Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 10, 2010

So Virgil is now “Viril?” Guess he must be taking yohimbine bark or Cialis or some such.

Regarding Crimestoppers:

I can’t even find my purse.

Whew! A lot happening today! Where’s my purse?

I turn my back for a minute, and Vista Bill has my purse! Just wait until I call DT; I’ll have that purse back by June, maybe…

He gingerly takes the back off a Strad? Must have a lot of ginger.

My guess is that they’re fixing up the violin with explosives…. Why they needed a Strad to do this is beyond my ken…

margueritem said, “I turn my back for a minute, and Vista Bill has my purse! Just wait until I call DT; I’ll have that purse back by June, maybe…”

I’m searching for the pig on wheels! Someone said he might be in your purse, margueritem.

A Pig in a purse?

It’s a big purse……

VistaBill good luck! Don’t get lost in there.

margueritem said, “VistaBill good luck! Don’t get lost in there”

I’m back. Couldn’t find the pig on wheels. Just a lot of money.

Ya got the wrong purse!!!!

Goodnight, all!

Flight Suit said So Virgil is now “Viril?”…

Perhaps it should be “virile”?? Looks like he’s bitten his fingers off at the first joint.

And Chris Shendo is looking at the front of the Strad, not the back.

Flight Suit said “… Guess he must be taking yohimbine bark or Cialis or some such”. Don’t know about the character but the artist or writer might have taken something.

Virgil must be quite “Viril(e)”? Someone didn’t proofread!

LudwigVonDrake said, about 1 hour ago

Virgil must be quite “Viril(e)”? Someone didn’t proofread!

NOBODY ever proofreads this strip.

While Bruce is “rocking” in panel 3, Cris seems to be “digging” it, over in panel 5

Why do I think the two are destined to meet ?

Last panel: Tess has a hand growing out of her right shoulder! Must be a side effect of Angel(g)lorius’ perfume.

Chief Lizz want’s the Police to ”look good” Why send just Tracy and a uniformed cop ? I’m sure having the entire Major Crime Squad there would be considerably more impressive (?)

Where are Lt.Teevo and Sam Catchem ?

Sorry, I forgot ! Teevo does only “Homicide” now, and Sam is still in “detention” on that back seat in the Naperville station.

Why does Tess always come up with tickets? She must be on the sucker list for tickets. Margueritem is onto the real story I think. Congrats M! On another note (hee-hee), I didn’t know a Strad was screwed together ala Home Depot hardware. I thought they were joined ala formed fingerjoints.

I’m no musical expert, but I thought the main benefit of a Stradivarius was the interplay between the composition and shape of the body cavity.

If you fill this body with electronics, and alter the qualities of the back by attaching electronics to it, doesn’t that kind of mean there was no reason to use a Stradivarius in the first place?

I saw the instructions for remodeling a Stradivarius at the Build and Grow clinic at Lowes last year. It’s easy! You just remove the eight wood screws on the back and when you’re all done, just screw it back together! You can even use some Elmers wood glue to seal the deal!

BTW - If ANYONE is trying to figure out where this story is going (and why all the name changes (virgil to viril), please don’t. Next week’s Snotpickers Grab bag will extol the disadvantages of such an idea. Including exploding brains and paralyzing migraines.

It’s not a purse, It’s a MAN BAG!!!

Hey Ridenslide - Doesn’t a Strad have a hinged back so you can get all that gear inside?

So Tracy doesn’t DO any detective work any more… He just relies on coincidence to be in the right place at the right time. He’s not going to solve this case by looking for the son or the violin; he’s just going to luck out with that invitation.

And then when he gets in trouble, he relies on bystanders like Della Contessa to rescue him.

Pathetic.

Where the heck is Cambastan anyway? Is that near Elbonia?

Anthony2816,

That’s the sort of keen observation that elicts Dick Locher’s last line of defense. i.e. … “it’s just a comic strip”!

“Is your purse under your watchful eye at all times?”

Yes. I keep it balanced on my nose. Makes driving a bit touch-and-go at times, but it’s well worth it.

I like the way Sonny Boy’s guitar cable is wrapped around his leg. “Have a nice trip; see you next fall…”

Allow me to tell you of a curse That involved a missing purse The regular story was the same Slow of pace and oh so lame But a mystery was coursing through the air Catching our breath and raising our hair Flight Suit was the first to fall Then VistaBill heard the call Margueritem lost hers too Leaving her in a stew What reason could there be for this What had caused things to go amiss Then a voice was heard to speak “Tis the Pig on Wheels that I seek” “In my pursuit I will not lag” “Rumour has that it’s in the bag” So he ventured into that dark abyss Encountering there a Hershey’s Kiss Kleenex, cough drops and money too Were all given to his purview Claiming that was not right Margueritem bid us “goodnight”. So it seems we leave it there A mystery hanging in the air To be sure there was no curse Unless your swearing at this verse.

I think the Strad has many secrets. The shape is important, but it is easily copied.What can’t be copied (and therefore what makes it priceless) is how the tree grew and how the wood was aged and treated afterward. And the finish, of course. If I remember right, there are myriad tiny cracks in the wood, and these give the sound a unique quality. Someone mentioned having to play the instrument daily, and I THINK that’s to keep the cracks from “healing” and thus affecting the sound. But I wouldn’t be surprised if even a nickel taped inside the instrument would harm the quality and be detected by someone with a trained ear. And taking the back off with a screwdriver! You might as well just set fire to it..

The great detective immediately jumps to the conclusion that the violin will be with the son. No wonder they send him out with a partner, he needs as much help as he can get.

Great, wndrwrthg!

Another good one, WW.