Kenyon labors in his lab, he worries about spiesBelieves it’s Nineteen Forty-Four, someone’s been spreading lies.A beaker filled with chemicals, yet another failed compoundAbsence of explosion means progress slow but sound.Annie’s gathered up the eggs, industrious with her choresSummoned forth by Axel, a foul villain she abhors.He owns the local paper, a fetid rag of propagandaDistortions and mendacity to service his agenda.The locals are bamboozled by Axel’s news empireBelieve they’re getting the straight dope, while Axel doth conspireTo fill them up with nonsense: Belinda on the radioOdd the way they listen and nod, transfixed upon the show.Axel again is adamant: The Professor must find a wayBeckons Annie to report on what she’s seen this day.Annie grows frustrated; she’s no fan of BelindaDeplores the schemes of Axel and his treacherous agenda.
So, new character today: Leopold. I said there could be more characters in this story, but this one seems like he might not be important. Axel didn’t want Leopold to hear his conversation with Annie.
It seems that Axel hasn’t asked Annie about Kenyon till now, so he must have been talking to someone else on that phone when we first saw Axel. Axel is very insistent on everyone listening to Belinda on the radio, so it does seem like he’s behind it.
Axel is nasty, isn’t he? But does a yet more arch arch-villain pull his strings? How long can Annie avoid the Belinda mind control without it being noticed? Is Professor Kenyon really “Professor Kenyon”?
In the interview I read with Curtis and Staton, they discussed Annie’s age. This has always been a question with Little Orphan Annie. Gray seemed to progress her from about 7 to about 12. Starr seemed to portray her as a young teen. During the Maeder years, she seemed to have her age fluctuate. But Team Tracy said they are shooting for 12. In yesterday’s strip we can see how short she is. Sitting backward in a chair, her chin barely comes to the top of the back of the chair and her feet do not reach the floor.
“You may leave us now, Leopold!”“Yes sir, I’ll be right outside.” -——————Once Leopold closes the door, Axel leans forward.“Listen, kid, I’ve had complaints about your deliveries being late!”“Gosh, Mr. Axel! My bicycle slipped it’s chain, and I haven’t been able to get it fixed!”“Yeah, well Leopold can fix that!”“Gee whiskers! The town needed a good bike repairman!”
Excellent summary, PQ! Your work makes it easier for me to find my way through the confusion! Thanks for your daily contribution. And, I wouldn’t consider your efforts a “try”; I’d consider them a masterpiece. Always take jealousy as a compliment!Morrow
Annie and Axel face to face, and what expressive faces they have. Yet another impressive Sunday strip. Axel is concerned about Professor Kenyon’s progress and is using Annie to report on what she sees and hears. The exact nature of Kenyon’s work is unclear, but it is reasonable to assume that he believes he is developing a weapon to combat WWII Nazis. Annie needs to time her visits to Kenyon very carefully, as she’d hate to walk in on a failed experiment. Those compounds can be unstable:
Thanks to Jonathan K., VistaBill, Starman1948, Morrow, Sydney Phillips, Ray Toler and JPuzzleWhiz for the kind words. Very much appreciated.
There’s something in all this I’m not getting—or perhaps it’s been explained before and I just missed it. How did Tracy end up 70 years in the past? Is this some sort of dream sequence or did he end up in 1944 Wisconsin via some sort of time machine?
Notice the type case on the slanted work bench behind Axel’s shoulder in the second-to-last panel. it is not a California Job Case,,where letter compartments are different sizes according to how often they are used in the English language. Maybe it is supposed to be some sort of newspaper type case, or maybe Joe just didn’t get that specific in his detail. Most country newspapers in the 40s did, in fact, have hand-set type for headlines and display work, in addition to a lino-type machine. As I said yesterday, I just hate it when the villains get their hands on a printing operation. Printers are the good guys!
It occurs to me that the only two characters involved in this story who would potentially have been alive in 1944—70 years ago!— are Ma and Pa Silo, and even they would have had to be small children.
If the brainwashing is being done via the Belinda show, she isn’t brainwashed. Annie already mentioned that she and Axel and Dick Tracy were the only ones not listening to it (though she might have been mistaken about Tracy).
Pequod over 10 years ago
Kenyon labors in his lab, he worries about spiesBelieves it’s Nineteen Forty-Four, someone’s been spreading lies.A beaker filled with chemicals, yet another failed compoundAbsence of explosion means progress slow but sound.Annie’s gathered up the eggs, industrious with her choresSummoned forth by Axel, a foul villain she abhors.He owns the local paper, a fetid rag of propagandaDistortions and mendacity to service his agenda.The locals are bamboozled by Axel’s news empireBelieve they’re getting the straight dope, while Axel doth conspireTo fill them up with nonsense: Belinda on the radioOdd the way they listen and nod, transfixed upon the show.Axel again is adamant: The Professor must find a wayBeckons Annie to report on what she’s seen this day.Annie grows frustrated; she’s no fan of BelindaDeplores the schemes of Axel and his treacherous agenda.
DaJellyBelly over 10 years ago
YOWZA! This suspense is something else. People controlled by radio. Next we’ll have Bela perpetrating “Murder By Television!”
Can't Sleep over 10 years ago
Well, nothing much new today, unfortunately. Just confirming what we all thought, that Axel owns the paper and is interested in Prof. Kenyon.
W H H over 10 years ago
Run along now Number 6. Be seeing you.
Blindfolded Wildcat over 10 years ago
Two other characters will be visiting in one week! I invite you to check out their preparations for their historic crossover! Lum and Abner
Neil Wick over 10 years ago
So, new character today: Leopold. I said there could be more characters in this story, but this one seems like he might not be important. Axel didn’t want Leopold to hear his conversation with Annie.
It seems that Axel hasn’t asked Annie about Kenyon till now, so he must have been talking to someone else on that phone when we first saw Axel. Axel is very insistent on everyone listening to Belinda on the radio, so it does seem like he’s behind it.
Blindfolded Wildcat over 10 years ago
This is “Belinda”…“Belinda”
Sisyphos over 10 years ago
Axel is nasty, isn’t he? But does a yet more arch arch-villain pull his strings? How long can Annie avoid the Belinda mind control without it being noticed? Is Professor Kenyon really “Professor Kenyon”?
coldsooner over 10 years ago
Interesting Axel asked about the prof but made no mention of Tracy…
Cheapskate0 over 10 years ago
So, is Axel’s possession of pupils also supposed to be a clue?
corpcasselbury over 10 years ago
I think that The Shadow would fit in very nicely in this story line.
davidf42 over 10 years ago
In the interview I read with Curtis and Staton, they discussed Annie’s age. This has always been a question with Little Orphan Annie. Gray seemed to progress her from about 7 to about 12. Starr seemed to portray her as a young teen. During the Maeder years, she seemed to have her age fluctuate. But Team Tracy said they are shooting for 12. In yesterday’s strip we can see how short she is. Sitting backward in a chair, her chin barely comes to the top of the back of the chair and her feet do not reach the floor.
avenger09 over 10 years ago
Is there no end in sight?
avenger09 over 10 years ago
PQ77, good try today. You get extra credit considering what you had to work with.
Vista Bill Raley and Comet™ over 10 years ago
Good morning fellow DT and Annie fans!
Nice work as usual, Pequod77.
Starman1948 over 10 years ago
Good morning Dick Tracy and Annie fans. Another good poem Pequod77.
Can't Sleep over 10 years ago
“You may leave us now, Leopold!”“Yes sir, I’ll be right outside.” -——————Once Leopold closes the door, Axel leans forward.“Listen, kid, I’ve had complaints about your deliveries being late!”“Gosh, Mr. Axel! My bicycle slipped it’s chain, and I haven’t been able to get it fixed!”“Yeah, well Leopold can fix that!”“Gee whiskers! The town needed a good bike repairman!”
Morrow Cummings over 10 years ago
Excellent summary, PQ! Your work makes it easier for me to find my way through the confusion! Thanks for your daily contribution. And, I wouldn’t consider your efforts a “try”; I’d consider them a masterpiece. Always take jealousy as a compliment!Morrow
Pequod over 10 years ago
Annie and Axel face to face, and what expressive faces they have. Yet another impressive Sunday strip. Axel is concerned about Professor Kenyon’s progress and is using Annie to report on what she sees and hears. The exact nature of Kenyon’s work is unclear, but it is reasonable to assume that he believes he is developing a weapon to combat WWII Nazis. Annie needs to time her visits to Kenyon very carefully, as she’d hate to walk in on a failed experiment. Those compounds can be unstable:
Thanks to Jonathan K., VistaBill, Starman1948, Morrow, Sydney Phillips, Ray Toler and JPuzzleWhiz for the kind words. Very much appreciated.
GulliverArkham over 10 years ago
Hey…. Where is Sandy?
“Arf!”
mumbles over 10 years ago
can anyone direct me to that strip… It used to be called Dick Tracy???
Tarry Plaguer over 10 years ago
CLICK TO FOLLOW LINK
Chris Sherlock over 10 years ago
There’s something in all this I’m not getting—or perhaps it’s been explained before and I just missed it. How did Tracy end up 70 years in the past? Is this some sort of dream sequence or did he end up in 1944 Wisconsin via some sort of time machine?
Ken in Ohio over 10 years ago
Notice the type case on the slanted work bench behind Axel’s shoulder in the second-to-last panel. it is not a California Job Case,,where letter compartments are different sizes according to how often they are used in the English language. Maybe it is supposed to be some sort of newspaper type case, or maybe Joe just didn’t get that specific in his detail. Most country newspapers in the 40s did, in fact, have hand-set type for headlines and display work, in addition to a lino-type machine. As I said yesterday, I just hate it when the villains get their hands on a printing operation. Printers are the good guys!
Paul1963 over 10 years ago
It occurs to me that the only two characters involved in this story who would potentially have been alive in 1944—70 years ago!— are Ma and Pa Silo, and even they would have had to be small children.
Neil Wick over 10 years ago
She’s brainwashed. It’s obvious.
If the brainwashing is being done via the Belinda show, she isn’t brainwashed. Annie already mentioned that she and Axel and Dick Tracy were the only ones not listening to it (though she might have been mistaken about Tracy).Blindfolded Wildcat over 10 years ago
Tarry Plaguer: Thanks for posting a link to “Lum and Abner!” I’m excited about next Sunday!
Pequod about 8 years ago
Kenyon labors in his lab, he worries about spies
Believes it’s Nineteen Forty-Four, someone’s been spreading lies.
A beaker filled with chemicals, yet another failed compound
Absence of explosion means progress slow but sound.
Annie’s gathered up the eggs, industrious with her chores
Summoned forth by Axel, a foul villain she abhors.
He owns the local paper, a fetid rag of propaganda
Distortions and mendacity to service his agenda.
The locals are bamboozled by Axel’s news empire
Believe they’re getting the straight dope, while Axel doth conspire
To fill them up with nonsense: Belinda on the radio
Odd the way they listen and nod, transfixed upon the show.
Axel again is adamant: The Professor must find a way
Beckons Annie to report on what she’s seen this day.
Annie grows frustrated; she’s no fan of Belinda
Deplores the schemes of Axel and his treacherous agenda.