Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for December 03, 2014

So THAT’S what happened!

Good morning all!

After all these years, Sam still will never learn that there is no room for mistakes.

Good morning to all my friends. Y’all have a blessed day.

Evidently Gruesome is no fool….he knows better to than to off a cop and knows enough to swipe Sam’s wrist wizard.

Sam is decidedly not happy and is vowing revenge! And, another wrist wizard in a criminal’s hands. Let’s hope Gruesome doesn’t get away, taking the wrist wizard with him.

Sam is in a tight spot. At least he’s not in Panama.

At least Sam is still alive, as opposed to that broom handler.

At least Sam’s not knocked out. He can still make some noise.

Apparently Gruesome also got Sam’s gun.

We don’t really know what happened to Otis the janitor, Sam’s still alive, Gruesome’s got the money he came for yet he’s still going to show himself up on stage to do the play even though Tracy’s crew know he’s there?

Also props to @trimguy who nailed it yesterday about Sam being stuffed into the trunk!

Sam is ticked!

With Sam doing the ‘Squiggly*-*Murky’ facial expression, clenched fists, and a conspicuous shoulder jerk forward (in 2), One might really think he’d taken ONE, in the Solar Plexus *. . . ?And for a second or two there, the resulting - “Air discharge” not through the mouth (see star behind), while OVER . . . in panel 1, there’s a conspicuous Typhoon symbol?? (left), and lines that look like an “explosion” of sorts ?And you’re left with mouth open . . .thinking, not much left to the " imagination " . . . ?

That is, until I fully read Sam’s text box- in 2, and discovered he was simply in a Trunk

Your Wrist Wizards taken . . . ? And that Warrant ? Did he destroy it ?

Seems this wasn’t just a push, rather - a more extended physical tussle, like the man held you down, to take off the Wrist Wizard ?But more important did he pinch your Cigarette Lighter ? Nothing like a secluded PUFF or two in a desperate situation - to calm the nerves, and then, ‘think up’ a better way - out of that BoxCheer up ! Vista Bill has a Carton on the way !

And speaking of TAKING . . . one assumes Gruesome didn’t toss that Gun back in, (along with the Hat) - after you ? Did he ? Better check the floor !

I think I have never seen Sam so angry, so flat-out mad from the humiliation of being put in a trunk by Gruesome (never mind that it was own fault). If he gets out in time, he is going to be a rabid bulldog on Gruesome’s tail….

Morning, Tracyville!Gruesome really isn’t very professional, as criminals go. He leaves the corpus delicti where someone will eventually find it, then he leaves Sam conscious enough to call for help, and worst of all, he doesn’t run away from the scene of the crime.

Gruesome must have pretty fast hands. We went from Sam pointing a gun directly at his chest to this. How exactly did this happen, i wonder? Many of you noted that Sam was standing too close to Gruesome, with no path behind him to maneuver – looks like you were right.

So Sam didn’t catchem….

Sam might have an air problem if he doesn’t get out pretty soon.

I was THISCLOSE lol

At least Sam wont run out of air.

Backstage of any theatre has lots of places where Gruesome could have stashed Otis’ body (look how he tucked Sam away). And with the stage lights up, the backstage will be dark and shadowy. All that would be needed is a place out of the way, and something to throw over him. The important thing is keeping Otis from being discovered until after Gruesome is gone.

I’m really enjoying this story, and i love today’s art, with Sam’s anger and his squashed hat!

Gruesome may surprise us yet..

In the play, bodies end up in the window seat and the cellar. I’d say Sam is lucky he’s still breathing!

It should read … “IF HE HADN’T TAKEN MY WRIST WIZARD A COULD CALL LIZZ OR TRACY!”

Get the nicotine dogs, Tracy. They can track Sam and find him from several miles away.

jpuzz, sam PULLED his gun on gruesome, he DDINT mention the wrist wizard

jpuzz, as evidenced by all the panels today, sam barely has room to MOVE let alone pick a lock.. and the lock would logically be on the OUTSIDE of the box not inside

Tracy it’s time you got a new partner because Sam’s a wimp. He let a old man like Gruesome take his gun, wrist wizard and stuff him in a trunk! I bet that wouldn’t have happened to Lizz or Ebony! Oh Sam, if only Fritz Ann could see you now!

Sometimes Staton and Curtis like to leave such details up to the reader’s imagination, keeping the story from becoming too plodding.________________________

I have to disagree. I believe bursts of action do not make a story plod. In fact, I believe just the opposite. I think scenes of action enhance the story and break up the endless talking heads and descriptive narration. In other words, I would have liked to see Sam and Gruesome duke it out rather than just be told that it happened.

The same could be said for the recent Annie arc. There were many places where more action could have been inserted. For example, when Tracy and Annie met in the clubhouse, they could almost have been caught requiring them to make a break for it or escape in some manner. The same could be said for their meetings at the movie theatre.

I’m not offering criticism because I have disliked either the Annie story or this one. In fact, I have enjoyed both. However, I believe that lately action sequences have been few and far between and there is room for a better balance in some instances.

I think it’s kind of neat to MAKE you wonder how in heck Gruesome pulled this off with Sam. And Gruesome’s cool as ice to finish the play before leaving; of course, he doesn’t know Dick will wonder why he hasn’t been arrested yet, and remedy the problem…..also, now Gruesome has a gun, and Kandy Kane has a chance to be offed in a gunfire exchange, providing Vitamin with yet another lost loved one of the “50 years younger” variety…..

Sam is thinking now, “Damn! If I had only read that book by Houdini when I wuz a kid….. instead of trading it for a bunch of Dick Tracy funny books!”

Sam has a knack for this sort of thing. Phishface put him in a diver’s suit in the fish tank. Sam was running out of air then.

Just as the Syndicate had rules about the length of stories, I’m sure they have limits to violence. In the Annie story, we only saw a hint of the major battle with the Asp and Punjab taking on Axel’s troops, but we did get to see the house blown to smithereens, with Axel inside.(1 battle, no – 1 huge blast, yes) I’d like to see more action in the strip myself, having grown up on the slugfests in comic books and the classic movie serials on TV, but I’ll take what I can get, as long as the story is good. Like this one is.

Gonna have to explain how Gruesome was able to divest you of your gizmo, Sam. That’s police property, y’know. I see a lot of paperwork in your future.