Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for November 23, 2015

A DICK TRACY mystery! Gotta love it!

Looks like we have another victim. Wonder who it is.

Just someone hanging around.

Looks like what is happening is very contagious….

They’d better get to work on solving this. The production can’t afford to lose too many more members.

Victim #3. Apparently the extra security that Tracy is talking about has not solved the problem. Now Tracy really has to stand in for Morgan Byrd.

If “scaring away the killer” is supposed to be a factor, that means that they’re not going to keep it a secret. What possible reason is there for Tracy to actually be acting, rather than just being there?

If this is a “Sleuth”/“Deathtrap” scenario, then everything that’s being done is for the express purpose of luring Dick Tracy into an environment the killer would be able to control.

Almost Abner Kadaver’s M.O.

Still picking up major “Phantom of The Paradise” vibes.

Speaking of which …

Neither Mayor Headstrong Armstrong nor Chief Patton has given a convincing reason why Tracy should be playing the part of Boss Tracy rather than just being on set as an observer. I guess it’s just for “dramatic effect.” Or course, a third corpse swinging in the breeze fulfills that option pretty well, too….

I wonder if a real life Chief of Detectives wouldn’t offer his shield & weapon up over this kind of political nonsense, at least to attract media attention if nothing else….@AnyFace I think Abner Kadaver might be behind all this….

Seems we have a simple “run of the mill” Murder Mystery here (a hanging), now ‘dramatized’ considerably - with the unusual, (and unexpected) ‘interference’ of Mayor Armstrong . . .And mind you, there at HQ in person, to tell him how to personally conduct his investigation !This was not mass murder (say) like in a Concert Hall in Paris !

Back last June (14th) her telephone call to Chief Patton was all that was necessary.Then, the Billion Dollar Gold was recovered from the Train robbery, but one of the main culprits still alive and his receiver Mr. Bribery both remain free . . .

Rather amazing that Wendy Wichel (given her Agenda) has given that police ‘oversight’ a “pass” ?

Hangman slack your rope…Big Dick is gonna be da Boss..

Scared away by Tracy? Aw, THAT’S no fun…

I smell Abner.

Tracy never cared to actHe feared his skills were not on trackHe never recovered from singing flatDuring his school’s production of Willard the ratMayor Armstrong’s typical fitAt basically being called a twitFound her fighting the urge to hitThese servants who were lower than a morning zitPoor chief Patton slapped at his headA few more years and he could stay in his bedHe longed for the day he’d hear sweet music insteadOf the nonsense his brain was daily being fed

I’m guessing its Byrd and he has slipped the surly bonds of earth and touched the face of eternity.

Good morning guys!

I hope Tracy doesn’t duplicate his last stage performance and wear his track shoes.

What I find interesting about these murders is that it’s a hanging. That seems to be a rather difficult and unusual type of murder. State hanging is done by a drop. To hang someone in a room for example, would require someone with a lot of strength.Also adds some odd side effects. Does he drug his victims before hanging? Beat them? Or just – sorry – ‘string ’em up’?

Gweedo greeted…Mornin’, Billy Bob !-————————————————————————.Good afternoon, Gweedo!

You’re replying to Gweedo – It’s legal here !!! – Murray’s comment:

Are you a MAD writer in your spare time? .No, just mad!!! LOL!!! That jokes so old Otto was riding his Dinosaur when it first came out! LOL2!!!

Tracy needs to take with him (1) a can of Lysol; (2) climbing shoes; and (3) an extra pair of Fruit-Of-The-Looms with him to the theater. The trail he leaves isn’t hard to follow. SDM agrees, I think.

To hang someone in a room for example, would require someone with a lot of strength.Also adds some odd side effects. Does he drug his victims before hanging? Beat them? Or just – sorry – ‘string ’em up’?____________________

Good questions …

Don’t think we’ve heard anything from the coroner’s office, so we can’t definitely conclude drugging as the actual cause of death, but it’s very unlikely the murders are taking place on-site. There would be too much of a commotion, and it would surely get noticed.

One possible scenario …

The victims are familiar with “The Hangman” in his/her true identity, and are being lured to a location where they can be stored, are drugged and concealed until production breaks for the day, then are moved into a position where they can be discovered when production resumes.

This would seem to indicate both an intimate familiarity with the production schedule, and – possibly – with the Patterson Playhouse as well.

Of course, it might also just be someone really strong.

Could “The Hangman” be … *Gruesome?

Here’s another question …

Is the production insured?

If so, we might be looking at an ornate “The Producers”-style insurance scam.

“Lloyd Newman” …

… a “New Man,” courtesy of “Lloyd’s of London?”

Possibly.

Hoping that, towards the end, Tracy assembles all of the suspects on stage and then explains, in no uncertain terms, “Whodunnit!”

Mike Curtis on Facebook:“Over the flu and through with conventions until January. Joe and Hilarie were here last weekend for the local con and we discussed storylines for the next year. Thought I would share planned arc with all the readers.”

[Small text in case you don’t want any spoilers:]JANUARY-The Three DetectivesSpring- Notta Fallar makes her moveSummer-Final Faceoff with ABNER KADAVERFall is up in the air, several plotlines and characters possible.

On a somewhat related topic, in deference to the Paris attacks, the Supergirl TV series preempted an episode involving bombings …

… though they really only kicked the can a week down the line, as that episode aired tonight.

Hadn’t considered this before, but Tracy, at least to some extent, established the “Columbo” story structure, where it’s not so much “Whodunnit” as “Howshegonnagetwhodunnit.”

Plus, they both wear trench coats.