Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for June 19, 2016

Bribery, he hatched a scheme: Gold bullion on the MoonWake Purdy from his fitful sleep, secure a precious boon.Notta, she shall play along, so long as Purdy’s safeFrom schemes of crackpot doctors leaving him a wretched wraith.On Notta Blaze has dropped a dime, her treatment too abusiveYet part of her regrets this move, her heart so inconclusive.Where there’s love but no true trust the end foregone conclusionThe heart resilient, bears all things, ‘til drowning in confusion.Lizz and Tracy at the door, command they be let inNotta knows she should obey, yet Tracy must not win.Amidst the roaring rumpus Purdy rises from his chairTo save his sister from herself, she who did take careOf Purdy in his foggy world, the price for crime so highPurdy more dead than alive, could hear his sister cry.He sees Notta aim her gun bought for their home protectionAt Blaze who has involved the law to render up detection.Purdy puts a stop to this, wraps Notta in his armsNotta’s rage now melts away. She weeps and does no harm.

“Oh, Purdy …”

“… you’ve aged terribly.”

Two extra panels today.

Got a hunch Mike might be getting a bit bored with the standard panel count, as he’s mixing up the Sunday format now as well.

.Good morning fellow DT fans!.Nobody was even wounded. A pleasant ending capped by another Pequod original.

Purdy mumbled stop to protect Blaze. Even though he is in a somewhat vegetative state. He is still somewhat aware of what is going on around him. He grabbed his sister to protect Blaze. Someone who truly cared about him.

Gweedo stated with a teeny tiny footnote,Good morning, Hi yo Vista Bill !-———————————————————————.Hi yo (ho?), Gweedo!

Good morning, Gweedo & VB!

I’m about as surprised as Lizz looks to be in the second-last panel. I wasn’t sure that Notta truly cared about Purdy at all, but she went from furious to a completely different emotion very quickly when he put his arms around her (not that she isn’t still furious, I’m sure).

Also, I’ve wondered ever since we started seeing Purdy again if he was aware of what was going on around. It certainly seems that he has been and he made that supreme effort to come out of his slumber long enough to save Blaze, his caretaker, from his sister’s wrath. I guess that’s basically what DaJellyBelly just got through saying, so I agree.

Unlike Jim in CT I find this to be a very dramatic climax to this storyline.

Whew! I love this ending, for the reasons stated above. An unlikely hero. Unexpected emotions. Tragedy averted. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Notta’s story, and I think this Sunday will go down as a classic.

It isn’t over yet

… “schtop” …

Well, that was a surprise ending. I was almost sure someone would be shot. That’s okay. I’m not disappointed. This was a good way to end this. This leaves things open for a continuation in the future and I’m okay with that.

I wonder how Wendy Wichel will spin this. She already had to retract the “Dick screws known criminals” story. Now this ends peacefully, breaking her “hyperviolent detective” narrative.

I find this to be a great and unexpected ending to this arc (although I did predict yesterday that no one would die today). A bit melodramatic maybe, but really “different” and effective.Purdy lumbers into life long enough to save Blaze (and Notta) as he mumbles (in shaky text) “schtop” (i.e., stop); Blaze leaps to warn off Tracy and Lizz from shooting,; Notta sinks to her knees releasing pent-up emotion. It’s all very much as if seen by TV cameras rather than drawn as a cartoon. Visually stunning work, I’d say….

Love this ending, toom many shootings and violence in real life those days, a gentle conclusion is SO welcome! Btw, great art today!

Relieved! It’s like I was saying a few days ago. Mrs. Chin Chillar has been my favorite Dick Tracy character for a long time. She was a favorite of my brother and friends when I was younger, too. I never said anything about this to anyone else since then, but now I have. Twice! I was so happy Mike and Joe nade a new story for her! It’s been fun. Then as the story neared its end, I worried she was going to die. I mean really worried. What a silly thing, right? Feeling so strongly about a fictional character! But I do and always have. That is the power of Dick Tracy I suppose. I’m glad Notta is going to survive now. It would have been depressing to see her be harmed. Purdy, too. I hope we see them again soon.

Seeing the story end this way, I didn’t expect it. It’s very impactful.

I still mourn the fact that Sunday comics have shrunk in size and number of panels. Strips like DT have suffered the most. The actual newspaper copy is presented here. I was hoping sites like this would present longer versions.

Everyone has interpreted Purdy’s single word as “Schtop” – and I guess maybe you all are correct. I thought at first he was mumbling a garbled version of the word “sister” – as if he was coming out of his coma and recognizing Notta.

Today’s art is great – the lines flow much better than the way they usually do on Sunday. This looks more like the daily art, which I prefer.

A very unexpected turn of events but a disappointment for those expecting an explosive ending. A melodramatic ending is a surprise but it is too bad that we did not have a new entry in the death list.Is this the start of Notta’s metamorphosis? Is Notta going to be a good girl from now on? It is hard to believe but who knows what Mike is thinking….

I now think that Purdy is part of the deal Blaze had with Tracy

This is such a great comic strip. Good Morning to Vista Bill, Pequod, Willy & All..

Bravo. I didn’t expect this ending but love it. I don’t think Purdy stopped Notta just to save Blaze; I think he is also saving her from herself or from being shot by Tracy. She has cared for him and he cares for her.

Wow, is this how it ends for Notta?

This was a very moving climax to this thread. I thank and congratulate Joe, Mike and company for creating such an effective and believable dramatic moment.

I wouldn’t want it to become a regular thing, but every now and then it’s nice to be surprised by a zero-body-count climax. Kinda like that one episode of “Doctor Who” that ended with the Doctor shouting, “Just this once, Rose Tyler, EVERYBODY LIVES!!”

Just don’t make a habit of it…

Whoa, I’m going to echo what others are saying. This is an unexpected and wonderful ending! Cheers to Mike Curtis and Joe Staton on a job well done! I hope this is the beginning of a turn around for Notta. She has grown on me a lot during this story. I think it would be great if someday Purdy could explain to her what really happened on the moon, to release her from her bitterness. She doesn’t have to reform all the way, I like her as Naughty Notta. But it would be nice to see her on the happier side of life instead of being so vengeful. She’s a great character, and there are so many good things that could be done with her. But bravo in any case for today’s entry!

“Rosebud”.

And this, my friends, is why Dick Tracy has picked up three consecutive Harvey awards. ;-)

He defused the situation and Notta goes to prison away from her brother. Tracy still lives. A winner? Not so clear cut to me here.________________________Notta may or may not go to prison. What does Tracy actually have on her? (threat with a deadly weapon for sure but what other law has she broken? She will not serve a great amount of time.) Blaze will become Purdy’s caregiver. Bribery will still attempt to get to Purdy in the future because he needs Purdy to get the Moon Gold.

A landmark day in Dick Tracy. Troubled siblings embrace and tragedy is averted. Purdy steps from the fog to save Notta from herself. Her eyes go wide at the realization of what is happening. I’ve enjoyed this story very much. I so appreciate the many ways Team Tracy is tapping into essential elements of Gould’s best work, even as they continue to rebuild and flesh out Tracyville. Notta has been a favorite character of mine since I started reading Tracy as a kid. Purdy’s freezing to “death” on the Moon, as Diet gives a blow by blow of the devastating impact the temperature is having on Purdy was riveting. It is a Sunday strip that I’ve never forgotten. To see Purdy save Notta from herself is a classic day in the history of the strip. The siblings were once close, Notta naively viewing Purdy as a good guy before his murderous ways were revealed. Wonderful work from Team Tracy (again) today.

Thanks to Gweedo, Vista Bill, Willy007, Night-Gaunt49, abdullahbaba999, Chris Sherlock and Ray Toler (excellent scenic design, as usual) for the kind words. Very much appreciated.

I have thought (and stated here) that Purdy is more conscious than has been believed. I think that the packages delivered to Notta from Bribery were drugs as everyone has speculated because Notta is a known addict. But I think the real twist is that they were drugs to keep Purdy in his vegetative state until Bribery needs him.

d’aww

Wow! What a surprise!

But I think the real twist is that they were drugs to keep Purdy in his vegetative state until Bribery needs him.-If true that is a horrible way to treat a person. Truly barbaric.____________________________But not beyond Bribery. Remember, Bribery used to have a collection of the shrunken heads of the people he had murdered.

Next up, BB Eyes, Double up and The Brow hug it out. As the stomach turns

Wasn’t Notta in that video with Putty Puss to impugn Dick Tracy? I would think that might cause her problems.

.

And what of the plot to kill Putty Puss? Is Notta considered a conspirator with Screwball?

My favorite story from Curtis so far has been the return of the Nitrates, but this is easily the best story he’s done since then. An old Tracy foe seeks revenge in a very unique, (mostly) nonviolent way, with a climax that’s both unexpected and unexpectedly moving. It’s the perfect nonviolent climax for what has mostly been a nonviolent story.But Fearless Fosdick and Abner Kadaver are comin’ up. Bring on the killin’s! ;)

Is Purdy dead?

Totally unexpected, totally touching ending.

A thoughtful, poignant, emotional conclusion to what has been a very entertaining story. Love Notta, and I agree with Ray Toler, whatever Notta has done, it’s hard not to have genuine sympathy for her right now, given how sad and miserable her life has been. I can’t say enough good things about today’s strip. An instant classic.

Wow

Great ‘ending’ … thpugh these stories never truly end, thankfully

Will they take a little time to wrap this? That is, where does Purdy go and who will be caring for him? Will Blaze get custody? Will Notta go back to prison? I hope this is not left up in the air when the next story starts. Too many stories ended with no resolution what happened to everyone.

Just about time to get Wildroot Creme Oil, Charlie! I’m very much looking forward to this.

WoW!! That is a great capper to a very fun story. I did not see this coming, which is one reason I like it so much! Way to go, Purdy, and Notta, I hope we see you and your brother again very soon! Hats off indeed to Mike and Joe for this outstanding conclusion!

Timmy had a word for this kind of ending. I forgot what it was. Help, someone!

Drama, emotions, great climax!

I found this story very compelling, probably my favorite since the Moon Maid Mystery. The end is right in keeping with that. A++!!! Also, very glad Notta didn’t die!

Perhaps apropos of nothing, here’s a Father’s Day-themed cover illustration Gould did.

Skeletor! His child nickname for her after their favorite villain! Of course!