Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for March 26, 2023

Sad

Flattop says he is the boss. Woo Gosh! The man’s a creep

He kills for pay and as they say, a whirlwind he shall reap.

‘Tis true he’s flush so what’s the rush? The Fed bank is the plumb

There on LaSalle. So be a pal. Do not be rash or dumb.

Elsewhere, the wheels are turning. The Wolfe concocts a scheme

A hidden blade. A foe waylaid? His freedom is the dream.

Good morning™, everyone!

So, he asks for shears, but he already has a small hidden knife. Since Duncan is the only one there right now, do you think Wolfe can make his escape? Duncan seems pretty easy to overpower.

I guess the whole, “search the prisoner for weapons” never occurred to Zeck and crew.

When the most exciting, suspenful, jaw dropping, tingle down your leg moment over the last 4 weeks is someone pulling out a hidden Swiss army knife from their nasty, hairy leg, you know “the ship be sinking!”

There won’t be enough lifeboats for this shipwreck!

Good morning™, sleight of handers !

P.1. Duncan looks like some menacing mob type and in P.5 gentle as a lamb.

Why would you keep someone like that, and then go providing them luxuries ?  Wouldn’t you feed your captives, who you have contempt for, moldy old bread, water and some Ramen noodles if you happen to be making some for yourself ?

Hall of Fame It’s very nice that they dedicated a street to the last remaining officers of the original nine slack officers in the city, but it seems odd to me the way that they did that. It seems that it consisted of just adding an extra “honorary” sign at the intersection of two existing streets that already had names. I guess it’s better than nothing.

https://youtu.be/do2cOIhhuPU

Nero has a plan and is up to something… he’ll put those shears to good use, I’m guessing… and NOT to pruning any orchids…

Salutations, fellow escape artists!

Is that a pocket knife we see Wolfe pulling out of its hiding place? It would seem he’s planning his own escape, seizing an oportunity while Zeck and Jerry are out. Will Wolfe successfully make his escape or will he get pruned along with the black orchids? These questions and more will be answered in the next exciting installment of…. Dick Tracy!!

Well, maybe they will. I mean… what do I know…

So … Wolfe has been held in this hothouse/reading room for over a week now, in story-time, & he’s just making his escape now? Using a weapon he’s successfully concealed from Zeck & his men for over a week? At least it’s a hopeful sign we’re approaching the end of this flashback storyline …

So is this a new story???? ;P——-

The rest of Wolfe’s hiding places have been taken up by the sandwich makings he grabbed from the kitchen before he left for the cab.

A switchblade?

This story hasn’t offered any action, but today it has given us titillation. A flash of Nero Wolfe’s hairy leg and sock garter!

O.K….back to biz-ness: so y’think Nero’s gonna take out Dunkin with that Cub Scout knife?

Funny time to decide to deal with that pesky leg hair.

Is that some sort of sharp object Wolfe secreted with his garter? And, why didn’t Zeck’s employees find it, when they searched Wolfe at the time that cab brought him to them. (As the should have.)

1-WOLFE: If you moved me to a sunny room, I’d use this to burn you to a cinder!

DUNCAN HINES: Yeah. That’s why we keep you away from windows. yawn

2-WOLFE: Might I have some privacy now? I need to scratch the boys and belch. DUNK TANK: Sure. I’ll ask the boss to look away from the 24/7 video monitor for a moment. eyeroll

3-DUN KIRK: THIS JOB SUX!

4-WOLFE INSHEEPSCLOTHING: AHA! So THAT’S what was irritating my leg! I wonder how long that’s been there?

5-DUNCAN PAULSIMONSONG: Finished? WOLFE: Yes. Thank you. THUNDEROUS FART Oops. Not quite I guess.

DUN SOMETHINGWRONG: OMG!!!! Feeling woozy… YOU FIEND! Now I…know…why you ordered…EXTRA BEAN CASSOLET! THUNK!

WOLFE: Should I make good my escape now or wait until after dinner…

Y’know, I’ve been thinking that Wolfe has been uncharacteristically quiet in this story. No outbursts, no tantrums, no complaints, no browbeating. He’s been perfectly content to sit quietly reading and occasionally looking at orchids.

Now we know. He’s been up to something.

Matching belligerence with Zeck is not going to get him out of his present fix, so he’s biding his time. In part, no doubt, he’s waiting for Archie to do something, but he’s also lulling the suspicions of his captors. I should hope that a villain as formidable as Zeck would be smart enough not to be fooled by Wolfe’s “meek and harmless” act, but Zeck’s men might be caught off-guard when the opportunity comes to act. And in the meantime, Wolfe is amassing what resources he has available, and collecting whatever information he can observe.

I don’t know what he has planned, but I’m hoping we can see some Sheridan Whiteside-level vitrol when Wolfe is finally unchained.

So while the past few were spent on the Topp brothers, Wolfe has been analyzing orchids. For someone who is held captive, he sure is calm about it. Doesn’t this guy ever get mad?

https://i.postimg.cc/BvXKLgpH/better-stories.jpg

I am surprised the fat guy does not carry a knife and fork !

Wow, pruning may lead to some action…….or not?

Who are these men of lust , greed and glory ? Rip off the masks and let’s see.

Tracy is my hero because I admire people who can take the heat and not go crying to big brother!

The brilliant mind of Nero Wolfe is calculating! Nero has conned helpful Duncan into revealing that Zeck and Jerry are away; apparently only Wolfe and Duncan are in the house.

Duncan could be overwhelmed by Wolfe, if necessary, making use of the small pocketknife he had secreted away within the elastic band of his garter (think of it as an alternate and smaller kind of ankle-holster for a back-up piece).

Could an escape attempt be at hand? Could it succeed?

The artwork lately has been exceptionally good…..

GARTERS???We really are going back in time!

TO RAY TOLER—-

Recent NEWSDAY automotive column—-

I’m concerned about the theft of Hyundai and Kia vehicles.Now I have read that these cars are being stolen and the catalytic converters removed,resulting in thousands of dollars worth of damages.

A>)These vehicles that use a key are fairly easy to steal and matters have only been made worse by posting the “how to” on social media.

It seems to me theft can be prevented by simply locking the carIf the car is locked with the fob alarm set.I have read recently there is a free software fix on the way to further prevent these thefts.

In some cases,police departments hand out steering wheel locks provided by the manufacturer.