Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for May 15, 2022

Lead pierces air in Coffy’s lair. Bronko still and mute

Silence is a virtue when a hot head starts to shoot.

Danger fosters fear with death so near. The past begins to play

Once “Bronk” no good. A youthful hood. Saved on that fateful day.

Some like to say crime does not pay. Most just talk and talk

From crime-stopper to FBI, Bronko walks the walk.

Junior was a friend to him. The club did change his life

Coffy was a thug back then, dealt violence, pain, and strife.

Coffy now decaffeinated, feels no zest nor zing

Meekly led away to jail. Regret his song to sing.

Good morning™, everyone!

So ends the tale of the Tonsils impersonator as Tracy and Bronko walk off into the “sunset” (so to speak). The image of the young Bronko in the last panel looks even younger than I remember him.

So, we have confirmation that Bronko is “Stuntman Mike” as most of us figured and Tracy didn’t recognize him until he introduced himself.

The story was very structurally sound and pretty satifying to me, despite a few detailed that I might have done differently. I will elaborate more, sometime later today or tomorrow. It was an unusual story, since it’s usually the bad guys who are at the centre of Dick Tracy’s plots and Tracy is there to stop them. In this case, Matt the singer, trying to reform, was set up as a “good guy” and it was Coffyhead who attempted to “throw a wrench into the works,” but ultimately without success. They tried this approach of centring a story on the victim with the Annie rescue a few years ago, but that one didn’t work as well as this one did. This one feels more “complete” to me.

The second panel, 2nd row, should have been split into two – Bronko would have identified himself FIRST to Tracy as “Stuntman Mike” – THEN pulled out his identification.

Not knowing he was an undercover first, Tracy would not have let Bronko pull out his Badge and ID, as he could have easily been going for a weapon.

Why the FBI is interested in a drug busting operation in DT’s city? Aren’t they supposed to intervene in federal or interstate crimes?

Good morning™, reformed bad kids !

Bronko’s got more treacle than that Opey Taylor kid. I like the old time Bronko image in the last panel. Tracy and Bronko, seen walking off, puts a finality to this one.

(I better be wrong about any minit mysteries.)

Whoever called it the other day that Bronko was undercover FBI, good job! And yep, Tracy was in the process of arresting him here with that ‘downtown’ line. He didn’t know who he was, but he does now. Actually, I rather like the way Mike used all these past characters and locations from way back and wove them together, including all the flashbacks, into a new story. But I agree it would be nice to see a bit more of what is happing, like the confrontation between Bronko and Coffyhead. How did Bronko escape unharmed? How exactly did Coffyhead get hurt? It would be nice to be shown that bit.

Every criminal reading the newspaper right now: “Hmm, free get out of jail cards…”

Pleger’s drawings are their usual terrific selves. And a very smooth ending to a well-crafted tale by Mike. Good job on both counts. Pequod’s poem steals show… Ciao, Dick Tracy!

Very well presented as usual, great story!

I would have expected the DEA, not the FBI, m’self…

I really enjoyed this story!

All I had to do was ignore the lapses in logic, the failure to explain vital actions, the uneven pacing and the overall cartoonish feel to the strip.

Yes, this was a very fullfilling story!

Why would the FBI need an “anonymous source” to give Tracy tips? Obviously they have much more pull than he would, and could make the collar without his input

Since Bronko is in the FBI, I wonder if he knows Fritz Ann? I’m sure Sam would rather Bronko shows up more than she does.

“Too bad about the Hardy Boys dropping out and turning evil, though! I’m still on their trail but the evil Tom Slick keeps inventing fiendish new devices to help them escape!”

Isn’t it standard procedure for the Feds to coordinate with local law enforcement?

Dick’s a little slow on the uptake. He SAYS he’s a Fed, but shows him a toy badge with Dick’s name on it.

“Hands up and move slowly!” Doesn’t identify himself, reaches into his pocket and pulls something out. Why Tracy didn’t shoot him is a mystery..

A Dick Tracy style “no prize” to those who remembered Bronko from that earlier story. But would an undercover operative actually carry his “creds” while undercover? I’d think that’s a good way to get your cover blown in a hurry.

Facepalm moment

Federal law that makes drugs illegal. Any drug crime can be prosecuted under federal law. Even in those states that have “legalized” marijuana, the activities are still against federal law and could be prosecuted if the feds wanted to. In this case, I would be willing to bet that Coffeehead is connected to a larger, interstate or international drug ring.

The imagery in the last panel reminds me of a famous last line from a film “… beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

Why would an undercover FBI agent sabotage his own investigation by anonymously feeding tips to local law enforcement? Especially incompetent cops like Dick Tracy who already blew their chance to take Coffyhead down once before?

1-DT: YOU PUNKS WITH YOUR WISPY MUSTACHES ARE ALL ALIKE! I otta…

STUDMAN: DICK! IT’S ME – BRONCO! Look…

2-Crimestoppers ID shoots out of sleeve on retractable device while Dick somewhat discreetly scratches his privates

3-…Hey! I remember that – AND YOU!

4-…So when did you turn to crime? STUDMAN: I didn’t. I’m…uh undercover. Yeah – that’s the ticket. I’m working for the DEI – it’s a combination of the DEA and FBI. Real hush hush stuff.

5-DT: Wow. Any openings? I’ve been on this job for 80 years and I still haven’t been made Chief. I need a change.

STUDMAN: Lemme go…er…get back to the office and I’ll check.

DT: Great! Just give me a call STUDMAN: Sure…

When the paperwork on this case is finished, I wonder if Bronko and Junior are going to have a reunion of sorts.

I loved the ending that honors both honesty and fighting crime, and lets us know to honor those who protect us. How cool that the young man went into law enforcement with Tracy as a role model!

Boy, there’s a lot of criminal justice “experts” commenting today. They must watch a lot of Law and Order series

And now, everyone shares a biiiig mug of coffee.

Pretty much all that needs to be said has been said above, sometimes repeatedly. But for the sake of Making a Comment, I’ll say my bit (even if it is mostly rehash).

Most glaring loose end: that Matt McCullar gets off scot-free after dealing drugs, even if only a minor, street-level player. And, he improbably gets the chick that the real Tonsils lost. This ain’t a Mary Worth endless romance strip!

Most frustrating self-censorship: we saw none of the Coffyhead-Bronko-Tracy shootout and hand-to-hand (or hand to garden rake) combat and are left with nothing but speculation as to how Bronko wasn’t shot, Coffyhead either wasn’t shot or was just grazed (depending on tailor-made jacket tear), and Tracy shot no one!

Most sickeningly sweet ending (a.k.a. “treacly”): Stuntman Mike, the undercover FBI guy, turns out to be none other than Junior Tracy’s old Crime Stoppers buddy, Bronko, and , gee, Tracy and he just slush around in the puddles of lovey-dovey improbability (as, e.g., why didn’t Tracy cap Bronko when he reached for his pocket?). “The End,” with a big wave from “young Bronko.” Can you say saccharine?

He was supposed to keep his hands up and move slowly. Also, as an undercover guy he has no problems going downtown.

Very cool!

Not quite sure this really makes sense. If Bronko is working for the FBI, why was he surreptitiously passing intel on to the MCU under an alias, presumably without his superiors knowing about it? & if he wanted to help Tracy out because of the Junior Crimestoppers connection, why not just let Tracy know through official channels?