Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for May 20, 2015

Not exactly a trim fellow myself, these days, but can’t see how Jimmy slipped down that trap door!

A new use for the Wrist Wizard!

So, they stopped Doubleup from escaping. I guess he’s off to jail?

Sam has secured Doubleup’s whip … But not necessarily Doubleup!

And even so, Doubleup could claim self-defense. Self-Defense!

Good morning fellow DT fans!

These are exciting days in Tracy’s world!

Ummm….today’s strip makes no sense. Yesterday we saw Double up cracking Jimmy with his whip. Today Sam has the whip, stopped an escape but who? And how did Jimmy manage to get away and where’s Doubleup? Very confusing guys.

Tracy and Sam just might be willing to play along with that, if Doubleup could lead them to bigger fish.

Secure Doubleup before even thinking about waltzing down those steps after Jimmy. More shadows in the night, even as the Wrist Wizard provides illumination.

Why didn’t Tracy turn on his Q-Beam when the lights went out, instead of giving Moby Dick and possibly Doubleup the opportunity to (1) open the closet door, (2) enter the closet, (3) open the hatch, and (4) go downstairs – all in the dark? Howcum the bad guys can see in the dark and not Tracy? Maybe Tracy has been squinting for so long, he’s blind. If Sam saw enough to catch that whip in mid-air, why didn’t they spot Jimmy singing Roy Rogers’ “Happy Trails To You” theme song while Doubleup strummed the guitar?

Strange, how Axelrod has dropped out of the conversation. It was he who revealed that there was a way out through the storage closet, and it was probably he who opened the trap door and was first to flee. After Axelrod, it seems, Jimmy took advantage of the momentary confusion as Sam grabbed the whip and apparently detained DoubleUp (though we haven’t actually seen this whole sequence) and himself lumbered noisily down the secret stairway. Where does it lead? Into the underground tunnel system of the city? Will Tracy pursue (he has in recent arcs been prone to reckless action)?

Hopefully, the OPEN trap door will send a ‘message’ to TracyPerhaps he’ll recall that he mentally ignored that open tunnel to Lake Pratchett where the Gold went ?

Needs to shine his lights there . . .Soon everyone will be right there ! EVERYONE interested - will follow the Money !

If I didn’t know better, I would say that we’re missing a strip. Good morning fellow DT fans.

I have to say that I, also, wondered if we were missing a strip between yesterday and today. I mean, yesterday Jimmy gets cracked with the whip, and Double-up has, obviously, a very firm grip on the whip. Seconds later, Jimmy is gone, and Sam has somehow taken the whip away from Double-up. If feels like a lot must have happened between panels here.

did they skip a day?

What a terribly drawn tunnel.What tunnel? There is no tunnel in today’s drawings. There is a trap door which may, perhaps lead to a tunnel. But there is nothing wrong with the drawing of the trap door and the steps leading down. In fact, they look very cool to me.

Congratulations to Jerryjohn52 yesterday for calling Tracy’s use of the Wrist Wizard.

I have to second that. He thought of it when no-one else said it, and now Tracy has taken the hint.

Good morning Tracy fans. Will Dick and Sam follow the escapees? Will the Mole help as VB has suggested?______ As many have suggested there could be a missing strip. It does seems that too much action has been bypassed.______@JPuzzleWhiz: my congrats to Jerryjohn52 also.______Be well my friends.

Sam has Doubleup’s whip…but where’s Doubleup? Maybe we’ll find out later—or not.

Beautiful artwork today. I like the trap door/stairway drawing.

From Mike Curtis at The Dick Tracy Fan Club.By the way, those wanting more information on Doubleup will get it in late June. And what’s his connection to Boris Arson?

Jimmy’s actually in a pretty good position.He may not have taken any more money, but he got away from Tracy. He knows the Blackhearts are onto him.And if he’s lucky, Axelrod will be waiting at the other end of the tunnel. Everything happened too fast for Axelrod to learn of Jimmy’s plans for him, so he might be a sitting duck.We didn’t see Jimmy drop his gun when Doubleup grabbed him; it may have slid back into his holster. If it did, Jimmy will have the trifecta, and kill a third accomplice.

This is getting good. Where is the Gold??

Obviously, the “challenge” was to show not only the Trap Door entrance … but also Steps leading down . . .And all in the one panel allowed by the Writer !Hence a need to show the steps high up, and in effect unrealistically.

You might recall, only too well, Dicky Locher’s tiny hands on Dick Tracy whenever he felt the NEED to show Tracy using the Wrist Geenee.Perhaps he thought small hands would help emphasize the device ?Avoiding the necessity of a Gould ‘little box’ with pointing arrow (saying) “Wrist Geenee”

See how ‘kindly’ I’ve phrased it, to give the Auditorium Man an - Out ! .- )

Don’t mind, that Tracy was the only Officer ever seen - to use the device . . .Dicky, had everyone else, using a ‘Cell Phone’ !We - ‘know’ why !

Ya know, there might not be a tunnel at all! The office might be on the second floor. Nowhere in the past few weeks has there been a hint that it was on the first floor. So, possibly, the stairs lead to the ground floor! Secondly, if Jimmy Choo and/or Doubleup went down those stairs, they’d have to do some serious ducking to clear the trap door frame! To me, it looks like a squirrel would bump his head if it went down those stairs; much less Lardo. Nice brass hinges and handrail fittings, though!

It would be nice to hear from you when you have something nice to say, which is never! LOL!If you go back over the last several weeks, you will find that there were times I specifically agreed with something you posted, and said so. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. Also, there were times i tried to get serious, and ask you a real question about what you were seeing in the strip, but all I got back were cryptic remarks. You complain about so many things; some of them so ridiculous it makes my eyes roll, but I’ve always tried to be nice about everything.

John Russell said about 5 hours ago: I try &aspens quality time in the word each day too…..________A very worthwhile endeavor. Morning is one of my favorite prayer times also. There are very few distractions. Additionally you make many great contributions to our GoComics community. Have a blissful day my friend.

Oops, I meant spend not aspens.

Hee, hee… Sam was reaching for a puff on Sam’s cigar and got the whip instead!

LAKE PRATCHETT . . .

Seems then, that our Lake Pratchett in DickTracy IS - a ‘fictional’ one (?) - ‘inspired’ apparently, by a British Science Fiction writer - Terry Pratchett (of Disc world fame). Who - after suffering from Alzheimers - he died in March 2015. Those Interested, can read all about him, and his work on Wikipedia.One book “The Thief of Time” hit the New York Times 2008 - Best Seller list !

One might ‘suspect’ that Mike has taken a keen interest in his work, perhaps Terry - is his British version of Tom DeHaven ?

I think you meant bond, rather than bold.

Nope, BOLD is correct! That’s the whole purpose of my post. I’ve shown I don’t mind admitting when I’ve goofed but this wasn’t one.

Vista Bill . . .A “back in times” - ‘SPECIAL’ for you . . .

SAM SMOKING in ‘Chief Patton’s’ Office . . .In panel 2 on the 20th, right UP Pat’s nostrils ! (must have made a certain technical advisor - ‘WINCE’?)

Know you’ll appreciate this one. Like you, I too ‘sorrow’ for Sam ! He’d appreciate our support !

March 19 2012

March 20 2012

Those are smurf stairs, anyone else would bump his head.

In all fairness, though, today’s strip was prepared long before today…!

Yeah, it’s just a little tongue-in-cheek to say that Tracy took the hint, but I still have to credit Jerryjohn52 for quick thinking.

The first of today’s 4 panels shows Jimmy and doubleup escaping.

Sam’s reflexes “put a stop to one escape attempt” so I think that means that Doubleup is in custody. I can’t see it meaning anything else.

How sad I chose to stay up lateIn hopes a poem I might createTo entertain both friend and foePerhaps to help enhance the showFool me once well shame on youA hundred times then i’m the foolWhen will I learn to not expectFor Mike and Joe to give a heckThat mighty Dick and nimble SamWould only apprehend one manAnd not attempt to catch big JWho could’nt have fled that far awayInstead we’re left with Tracy’s hunchA cocky host and fish for lunchAn ending that’ll be forced and quickA messy package, hardly slickComplain I might I do that wellBut back I’ll be you can never tellThe story next might be marvelous funAnd justify my staying awake past one.

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Good night, sleep tight, VistaBill don’t let Rikki bite! LOL!