Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 29, 2017

The rainy day has passed away, the Pouch now hawks his wares

A face not even mother loves, assured to draw some stares.

Meet up at the Tastee Freeze, there’s ice cream for dessert

Exchange transpires sans a hitch, thus nobody gets hurt.

Kitchen drops a cool grand, investing in his future

Big rewards do carry risks, he hopes he won’t need sutures.

Back at the Hotel Siam the plot it now doth thicken

Kitchen in over his head, his pulse begins to quicken.

The layout of the 28th it now resides in hand

To pull off such a massive coup, wouldn’t that be grand?

Trim and prune. Tend leaf and stim. Moisten now the soil

Siam Plant Squad on the job, invisibly they toil.

Kitchen needs to turn his shears upon the mop of Brush

For if that man is recognized they never shall be flush.

Some say he was blown away when ill-timed lightning struck

Others claim he has nine lives. Some fools have all the luck.

Welcome Hotshot Charlie with a guest of fabled lore

The Dragon Lady enters. Heart rates begin to soar.

The Dragon has immunity. You must remember this.

Give her all that she desires. Surrender unto bliss.

Her beauty is remarkable. Men gasp at such a sight

Some would sell their souls to have her for a single night.

Hey! Where did Diet, Oliver, Dolan and Sammy come from? It seems like a meeting was scheduled.

Guang Dong? I see that the grandparents of Anna May Wong (the Chinese actress who may have been an inspiration for the Dragon Lady) came to the U.S. from China’s Guangdong province.

“Bad girl, Julia!” ROFL!

“Hall Of Creators.”

Epic.

Can “Milton Caniff” be far behind …?

So, we have two bidders who almost should be arrested (Carrion and the Dragon Lady), two who are old friends of Tracy’s (Smith and Warbucks) and some mysterious fifth one who is clearer to the people in the room that it is to me.

Yeah, the Fifth Bidder is very murky to me. But those who say it is the Spirit, on behalf of UNODC, seem for the moment most likely to be correct. If not the Spirit, I am completely stumped as to how “everyone is accounted for” (whoever said that, behind closed doors, where Julia did something naughty—nice touch).

And the lady, Perenelle, has spoken. The auction begins tonight….

Good morning fellow DT fans and the mysterious fifth bidder whoever you are!

♫♫ Come down, come down (from your ivory tower)… ♫♫

Draggin’ in the Lady, are you? How many remember her?

Possible that the 5th bidder refers to Octopus, represented by Carrion? That doesn’t seem right, though, since it still adds up to only four potential buyers. The only other possibility I can think of that hasn’t been mentioned is the Great Am, who I suppose would be represented by Tracy. Recall that Tracy went to see Am “about (the) Flammel matter” (12/30/16) — possible they made a secret arrangement off camera for Tracy to bid on Am’s behalf? The report that there are five bidders seems to have originated with Tracy (1/21/17), inferring that he knows who the fifth bidder must be (although he seemed NOT to know in the 1/28/17 strip). I realize it’s a stretch, but Tracy bidding for Am is the only other idea I can come up with, other than Spirit or Dolan representing an unknown party.

WAITAMINNIT!!!!!!!!!! Have we ALL been overlooking the obvious?!?!?!?! Could it be that PERENELLE herself is the 5th bidder? What better way to ‘up the ante’ so o speak, than to enter yourself into the bidding?!?!?!

Circumstantial evidence continues to suggest that ‘The Spirit’ is being counted as a proxy bidder, though for person or persons unknown.

All we really know about ‘The Spirit’s’ task is that it differs from Tracy’s, which is to “Maintain Order,” presumably over the proceedings.

Re-Reading the 1/1/17 strip, Am vouches for Perenelle’s immortality, so apparently the tales of her longevity are legitimate.

On 1/5/17, ‘The Spirit’ describes his role as “Field Support For The UNODC.”

Also, on 1/11/17, Tracy points out that all of the bidders will be housed on the 28th floor, on lockdown.

Tonight in my suite; at least a good fortnight in real time…

Am vouches for a Perenelle; there is the possibility this is not she.

I agree with those who see the Spirit as the 5th bidder. “Field Support for the UNODC” suggests he is there to bid as a proxy for the organization. Tracy is there to assure lawful conduct, while Doubleup can help can help enforce security. That whip is a convincer. The art is always top-notch, but extra applause for yesterday and today’s strips. Saturday’s tableau guides the eye from Julia to the Dragon Lady with rich attention to detail. Hotshot anchors yesterday’s strip in a rich tribute to Milton Caniff. Today, Commissioner Dolan’s pipe smolders as he’s confronted with the Dragon Lady’s immunity. To the surprise of none, Joe Staton’s depiction of the Dragon Lady is superb. I wonder if Julia took a peck at Hotshot Charlie’s ear. I suspect the auction will commence well past Sammy’s bedtime.

Thanks to Willy007, 22ph, Night-Gaunt49, Neil Wick, Gweedo, Vista Bill, Doc1947G and JPuzzleWhiz for the kind words. Very much appreciated!

http://www.gocomics.com/dicktracy/2016/10/09?ct=v&cti=1079775

Kudos to Milton Caniff..

Why would the Immortals bid on the immortal formula, if only to protect their immortality?

More to protect mortal Humanity from it as they aren’t ready yet for it.

The ‘improved’ GoComics website doesn’t seem to show how many comments an individual user has made.

They’ve locked up all of my achievement points~!! :(