Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for December 15, 2014

Good morning guys!

At least Lizz is okay! Smart move getting out of the car!

Clean Escape!

In the second panel, it looks like Gruesome’s head has shattered the windshield!

But, why isn’t she shooting instead of talking?

And a good morning to you, VistaBill!

Half-suspected Team Tracy might show us the explosion one more time today, but prefer where they went with things.

Speaking of explosions …

Was reminded of this 2006 episode of ALL MY CHILDREN, where the production team blew up a set in-studio …

Some of the stunt folks suffered injuries and burns, as I recall.

The NYC Fire Marshall went ballistic (… and rightly so!) when they found out about this, and banned any future on-set pyrotechnics.

[Mind you, AMC is gone now, but the memories remain.]

They don’t make cop cars like they used to….I can’t see Gruesome getting far.

And how would this be for a twist – Gruesome and Einstein crash into the Nitrates?

Gruesome will get the chair for this.

The make-up chair!

Little does Liz know that all the other Wrist Wizards (except Honeymoon’s) were blown to pieces! Good thinking, Gweedo. Could Mike & Joe be off reveling and a “guest writer” did today’s piece?

Just minutes later…

Once more we see the Three Stooges with badges and guns.

Hey, Detective Worthington-Grove! Less talk, more action, okay? Messaging Sam and Dick doesn’t help stop the getaway! Maybe use that gun you’re holding (just an idea)….

Morning, Tracyville!That can’t be a head smash on the windshield because Gruesome can be seen at least a foot back from it. It must be a reflection of the lights outside the car.

" ANYTHING" *- Can Happen, day every day here . . . it’s Dick Tracy, get it ?" - ablullababa999 said Last ThursdaySeems he Nailed it . . .

Gosh ! Back then a wash of confidence ran over you, when Tracy told Gruesome “Give up” *- that - police reinforcements were “RIGHT OUTSIDE”. You began to think, the MCU had finaly got their ACT together M - Moved on (from?) … C - Careless or ‘Crappy’ * (take a pick*!) *U - Unpreparedness . . .

But really meaning now, Lizz wouldn’t be alone outside, to stem the tide, if Gruesome somehow managed to slip out. But then he did !And now - when needed . . . * Where the heck are -* THEY ?? Those “reinforcements” ?? Talk, No Action ! Like Vera Alldid’s *

Invisible Tribe – ?*

So it was only Lizz then, yet she seemed so prepared (gun out), even ‘informed’ - and (somehow?) managed to ‘ID’ Einstein {she’d never ’ heard of ’ before), then as Sopranos noted on Sunday) couldn’t even ‘get a *’shot off’*, at a Head (or say) - a Tire ! She let them pass.? Some might think - time to Retire ? Couldn’t pull the Trigger ? So no charge of ‘misconduct’, on Worthington / Grove(Maybe there’s a TMS ban on Police shooting - since that Ferguson affair ?)This guy too, had just assaulted a police officer (I.e. Sam), disarmed him, and was now - not only running away, but also trying to ‘run over’ Lizz ! ?

And as the escaping duo travel on, you’d think Squad Cars with Sirens “Screaming” would be there on the bumper - But it seems those reinforcements talk, was just that - TALK ?

Sadly, their badges all seem to “flash” - MCU … LITE - again? A bad run for Tracy and Team, since his solo boat run - to Thunder Island (June 27). No Harvest Moon !They hardly got a thing Right. Annie’s letter saved the day.

Currently. It’s been - ‘Cavalier’ visits to Diet Smith, but not one PROACTIVE effort seen, to crack an outstanding case ? Now “flopping” again on reinforcements ?

Fiddling like Nero (?) while their current score is near Zero ?

Good morning my friends. Very informative comments today.All that is missing from today’s comic are the Keystone Cops. Have a great day.

@Terry Plaguer: excellent video. I wonder did the police give chase? Have a great day my friend.

Don’t know about the missing backup, but she was right not to start shooting. She can’t possible know who is in the car (could be hostages), and stray bullets do nasty things sometimes, especially if the “good guys” were right behind the running bad guys. Aiming at tyres is great in the movies, but much harder in real life, and in any case I think she was still dodging away in the last panel. After all, we know they saw her and tried to hit her.

Gruesome and Einstein crash into the Nitrates?.I think you just won an Invisible Facsimile – the greatest thing you never saw!.I think you’ll get bragging rights – I think you’re dead on with this guess!

Looks like it could be CURTAINS! for Gruesome and his little buddy,

For those who don’t know, the character of Dr. Herman Einstein is said to be based on Joseph Moran:

“Joseph P. Moran (1895–1934) was a doctor known for catering to the Depression-era criminal underworld in the early 20th century. He was also a peripheral member of the Barker-Karpis gang, and was possibly the last physician to see the mortally wounded John Hamilton, a member of the John Dillinger gang, whom Moran refused to treat.” “In 1934 Moran began touting his skills as a plastic surgeon, able to change the faces and fingerprints of notorious outlaws in order to hinder police identification.“In March 1933, Moran performed plastic surgery on gang members Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis for a fee of $1,250. He was successful in removing Karpis’ fingerprints (so much so that even decades later, Karpis had difficulty obtaining a passport to re-enter his native Canada), but his work on the two men’s faces was judged a dismal and painful failure.”

Those quotes are from the Wikipedia article on Moran, which has a bit more information as well.

Chester Gould made a point of referring to Lizz as “The department’s top marksman” and showed several occasions where she made perfect hits, so it might have been expected that Lizz would have shot the tires out here. But, Mark Jeffrey made some very good points above about how, in this situation, shooting first might not be such a good idea. We’ll have to see how this plays out.

Bad guys don’t use seat belts.

Shouldn’t Liz have blocked the alley horizontally rather then vertically?

For all the trigger-happy among you, shooting out tires is a great idea, and Lizz probably could – if the tires weren’t moving at high speed toward her.As Mark Jeffrey noted, stray bullets can do nasty things.I saw security footage a few years ago taken at the time of a shooting in NYC. A stray bullet fired a quarter mile away came through the window of a transit building a few feet away from several people.

I read today’s strip thinking " what a way to start the week!" with plenty of action.Then I read the comments and found almost nothing but complaints.I know, some of you wanted the standard DIrty Harry scene, with Lizz standing with her feet spread, bracing her gun with her left hand, and blazing away at the oncoming bad guys…(Which is a real cartoon image. With a car racing at you, you get out of the way.)I like the way the story’s going. We were all wondering why Gruesome didn’t try to run away, then saw he had his escape planned, blowing up the stage, and stumbling out the back of the theatre, to a getaway car, and smashing Lizz’ car (and almost her) in the process.At least I don’t see any ZZZZZZ complaints.

Whatever the reasons, Lizz has been completely ineffective, getting stabbed, failing to apprehend. I recall 60-70’s Lizz where she was the most bloodthirsty member of the team.

If the cops begin to worry more about stray bullets and ricochets than letting murders get away then….why carry guns?

It’s a chase…or is it????

Ah, one of those indestructible cars. They probably have infinite ammo in their weapons, too.

The Z-z-z-z-z-’s are coming…….. bet on it! (followed with a LOL!)

Sorry about the double posting. I’m away and don’t have a reliable Internet connection at the moment.

I’m amazed that certain people were begging for a chase and are now upset that Gruesome is getting away. If Gruesome were not starting to get away, how could a chase happen?

I’m not sure that Lizz’s car is in driveable condition. At the least, it doesn’t look like the driver’s side door would open properly. Someone else will have to chase. Hopefully, Tracy can do that with Sam. I’m not sure that Sam came in a separate car from Lizz. Were they together?