Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for April 23, 2017

Welcome to the cosUcon! Assembling since sunrise

Booths as far as eye can see, some vying for the prize.

Fun roleplay to hide away, to revel in disguise

Adopt a fresh personae. None need apologize.

See the crown, the mask, the cowl, the wild and the bold

Never know just what you’ll see. It never does grow old.

Now look to see Guy Fawkes sign V. There be The Far Side cows

King of the jungle prowls on past the pigs and mice from Maus.

Raccoons and leopards and bears. Oh my! You must now realize

This menagerie was meant to be. Ring out the merry cries.

Look to see technology, the mecha amasses here

Mighty armor, glowing guns, heroics in spiffy gear.

Passing by is Tony Stark, best known as Iron Man

Waves to fans and shows a clip. The new film’s in the can.

What a thrill. Excitement. Chills. There goes a tall Sasquatch

He juggles oranges for the kids. Come now let us watch

A mass of masked humanity in costumes so well made

They laugh and dance, display and prance, place killjoys in the shade.

Arriving now in coat and hat, behold the great detective

Yellow gear makes it quite clear security not defective.

Next to him is Honeymoon, a twinkle in her eyes

Her Onee-San has taught her well. Bold, yet calm and wise.

At this fun fair see those who dare to craft a sweet surprise

Alive today in their bold way, cut haters down to size.

In the first ‘regular’ panel, I see – I think – Ang, from "Avatar, The Last Airbender …

- Possibly Vegeta, from the ‘Dragon Ball’ series

- Maleficent again …

- In the fourth regular panel, possibly ‘Willy Wonka,’ though it looks like Dr. Venture might be wearing the costume.

Good morning guys!

BMBG is on the air! Today’s background music is Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” played by our own Gweedo on his kazoo!

… and yet another new character heard from.

Things we know so far …

- There are three Margies – Big, Middle, and Little.

- The three are involved in running ’CosUCon’

- ‘CosUCon’ is being held at the ‘Locher Auditorium.’

- TV Horror Movie Host ‘Svengoolie’ will be hosting and judging CosUCon’s Cosplay Contest.

- The Cosplay Contest features a grand prize of $10,000.

- CosUCon’s ‘Program Books’ were sent to the ‘Margies’ by mistake, when they should have been sent to ‘Brian.’

- Harold Teen, Shadow, and Pop Jenks know of the convention, thanks to a promotional poster placed in the window of ‘The Sugar Bowl’ by a young woman whose identity we haven’t puzzled out.

- Honeymoon ‘might’ be competing in the cosplay contest in her ‘Chimetra’ costume.

- Astor will be competing in his ‘MegaMan’ costume.

- Both Honeymoon and Astor’s costumes include working lights. Might these be used to startle someone at an opportune moment?

- Astor’s brother has a table/booth at the convention, where he will be selling cosplay props.

- Astor’s brother has a blog.

- Astor’s brother’s ‘Latest Build’ is heavy enough that Astor can only wear it for about 40 minutes at a time.

- Astor will be wearing his brother’s creation at Astor’s brother’s booth to drum up business.

- Honeymoon has invited her ‘Pop-Pop,’ Dick Tracy, to CosUCon.

- Earlier, Sam Catchem and Lizz Worthington had gifted Dick Tracy with ‘The Yellow Mask.’

- Upon arrival, Tracy is mistaken for ’Inspector Gadget.’

- Honeymoon meets up with her friend, ’Connie.’

Wow, what an obvious Filler Sunday.

Connie’s costune reminds me of young Joan of Arc.

It’s interesting that Tracy recognizes the cartoon characters.

Might a cameo from ‘Fearless Fossdick’ be in the offing …?

The question is, who is Connie? My guess is she’s based on a real person.

Connie is ‘probably’ dressed as a game character, not my area of expertise.

She’s likely not ‘Prince Valiant.’

I talked with a fursuiter online a few years ago. He told me that his raccoon costume cost $600 and I was not suitably impressed by how good a deal that was. These fursuits usually cost several thousands of dollars. It’s a big industry and the furries attend everything from local meet-ups to national conventions across the country.

“Pop Pop, do you know what a crossover is?”

“Yes Honeymoon, I wasn’t born yesterday! "

“Well, that’s obvious”

Honeymoon and Tracy share a huge laugh!

“Time to take you home, you disrespectful little brat!”

Now only Tracy is laughing!

And who is that coming through the backdoor but Morrow and StillDaMatt as their real life selves !

http://www.laurel-and-hardy.com/home/PICS/l&h2.jpg

FUN FACT: ‘Gundam’ and ‘Dirty Pair’ artist Yoshikazu Yasuhiko produced a multi-volume manga inspired by the story of Joan of Arc.

Here’s volume #1 …

https://www.amazon.com/Joan-1-Yoshikazu-Yasuhiko/dp/1588990907

Anyface, I can’t comment under yours because it is locked up. Someone managed too, but there is no response to open it.

Earlier, someone mentioned the 1812 Overture. My favorite version: // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0zgq_WQLVI

And, by the by, who is Connie? Has she been introduced before?

Good morning my friends. Have a blessed day.

I like Fursuiters, they often show up at certain events unexpectedly in full animal costumes.

Sonic the Hedgehog parody is in this strip!

Will there be jousting? ;)

Today’s strip pretty much verifies my comments from the last few weeks. All it needs is a smoky haze over the crowd.

Left over from yesterday—Tracy’s “Wowzers!” remark when a CosuCon goer said his “costume” made him look like Inspector Gadget obviously amused Honeymoon. Anyone know if “Inspector Gadget” is still on the air in reruns somewhere? I can’t imagine otherwise that Honeymoon is old enough that Tracy’s remark would have enough meaning to her for her to be amused.

Props to Shelley— no talking head CU’s here. All crowd “shots” w/ very specific costuming, detail.

Inside the auditorium the cosplay convention is on! Walking to work Friday, I smiled at the costumed folk outside the Blackstone hotel. They are in town for the C2E2 at McCormick Place, where today’s panels and exhibits cover anime/manga, books, comics, cosplay, gaming, graphic novels, movies and more. I have never been to this type of conference, but know it attracts a wide range of attendees. Those involved in game design, comics, film, animation and cosplay find plenty to see and do. Tie-ins with comics, film, animation and games make for a diverse crowd, along with networking possibilities for young, talented job-seekers. I’ll be riding my bicycle past McCormick soon. I’ll report back if I see any costumed people strolling by the lake. More great art today. Lots to take in. I like the overhead perspective of Honeymoon as her phone rings. Yes, Tracy knows a little about crossovers. Snirk!

Thanks to Vista Bill, Neil Wick, Gweedo, Jim in CT, Night-Gaunt49, JPuzzleWhiz, Chris Sherlock and Ray Toler for the kind words. Very much appreciated!

Even though we have seen no crime committed yet, Tracy is ever observant and analytical. He wonders about the characters he does not recognize and questions why costumes look professionally made at an amateur competition.

Looks like the Tracyville state asylum has a “day out” for the inmates. I thought I saw their bus parked outside. At 5 pm, they’ll all line up for their meds.

Since this is the first post about the fur community I thought I’d post it on the root level.

My first writing coach, who brought me into the fandom, once told me he spoke to a fursuiter at a con (Anthrocon, I believe in Philly.) Anyway he asked how the fursuiter could stand to be in that hot suit. For when Shado touched his shoulder it felt like a nuclear furance! The suiter said “When you see those kids’ eyes light up, seeing a living cat coming to visit them in a peds wards…well that makes it worth while.”

I’ve gained a LOT of respect for the fandom in the years since I’ve been in it. We’re fierce advocates of animals, many are vegans (I’m a vegetarian myself) but the idea of using /real fur/ is almost blasphemy.

We are strong advocates for tolerance and acceptance of people of diverse cultures, and beliefs. There is a huge majority of the LBGT community in it, and furs come from all backgrounds. I personally know a Ph’d, and a surgeon. One, another writing coach is from Romania, my third writing coach is a published author, a Marine, and father of 2 boys (sadly autistic). So don’t believe the egg-sucking TV shows and articles. that depict only the most fringe sickness of the fandom. Just remember they’re another example of bad human behavior; greed, and sensationalism.

To balance this; I will say there is a fringe society of evil, or even mentally ill furs who participate into several — undesirable behaviors. But I am also a SF con goer, and lets say that if it’s a gathering of /humans/ there will be bad behavior no matter what group; It’s human nature I’m afraid.

I come from a culture who’s misaligned (I’m Appalachian, and I’m not a Beverly Hillbilly, Swamp Person or the like.) So think of my posts, and consider what you may have learned was probably /programmed/ by people who want to spread their own agenda, and to sell things. Greed will corrupt even priests. (and that’s been proven sadly.)

Part 2:

I nearly forgot to say: Our record of furcons raising money for animal charities should be considered in this; Every con I’m aware of have a Charity that raises huge amounts. Also the fur community was always very respectful and supportive of me, I never got the support though the SF communities, and especially from my home town, or Covington where I spent 25 years.

Team Tracy has had their roots in comics, and especially the anthropomorphic community. They’re one I’d trust to pro tray us right. (I do love the Katmandu comics) So have at it, Team Tracy!

Is Tracy going to become a furry now?

With all this talk of furries, I thought ’d post this strange news that neo-Nazis have infiltrated the furry fandom. It ran just a week ago.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4412692/Neo-Nazi-furries-uproar-causes-convention-cancelation.html

Neo-Nazi furries. When being a furry by itself just isn’t weird enough.

150 comments and still 10 hours to go. Will we reach 200 today?

Iv’e met a few Furries that I have disagreed with or stayed clear of, but these guys…. I think hate might be the right word. I just hope they don’t start branching into the other fandoms as well. I could just see a bunch of Nazi style FMA (Full Metal Alchemist) military or Nazi Naruto Ninja showing up at a con. It would get ugly fast. Or Vulcan Romulan sympathizers (Give up our ways and embrace your emotions!), Pure breed Klingons (Kill all of those who don’t have brow ridges!), or the Borg movement (Be assimilated or die!).

Problem is, I can see it happening.

Tracy may be suspicious, but a lot of the costumes I’ve seen photos of are professionally made or of Hollywood quality. (They sure aren’t made by a kid with a sewing machine.) In some cases the cosplayers are pros who get their costumes made professionally, and just model them at the cons, while others actually make their own.

Go to www.deviantart.com and enter cosplay in the search window, and you should be able to see a good variety.

With the green of the costume and the blonde lock over the forehead, Honeymoon bears a resemblance to Tinkerbell (at the risk of rousing Disney’s lawyers…).

Re: Nazi Furries: My first thought was, you gotta be kidding! Then, when I saw the photos, well, let’s just say the hair raised on the back of my neck. Skin in the game: That “con” was supposed to be in my home town, Denver!

I don’t know what’s more disturbing. That grown adults walk around dressed like cartoon characters or furry animals, or that Joe & Mike think this makes for an entertaining comic strip.

While Neil Wick criticized them for cancelling, I’m not so sure: Just how do you prevent a whole scale hijacking of an event? Seeing the costumes in question, there is no question in my mind that this was their goal!

A very interesting and full set of comments today, starting with a great poem from Pequod.

The question that strikes me first (and I see I am not alone in this) is, who is Connie? She seems so specific that I’d like to believe she is based on someone in real life. But if so, I can’t think of any celebrity “Connie” who fits. Maybe she’s based on someone Shelley or Mike (or even Joe?) knows….

So far, arc-wise, we’re still in set-up. Unless things transpire very rapidly indeed, this story seems to me likely to go on rather longer than I initially expected. How long that means, I cannot say.

What are the responsibilities of event organizers to prevent intentional mayhem? What resources do they have at their disposal? All things considered, cancellation may well have been the right thing to do!

Sorry but I find the “Fur Community” weird and silly. I’m fully aware that in this age of total inclusion I’ve got to accept, approve and like " Furballs" and by not embracing it I’m opening myself up to be called a bigot. The irony is that my inability to freely express my views isn’t considering a hypocritical double standard.

What the heck! Let me beat Anyneil to #200!

@ Neil Wick: Yeah, that was me that said $10k didn’t look like a “major crime.” I remember being chided that these events often operate on a shoestring budget and that, to them, indeed, to any of us, $10k wasn’t “chump change.” Nevertheless, $10k just doesn’t seem to be in the same league with Mr. Bribery or most historic Tracy villains. // On the other hand, I think you’re on to something, that perhaps this summer’s “big story” will be a continuation of what’s just starting right now. // Maybe Joe Staton’s vacation will be a bit longer than we were led to believe!

Wow, 224 comments! and this one makes it 225.

So, when are we gonna find out who this story’s villain will be?