Cops handing stats, cops outside the tent, cops taking the ransom/warning note - yah right and nobody think it is funny that a clown is swinging a pistol around….
Carlo, I don’t know if you noticed my reply a couple of days ago, but what I’d said was that I was totally joking about Italians not having democracy. I figured my statement was too stupid for anybody to think I was serious, but of course, my humor can by kind of dry sometimes, and it DID sound exactly like the type of thing some Americans might actually say in all seriousness.
I may be reading too much into this, but maybe “Mr. Pops” is plural for a reason. He’s telling his other half: “Laugh clown laugh”. There may be more than two in his head. Could explain the pistol hand switch. Or he could be adept at keeping them covered while moving around.
QUOTE : “Tracy himself will never change. We have and will continue to see to that. He’s the epitone of the good cop, a national hero who’s needed now more than ever. As my partner (Locher) says, in comic strip terms, he’s the pole that holds up the circus tent” - MIKE KILIAN - 1995
One could with accuracy observe that in this Circus story Locher has literally brought that “tent pole” concept to LIFE
The suggestion that Dick Tracy would never CHANGE proved innacurate and deceptive. Kilian thought so. While Locher’s pen changed appearances !
A) Thick “Groucho Marks” eyebrows hanv been introduced.
B) Experimentation on introducing larger (non-slat) eyes was done in the early 2000’s
C) The regular use of the HAT seemed deliberatly discontinued, altering contiguity and subduing the high recognition “persona” value of the main character.
Meanwhile, in this story, it seems that all the pontificating in the ring, the mulling over clues for two months has come to naught. The FBI already had the information (identities / rap sheets) that counted. And perhaps Teevo at Police HQ ought to get credit for finding out the very same thing.
Lillle credit to Tracy other than for holding up the Tent and may I add, holding high Lochers propensity for REPETITION.
Sydney: “The pole that holds up the circus tent.” Funny, I didn’t know that “Tracy” was a Polish surname. (Bad ethnic joke. Sorry.)
BTW: is this the first Tracy arc ever to take place all in one location? In fact, unless I’m overlooking something, one could argue that Tracy has not moved from that spot in the center ring since just after the gunshot. You don’t suppose that Locher has decided to bring the tent-pole metaphor to life in this story, do you? It would be a neat idea: a mystery solved by a protagonist who has not moved from his spot.
Maybe one of the investigators removed a thorn from the tiger’s paw sometime in the past and the tiger will remember…or does that only work with lions?
“Solved it” (from one spot) ? Perhaps ! But it may be a tad more accurate in this case, to say “observed it” - from one spot.
Bringing the tent pole metaphor to life ? (that’s really my bad joke ;-). I’ve long since ceased to give Locher credit for creative or exciting ideas in the strip. It’s not that he doesn’t have the ability. He just doesn’t INVEST enough TIME and thought to make it what it could be ! I’ve speculated on that. it’s not HIS thing, yet it has served to give him greater recognition and prominence than anything he has ever touched. His point of greater allegiance must be his Editorial Cartoons, that as you know, won him a Pulitzer Prize.
I’ve even wondered if there was a subconscious “love / hate” relationship with Dick Tracy ? Which with the “time” problem could explain some of the less remarkable things he has sadly allowed to come into the comic strip
After some consideration, I have to believe that all these gaffs are intentional, a way to stick it in the eye of TMS, who is clearly indifferent to the product.
I am cheering for the artists to keep sneaking these by TMS; imagine how crazy the ones are that DON’T make it through! Maybe it would involve time travel and robots…oh, wait…
This strip is sinking to new lows of suckiness… gah!
So, as the 24 HOUR COMICS DAY (October 3) is approaching - and inspired by the terrible current story and Matthew’s “October 4th” Announcement, I decided I am going to do my 24 Hour Comic this year focused on Dick Tracy. Starting with the (official) strip for October 3th and then continuing with my own fan-made, alternate-storyline for the circus Dick Tracy story.
I am not a professional illustrator, just a fan who will try to imagine a different ending for this story (and I thought things could not get worse than with the TRAZE-R story) - trying to have fun again with that thing.
Sydney…sorry for the unintentional plagiarism on my part. My memory goes back only three paragraphs. (That’s not a dig on the length of your posts, incidentally.)
Your theory seems plausible to me. Locher is no dummy, and it seems like he must be doing this on purpose.
Maybe we should be applauding him for pressing hot buttons and getting huge reactions from the peanut gallery (us) while he just chuckles over every indignant pointing out of every little error in detail (or enormous blunder). .
Just a minor corollary to your theory.
If we’re gonna have nothing but talking heads from now on, I’d at least appreciate it if all the heads that are talking are visible. We’re very close to seeing three panels of a gun talking.
I imagine “not-Pops” stewing over the loss of his multi-billion dollar empire decides to chuck it all and join the circus, BECOMING the clown and leaving far behind his Ivy League MBA diction. Laugh Clown Laugh is the identity he assumed for himself out of self-loathing.
Or, since the BlackMailer’s name was Ringo, he figured the Witless Protection Agency would turn him into a Ringmaster, and he worked all the circuses in Naperville until he found Ringo BlackMailing the very people trying to kill him.
FLIGHT SUIT about 15 years ago
Well now we’ve established that “Laugh, clown, laugh,” is indeed dialogue issuing forth from Mr. Pops’s painted lips.
Now then…
“Hee Ho Ha?”
Hi-yeee!
Or is it He-yiiii!?
Ye Gods!
margueritem about 15 years ago
Enough with the “laugh, clown, laugh” already. Sheesh!
Llewellenbruce about 15 years ago
Where’s Tracy’s backup? At Duncan Donuts?
onthebrink about 15 years ago
Can somebody say ’ Devil’s Rejects ’ , oh wait I just did …..
coratelli about 15 years ago
Laugh, clown, laugh?
Elexia about 15 years ago
One minute he’s got the gun in his left hand, then in his right. Must be a pretty ambidextrous clown.
watcha about 15 years ago
Cops handing stats, cops outside the tent, cops taking the ransom/warning note - yah right and nobody think it is funny that a clown is swinging a pistol around….
Fearless_Fosdick about 15 years ago
OMG….it’s Krusty!
FLIGHT SUIT about 15 years ago
Carlo, I don’t know if you noticed my reply a couple of days ago, but what I’d said was that I was totally joking about Italians not having democracy. I figured my statement was too stupid for anybody to think I was serious, but of course, my humor can by kind of dry sometimes, and it DID sound exactly like the type of thing some Americans might actually say in all seriousness.
But anyway, I was just kidding.
LudwigVonDrake about 15 years ago
This inane story continues to plod along…
FLIGHT SUIT about 15 years ago
I think I’ve figured out Mr. Pops’s getaway plan, and it may involve the return of the Moon Maid:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8281253.stm
Morrow Cummings about 15 years ago
Getaway plan? Locher thinks of that? Yeah, sure……..Not on your life!
42Irish Premium Member about 15 years ago
I may be reading too much into this, but maybe “Mr. Pops” is plural for a reason. He’s telling his other half: “Laugh clown laugh”. There may be more than two in his head. Could explain the pistol hand switch. Or he could be adept at keeping them covered while moving around.
Or Locher can’t tell his left from his right
fishbulb about 15 years ago
Yeah, the cops will buy this. 2 trained investigators let themselves into a tiger cage to be mauled to death. Makes perfect sense.
vancourt about 15 years ago
Laugh??!! Each day I weep a little more for this strip.
sydney about 15 years ago
QUOTE : “Tracy himself will never change. We have and will continue to see to that. He’s the epitone of the good cop, a national hero who’s needed now more than ever. As my partner (Locher) says, in comic strip terms, he’s the pole that holds up the circus tent” - MIKE KILIAN - 1995
One could with accuracy observe that in this Circus story Locher has literally brought that “tent pole” concept to LIFE
The suggestion that Dick Tracy would never CHANGE proved innacurate and deceptive. Kilian thought so. While Locher’s pen changed appearances ! A) Thick “Groucho Marks” eyebrows hanv been introduced. B) Experimentation on introducing larger (non-slat) eyes was done in the early 2000’s C) The regular use of the HAT seemed deliberatly discontinued, altering contiguity and subduing the high recognition “persona” value of the main character.
Meanwhile, in this story, it seems that all the pontificating in the ring, the mulling over clues for two months has come to naught. The FBI already had the information (identities / rap sheets) that counted. And perhaps Teevo at Police HQ ought to get credit for finding out the very same thing.
Lillle credit to Tracy other than for holding up the Tent and may I add, holding high Lochers propensity for REPETITION.
Ray_C about 15 years ago
Sydney: “The pole that holds up the circus tent.” Funny, I didn’t know that “Tracy” was a Polish surname. (Bad ethnic joke. Sorry.)
BTW: is this the first Tracy arc ever to take place all in one location? In fact, unless I’m overlooking something, one could argue that Tracy has not moved from that spot in the center ring since just after the gunshot. You don’t suppose that Locher has decided to bring the tent-pole metaphor to life in this story, do you? It would be a neat idea: a mystery solved by a protagonist who has not moved from his spot.
linsonl about 15 years ago
Maybe one of the investigators removed a thorn from the tiger’s paw sometime in the past and the tiger will remember…or does that only work with lions?
Morrow Cummings about 15 years ago
Foxtrot, I’ve always wondered why Macy’s parents nicknamed him “Androcles”. Good observation!
sydney about 15 years ago
Ray C,
“Solved it” (from one spot) ? Perhaps ! But it may be a tad more accurate in this case, to say “observed it” - from one spot.
Bringing the tent pole metaphor to life ? (that’s really my bad joke ;-). I’ve long since ceased to give Locher credit for creative or exciting ideas in the strip. It’s not that he doesn’t have the ability. He just doesn’t INVEST enough TIME and thought to make it what it could be ! I’ve speculated on that. it’s not HIS thing, yet it has served to give him greater recognition and prominence than anything he has ever touched. His point of greater allegiance must be his Editorial Cartoons, that as you know, won him a Pulitzer Prize.
I’ve even wondered if there was a subconscious “love / hate” relationship with Dick Tracy ? Which with the “time” problem could explain some of the less remarkable things he has sadly allowed to come into the comic strip
Yes ! It’s just a way out theory ! But possible.
MrBriberysShrunkenHeads about 15 years ago
There is a glaring error in nearly every strip.
After some consideration, I have to believe that all these gaffs are intentional, a way to stick it in the eye of TMS, who is clearly indifferent to the product.
I am cheering for the artists to keep sneaking these by TMS; imagine how crazy the ones are that DON’T make it through! Maybe it would involve time travel and robots…oh, wait…
roberto.alves about 15 years ago
This strip is sinking to new lows of suckiness… gah!
So, as the 24 HOUR COMICS DAY (October 3) is approaching - and inspired by the terrible current story and Matthew’s “October 4th” Announcement, I decided I am going to do my 24 Hour Comic this year focused on Dick Tracy. Starting with the (official) strip for October 3th and then continuing with my own fan-made, alternate-storyline for the circus Dick Tracy story.
I am not a professional illustrator, just a fan who will try to imagine a different ending for this story (and I thought things could not get worse than with the TRAZE-R story) - trying to have fun again with that thing.
JanLC about 15 years ago
Nah, Bassman, only one. Tomorrow’s my birthday.
jpozenel about 15 years ago
Please make it stop!
Ray_C about 15 years ago
Sydney…sorry for the unintentional plagiarism on my part. My memory goes back only three paragraphs. (That’s not a dig on the length of your posts, incidentally.) Your theory seems plausible to me. Locher is no dummy, and it seems like he must be doing this on purpose. Maybe we should be applauding him for pressing hot buttons and getting huge reactions from the peanut gallery (us) while he just chuckles over every indignant pointing out of every little error in detail (or enormous blunder). . Just a minor corollary to your theory.
Vista Bill Raley and Comet™ about 15 years ago
It’s too much for me to handle.
idarke about 15 years ago
If we’re gonna have nothing but talking heads from now on, I’d at least appreciate it if all the heads that are talking are visible. We’re very close to seeing three panels of a gun talking.
MrBriberysShrunkenHeads about 15 years ago
I imagine “not-Pops” stewing over the loss of his multi-billion dollar empire decides to chuck it all and join the circus, BECOMING the clown and leaving far behind his Ivy League MBA diction. Laugh Clown Laugh is the identity he assumed for himself out of self-loathing.
Or, since the BlackMailer’s name was Ringo, he figured the Witless Protection Agency would turn him into a Ringmaster, and he worked all the circuses in Naperville until he found Ringo BlackMailing the very people trying to kill him.