Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 06, 2016

.Good morning guys!

Bea Thorndike (the aunt) introduced at the end of 1941, right after the 1st Mole story!

Not sure I’ll ever get used to Lizz with long hair, even though she’s worn it that way for awhile now.

How will the bank theft, Thorndyke Estate, Specs, Spicy, Apparatus and “The Three Detectives” all tie together …?

G’mawnin’ Gweedo!

Frere Jacques? Is he sleeping?

For Tracy’s protection? Is Mrs. Thorndyke that predatory?

I agree, Lizz looks great with long hair. It’s so nice to see her looking feminine again, too, after the horrible mannish look she had under the previous artist.

cpalmeresq

“Wish she’d go back to being a blond”-——————————————————-So easy to agree with that sentiment. Blonde - had been the colour of her hair, when she first appeared as a girl photographer back in Nov. 1955 at Nothing Yonson’s club,It helps to know that her (married) sister Julie Marlin Feb. 1956 was also a blonde.‘Lizz’ became a policewoman in 1956 and would continue to appear as a blonde for some 10 Years until Oct. 1965 -when (without explanation) Chet Gould had her appear with black hair !

A “theory” on this is, it may’ve been ‘triggered’ by Moon Maid coming ON the SCENE in Jan.1964 - my ‘guess’ is - that for his ‘black and white’ Daily Strips Gould thought that for aesthetic reasons 2 regular appearing blondes didn’t look right, one ‘need to change’ - and it wouldn’t be his then current ‘Super Star’ *- Moon Maid !

Lizz looks marvelous. Mannish Lizz is long gone, much to my delight. What a nice surprise to see fun-loving Debby Thorndike on the monitor. Tracy’s broken leg, along with BB trying to kill him, made Tracy a bit grumpy back when he was a guest at the Thorndike Estate. Another fun turn of events. Here are Bea and Debby from way back when:

T-shirt updateI will have some time this evening to finish up the t-shirt elements and there is good news! We missed the 20.16% off sale, but there is a 50% off sale on shirts for the next two days.

Tracy is at HQ as usual these past couple of days, as no mention of any “detective conference” of any sort that he may have attended. Could it be that the Sunday strip showing the detectives gathering was just a “one-off” for fun, not related to the current storyline?

The Debby/Jacques storyline is one of my favorites, adding a touch of screwball to the strip. I just wish the colorist got her hair right in the second panel.

Back to 1947, what a Gas…thanks Pequod

(giggles) As soon as I saw Debbie’s picture I remembered the story. It is one of my favorites too.

On another note, I must say I find Lizz far more arresting as a brunette, myself. Especially how the new artists draw her. Gould’s art was inpecciable, but Lizz has been far more attractive though this new team, than Gould’s.

Besides, I’m a bit biased toward brunettes. Ohhhh Mr. Tracy! (giggles)

@Gweedo – It’s legal here !!! – Murray said, about 20 hours ago

(giggles!) I’m not tellin’!—Who me? Why I’m as innocent as freshly brewed shine! (giggles)And we Know how “innocent” THAT is !!!

@AnyFace said, about 18 hours ago

Very true, and they did well. I love Benny’s radio program. The cartoon is a classic :). I loved it.—They could afford to do more elaborate “sight gags” for Benny’s vault on radio.

Speaking of changing hair color – the niece had dark hair in the 1940’s panels, but was blond on the MCU monitor.

Oh, Magoo! You’ve done it a— oh.

Sorry about that, Chief!

Meddlin’ Mayor Armstrong again! Why can’t she just let the cops do their job instead of ordering the MCU to investigate a robbery [burglary?] at her rich pal’s estate?!

Mike & Joe are definitely mining Tracy history for supporting characters.

Speaking of which …

… I wish Frizzletop would visit again.

Impressive composition of today’s strip. Coming with two strong inward looking profiles framing a new event . . . Much qudos for Staton !

The Thorndike turn of events today makes me feel to borrow a tear from B O’s cheek … and lend it to Dick Tracy !

An unwelcome distraction turning focus away from ‘logical’ urgent activity - and (irritatingly?) dominated by a Mayor’s over-reach ? Perhaps, there’s more meaning to the ‘weight’ of her name (Armstrong) than anyone at first fully realized ?She must have read the newspapers too . . . ? Heard on Radio ? Seen the TV News ?

Tracy had just come off Bonnie’s reading of that mornings banner headline - a $4 Billion Dollar Cash Bank robbery (putting last years $1 Billion Gold Train Robbery in the shade !).He’d just arrived at Office, and after an initial confab with Sam, coat off - appeared to be ‘settling down’ comfortably in his ‘submarine’ Chair, part of his newly developed “Modus Operandi” on solving crimes - (that IS) to “THINK IT” All Out *- it was this ‘novel’, passive style - that appeared to have worked “so well” with the Blackheart’s riddle in 2015 !Ultimately, it lead to opportunities to shoot or to arrest “everyone” in the Building - although, only Bribery, T-Bolt (the spy) and subsequently Méliés (near the end) were ‘aware’ Bribery had aquired the Gold and it was - in the building !

We know, Bribery and the Blackhearts Gang had nothing to do with that Gold Train Robbery. They became involved after the event where bright, Martial Arts (“overnight”) Champion Lee Ebony had been planted. And obviously fed the Major Crime Squad (sorry ‘Unit’) with new developments as Tracy ‘warmed’ to his chair.

‘Sitting down’, to solve a Crime - doesn’t come any better than that !

Here he is ‘back then’ as he set the stage with FBI’s Fritz Ann, and ‘readied’ himself for his Praxis conduct that followed *

Tracy : “We may yet find a lead . . .” (?)

FritzAnn: “Our Evidence Response Team found NO Clue”

.

Subsequently, on the Blackhearts August raid he confided as follows below to Sam . . .

Diet will likely call him soon (?) The Detectives Convention is likely waiting on him (?)

Yes ! Wipe a tear ! - but when will he get a chance to ‘SIT DOWN’ to solve this major case ??

Interrupting Gweedo,Standing ready…What are they made of ?-———————————————————.“Dracon™?

Seeing Pat’s all-white hair and Tracy’s all-dark hair (plus all this discussion of hair color) makes me wonder about Tracy’s age and whether or not he dyes his hair. Tracy married Tess after a long engagement (mentioned as recently as during the Christmas strips) and has a twentysomething daughter born early in that marriage. So Tracy has to be at least in his mid-fifties.

Bea Thorndike is another example of one of Chester Gould’s women that may not have looked as attractive as she could have. The creases on the corners of her mouth often made her look like she had a handlebar moustache.

You’re right, Gweedo, but she’s a bit weird looking. We will have to compare Joe’s rendition.

By the way, I had unexpected work problems tonight, but I expect to finish up those shirt templates tomorrow evening.