Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for November 01, 2015

  1. Mmdash6
    Pequod  about 9 years ago

    Eizlander welcomes Chalice, urging him to go right inChief must address the murders, to ignore them grievous sin.Air turns ripe. Cuts like a knife. The culprit S. T. EnchKnows naught of soap and water, his hygiene as a trenchOf stagnant, fetid fungi there lingers a rank smellOn the street the air is sweet, Boss Tracy’s car is swell.Passes the soup kitchen where foul Fly-Face stirs the gruelTo eat there is a gamble for the hungriest of fools.Classic confrontation ‘tween Boss Tracy and sleuth ChaliceNash blows his line and breaks the spell, ineptitude not malice.“Midnite Mirror” filming on a set called TracytownDisregarding facts and truth: make Tracy out a clown.Tracy firm there shall not be a defamation suitPublic figure that he is best recourse staying mute.Not in a dream nor coma, not science-fiction, yetCharacters most memorable command the movie set.

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    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    Why’s Alldid so hot about this …?

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  3. Bill 1960
    Vista Bill Raley and Comet™  about 9 years ago

    .Good morning guys!

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    abdullahbaba999  about 9 years ago

    Good Old Dick…whatta guy!!!

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    jonahhex1  about 9 years ago

    “If I’m not suing them, NOBODY is.”

    Right out of the Victor Newman handbook. Alldid is just gonna have to eat it on this one.

    I still wonder who’s backing this film….as I said, whoever it is doesn’t like Tracy I’m thinking.

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    Ashmael  about 9 years ago

    Happy Halloween, DT fans!Suing them will only give them free publicity, thinks TracyVera Alldid hysterics don’t faze him at allLet them do their worst, who cares? He will have more important things to think aboutLike solving the crime that soon would hit the stage!

    To me, there’s Abner Kadaver or Wendy Witchhell behind that movie. And Nash should be a nincompoop to botch such a cliched line like “You’ve crossed my path for the last time!”

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    Ashmael  about 9 years ago

    Happy Halloween, DT fans!Suing them will only give them free publicity, thinks TracyVera Alldid hysterics don’t faze him at allLet them do their worst, who cares? He will have more important things to think aboutLike solving the crime that soon would hit the stage!

    To me, there’s Abner Kadaver or Wendy Witchhell behind that movie. And Nash should be a nincompoop to botch such a cliched line like “You’ve crossed my path for the last time!”

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  8. Bill 1960
    Vista Bill Raley and Comet™  about 9 years ago

    Gweedo said,Left a late note yesterday.-——————————————————————.What a relief is was when we saw your face, Gweedo! We sent Abner out with his Zombies Be Gone™ smoke pellets! As for Rikki, she keeps a nice homey crypt. My will? My secret!

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    retropop  about 9 years ago

    But WHO is the writer of the “Midnight Mirror” stories?

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  10. Other07
    DocNero  about 9 years ago

    You might not want to do anything about the film Tracy, but someone will…

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  11. Thinker
    Sisyphos  about 9 years ago

    Art reflects life. So, Warren Beatty has so tied up the “Dick Tracy” film rights that no one, least of all the Tribune Syndicate or creative Team Tracy, will have any chance of another Tracy film as long as Beatty’s procrastination languishes….So, our Dick Tracy is wise to avoid costly and likely losing lawsuits (“public” figures have pretty much no rights anymore in such matters), while the creative cartoonist (here, Vera Alldid) is helpless to control use of his own character (here, J. Trustworthy Straightedge, who himself spoofs Dick Tracy, the lawsuit de-fedoraded Fearless Fosdick, and J. Edgar Hoover all at once).Our Team Tracy has a delightful bundle of ironic subtexts!

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  12. Bucky1
    crobinson019  about 9 years ago

    Lets Start here1) Good Morning Vista Bill, I hope Halloween was a good one for you and Rikki2) Good Morning Gweedo (Did Han shoot first?)

    3) Dick’s not gonna sue? Makes sense to me He’s a public figure (at least in his home town and he IS America’s Top Cop) so satirization is allowed. Also he’s busy doing real cop work. If he sues, Midnight Mirror gets a BIG boost in publicity—so I’m sure he doesn’t want to give them that.

    4) Alldid’s always been a bit of a hothead—Tracy’s right—let cooler heads prevail.

    5) I have been loving the storyline, but didn’t feel right to chime in until now.

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    Starman1948  about 9 years ago

    A bountiful Sunday to all.-—————Boss Tracy lays down the law. LOL.-—————Have a peaceful day my friends.

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    Morrow Cummings  about 9 years ago

    Well, the discussion (argument) board disappointed me! Time after time, I read where Abner was making his grand entry on Halloween. I stayed up all night last night waiting for him and he didn’t show.

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    SYDNEY PHILLIPS  about 9 years ago
    “ALLDID . . . ALLDID”and not . . .

    “VERA . . . VERA” ?

    Seems there’s been a distinct “change” - not only in Tracy’s form of address to Vera Alldid in recent years . . . ?The current individual appears self-centred with ‘attitudes’, and the word Crud comes to mind ! Gone is the warm personal affection that existed between the two in the past (seen up to 1975) and the now withdrawn, ‘distanced’ surname basis used by Tracy in recent encounters (and twice today) ?

    Further, to those that remember Vera from an earlier era, we recall a tender, loving individual (despite the funny name) one that was generous, and in his own way he had contributed selflessly to the well being of others.We recall too, Vera stating to Tracy, that Sparkle was likely the most jealous woman in the world !

    So, there’s been a profound “personality” change here.. . .As a New Dawn breaks - “waking up” on the wrong side of the pillow ! (?)

    It’s all been a bit “puzzling”, for those who’d observed his conduct in those 1975 stories with Tappy Welz (obscene phone caller) , then Bulky, and Sparkle’s (‘insane’?) jealousy over Vera’s plump “idea girl” Bunny (?) And his warm loving (hospital – pillow hugging) reaction to Sparkle’s then attempted suicide.It just doesn’t ADD UP ! ?

    To speculate, it might have come from picking up the “threads” where Max Collins had ‘dropped’ them ?An ‘Out of the Blue’ (no visuals) of Vera (said) running off with another woman, and dumping Sparkle. Just the result - with the latter just appearing as being ‘divorced’ and suddenly there as a “Maid-for-a-Day” with Johnny Snow (aka “Iceman”) in a sub plot to the Big Boy storyline of 1978You got to think - Big Change Here ! In just 3 years !

    Believe, it was ‘commented’ on (Jay Maeder’ DT Biography?) that Collins always ‘thought; Junior should have married Sparkle. And that this (together with Moon Maid death) was “step one” - toward the correct unification and eventual marriage of Junior an Sparkle.,

    Perhaps Max knew. better than Chet, the way things ’ought to be’ in Dick Tracy ?But whatever ? . . . It tends to leave A Vera out of the current day picture . . .We have an alternate personality - an Alldid instead ?

    Is this just NEGATIVE thinking ?Some are privileged to feel so . . . More important - it’s Consistent with the Truth !

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    Kip W  about 9 years ago

    It’s not that surprising that the most police deaths would have occurred in the states with the biggest population. I found per capita rates that seem to show greater danger in lower-population states.

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    Ken in Ohio  about 9 years ago

    Tracy probably has the right idea here, but, on the other hand, Sam might not appreciate being portrayed as a wild-eyed lunatic killer. I think, if i were Tracy or Sam, it would be tough to sit still for this.

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    Don Bagert Premium Member about 9 years ago

    I get the feeling Wendy Wichel will be involved here – maybe as the writer of the Mirror stories?

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  19. Mmdash6
    Pequod  about 9 years ago

    I’ve quite enjoyed my time on the set of Midnite Mirror. What fun to see all those classic characters as rendered by Mr. Staton. With the set-up done there’s crime to come. Of course Vera is thinking of his own interests. I like the glimpse of the newspaper’s front page and comics section. I second the good points made by Ray Toler in his thoughtful post. I’ll abstain from bringing up serious issues I have with some of Mr. Collins’ choices. Like so many others, I am a big fan of what Team Tracy has done and continues to do with Dick Tracy.

    Thanks to Jonathan K., rvldejung, Chris Sherlock, Ray Toler and JPuzzleWhiz for the kind words. Very much appreciated.

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  20. Winter
    overtop  about 9 years ago

    hopefully, a brand new villain will emerge.

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    SYDNEY PHILLIPS  about 9 years ago

    Let me start by Clearing the Air on something, in he event that what I’ve posted is misunderstood ! ?

    Mike Cutis and Joe Staton are absolutely the “best thing” that could have happened to the Dick Tracy comic strip !Like you, and many other readers here, I see so many things that confirm the wisdom of that statement. Not the least of which, are those multiple Harvey Awards they have taken, and important, that selections are made by a vote from among their “peers” in the business. Awards can hardly come higher regarded (or more deserved) than that !Praise and applause have never been in short supply here . . . Readers are generally pleased with the end product, Joe Staton’s art is near superb and I too like much of Mike’s different writing style, a fresh perspective. In particular, I’d say his tendency to overlap and interconnect stories (you mentioned) is an ‘added strength’ that enhances the strip !

    But what we see ‘little of’, is constructive critiques here, that (theoretically) might serve to be of help, when the Authors seem to make a “Wrong Turn”. And they have on occasion. The just past story had a “blank” on explaining from who and how Bribery got the gold ? It remains a standing example ! Should readers just “wink” and move on ?Or in “balance” venture to mention the short fall ? It was not a writing style difference there, just an unfortunate omission !

    Speaking of “Alldid” and “Vera”, reminded that there was an earlier parallel (i.e.) “Flintheart” and “Vitamin”. One was subsequently ‘corrected’ - and remains in place, because someone at the time, did helpfully say something ! These things can happen to Auhtors who do not have full access to all (along with the nuances) that has gone before

    " FLINTHEART " (? ) – - – Like in " VITAMIN " ? Aug 24, 2012

    Then, we are both older readers, but still readers, and as such more aware of what the Writers call “canon” something I believe, they do take seriously? And on occasion, do set out to change in an orthodox wayTracy currently calling Vera - “Alldid” is in part more a symptom of, rather than the core problem which I don’t think your post addressed. That is the dramatic “personality change” for the character as we remember the Vera Alldid in 1975 ! ?Gone was the warm, generous, loving, sympathetic individual ? What we’ve seen now is a Crass, Selfish, Self Centered person almost a complete opposite to what he had been.One might think not unlike the ‘reincarnation’ of Sam Cathem as gunman “Trigger” - last October 16th.

    Panels from two sequences of the 1975 Vera Alldid follow (below) to illustrate aspects of his character of that date. Regrettably, a side of him we see them no more !

    My observations are not intended as “attacks” on the work of the new Authors (or negative comment) but rather considerations they may “wish” to take into account the next time round in the interest of the strip’It’s been my #1 as a kid, since Littleface in early 1941 !

    Have ‘appreciated’ the time (and thought) you have spent responding to me Ray . . . Best !

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    patlaborvi  about 9 years ago

    I don’t think anyone else has mentioned Fearless Fosdick, the Dick Tracy parody that use to appear in Lil’ Abner.

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    Ken in Ohio  about 9 years ago

    BTW, I like the shot of Tracy’s hat and coat hanging on the wall hook in the first panel. It sets the mood nicely for today’s strip.

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  24. Komi 0001
    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    @Ray Toler

    Russel T. Davies ruined Dr. Who. The main reason why it was canceled. He did a terrible job and it showed. Some suspected he really hated the show and wanted to see it off the air after over 20 years.____________________

    You’re not thinking of the late John Nathan-Turner, are you …?

    Depending on which accounts one takes as gospel, Nathan-Turner might have been the only thing standing between the show and cancellation via higher-ups in the BBC back in the day …

    … though I’d found much of his stretch as producer to be totally unwatchable.

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  25. Komi 0001
    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    Al Molinaro, who played Murray the cop on “The Odd Couple,” has passed on at the age of 96____________________

    Wow.

    That’s one heckuva run though, VistaBill +15

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  26. Neil2009
    Neil Wick  about 9 years ago

    Al Molinaro, who played Murray the cop on “The Odd Couple,” …

    He’s also very well known for playing Al Delvecchio, the owner of the diner on Happy Days for several years and the same character on the spin-off Joanie Loves Chachi.
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  27. Neil2009
    Neil Wick  about 9 years ago

    Crimestoppers tip: For safety, try to be a cop in a place without so many people in it.

    Good advice, I think. If you remember Andy Griffith or the Canadian series, Corner Gas, I think that policing in smaller places actually could be safer.
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  28. Komi 0001
    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    Thinking about the Vera Alldid years …

    … Gould began to incorporate more ‘Soap Opera’ and relationship elements into the strip at some point, though I’m not quite sure when/how exactly that evolved.

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  29. Komi 0001
    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    Reading only the past few Sunday strips in a row, sans weekdays …

    … things take a really weird bounce.

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  30. Komi 0001
    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    Assuming that Mike & Joe follow up on the groundwork they’ve laid down, we’ll get to see actors masquerading as classic Gould characters being interrogated by Tracy.

    Carrying that a step further …

    …could we see a botched hit on Tracy take down his lookalike instead?!

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  31. Komi 0001
    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    And now for something we hope you’ll really like …

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  32. Komi 0001
    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    Oh, and if someone does try to halt production with felonious intent …

    … will Vera be implicated?!

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  33. Komi 0001
    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    He who laughs last …

    … laughs Best!

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  34. Komi 0001
    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    Tracy’s grinnin’ mug as seen above reminds me of The Hulk @ The 5-second mark …

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  35. Komi 0001
    AnyFace  about 9 years ago

    And, to lift a gag from Dick Tracy in B-Flat …

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  36. Jeep head 02
    Ray Toler  about 9 years ago

    Gould even parodied his own minimalism not only with Vera’s drawingless strip “Invisible Tribe” but with the comic strip where Moon Maid worked, “Sawdust” which was nothing but talking dots but took four artists to produce (ironically named after Gould and his team).

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    Maximara  about 9 years ago

    Actually Doctor Who was canceled because Michael Grade, the head of the BBC had it in for the show ( http://sfdebris.com/videos/doctorwho/dwcancelled.php ) As sfdebris said the show had been “fixed” to the point it was totally broken. Michael Grade is the ONLY controller NOT knighted by the Queen though given her love of the show I think that knighting him ala Bugs Bunny in Rabbit Hood would have pleased her.

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  38. Missing large
    Maximara  about 9 years ago

    Actually Doctor Who was canceled because Michael Grade, the head of the BBC had it in for the show ( http://sfdebris.com/videos/doctorwho/dwcancelled.php ) As sfdebris said the show had been “fixed” to the point it was totally broken. Michael Grade is the ONLY controller NOT knighted by the Queen though given her love of the show I think that knighting him ala Bugs Bunny in Rabbit Hood would have pleased her.

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  39. Mmdash6
    Pequod  almost 8 years ago

    Eizlander welcomes Chalice, urging him to go right in

    Chief must address the murders, to ignore them grievous sin.

    Air turns ripe. Cuts like a knife. The culprit S. T. Ench

    Knows naught of soap and water, his hygiene as a trench

    Of stagnant, fetid fungi there lingers a rank smell

    On the street the air is sweet, Boss Tracy’s car is swell.

    Passes the soup kitchen where foul Fly-Face stirs the gruel

    To eat there is a gamble for the hungriest of fools.

    Classic confrontation ‘tween Boss Tracy and sleuth Chalice

    Nash blows his line and breaks the spell, ineptitude not malice.

    “Midnite Mirror” filming on a set called Tracytown

    Disregarding facts and truth: make Tracy out a clown.

    Tracy firm there shall not be a defamation suit

    Public figure that he is best recourse staying mute.

    Not in a dream nor coma, not science-fiction, yet

    Characters most memorable command the movie set.

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