Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for August 04, 2015

I hadn’t considered the “Lee Ebony” theory, but today has changed my opinion!

I also agree that T-Bolt is most likely Lee Ebony

Still seems too tall to me.

Indeed.

I agree with the Lee Ebony theory.

I also believe that T-Bolt is Lee Ebony. I suspect T-Bolt/Lee tells Blaze to “make some hard decisions, and fast” because she knows the Blackhearts are going down soon and doesn’t want Blaze to get caught up in their downfall if she’s truly being forced to work for them against her will. Blaze needs to get up and get gone from the Blackheart’s HQ, or else she’s going to be rounded up with all the sharks.

Would explain a lot, I’m expecting AM to be interested in Annie’s friend.

This strip has placed me firmly in the T-Bolt/Lee Ebony camp as well. For some reason I am sympathetic with Blaze as it almost seems she was trying to find honest work until BB Eyes paid her a visit. Anyway the story is starting to pick up speed and is keeping my interest.

Would Lee put such a hurting on Johnny? I doubt it.

Hence Johnny surfacing in Florida, Hale and Whole.

Blaze, you’re a murderer, save your crocodile tears!

Good morning guys!

Previously, on Dick Tracy …

T-Bolt & Mr. Bigg arrive on the scene.

In retrospect, “Mr. Bigg” offering the derelict that dollar bill may have been the first clue to his true identity, as Bribery often used to “gift” people with money he’d picked from their own pockets, which also – in this instance – might be described as a potential act of …

Wait for it …

… Bribery.

Later, T-Bolt makes an impression on Johnny Adonis …

Or does she …?

It certainly seemed like it at the time …

… though T-Bolt’s dialogue in the following Monday’s strip might have held a Double Meaning.

Either way, the exchange served to get T-Bolt in tight with the newest members of the Blackhearts organization.

It’s at this point that BB-Eyes makes a key observation …

… and later makes life miserable for ms Rize.

Eventually, the Johnny Adonis deception is partially uncovered …

… but till then, T-Bolt had full access to The Ace Tower, and could move about freely.

[She still looks too tall to be Lee Ebony in my opinion, but looks can be deceiving.]

Also, I want to point out the observation that T-Bolt might be a mole wasn’t mine – Honestly, I forget whose it was – But it definitely seems to ring true.

It’s worth noting that T-Bolt’s appearance changes a lot, particularly between the early Sundays and the later dailies.

Think I’d heard Joe needs to draw the Sundays several weeks ahead of publication due to the complexities of color printing.

Either way, T-Bolt looks more like Lee Ebony daily than on Sundays. :)

Wonderful art yet again. T-Bolt (Lee) looks over her glasses at Blaze, hand on shoulder, expressing concern. Blaze’s body language suggests she is at ease and confiding. She addresses T-Bolt, her open right hand reinforcing her honest sharing and genuine vulnerability. Blaze is viewed in small silhouette, as the boots of powerful T-Bolt (Lee) dominate the third panel. Excellent.

Billion Dollar Gold Car Disappears …

As Did Tess, In Mid April This Year< …

The case came to his attention on a Daily Sunday . . .Remember the date, it was on - April 12, in Twenty Fifteen …Not many can’t recall a Straightedge Trustworthy performance - so lean?

With Tess no time to read the papersWhile she said the job (in Florida?) pays her

What’s happened since, a Tracy step, a reminder of back in Locher’s daysThe Clues were there, but seldom ‘seen’ to move Trustworthy’s forward playsWith a look in the mirror, he may clearly sees a ClownThat depends more on “Hunches” (or a stumble?) to Run those Villains Down

Searching through the Tunnels to pick up any ClewsWhen he drew a ‘Blank’ … it was not surprising News !So he called in the Mole for his underground adviceMole pointed him to the tunnel, and the Lake (Pratchett) ‘opened’ siteYet, without purview, he thoughtlessly dropped that clueApparently in the sewer(?) Like “Little Louis’s” mother too

Next seen with Sam, in the City in a police car, just there apparently Circling . . .That City search came like a ‘hunch’ by Lurch. At an Addams Family gathering . . .Really a diversion that made Straightedge “Oh so late”, for a ‘timely’ Lake side ‘searching’ !No results, that really hurts, Oh! The Doubleup arrest, but in less than ‘24’ he was by Bribery apparently ‘relaxing’

July 1, Big Meeting, no Lizz, no Lee, just Fritz Ann, there with Sam and Straightedge our current hero . . .What was revealed (10 days short) of 3 months, their ‘evidence’ (on ‘who’ or ‘where’) amounted to, exactly Zero ! But then Hooray ! A witness comes today ! With a name suggesting he’ll “Tell Em”.However, just like any other Locher Clues . . . they never revealed any relevance coming from the Interview ?

Current Update ! The last we’ve seen of the MCU was on July 2,A month ago, Sam peeping through the window taking in the View . . .Outside was Tellum smiling like a pervert in his self named" shirt *. . .And reporter Wendy Wichel out there, with cameras picking up the dirtScandal ? His mind ran on ‘episodes’ with Fritz Ann, it really made him squint . . .How would Wendy think? He saw it clearly now, their names (along with photos?)- appearing there in print

Solve this one (?) How can our Straightedge finally get this done . . .Given the MCU’s fruitless City searching, and the ‘good clues’ they have flung?It will be a difficult runTime perhaps, for a new Dick Locher Pun ?

Meanwhile, if the Authors still remember . . .We might find out come September * . . .*

I didn’t know Jimmy Olsen had a sex change.

Blaze continues her face-turn from heel (though she has killed: there is no denying that) at an accelerating pace. I see from the comments above that quite a few people are now leaning toward the theory that T-Bolt is in fact Lee Ebony undercover. It is certainly an economical theory, explaining several otherwise anomalous facts.But, withal, will Blaze emerge a survivor, and reformed at that, or is it too late for her to escape her past? Will she go back to her day job as a professional dominatrix?

Should point out though that both Sam and Dick had met Blaze’s twin sister, so should either catch sight of ms Rize …

Hoo-Boy!

I’m also leaning heavily toward the “T-Bolt is an undercover agent” theory – very possibly Lee Ebony with skillfully done professional make-up and “lifts” in her shoes.However, I’m not sure about the “hard decisions” she is counseling Blaze to make. It is a well known axiom within the crime genre that persons in the mob do not get out. Within Dick Tracy itself, there are plenty of examples of this – Tonsils, and before him, Tonsils’ mentor, Dude. Also Headache, and Mrs. Jones (Popsie’s Mother) – they tried to run, but it ended badly for all of them. So, if Blaze says to herself, “I’m not doing this anymore” where can she go? Unless, of course, she turns state’s evidence and goes into the witness protection program. But I don’t know if she really knows enough to actually help law enforcement bring down the Blackhearts, and there is also that little matter of her killing Flakey Biscuits, too.

Top of the morning everybody.-—————@Gweedo ‘the Marco Polo of GoComics’, AnyFace, and SYDNEY PHILLIPS: Thanks for posting the interesting background comics and notes.-—————Have a prosperous day my friends.

Look at her shoes.There’s a reason why we see T-Bolt’s feet in panel 3. Her shoes have a thick heel.As I’ve been saying whenever the question comes up, they can add up to 3 inches, just like cowboy boots. (You remember, the high heel to hook into stirrups more securely?)She’s wearing a jacket with padded shoulders (Holy Joan Crawford!), so why not disguise her height with her boots?-Occam’s razor: The simplest answer is usually the right one.

As usual, I found it pretty difficult to follow Sydney Phillip’s convoluted writing style, but after I read all of his post, I’m thinking I agree with him. Whereas this is a very interesting story, we just aren’t seeing Tracy and his associates doing very much. The lead that Mole gave Tracy seemed to go nowhere, and the next thing we knew, the Blackhearts had the gold. Nothing was ever explained about how tons of gold were moved from that tunnel to a penthouse suite – that had to leave some kind of a trail for the cops to follow. What did Ted Tellum tell them in his interview? I hope we get to see Tracy and company in action in some sort of big finale.

Neil’s - yesterday statistics on Lee Ebony’s strip “appearances” during the current Curtis/Staton era can’t help but “impress” (certainly ‘this’ reader) on his tenacity (in running the extra miles) to collect all the details.

I’ve done stuff like this, and unless you keep a database with name information you can manipulate, it it can be an ‘extraordinarily’ TIME consuming effort, that ‘often’ fails to provide information that proves anything beyond the dates she was - present !.Absence, more likely suggests she wasn’t ‘needed’ in the storyline !

Lizz has always been the one known as THE Martial Arts expert on the MCU team ! Even been seen, giving lessons to young Honeymoon.

To now SUDDENLY hear that Lee Ebony all along, had Olympic Champion skills, and (my golly Miss Molly) in so many ‘MA’ fighting forms -Simply BLOWS reader “comprehension” right out of the water!

The Writer, if he’s so inclined, can fashion a useful “back story” that explains away the patent contradictions.Even Chief Patton might not have known he had ‘Super Girl’ right there in hid Team ?

And if Tess knows what is “happening” in the (2 person) Tracy Agency (?)She’d be ‘remiss’ not to tell hubby, that Johnny Adonis was playing “Fall Down” Guy, to ‘prop up’ the credentials of Lee Ebony in disguise !

In any event, it would seem that T- Bolt must have been around with Mr. B a long time to enjoy that deep degree of personal acceptance. Not a recent acquisition !

On the ‘other hand’ (Mike really want’s it?)Just do another Squiggle or a Wiggle in “back story” time !

Like in all things, Time will Tell !

@Sydney Phillips:No offence, Sydney! Your knowledge of the Tracy strip is a big asset to us here. I just have trouble following your writing style. But, as I explained above, I agree with what I think you are saying. Have a great day.

I think there may be subtle hints. T-Bolt is supposed to be a badass, but when she let’s her glasses slip, she appears more compassionate overall. She best be careful lest Mr Bribery catches on.

So even though it seemed as though T-Bolt was a long-time employee of Mr. Bigg/Bribery (who had just returned from Europe, where Bribery had probably been in hiding since escaping from prison), she must’ve done something to quickly earn his trust after he arrived in the U.S.

I just went back and looked at the strip for June 21, which is where Ms. Steffihawk was supposedly going to visit Adonis at the hospital. Although Honey and Annie asked if Steffihawk wanted to going shopping with them, she didn’t ask them if they wanted to visit him with her before shopping. Now it’s seeming more and more like Adonis was already in Florida…

I’m on board with the “T-Bolt is Lee Ebony” theory.

I believe Littleface can also be included in that group.-———And Influence.

Maybe Lee Ebony’s sister(not necessarily twin). Works undercover with the feds, while her sister works with Tracy, etc.

I hope Blaze gets out of this okay. I like her.

Swimming with sharks and trolling for girls. Chet Gould would never have such a character.

I think that T-Bolt is actually Dick Tracy in drag…

I like what Mike Curtis is doing with Blaze. It’s pretty clear she killed Flakey Biscuits to avenge the murder of her twin sister. It’s very clear she once shot Doubleup to escape with Mr. Crime. She isn’t some innocent bystander who got roped into a bad situation. She’s working for the Blackhearts because her hands aren’t clean. And like many criminals, she’s more worried about what bad people will do to her and making excuses for the choices she’s made rather than doing the right thing. But we’re allowed to have some human sympathy for her situation. It’s called nuanced writing. In the end though I hope she has to give account for what she’s done wrong.

The “T-Bolt as undercover agent hypothesis” is intriguing it is still only a hypothesis. And it might not be Lee Ebony.

It had occurred to me that she might be working for the FBI. I see that harkherp has that idea also.

RE: Blaze possibly going straight. Of course, this is possible. One thing, though. All of the other villains mentioned who did go straight served time in prison first. (Mole, Influence, Little-Face, Steve the Tramp, etc.) So they didn’t get any “free pass”.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

I don’t like the Milwaukee version of T-Bolt’s skin colour. It seems a bit too green. Besides that, it doesn’t match up very well with the Sundays.

I’m new to the Staton Curtis version of Tracy (loving it so far)- but can someone PLEASE tell me who Lee Ebony is???

The beating of Johnny could have been staged as some have suggested. That is definitely a possibility although I don’t think that’s the case.

I’m with Jim in CT. They’ve kept Blaze right on the moral knife’s edge since she first appeared (unlike her sister, who was fun but also an unapologetic murderer and drug dealer). We don’t know whether Blaze is a killer or not, but even if she killed Flakey Biscuits, she had a very sympathetic motivation. FB was definitely one of those “needs killing” types of villains.

Plus, it’s been confirmed for a while that she’s being blackmailed into working for the Black Hearts (and originally got involved with the Mr. Crime syndicate in the first place so she could get revenge for her sister, not for any ambitions to become a gangster). She’s not anti-Tracy and she’s always been portrayed as someone who is capable of compassion and fair dealing (such as her relationship with Davey Mylar). While I think she’d need to pick a side and make some grand gesture to be truly redeemed, I don’t think it’s at all outside the realm of possibility to make her one of the good guys in future.

It seems Blaze was introduced to T-Bolt off-panel in the interim.

Probably true. Blaze does seem to be, as T-Bolt puts it today, “on Mr. Bigg’s most trusted list.” At the moment, T-Bolt is not on that list, since she is not privy to what’s behind the new door.

t-bolt and blaze could make a deadly combination!