Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 04, 2022

Went down like he got hit with a blackjack. Like that thug in the coffee shop had.

Oh, and nice to see Bones embraces the Tiny House movement. With Tiny Deck off the back.

Good morning™, night owls and early birds!

Tracy is such a workaholic! As long as he’s alone, he might as well be at work.

I’m even more sure now that Mr. Bones is just making up the claim that he has the collection. I notice that he doesn’t suggest that he took it, only that he knew it was Blackjack’s when he saw it. He didn’t see it, though, I’m pretty sure.

It doesn’t matter, though, since he has knocked out Blackjack with the ketamine. Apparently, it’s sometimes used as a date rape drug, so it can act very quickly when mixed into a drink.

I thought Blackjack’s place was an apartment in the city, but it seems to be in a more rural area.

Good morning™, oil burners and druggists !

Now that B.J. is out for the count will he wind up as pieces and parts left in the woods for creatures to disburse ?

Bones is even more creepy looking than his previous appearances. Nice original character rendering, Shelley.

I looked up ketamine…in the wrong hands it can be lethal.

And if anyone qualifies as having the wrong hands, it’s Mr. Bones.

Mr. Bones, not a nice guy!

That’s a dirty trick, Mr. Bones!

Blackjack gets knocked down, but he’ll get up again; because you are never gonna keep him down.

So, reading at https://dicktracy.fandom.com/wiki/Mrs._Trueheart about Tess’ mom, I found out that Mrs. Truehart has not been seen since 1944, and her first name has never been revealed! Concerning, whether she is still alive, that page also says “The current creative team has not yet chosen to address the question.” I’m sure that will be updated soon :)

I like the twisting and turning that this story involves.

1-SAM: Time to go home, Dick.

DT: Ima stick around. The internet connection is faster here and I can look at anything I want. Tess always gripes about my Korean Boy Band obsession. Wait a second…let me bring up BTS’ latest for you…it’s fantas… SAM: GOTTA GO!

2-TRAVOLTA: I really appreciate the invite to your house, Blackstrap. Now I see that you’re a bad fit for Scientology – financially speaking. That makes me regret having wasted… THUD

3-…conversion juice on you.

Apologies for my month-long absence.Death in family kept me away from work,and I keep track of the st rip solely on my work computer.

Blackjack got suckered??that doesn’t happen every day!

One thing I remember—OWNLEY CHYLDE also had an enormous Sparkle Plenty collection(1980).

What if Blackjack stole it while Ownley was “away”??

All this conversation over a mutual interest…only to be drugged. Hmm…now I wonder when Mr. Bones steals the collection from the museum, will Blackjack be framed for it?

I can hear Blackjack now, how could I steal something when the lights got turned out on me.

movie quote—-“You can’t go around killing people wheneverthe notion strikes you!It ain’t feasible!”

Elisha Cook Jr. to Lawrence Tierney—BORN TO KILL 1947

Great that Mike is picking up the narrative thread again after last week’s needless detour (although I’m sure some readers were happy to see the wrestling character again).

That last line reminds me of the Cell Block Tango from Chicago.

Tracy says, “It’ll be quiet tonight.” Does anyone believe that?

Why does Blackjack call himself that? Is it from the weapon or the card game or some other reason?

So, Richard Bonhomme has drugged our antihero, Blackjack as part of his nefarious plot to take down Dick Tracy, though I’m not sure how this will tie in.

I take it the Little House on the Urban Block is Bonhomme’s hideout. It is not out of town, as the shadowed but unmistakeable highrises (not trees!) behind it make clear….

Love seeing the famous hats in the first panel, cool little house in the woods in the second, and super creepy Bones in the third—but the background here is so plain: I always want to see more of Shelley’s great work.