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CLEARWATER, Fla. — The oversize sandwiches lovingly constructed by Dagwood Bumstead in the "Blondie" comic strip will soon be on real-life menus thanks to cartoonist Dean Young, the character's alter-ego.

Young said the first of his Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes (not to be confused with Tucson's Daggwood Cafe on East Fort Lowell Road) should open this summer in Clearwater and then spread across the United States and internationally.

"This is a dream come true for me," Young, 66, said, adding that he has been collecting sandwich recipes for more than 20 years.

Young's father, Chic Young, created "Blondie" in 1930. After his father died in 1973, he took over the strip. It has more than 250 million readers in 2,300 newspapers in 55 countries.

One of Dagwood's passions has been eating, especially the multilayered sandwiches of cold-cuts and leftovers he often has before going to bed.

Those Dagwood sandwiches will be the featured item at the new restaurants. The 1 1/2-pound Dagwood includes ham, salami, pepperoni, mortadella, cappicola, cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, red pepper and a secret Italian spread on three slices of bread topped with an olive skewer.

For those with smaller appetites, the menu includes roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, chicken curry and Cuban sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads, desserts, beer and wine.

The restaurants will be decorated with pictures of "Blondie" characters, and a giant plasma screen will show comic strips.

Sandwiches are the fastest-growing segment of the restaurant industry, according to Dagwood co-founder Lamar Berry.

"This is an opportunity to become the leader of this category," said Berry, who was an executive with Popeyes Fried Chicken.

Berry said he hopes the chain will have 250 shops in operation after two years and 1,000 within three years.