Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for December 30, 2014

I’d almost say that the fiery windmill is TOO obvious for Gruesome (but clever in it’s own way!). Let’s face it, we haven’t seen Melies shot in the eye, yet (if you get my meaning). No matter what happens, I give great respect to the Tracy Team!

But…Oh, Oh!!!

I sense a disaster about to happen!

Well, if they build a fire, there is a hose on the wall. Of course, if the water’s been shut off…

Good morning guys!

It appears that Gruesome might suffer the same fate as Frankenstein’s monster did!

Fire bad!

Pay no mind to that little gasoline container over there. Perfectly harmless I’m sure…

Yes, and incinerate themselves.

Good grief! Has Gruesome gone suicidal? Or is he really that addlepated? Build a fire? Inside a wooden windmill? With no power or water? Really?The Monster built by Frankenstein had the sense to fear fire, but not our Gruesome! Sara Karloff has unhinged him.

Is it just me, or is this strip becoming a bit too predictable? I mean, most of you have been calling the rather obvious outcome of this for days, now..Also, a danger in all this nostalgia – does it change the nature of the strip? I mean, it was once detective crime action and adventure – with a wee bit of moon fantasy. Now, the strip seems to be all nods to deceased actors and other comic strip characters..On another note: Condolences to Avenger09. I just learned about it. I’ve not been following the strip that much lately – Christmas is a crazy time of year..The Goofy Golf setting kind of reminds me of Locher’s circus arc. So, in honor of this nod to Locher, do you suppose Avenger09 might have some more Pigs on Wheels for us?

Hmmm. I have a feeling Gruesome won’t look like Boris Karloff in the near future.

Hmmm. Looks like the typical Tracy “Gruesome” ending. heh heh

Unngh! Fire bad!!

And in an attempt to keep warm, they burn half the town down.

Morning, Tracyville!Actually, we didn’t call this one. I don’t remember anyone mentioning the windmill or predicting a fire until yesterday. I think it’s a great story and I’m enjoying the heck out of it!

Wouldn’t they need power to turn the windmill? Of course, it could be turned off in winter. There wouldn’t be a heater anyway.

It’s been predictable for a while now.

Aaaaaannnnnd once again tracy WONT solve a crime or apprehend the villain… they are just done in by their own stupidity!

(providing of course this whole she-bang “goes down in flames” like many are speculating)

Lets backtrack a lil bit.. and im gonna need some help here… axel nasti gets blown up by his own bomb, the nitrates escape in flattop jr’s car, tabby angus shot and killed by montana joe (who, by the way, was APPARENTLY NEVER brought up on charges!), dr’s ghote, sail and that sputnik character all shot into space by diet, doubleup mumbles bb eyes melies etc all escape the farmhouse shootout without being apprehended, mrs flattop makes a clean getaway, the late great MEASLES done in by his own addiction, abner kadaver escapes a cement trap, blackjack ALLOWED to escape by tracy (cant wait til wendy wichel gets wind of THAT one!), of course the now infamous SWEATBOX ENDING, the only people who “paid the price” in the mr crime saga (DEFINITELY in my eyes the “watermark” of the revived strip so far!) were panda, teevo, davey mylar and mushroom lady.. everyone else is still “on the lam” (tho in truth mr kleen got mumbles, bb eyes and doubleup off legally), i think blaze rize still has davey’s money (did she keep half or did she give it all to davey’s mom? i forget now)…

Going back.. i seriously think the ONLY villain that tracy has legitimately apprehended was Broadway Bates

Did i miss anyone?

Good morning DT posters and those who don’t post. The ending does seem very obvious as several of you have noted. I’m looking for a twist in the storyline though. Maybe a surprise ending? Or the storyline will change to the other villains? Y’all have a prosperous day.

A fire. From junk. In an old wood shed.

:grabs popcorn:

Let’s watch.

We first saw the windmill yesterday, so reports of long-term predictability are wildly exaggerated. For me, this is another rich and dynamic tale. Once again, the story has taken us to a variety of locations: Kilian General Hospital, Vitamin’s office, the Patterson Playhouse (where we caught a glimpse of Lear, earlier this year), the lair of the Blackhearts, Rikki and Kadaver’s abode, Blaze Rize’s flat, Smith Industries, Sunny Dell Acres, the MCU, backstage at the Patterson, St. Hilarie’s Hospital, the MonsterCon and now… (drumroll) Goofy Golf at the closed amusement park. I like it..The world of Tracyville is again a complex, dynamic place. Stories overlap a bit, as readers are trusted to pay attention and find “easter eggs” dropped along the way. While some of us have lamented the limitations on showing violence in today’s shrinking newspaper market, the strip is far from predictable. Predictable would be every story ending with Tracy killing the villain with a head shot or three. Predictable would be Tracy stuck for weeks at a time in an inane story that takes place in a dull, flat world, going nowhere very, very slowly..I have no idea when we will next see Venus and the Blackhearts, BB and Blaze, Rikki and Kadaver, Stiletta, Silver and Sprocket, Mole or the much anticipated reunion of reborn Mysta and the Governor (and family), but I know I’ll be here to find out. ./joins thunderbearr and munches on some popcorn while anticipating more of the good stuff from Team Tracy.

maybe they’ll be decapitated by windmill vanes.

Or, if you really want a strip that takes forever to go absolutely nowhere, you can always read 9 Chickweed Lane.

The way this appears to be heading, Tracy will simply follow the fire engines. Einstein (the smarter of the two) will likely survive to be arrested.

It’s kind of hard to believe they would be too stupid to walk out of there if the place caught fire……I’m thinking the purpose of a fire would be to attract attention and alert Tracy they were there. (pleazzzzzze….don’t have them smashing or picking the lock, then somehow getting locked in, lol…..)

I’m really, really enjoying this story, though!!!

@Tarry Plaguer: I believe you are correct. Will Gruesome use it or tempt fate?

I predict a fiery demise for the two of them….note that gas can in the back. Nothing good EVER comes from fires and gas cans.