bess, and George onto the page. They’re a big part of the landscape of what makes Nancy work, and using them as anchor points for her is really helpful - not to mention they’re some of my favorite voices in the story. Sometimes supporting cast like to steal the spotlight (looking at you, Bess!),” Thompson said, before adding, “But we did also want to bring in some new blood, and certainly some more diverse faces that would be a bit more inclusive and more reflective of modern audiences.”

Tula Lotay's cover art for Nancy Drew #2

While Thompson chose to focus on “classic sleuthing” more than present day time trappings, she did make certain allowances for grounding the book in the present day. Beyond a more inclusive cast, Nancy’s language veers into a more PG-13 territory compared to most earlier versions. “I certainly hope a modern Nancy living in 2018 is a bit saltier than original Nancy from 1930!” Thompson said. “Our Nancy is still a teen but obviously you hope to make her feel authentic and relatable for a modern audience.”

Taking on the series required extensive reading for Thompson, who admitted she was more familiar with Nancy the icon than Nancy the character. “Not as much as I’d like,” she admitted when asked if she’d read Nancy’s adventures while growing up. “I’ve read some, but taking on the project required quite a bit of research for me, as I’m not as much of an expert as a lot of folks. But I sort of think the fact that Nancy Drew made such an impression on me even when I hadn’t read a ton of her books just shows what a groundbreaking and iconic character she is.”

Marguerite Sauvage's cover for Nancy Drew #1

Of her artistic collaborator, Jenn St-Onge, Thompson gushed, “Jenn always surprises me. I should have learned by now that she just gets better with every stroke of her pen, but I’m a bit slow. Nancy Drew is the best work she’s ever done, and I’m sure whatever she does next (more Nancy Drew?!) will become her new best work.

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“She’s an intuitive storyteller, a great collaborator, and exceptional when it comes to character design and character acting. I love working with her. And of course we’ve got Tríona Farrell on colors and they are a fantastic fit for Jenn’s style—lush and vibrant without ever feeling overwhelming.”

Despite being recently signed to an exclusive contract with Marvel Comics and committed to work on West Coast Avengers and Mr. and Mrs. X (starring X-Men Gambit and Rogue), Thompson doesn’t rule out more Nancy stories after this opening series concludes. “I definitely have significant commitments to Marvel, but they have been very generous so far in letting me pursue projects I was already attached to, like Nancy! I hope there will be more.”

Nancy Drew is currently available from Dynamite Entertainment.