Liz now regrets giving up her job as a peeler. Yeah, she worked with a lot of people who played with handcuffs, but unlike these clowns, they knew what they were doing. Any moment now she’s going to blow her top. “What’s with you, Officer Dickweed?” she’ll demand. “Forget your little safeword? Drop the key in your vaseline? We’re paying you for this?”
Flight Suit, it may be that the one hand is his right hand, held palm-up. But that explanation makes sense and we’re dealing with Locher, so that may be one of the hands that grew out of Thick’s shoulder.
If you’re ever seen Roger Corman’s “Day The World Ended,” you’re familiar with Marty the Mutant. That’s the atomic monster with armored skin, three eyes and small clawlike hands growing out of his shoulders. Maybe there’s a clue here, which would be a pleasant change for this strip. Dr. Mordred could come from a post-atomic future and is here to prevent the rise of creatures like Marty the Mutant. Thick clearly has some of Marty’s glow-in-the-dark DNA (which would explain the lights in the granary windows). No wonder Mordred is battling him!
Am I making sense? No, of course not. That’s what happens when you read three panels of Thick Spacy at one sitting.
How will Locher put off showing The Monster’s face in the next week’s strips?
2/27: Flashback Sunday, so we get shown the storm intensifying, Tracy and Mordred doing the dozens, and Tracy telling Mordred to take off his mask.
2/28 Sam skids on the wet road. Liz silently prays for Tracy to be OK. Mordred, back still to us, taunts Tracy for being shocked at his face.
3/1 Close-up on Tracy, who admits being shocked. Sam recovers from the skid. Liz asks what’s holding up the magic AWACS plane.
3/2 Sam says “whoa, that was a close one”. 2nd policeman reminds Liz that they don’t know what’s happening to the plane because it’s raining too hard to communicate. Close-up on Tracy, who says “looks like you caught a bad break, but…”
3/3 Close-up on Tracy, who says “Lots of people caught bad breaks.” Close-up on Tracy, who says “But they didn’t become killers.” Sam stops the car, looks at something, says “Wait a minute!”
3/4 Sam gets out of the car, says “I wonder if…” Policeman 3 comes running into headquarters, tells Liz the AWACS plane can’t get through the intensity of the storm. Sam bends down to inspect something, thinks “This could be it!”
3/5 Tracy speaks to Mordred’s back: “Don’t think you’re entitled to pity, Mordred!” Mordred’s back replies “Hee hee HEE! Oh, Tracy! You think I’m asking for pity?” Liz tells Policeman 3 “Then it’s all up to Sam.”
About the first panel: If I ever decide to take up a life of crime, I know where to do it. Napperville is the place. The police department is useless in heavy weather, so I just wait until the weather turns rotten and I can get away with robbing people— in the main lobby of the police station. I’d have to do it quickly though, the new team takes over in March and if past efforts are any indication the police will improve remarkably.
It’s hard to be certain. but that granary image looks like the same one Locher perpetrated on 20 February. You’d think that Thick would bust him from stealing from himself.
Next week, will Locher remember that Mordred removed his mask and chains? Will Testicle Chin wade into the middle of the action? Will there in fact be any action?
I think the two semicircles at the cuff line show that the hand is palm-up.
It would be easy to open the wrist band if the radio had been on his gun-hand wrist. Just use the free hand to release the catch.
Just sayin’…
The scripting has become so poor even for Locher (after he’s painted the story into a granery for all of 10 weeks).
Now, you’d have to think with retirement around the corner he’s given Brozman a scripting moment in the sun (or is it the rain?)
And this QUALITY tells us why by BOTH of them are moving on.
You’ll have to scroll down to find “comment” on this Dick Tracy story … which in turn gives a link to their previous SATURDAYS views. Don’t miss their comments on that one !
It puts what’s WRONG with this tale, in bright perspective.
Yeah, what about that chirping? You don’t suppose that Locher was trying to make a “sound-of-crickets-chirping” joke at Mordred’s expense, do you? Nah, that’d almost be clever. He’s a lot of things, but clever he ain’t.
There’s no excuse for Mordred not to be cuffed. That’s one of the things that makes Locher nothing short of a fool. Can’t wait for Testicle Chin to come to the lake and do the “Power Approach” dive to the bottom. On the second thought, maybe that AMC Pacer might double for a watercraft!
Let’s see - known murderer, escaped restraint, announced intention to kill, completely alone .. nope, no justification to shoot there. bleeep that police manual!
I would love to see the involved parties explain explain their actions to a review board.
The Justice Department: Why did they decide to hold Mordred’s trial in one place, then transfer him to Naperville for sentencing? (The trial judge normally handles sentencing. There’s some sort of malfeasance here.)
The FBI: They don’t transport prisoners who are on trial. Why did they accept custody of Mordred? What was their role in this cockamamie transfer scheme? Why did the FBI specifically require Thick’s involvement?
The Rivertown County sheriff: How did you get custody of Mordred from the FBI, and what was your role in the transfer? Are you certain the prisoner was properly secured? Who sedated him, and why wasn’t he accompanied by at least one qualified medical attendant?
Horn Hair: Why did you agree to this lunatic transfer, and why did you send a lone cop who had already gone at least one night without sleeping, and was already known for his erratic behavior?
Thick: “Power approach,” huh? How did you manage to unchain and uncuff Mordred in a submerged car, with no light and your hands immersed in freezing water? How did you managed to get him to safety even though he was weighed down by chains and a bondage suit? Did you properly secure him after you reached solid ground? Why did you keep taunting him?
Bill, as you’ve already mentioned— in the real world, not one bit of this could have happened the way it did here. Mordred is convicted on a federal rap— no way he would ever be turned over to local authorities for any reason. Not even if Dick Tracy and the Naperville police were capable and competent— which Locher shows they clearly are not.
You’re right. Michael. What I’d really like to know is what in hell Locher was thinking. He raises issues, like the people who swore to kill Mordred, then drops them. A month ago he had Thick ask Mordred what made him a killer, and now Mordred gives a lame non-explanation. Meanwhile the Locher Water Torture drags on and nothing happens.
The Wikipedia article on Chet Gould says that he once wrote himself into a corner, and tried to get out of it by having Tracy’s character appeal to Gould for help. The editor nixed that and told Gould to do better. Why didn’t anyone at TMS show the same interest with Locher?
Bill Thompson over 13 years ago
Liz now regrets giving up her job as a peeler. Yeah, she worked with a lot of people who played with handcuffs, but unlike these clowns, they knew what they were doing. Any moment now she’s going to blow her top. “What’s with you, Officer Dickweed?” she’ll demand. “Forget your little safeword? Drop the key in your vaseline? We’re paying you for this?”
FLIGHT SUIT over 13 years ago
How was Tracy able to remove his “two way” if he only had one hand free? Did he put the gun down at some point in order to remove his two way?
More importantly, why does he have two left hands, and why is the two way draped across the back of one of his left hands?
OldTracy over 13 years ago
“We’re handcuffed. We can’t do a thing” “If Tracy is still alive, he’s in big trouble”.
If you dingbats had handcuffed the prisoner instead of yourselves, Spacy wouldn’t be in trouble.
Bill Thompson over 13 years ago
Between Liz’s exasperation and that storm, something has scared the shingles out of the granary.
As for Thick, he has one obvious way out of his troubles: suicide. Take that peashooter and blow your brains out, Thick. Please.
LudwigVonDrake over 13 years ago
Tracy is better off dosing off until March 14 when things get better.
Vista Bill Raley and Comet™ over 13 years ago
I wish that the police department had issued Tracy a pair of handcuffs before he set out on this dangerous mission.
Oh, never mind, he would forget he had them anyway.
Bill Thompson over 13 years ago
Flight Suit, it may be that the one hand is his right hand, held palm-up. But that explanation makes sense and we’re dealing with Locher, so that may be one of the hands that grew out of Thick’s shoulder.
If you’re ever seen Roger Corman’s “Day The World Ended,” you’re familiar with Marty the Mutant. That’s the atomic monster with armored skin, three eyes and small clawlike hands growing out of his shoulders. Maybe there’s a clue here, which would be a pleasant change for this strip. Dr. Mordred could come from a post-atomic future and is here to prevent the rise of creatures like Marty the Mutant. Thick clearly has some of Marty’s glow-in-the-dark DNA (which would explain the lights in the granary windows). No wonder Mordred is battling him!
Am I making sense? No, of course not. That’s what happens when you read three panels of Thick Spacy at one sitting.
Llewellenbruce over 13 years ago
Should of used Ever Readie batteries tracy.
Vista Bill Raley and Comet™ over 13 years ago
Llewellenbruce said, “Should of used Ever Readie batteries tracy.”
Wouldn’t help… all communications are out…
TooMuchFreeTime over 13 years ago
“But let’s be optimistic; if he isn’t alive, all his troubles are over!”
TooMuchFreeTime over 13 years ago
How will Locher put off showing The Monster’s face in the next week’s strips?
2/27: Flashback Sunday, so we get shown the storm intensifying, Tracy and Mordred doing the dozens, and Tracy telling Mordred to take off his mask.
2/28 Sam skids on the wet road. Liz silently prays for Tracy to be OK. Mordred, back still to us, taunts Tracy for being shocked at his face.
3/1 Close-up on Tracy, who admits being shocked. Sam recovers from the skid. Liz asks what’s holding up the magic AWACS plane.
3/2 Sam says “whoa, that was a close one”. 2nd policeman reminds Liz that they don’t know what’s happening to the plane because it’s raining too hard to communicate. Close-up on Tracy, who says “looks like you caught a bad break, but…”
3/3 Close-up on Tracy, who says “Lots of people caught bad breaks.” Close-up on Tracy, who says “But they didn’t become killers.” Sam stops the car, looks at something, says “Wait a minute!”
3/4 Sam gets out of the car, says “I wonder if…” Policeman 3 comes running into headquarters, tells Liz the AWACS plane can’t get through the intensity of the storm. Sam bends down to inspect something, thinks “This could be it!”
3/5 Tracy speaks to Mordred’s back: “Don’t think you’re entitled to pity, Mordred!” Mordred’s back replies “Hee hee HEE! Oh, Tracy! You think I’m asking for pity?” Liz tells Policeman 3 “Then it’s all up to Sam.”
Major Matt Mason Premium Member over 13 years ago
Parenthetically, 2010-11 marks the tenth anniversary of the “All Your Base Are Belong To Us” meme.
Which was a danged sight more entertaining than “Granary 3-G” is.
Say, did I ever show y’all my Tracy tribute, done in honor of the new team?
http://couchkitties.comicgenesis.com/d/20110115.html
;)
mjmsprt40 over 13 years ago
About the first panel: If I ever decide to take up a life of crime, I know where to do it. Napperville is the place. The police department is useless in heavy weather, so I just wait until the weather turns rotten and I can get away with robbing people— in the main lobby of the police station. I’d have to do it quickly though, the new team takes over in March and if past efforts are any indication the police will improve remarkably.
Bill Thompson over 13 years ago
It’s hard to be certain. but that granary image looks like the same one Locher perpetrated on 20 February. You’d think that Thick would bust him from stealing from himself.
Next week, will Locher remember that Mordred removed his mask and chains? Will Testicle Chin wade into the middle of the action? Will there in fact be any action?
brine Premium Member over 13 years ago
Two-way??? Is that in addition to his “Wrist Genie” or did he leave that at home!!!
Donaldo Premium Member over 13 years ago
Tracy’s the one with the gun, still he whines that he is in trouble
Ray_C over 13 years ago
I think the two semicircles at the cuff line show that the hand is palm-up. It would be easy to open the wrist band if the radio had been on his gun-hand wrist. Just use the free hand to release the catch. Just sayin’…
sydney over 13 years ago
The scripting has become so poor even for Locher (after he’s painted the story into a granery for all of 10 weeks). Now, you’d have to think with retirement around the corner he’s given Brozman a scripting moment in the sun (or is it the rain?) And this QUALITY tells us why by BOTH of them are moving on.
sydney over 13 years ago
Try this link to Comics Curmudgeon :
http://joshreads.com/
You’ll have to scroll down to find “comment” on this Dick Tracy story … which in turn gives a link to their previous SATURDAYS views. Don’t miss their comments on that one !
It puts what’s WRONG with this tale, in bright perspective.
prrdh over 13 years ago
So where are the chirping giant grasshoppers already? One chomp of the mandibles and Mordreck’s ugly face is history.
Araldite over 13 years ago
So now we have learned from a Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist how to turn a three week story into a three month story. Thank you, now go away.
JCFremont over 13 years ago
Yeah, what about that chirping? You don’t suppose that Locher was trying to make a “sound-of-crickets-chirping” joke at Mordred’s expense, do you? Nah, that’d almost be clever. He’s a lot of things, but clever he ain’t.
sitzpinkler over 13 years ago
do you ever get that déjà vu feeling when reading duck spacey..or is it just me?
Morrow Cummings over 13 years ago
There’s no excuse for Mordred not to be cuffed. That’s one of the things that makes Locher nothing short of a fool. Can’t wait for Testicle Chin to come to the lake and do the “Power Approach” dive to the bottom. On the second thought, maybe that AMC Pacer might double for a watercraft!
idarke over 13 years ago
Let’s see - known murderer, escaped restraint, announced intention to kill, completely alone .. nope, no justification to shoot there. bleeep that police manual!
therese_callahan2002 over 13 years ago
So Mordred is playing Dr. Doom.
Bill Thompson over 13 years ago
I would love to see the involved parties explain explain their actions to a review board.
The Justice Department: Why did they decide to hold Mordred’s trial in one place, then transfer him to Naperville for sentencing? (The trial judge normally handles sentencing. There’s some sort of malfeasance here.)
The FBI: They don’t transport prisoners who are on trial. Why did they accept custody of Mordred? What was their role in this cockamamie transfer scheme? Why did the FBI specifically require Thick’s involvement?
The Rivertown County sheriff: How did you get custody of Mordred from the FBI, and what was your role in the transfer? Are you certain the prisoner was properly secured? Who sedated him, and why wasn’t he accompanied by at least one qualified medical attendant?
Horn Hair: Why did you agree to this lunatic transfer, and why did you send a lone cop who had already gone at least one night without sleeping, and was already known for his erratic behavior?
Thick: “Power approach,” huh? How did you manage to unchain and uncuff Mordred in a submerged car, with no light and your hands immersed in freezing water? How did you managed to get him to safety even though he was weighed down by chains and a bondage suit? Did you properly secure him after you reached solid ground? Why did you keep taunting him?
Locher: What have you been smoking?
woodworker318 over 13 years ago
BillThompson We will never know. We will have to wonder the rest of our lives.
mjmsprt40 over 13 years ago
Bill, as you’ve already mentioned— in the real world, not one bit of this could have happened the way it did here. Mordred is convicted on a federal rap— no way he would ever be turned over to local authorities for any reason. Not even if Dick Tracy and the Naperville police were capable and competent— which Locher shows they clearly are not.
Bill Thompson over 13 years ago
You’re right. Michael. What I’d really like to know is what in hell Locher was thinking. He raises issues, like the people who swore to kill Mordred, then drops them. A month ago he had Thick ask Mordred what made him a killer, and now Mordred gives a lame non-explanation. Meanwhile the Locher Water Torture drags on and nothing happens.
The Wikipedia article on Chet Gould says that he once wrote himself into a corner, and tried to get out of it by having Tracy’s character appeal to Gould for help. The editor nixed that and told Gould to do better. Why didn’t anyone at TMS show the same interest with Locher?