Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for February 15, 2009

I don’t see the mammary…

HE MET HER IN TRACYS’ HOUSE! How hard would that have been to say? But, this way Tracy looks like a top notched defective. Tess’s collar is too tight, it’s affecting the blood flow to her minuscule brain. Angelorious will now run into Annie and her kidnapper and the police units that ARE NOT led by Tracy will solve both cases. Meanwhile back at the CIA, oh, forget it.

Another zany overview: It all happened in Driller’s garage The man with the 10 foot oil barge, Angel shook off her bangles And shouted “star spangles”! Now, no memory of “spangles” or jangles of bangles, just “formula 1”, in hideout, Wisconsin La Farge

This Sunday ends just about where we were on Wednesday last week and with Tracy still remaining to call “911”, which he did in last Tuesday’s strip. This is another crashing dissapointment, I’m always giving Locher the benefit of the doubt and credit for some common sense,on logical story development. He disappoints me every time. He has learnt nothing new. Readers have to wonder how this man can hold this job, having worked alongside some of the best in the world (I do NOT include Kilian among them, he was a neophyte) and Dick’s association with those that knew, suggest he was isolated miles away, closeted in a Sandbox unable to “learn” anything, the WHYS or the WHATS, he just pushed the the Art Work he was required to produce through a tiny slit in the Sandbox (?)

I can picture it all now. Two neophytes, INCOMPETENT to write and produce a “powerhouse” comic strip like Dick Tracy, and with the temerity to actually sit down to “decide” WHAT to “change” in the strip to “IMPROVE” it (?) MEGA disaster in the making! Jump behind that Praetorian Shield now! Yes I know, It’s the Editor’s fault. Yes! they gave who they saw as a SENIOR, “respected”, Dick Tracy man, Dick Locher, a relatively free hand, and he and neophyte Kilian quickly with “over confidence”,disasterously rearranged and changed it (Winnie Winkle style) and in so doing kicked America best comic strip into the dust bin of history. It was an unbelievably “infantile” intervention after the Collins’ departure, and “results” bear that assesment out! That it still “survives” is a modern miracle, and speaks more to the “enduring” STRENGTH oF Gould’s original concept and the “GLUE” that still holds us, up to today, on these two boards. All this despite those winning designs and “concepts” being beaten from pillar to post; some semblance of Dick Tracy is still with us. With all the excitement and euphoria to improve Dick Tracy they have kicked what they inheritied DOWN 300 floors to the 50th level (walking distance). Today they can’t evem consider an art assistant while Wanna-Be Mattie would probably take a double leg amputation (like Chubsy suggested for Agelorious) for a crack at the spot. Yes, we have had some flashy but attractive designs in “corners”, here and there, the patient has NOW developed a “cancer”, and “corners” don’t make comic strips. The illogical and confused (reader wise) story flow after now nearly 10 weeks, yet people are still trying to get a “clue” some lrvel of understanding as to where the story is going (we are kept in the “DARK”, while Gould and Collins “INCLUDED” their readers). today the opposite applies. Sadly, (and It’s not my intention to be insensative here) readers feel that the placing of a family memorial symbol on the Sunday page, appears more important a function than talking to, or pleasing the people that BUY the newspapers. No need to do that, just sit in Naperville and “soak up” what little bit of “reflected” glory comes your way from what still remains in the strip that Gould “built”. It must take a lot of stones to look in the mirror each morning and realize just WHAT has slipped through your fingers, Yes! Due in large part to the malapropos changes in faces, in personalities and attire, affecting the persona (eg. the Tracy Hat). NO! It’s definately NOT the Editor’s fault. YOU, are the CREATOR. That’s what they PAY YOU for. That’s what BOTH Gould and Collins were PAID for! Pay, is not a function of just being there!

Dr. Noll has so many secrets. This man is a sneaky old dude.

This story arc is so silly it’s laughazble. Locher does not “include” readers on what is happening. It’s been nearly TEN weeks now and CONFUSION still reigns. I have to believe that the Author isn’t sure where he is going either (?) and at this point, is just as confused as his readers. Yes Confusion! And the story has been running for nearly “TEN” weeks now! Just crazy ! What are Driller and Angelorious after? Perfume(?) or as Noll suggested a new “gasoline formula”? Beats me, and probably beats Locher too! Conversations on 1-27,1-29,1-31, 2-01, 2-02 and 2-04 throw up the contradictions and uncertainty. Seems unlikely that a BIG Oilman would be interested in an unproven, “untested” perfume formula. It has to be gasoline. Yet oddly Noll never met Angelorious before the shooting. Her entire thrust and “contact” has been related to “perfume” with Tess and friends. And that formula folks, is “USELESS”, the “marketing” POWERHOUSE is the Dick Tracy NAME and Noll’s perfume formula is useless without it. Angelorious has NOTHING to SELL (just like Piggy Bank in 2004)! One fuel was “stink” and the other “explodes”.

What a total “waste of time” these past TEN weeks have been, the silly story structure can’t even stand up! The Author should be made to stand in a corner. And the man acctually gets PAID for this! Simply stunning! Unbelievable!

Now panel 6. Is that Noll’s underwear below his hands? We know Locher tends to have a serial type problem with drawing the human anatomy. But exactly where, does he have that Belt Buckle resting ?

margueritem doesn’t see the mammery, neither do I (Tess’ earrings perhaps?), but thank the Lord on Noll, we don’t see the bammery.

Right, Sydney. It’s the yellow earring. And it looks like the good doc is “going commando”, ie, no underwear. Groan.

I’m actually hoping one of the “praetorian guard” will show up today because I’ve got a question that maybe they can answer. It is this: We hear that the reason for so much repetition on the DT strip is because of rules handed down from on-high at Tribune Media Services. So, how come it only seems to affect Dick Tracy? No other serial comic available here seems to suffer from this. Check out “Brenda Star” or “Pibgorn” or any comic that has a continuous storyline and it seems to flow along fairly naturally, though “Pibgorn” is a bit strange in its own right. Dick Tracy is the only one here that seems to suffer so badly from these TMS rules. Why is that?

Edit, add-on: I’ve just got to start using spell check before posting. As it is, I had to edit twice to fix errors that anybody else here would have caught and nailed me for.

Do we need an A.P.B. for the duckie/mammary?

At least Crimestoppers makes sense today. I’ve seen those professional fund raisers in action. They look honest but they’re not. For every ten dollars they collect the charity they’re working for only gets one or two. The rest is their fee for collection. The charity gets free money that costs them nothing and the collectors get to use the charities name as bait. Often these guys will use police and fire organizations as their bait, to make them look honest. Or childrens groups, to make them look more sympathetic. It’s a rotten scheme that works all too well.

Yeah, she aimed for his head and shot him in the belly. Whatever.

What the heck kind of hand is that on Angelostious in the last panel? Is it a fin? A webbed appendage of some type?

Sydney: When you say “Winnie Winkle style” are you referring to when they had her brother-in-law kill his wife and Winnie’s husband while no one suspected he did it?

I’ve now started going to http://www.charitynavigator.org/ before I donate to an organization. They do a good break down of where the money goes and the comments people make are also helpful. There’s also something in their FAQ about how to deal with phone calls.

I couldn’t find the rubber duckie either. The closest I could find was in panel 5 - part of DT’s jacket, but that doesn’t look like the standard one we’re used to seeing.

Is Angeldustonious going to sell the formula on eBay?

The colorists on this strip are weird. I mean seriously, a pink brace? Pink?? I would say it was flesh-colored, except that it doesn’t match the good ddoctor’s pasty complexion or hands.

Angelodious looks like she has a large yellow gland hanging from her ear in the first panel. Maybe it’s a duckie’s gizzard.

Ludwig. “Webbed apendage”? Not out of character if one takes my guess on the swiming arms practise seriously.

I shake my head and wonder how this man sleeps comfortably at night as he looks back and sees what has happened to the strip under his watch. But human nature being as it is he’ll blame the Editors, quietly Mike Kilian and US the readers for not being “experienced” enough to understand what he was trying to achieve. And at retirement TWO, maybe three or FOUR will join his family on the sides of the walk-eway and lustily applaud his tenure as he passes through. Angelorious may even be there in spirit to throw some rice, and if they smell anything, be sure it won’t be perfume. Oh! And Matt, still waiting to hear if he will be taken on as the new Artist’s assistant, would have already left his goodbye present.

PS: And “Hi There!’ to Mr.P-1 and Mr.P-2. I KNOW you’re both there secretively … “peeking”!

This strip has become completely WORTHLESS! Time for someone else to do it.

Mike, You won’t see the Praetorian Guard, They will eventually be back, even human beings need have their cities near water. And here there is “mucho agua” Most of what you ask was posted on February 3rd on this board while Jeff was still here. What you will never get is clarifying detail. Be happy with the “broad brush” eg “Every detail down to the ‘pacing’ is strictly controlled by the Syndicate …” Sorry, EXACTLY what that means in practise has never been defined

Ballistically speaking, it apears the bullet glanced of the glass eye, deflecting downward, consequently striking him mid truss.

Sydney Phillips wrote:

“Mike, You wn’t see the Praetorian Guard, They will eventually be back, even human beings need have their cities near water. And here there is “mucho agua” Most of what you ask was posted on February 3rd on this board while Jeff was still here. What you will never get is clarifying detail. Be happy with the “broad brush” eg “Every detail down to the ‘pacing’ is strictly controlled by the Syndicate …” Sorry, EXACTLY what that means in practise has never been defined”

I would guess you’re right. My question will probably never be answered because that would require looking in places they’d rather not look. My question remains: Why do these restrictions seem to affect only Dick Tracy and not any of the other serial comics? Check it out by looking at other comics where a continuing storyline is involved and you don’t see the hobbling you see at DT. Surely the restrictions were global, weren’t they? Or, did the restrictions only affect DT for some reason?

Sorry Mike I just gave you a sound well rounded answer and the darned local server wiped it out. Another time

“Some strange looking woman”? Yes, of course Angelgloriosky is, but doesn’t Noll remeber meeting her when Tess took him home? That being in the temporal frame of the story line was like less than an hour ago.

So why didn’t Angelglorious simply shoot Noll in the eye? How could she miss? GO FOR THE HEAD SHOT, SWEETIE!

You know, if this keeps up, I’m going to think this strip isn’t very realistic.

12-16-08, Tracey arrives home from Bruteforce incident. 12-17-08, Professor Noll is mentioned. 12-18-08, Diet Smith, CIA agent Cosgrove begin conversation. 12-26-08 Doctor/Professor Noll suggests to Tess and friends they market perfume. 12-27-08 “Dr. Noll says he can help us start a perfume business”. 12-29-08 “The professor has a formula he thinks we could sell”, “by merchandizing ourselves”. 12-31-08 “We don’t buy the perfume, just the packaging”. “The professor will mix up the product”. “ The neighborhood women and I will go door to door”. 01-02-09 “When we first met, the prof. showed us what he can do. 01-03-09 “We asked Diet and his experts to test our formula, Dick”. 01-04-09 “I asked Diet Smith to run a test on the first batch”. “He politely refused, so we’re going it alone”. “Except for me Tess”. Angel (gl)orious makes her entrance. “Wisteria Cosmetics”…”We’ve heard about your famous Dick Tracy line”. 01-05-09 “Pushing a line of Dick Tracy toiletries, is a stroke of genius”. 01-08-09 “Even kindly old Professor Noll will be in on this” “He deserves to be part of our success”. “After all, who knows more about mixing secret ingredients”? “WHOOM”! 01-10-09 “Fire dept. here, got reports of an explosion at your place“. 01-11-09 “Dr. Noll will be so proud“. “Dr. Who”? 01-12-09 “Speaking of storm did you just hear thunder”? 01-13-09 “There’s smoke coming from Dr. Nolls’ house”. 01-15-09 “There’s been an explosion in the Drs. Lab Tracy, lots of damage”. “What’s that fragrance”? 01-17-09 Agent Cosgrove explains his grand idea to his boss. 01-19-09 “I found the final formula. I just can’t remember which one it is”. 01-21-09 “And perfume shouldn’t explode, should it”? 01-24-09 “Dr. Noll is back in his lab, Dick”. 01-25-09 Dr. Noll meets Angle(gl)odious. “Love Fire”. 01-26-09 “Will you do the merchandizing yourselves”? 01-27-09 “Tess and her friends selling “Love Fire”? “Never. This is big-time stuff”. 01-28-09 “Or is it perfume”? 01-29-09 “So it wasn’t the perfume that exploded, it was something else”? (Much later) “Hello Driller? It’s a go, just as planned”. 02-01-09 “When houses explode it’s my business”. “I received a contract from a unknown corporation, very hush-hush”. 02-04-09 “Ethan Noll, Ethan Noll”? “Naw!, too much of a coincidence”. 02-05-09 “Angelglorious…I have the perfume. How soon can we start”? “Just have the good doctor sign our exclusive contract”. 02-06-09 “Tess, something smells funny”. 02-07-09 “Sally? What…” 02-08-09 “And her skin is burned”. “Driller will be pleased”. “But I don’t think you will be”. 02-09-09 “Dick! Was that a gunshot?”. “From Doctor Nolls house” 02-10-09 “A car leaving the doctors house very fast!”. “911, fast!”. 02-11-09 “A tall, fancy looking skinny woman, with pulled back hair”. 02-12-09 “I had a brace over a broken rib, the bullet didn’t penetrate the brace”. “ Your bad perfume maybe?”. 02-13-09 “I want an A.P.B. on a suspect by the name of Angelorious”. “Find me Angelorious, she doesn’t answer her page”. “The terrorist bomber! I think I found him”. 02-14-09 “The doctors contract contains the formula: I’m open for bids”. 02-15-09 “She took my formulas Tracy”.

wndrwrthg, Those dates and attatching dialog are important to analyze where (if anywhere) the story is going. It’s a great starting point but the next step is to pull out those that reflect what is happenning (or is contradictory). You’ll periodically fibd things to aplaud and other that worry you because of inautenticity. Thee Praetoroian Guard (NOT her at the moment) if you get your facts wrong, so a little care is necessary. Some of the dates you show reveal contradictions and illogical trends. Some will hope you never noticed them. Matt on the other board once tried to “spin” Brace’s talk without “action” into a plus. He saw it as a plus and called it “building suspense”. This was after nearly eight week of inaction. I’m not lecturing just putting you on guard, for eventually they will return. And as I’ve mentione the alter ego of one,. His phrasing and way of thinking let the cat out of the bag. He posts here with a most conspicious name.. Have a good week wndrwrthg I like your posts.

Every once in awhile Chester Gould would bring readers up to date with other characters like the Plentys Bonnie, Junior and etc. Locher hasn’t done much. Did Bonnie graduate the police academy? Haa son Joe finished school? What has happend to Sparkle, Junior and their daughter Sparkle Jr.? His daughter Honey Moon, where is she? The strip has lost all sense of history about itself or to put it more bluntly, has lost complete sense.