Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for November 29, 2010

I thought the entire nation knew about this killer.

Panel #1: And you’re telling Thick? Earth is doomed.

Panel #2: If by “selected few” you mean everyone in the US. But just speaking these words has caused the Police building to swell with pride at being among the “selected few” to know about one of the the most hated men, if not the most hated man in the country.

Panel #3: This is stupid and wrong. The US legal system does not work this way. Outside of capital cases, sentences are imposed by the same judge who conducted the trial. The “pre-sentencing” phase exists to allow the judge to consider the appropriate sentencing terms. If you don’t believe me, see

http://www.abanet.org/publiced/courts/sentencing.html

Incidentally, if this killer really is hated for his utter evil and the ongoing threat he represents, why wasn’t he sentenced to death?

Flight Suit said, “I thought the entire nation knew about this killer.”

I did also. Only a couple days ago, Liz was heard to say, “He’s the most hated person in the U.S.”. I seem to remember the Police Hdqtrs. being only two stories… now it’s three. Once Tracy comes in contact with Dr. Mordred, the doctor will find a way to escape and end up chasing Tracy.

Why will it require such tight security if only a select few know? Is someone withholding information here? I think Dick should be concerned.

And Tracy will run away screaming like a little girl…

NVash, Thick should get suspicious, not concerned. Evidently Dr. Mordred has just been convicted of being a very naughty fellow. He should be sentenced in the same court where he was tried and by the same judge who tried him. The Federal court system doesn’t treat a felon like a hot potato between conviction and sentencing.

I think Locher got this storyline from “Silence of the Lambs”.

I think you’re right about “The Silence of the Lambs.” Maybe the Feds will allow Dr. Mordred to escape, and Thick will decide to interview an even nastier serial killer to help locate the fugtive. That will let Locher avoid showing any action.

In this day and age, sentencing could be done via tele-conferencing.

They should re-name this strip: The Keystone Cops starring Dick Tracy

This is going to be very bad. Even Simon Penn will be unable to save his hero from self-destruction. He may even have to admit (oh, the horror) just how bad this is getting.

I’m no expert, but even without Bill digging up actual facts about how the system works I know enough to know it doesn’t work like this. There is no possible way the Feds would put a guy like Mordred in a local lock-up to await sentencing.

“Only a selected few know about this killer…”

The term is “select few.”

Not selected.

Select.

I appreciate the photo of Leslie Nielsen, Bill.

R.I.P., Leslie.

On a lighter note, “his transfer here for sentencing?!” Well, why bother with the way things work in real life at this point, I guess.

Flight Suit, yesterday Horn Hair said “The FBI wants us to create a diversionary tactic as he is transferred to our city.” Locher should have said “diversion,” because taken at face value, her words mean the FBI wants the NPD to sit around during the transfer and think up a new trick to keep anyone from noticing the transfer.

Hmm … maybe that isn’t such a bad idea, if it keeps Thick off the streets.

If Locher shows any sense, Thick will be creating a diversion while Mordred escapes. That will let him avoid any blame, for a change.

The question is, who do the Feds want diverted?

I can smell Tracy’s failure coming from a mile away. He’ll lose Mordred and need the entire police force to save his bleeep

Question for safeway: what do you have against the keystone cops?

VanDork - you right. It might not be the right comparison - the keystone cops were funny, Tracy is painful.

if only a selected or select few know about this absurd transfer for no sensible or legal reason by the feds, why the need for tight security handled by clueless macspacy? this arc is already bidding to outdo the 3D episode for stupidity and i thought that one was the lamest ever.

Senile. The original intent of Gould was to teach kids that crime doesn’t pay, by example. Now, it seems the intent is to mislead the youngsters the way the system actually works. Senility, scuttlebutt99. When you have to go to copying other people’s work, that’s pretty bad.

Surely there has to be someone over there publishing this horrible strip that is quite aware Locher is failing at Goulds intentions. One can only wonder why he hasnt been replaced.

Which reminds me, I frequently wonder if Locher always wrote like this. Hes been writing since the 50s right? I need to go read some of the older strips and see. Maybe it was just a steady decline and those fans from that video posted days ago are just holding onto the memory of their hero. I also think theyre in denial.

billdi, - Stupidity ?? - That’s the new Dick “Loafer” strategy formula at work here ! He’s disillusioned on who may really own the strip, Warren Beatty or TMS ? - The Courts are still to decide !

And then, long demotivated by the Financial Reward reward system, (one tied to ‘paying’ newspaper -down 86% on his watch), he’s finaly worked out a new strategy …

Why bother (?) He realizes he hasn’t got the skills to entertain readers with appealing content, SO — throw some ‘comedic’ spanners in the works that make ‘no sense’ to ’P.. off’ the readers. They’ll think you’re slowly KILLING their favorite strip …

Vultures love a near carcas, but they have to find one (i.e. read one) to enjoy the feast. And then, the frenzied activity always attracts, and brings new ones CIRCLING in.

And you have to wonder, is that why Simon has just landed ? Wait till he takes his first bite !

I did a quick mash-up of recent panels:

http://www.palas.com/~brand/Tracy-Mordred.jpg

If this story is anything like the last one, it will make zero sense from beginning to end. It’s already off to a good (bad?) start.

Oh, I know! Locher is going to use Dr. Mordred as an excuse to finally kill Tracy. That way no one can take over the strip when he retires. Bwa-ha-ha.

I got it! Maybe the feds know that with Dr. Mordred chained up like that, his hands in back cannot be used for…….., well, other things in front. And from their experience with the last case, they figured Thick might be useful for one thing…….

And here’s one I did a while back - the many faces of the Science Museum:

http://www.palas.com/~brand/Tracy-ScienceMuseum.jpg

PANEL 2 : I suspect that new 3rd floor houses the new Disco atop the Hooters on the street floor. Leveraging the ‘CAPTIVE’ market below.

Rumor has it that Themesong and Ted Tellum got the franchise

Can this strip get any worse? No wait, dont answer that. Give it some time.

This is kinda like when Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive baseball games played. Every night thereafter Cal broke his own record by appearing in yet another consecutive game.

With each new storyline, Locher and Co. break their own record for “worst Dick Tracy story ever.” Until the next one comes along, of course.

Sydney Phillips, here’s a recent article about the Tribune financial situation:

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/83578/court-approves-tribune-bonus-plan

Many of their top executives received bonuses, apparently for getting Tribune out of its hole. However, one of the people excluded from the bonuses is the fellow who runs their comics business.

Maybe the continued presence of Dick Locher is just one symptom of an ongoing problem at Tribune.

rip leslie nielsen that was true talent