Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for February 05, 2024

how is Baxter in big trouble?…

Sure, blame the victim Tracy.

Good morning™, everybody!

BOLO: “Be on the lookout”

It’s good to see that Tracy apparently had backup. I wonder where “Baxter” is located so that he can see Tracy and the other officers, but not be spotted.

Pure, Keystone Kop comedy. The strip has submerged itself in silliness!

time for .. Ataf Anagrom .. to ‘fill in’ for Bob Baxter, at the Patterson Playhouse.

Good morning™, to the Still Dis allusioned

Tracy thinks he is doing “Bob” a favor. Will “Bob” get out of the building and make it back to her headquarters or get Sweat Boxed into a quick capture ?

Ok, I’m genuinely confused. Someone please go back to the beginning and explain the entire story in a language a dumb toddler could understand, because my intelligence level matches just about that.

The building will be saturated with police officers, if Baxter has any more tricks up his sleeve now is time to use them. Otherwise, he is going to need a miracle to get out of there.

Those who bought tickets to see a magician will they get a refund in the event of a no show?

Just wondering, does “Bob Baxter” use the men’s or the women’s dressing room?

Something Bosco did not plan on…getting in trouble. He is going to need a lawyer. When his associates see him being put into a police vehicle, they’ll call one.

Dexter, a piece of advice, better surrender peacefully

Bolo? What on earth is bolo?

That Bob Baxter is in big trouble. Because he run like girl. And it against law for man to run like girl.

Bosco Review The police were not looking for Bosco – so we’ll rule out crimes like BMorT (Bootlegging, Murder, or grand Theft auto) and figure he’s guilty of FS (financial shenanigans) (Reasoning #1 for FS: if he were engaged in BMorT the person with an axe to grind would have tipped off the police rather than hiring Tess.) So, Tess was hired by someone like an Ex who wasn’t being paid alimony/child support. Bosco’s told the court, “Sales are way down – I’m only shipping 100 cases of chocolate syrup a month.” Tess/Johnny discovers the sales of egg cream are through the roof and he’s shipping 500 cases a week. Bosco’s guilty of failure to pay support, fraud, & tax evasion. These are criminal complaints and Tess alerts the police department.

Bosco, knows the crime has been discovered (but apparently doesn’t know the police have been alerted) and figures, “If I kill Tess I’m off the hook – I’m sure her partner knows nothing, and she hasn’t told the Ex.” He turns to his rolodex to find “Hit men” rather than looking for a shyster lawyer. (I mean, we all have the names of multiple hit men in our rolodexes, right?) and promises to pay for the hit COD. Better to risk jail for murder than pay a fine for fraud.

Totally botched attempt to kill Tess.

Tracy delivers warrant for Bosco’s books. (Reasoning #2 for FS: if he were engaged in BMorT the police would have a search warrant to look for the still, murder weapons, or auto parts.) Bosco now knows the police are looking for him – so he doubles down on killing Tess (even though it clearly won’t do anything for him). “If she’s dead the police will stop their investigation!”(?) He figures another magician, who has never appeared with FM, must also be a hit man because they share the same agent… Is every act that agent books engaged in assassination?

Is this going to be one where Baxter is taken into “Protective custody” and revealed to be Fata?

Bosco bashes Baxter; Baxter blasts Bosco; Bracy biffs and busts Bosco, then bids BOLO for bolting Baxter— updates on Variety.com!

now what disguise will she use?

The officer in panel 3 (also in panel 1) is thinking “Am I the only one that realizes that Baxter is not a guy?”

Later, Rikki escapes out of town and encounters Sprocket. They eventually meet secretly each night with other members of the “Escaped Felons Society” :)

Sam Catchem , though not shown , is on the airwaves . “The Friends of Sam Catchem” approve .

MOVIE QUOTE—

“Unless all of you ladies are pregnant and need my services, I suggest you mind your own business”.

Gary Cooper to village gossips—-THE HANGING TREE—1959

Baxter don’t wanna be found and looked over for injuries—-which will make people suspect him/her/it all the more.

Baxter isn’t in trouble. She is trouble.

Positive comment: We’ve had some action here and the story is moving along. I like that!

Backhanded compliment: The overarching story kind of makes sense.

Constructive criticism: The weak or missing details as well as the lack of a coherent back story are generating plot holes. The weak characters aren’t compelling. We have weak criminals and weak cops, although Tracy showing up with the troops to catch Bosco P. Coletrane thawking Fata in disguise was a nice move. Tracy is still clueless about Baxter after having spent a show watching her from the wings after also watching her as Fata from the wings – without also running into Rikki. Why didn’t he put a tail on Baxter to follow him home?

1-OFFICER GUY: Tee hee! What a funny haircut. DT: Don’t tease the prisoner! We don’t want to lose him to a Police Abuse charge!

2-B00BS BAXTER: Don’t look over here! Don’t look over here! Oh good – they didn’t look over here.

3-DT: Hello, Sam! They’re bringing Boxcar in. Don’t forget to lock the interrogation room door this time. I’m going to the Dressing Room here at the PP to look for Baxter.

SAM: Oh – bring me back some Italian or Thousand Island. They’re both great on a… DT: YOU DOLT! JUST DON’T LOSE THE PRISONER THIS TIME!!!

Sensing the show will NOT go on, Vitamin Flintheart sends out a frantic casting call for plate jugglers….