Oh my widdle aching head
Ahead on this strip I have read
I’ll not tell you what’s to come
Suffice to say it will leave you numb
On the storm swept shores a granary stands
Put there to meet farmer’s demands
Above the flood plain it was built
Though precariously now it begins to tilt
The waves of the rising water do batter
The foundation soon they will shatter
Inside, the barbs do fly
Between the dick and the other guy
No love is lost in their exchange
It’s difficult to tell who is more deranged
Amazing, after all this time has flown
Mordred’s motive is still unknown
Was he abused as a child
Or just someone running wild
On the silver screen will he life be splashed
Or are his hopes to be dashed
Will Tracy glean the truth
For he is a fabled sleuth
Or will he drop the ball
And engage in a fatal brawl
Like I said, I’ve read ahead
The rest is better left unsaid.
I want to take a moment to go over todays strip, panel by panel.
Crimestoppers: That hand, that phone, this is all wrong. Is that man doing some sort of cool trick or is some disembodied hand putting that tiny phone to his ear?
Panel 1: What deal? No one agreed to anything!
Panel 2: The entire outside is flooded and yet the granary holds its ground?
Panel 3: No law enforcement does not Tracy. YOU want to know. Im sure the readers wouldnt mind knowing either. Law enforcement could careless. Law enforcement would like to know why you havent checked in since common sense hasnt told them all communications are down. Law enforcement is probably still waiting on you to bring Mordred so they can finish this trial in the middle of a flood. One cant help but be impressed at their tenacity.
Panel 4: Why is Mordreds face glowing like some sort of lamp?
Panel 5: HES FREE! RUN FOR IT TRACY!
Panel 6: HES TRYING TO BLIND YOU WITH HIS LAMP FACE! And since that obviously isnt working hes gone to Plan B! Offer fame and fortune!
Panel 7: Man Tracy, you could use a nap. Even your witty remarks are lame. And you have some large bags under your eyes. Might want to just chain Mordred somewhere and go to another corner and rest. Wait, on second thought leave the chains alone. You messed with them once and hes already broken loose too many times for comfort.
Well at least the art and color is done better this week but I think this might be the worst arc Ive ever read.
The Locher Mess Monster is equally pleased with its achievement. “There!” it crows as it spills more ink. “I just made Dick Tracy say ‘scumbag,’ and on a Sunday, too! Take that, Chet Gould!”
That’s right, don’t ever give out your personal information under ANY circumstances!
“I’m sorry, honey. I know I promised to love, honor, and cherish you,til death do we part, but you’re still not getting my mother’s maiden name. No! I don’t care that you haven’t thanked her for the waffle iron yet!!”
I know at the pace we’re going most people have probably forgotten….but Locher spent at least a week (if not two) setting up that Mordred had friends that were going to break him out so he could continue his murdering spree. It even seemed as if these friends caused four cars to get flat tires, caused a storm to turn the street into a lake, and enticed Tracy to try to jump said lake resulting in a crash. Are these friends inside the abandoned barn (off panel) forcing Tracy to untie Mordred? Or is Mordred a hypnotist?
CretinCat, Mordred’s friends got together with the people who had sworn to kill him and the drivers of the decoy cars. They’re now playing a marathon Scrabble game, which is being used to generate the dialog.
Does Mordred realize that Thick has agreed to his deal, and Mordred should now start talking?
Psychologists would no doubt love to have an insight into Mordred’s thought processes. And this part would make sense, if the FBI had first briefed Thick, and told him they’d set up the transfer because they thought Mordred would open up to him, and if a psychologist had told Thick which questions to ask.
Personal note: If I ever want to know what a deranged killer thinks or what would motivate him, all I would have to do is ask my brother. Now, he’s never killed anybody (yet) but the thinking is all there for anybody who has the stomach to listen to it. So, my tolerance for this plot development is at an all-time low. Releasing him so he can spill his vile against humanity? Thanks, but I’ll take a pass on that. He stays chained (in fact, I want to be really sure he’s secure). I know, from reading ahead that this doesn’t happen, but in the real world this guy doesn’t walk free again.
I’m not sure about Locher/Brozman. What are they doing roaming around loose? Do their attendants know they’re out? Sorry, Bill, but it seems whenever I face the Locher-Brozman signature I get a bit judgmental too.
That light-up mask does explain how they’ve got light to see with.
The electricity would have been turned off some time ago, and even if not the storm would have shorted the power panels which are usually located on the ground floor. So, no electric lights on the second floor.
Problem, theologically: Giving a criminal a “halo” seems to be a really bad idea. Are we to assume that Locher thinks deranged killers are good? Maybe even holy? There’s a scary thought or two.
I hope the new team just does a clean reboot of this mess and starts all over again. Put Liz(z) back as detective, bring back Pat Patton as chief, restore Junior the way HE’S SUPPOSED TO LOOK and have the useless Lt. Teevo start a car and blow up.
If your eyes are set so close together there’s hardly room for your nose, and someone glues a phone to his fingertips and shoves it in your face, and the phone asks you for personal information – there must be some kind of funny business going on, because you are so conspicuous everyone in town knows who you are.
At least we know where the light is coming from. This must be one of the pairs of decoys, and the actor portraying Dr. Mordred is reading his lines inside that hood with a flashlight.
I wonder if all the decoy cars got sunk in flooded intersections (or the same intersection?) and all the decoy cops and prisoners took refuge in granaries (or different parts of the same granary)? We might find ourselves switching back and forth between decoys and the real Tracy & Mordred without warning. The pairs might encounter each other, too, if they’ve taken refuge in the same abandoned granary.
-Cougar :{)
TALK IS ACTION
DELAY IS SUSPENSE
STASIS IS EXCITEMENT
So how would one go about rebooting this mess? Have Tracy roll over and wake up, look in the mirror and realize hes about twenty years younger, Pat is still on the force and may or may not be his partner and that was all a horrible dream? Or was it a vision of the future? Tracy could spend a few seconds pondering that before the wrist gee-nee signals him and hes on his way to stop another criminal.
Ludwig, REBOOT is the thing to do! Re-boot it back to where Queenie’s big arse is plugging up the smokestack of a harbor tug! That way, none of this garbage ever existed!
The feminists have had their 15 minutes of fame running the PD, and Teevo has had his experience changing the ribbon on the dot matrix printer in the Telex Room. C’mon back, Pat Patton! Bring it on Diet Smith and BO!
Bill Thompson–thanks for the link to the NYT article. It explains a lot, including why I canceled my subscription to the Tribune a little after Zell’s Angels took over.
The good news is that no matter how dismally this arc ends, all the new guys have to do is have Tracy wake up and say, “Wow, what a strange dream that was!” If it worked for Dallas…
Anyone else notice, in panel 4, that the granary has grown! Compare size to strips: 1/23, 1/29 for examples. Maybe it can turn into a sports venue after Thick and Mordred have their denouement.
Bill, I just looked at your link. As you say, it does explain a lot. Locher fits right in with Tribune management thinking. If that’s not a frightening thought, it will do until the real thing comes along.
Since this is an old abandoned building, I am surprised it is holding up so well.
When you look at granary being hit by high winds and those raging waves of water, one would think the foundation would be giving out by now, bringing down the building.
FLIGHT SUIT almost 14 years ago
Well yeah, if some stranger holds a cell phone up to my ear, I’m not going to divulge my social security number.
Meanwhile, it’s great to see that Dick and Mord are in the planning phase of their gay porn movie endeavor.
Vista Bill Raley and Comet™ almost 14 years ago
I see Mordred has his Kenner Glow in the Dark Hood on today…
margueritem almost 14 years ago
Oh sure, just leave us in suspence WW! ;-)
margueritem almost 14 years ago
I do like the last panel, nicely drawn today.
wndrwrthg almost 14 years ago
Oh my widdle aching head Ahead on this strip I have read I’ll not tell you what’s to come Suffice to say it will leave you numb On the storm swept shores a granary stands Put there to meet farmer’s demands Above the flood plain it was built Though precariously now it begins to tilt The waves of the rising water do batter The foundation soon they will shatter Inside, the barbs do fly Between the dick and the other guy No love is lost in their exchange It’s difficult to tell who is more deranged Amazing, after all this time has flown Mordred’s motive is still unknown Was he abused as a child Or just someone running wild On the silver screen will he life be splashed Or are his hopes to be dashed Will Tracy glean the truth For he is a fabled sleuth Or will he drop the ball And engage in a fatal brawl Like I said, I’ve read ahead The rest is better left unsaid.
Midnite almost 14 years ago
wndrwrthg is back and in excellent form!
I want to take a moment to go over todays strip, panel by panel.
Crimestoppers: That hand, that phone, this is all wrong. Is that man doing some sort of cool trick or is some disembodied hand putting that tiny phone to his ear? Panel 1: What deal? No one agreed to anything! Panel 2: The entire outside is flooded and yet the granary holds its ground? Panel 3: No law enforcement does not Tracy. YOU want to know. Im sure the readers wouldnt mind knowing either. Law enforcement could careless. Law enforcement would like to know why you havent checked in since common sense hasnt told them all communications are down. Law enforcement is probably still waiting on you to bring Mordred so they can finish this trial in the middle of a flood. One cant help but be impressed at their tenacity. Panel 4: Why is Mordreds face glowing like some sort of lamp? Panel 5: HES FREE! RUN FOR IT TRACY! Panel 6: HES TRYING TO BLIND YOU WITH HIS LAMP FACE! And since that obviously isnt working hes gone to Plan B! Offer fame and fortune! Panel 7: Man Tracy, you could use a nap. Even your witty remarks are lame. And you have some large bags under your eyes. Might want to just chain Mordred somewhere and go to another corner and rest. Wait, on second thought leave the chains alone. You messed with them once and hes already broken loose too many times for comfort.
Well at least the art and color is done better this week but I think this might be the worst arc Ive ever read.
mrbribery almost 14 years ago
A book…or a movie… or even better yet a Broadway musical!
And of course product licensing, for all the Mordred parties sure to come.
Or- and I’m stretching it here- could it even be a comic strip.
No, that’d never work…
Bill Thompson almost 14 years ago
well said, Wonder Warthog!
The Locher Mess Monster is equally pleased with its achievement. “There!” it crows as it spills more ink. “I just made Dick Tracy say ‘scumbag,’ and on a Sunday, too! Take that, Chet Gould!”
Dr. Midnight almost 14 years ago
That’s right, don’t ever give out your personal information under ANY circumstances!
“I’m sorry, honey. I know I promised to love, honor, and cherish you,til death do we part, but you’re still not getting my mother’s maiden name. No! I don’t care that you haven’t thanked her for the waffle iron yet!!”
Bill Thompson almost 14 years ago
Mordred has taken today’s Slimegobbler’s Drekbook to heart. Or whatever.
He isn’t laughing at Thick any more. Has his sedative worn off or is he just as bored as the rest of us?
CretinCat almost 14 years ago
I know at the pace we’re going most people have probably forgotten….but Locher spent at least a week (if not two) setting up that Mordred had friends that were going to break him out so he could continue his murdering spree. It even seemed as if these friends caused four cars to get flat tires, caused a storm to turn the street into a lake, and enticed Tracy to try to jump said lake resulting in a crash. Are these friends inside the abandoned barn (off panel) forcing Tracy to untie Mordred? Or is Mordred a hypnotist?
Bill Thompson almost 14 years ago
CretinCat, Mordred’s friends got together with the people who had sworn to kill him and the drivers of the decoy cars. They’re now playing a marathon Scrabble game, which is being used to generate the dialog.
Does Mordred realize that Thick has agreed to his deal, and Mordred should now start talking?
Psychologists would no doubt love to have an insight into Mordred’s thought processes. And this part would make sense, if the FBI had first briefed Thick, and told him they’d set up the transfer because they thought Mordred would open up to him, and if a psychologist had told Thick which questions to ask.
OzzieJohn almost 14 years ago
Flight Suit said, “Well yeah, if some stranger holds a cell phone up to my ear, I’m not going to divulge my social security number.”
… especially a stranger with a cell phone glued to his fingertips
Bill Thompson almost 14 years ago
Why is it that whenever Thick faces the Locher/Brozman signature, he gets all judgemental?
Major Matt Mason Premium Member almost 14 years ago
Cell Phone Guy has obviously read ahead as well. Nothing else could produce that look of utter pain.
-MMM-
mjmsprt40 almost 14 years ago
Personal note: If I ever want to know what a deranged killer thinks or what would motivate him, all I would have to do is ask my brother. Now, he’s never killed anybody (yet) but the thinking is all there for anybody who has the stomach to listen to it. So, my tolerance for this plot development is at an all-time low. Releasing him so he can spill his vile against humanity? Thanks, but I’ll take a pass on that. He stays chained (in fact, I want to be really sure he’s secure). I know, from reading ahead that this doesn’t happen, but in the real world this guy doesn’t walk free again.
I’m not sure about Locher/Brozman. What are they doing roaming around loose? Do their attendants know they’re out? Sorry, Bill, but it seems whenever I face the Locher-Brozman signature I get a bit judgmental too.
Araldite almost 14 years ago
Forget about Mordred, readers would like to know what makes Locher tick. Fortunately, the clock has almost run out on him.
OldTracy almost 14 years ago
Spacy: “Inquiring minds want to know”.
JCFremont almost 14 years ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRaoHi_xcWk&feature=related
Dr. Midnight almost 14 years ago
Locher’s latest scheme to get rich: He’s selling Mordred lamps. A little statue of his character Mordred with a light up head to cheer any room.
In order to drum up business, he will be featuring it in the Nationally Syndicated Comic “Dick Tracy.”
mjmsprt40 almost 14 years ago
That light-up mask does explain how they’ve got light to see with.
The electricity would have been turned off some time ago, and even if not the storm would have shorted the power panels which are usually located on the ground floor. So, no electric lights on the second floor.
Problem, theologically: Giving a criminal a “halo” seems to be a really bad idea. Are we to assume that Locher thinks deranged killers are good? Maybe even holy? There’s a scary thought or two.
prrdh almost 14 years ago
CretinCat said, about 8 hours ago
.. is Mordred a hypnotist?…
He’s Mandrake’s evil twin, and he wants the chains off so that he’s free to gesture hypnotically.
Meanwhile, once again, as Locher gestures soporifically…
Bill Thompson almost 14 years ago
This NY Times article from last October helps explain how Locher has got away with his inanities:
http://tinyurl.com/39v6uao
LudwigVonDrake almost 14 years ago
I hope the new team just does a clean reboot of this mess and starts all over again. Put Liz(z) back as detective, bring back Pat Patton as chief, restore Junior the way HE’S SUPPOSED TO LOOK and have the useless Lt. Teevo start a car and blow up.
CougarAllen almost 14 years ago
If your eyes are set so close together there’s hardly room for your nose, and someone glues a phone to his fingertips and shoves it in your face, and the phone asks you for personal information – there must be some kind of funny business going on, because you are so conspicuous everyone in town knows who you are.
At least we know where the light is coming from. This must be one of the pairs of decoys, and the actor portraying Dr. Mordred is reading his lines inside that hood with a flashlight.
I wonder if all the decoy cars got sunk in flooded intersections (or the same intersection?) and all the decoy cops and prisoners took refuge in granaries (or different parts of the same granary)? We might find ourselves switching back and forth between decoys and the real Tracy & Mordred without warning. The pairs might encounter each other, too, if they’ve taken refuge in the same abandoned granary.
-Cougar :{)
TALK IS ACTION DELAY IS SUSPENSE STASIS IS EXCITEMENT
Midnite almost 14 years ago
So how would one go about rebooting this mess? Have Tracy roll over and wake up, look in the mirror and realize hes about twenty years younger, Pat is still on the force and may or may not be his partner and that was all a horrible dream? Or was it a vision of the future? Tracy could spend a few seconds pondering that before the wrist gee-nee signals him and hes on his way to stop another criminal.
billdi Premium Member almost 14 years ago
i guess locher thinks this is really clever repartee.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0_bYHZrw9A
JCFremont almost 14 years ago
Is that Donny Most on that cell phone?
Morrow Cummings almost 14 years ago
Ludwig, REBOOT is the thing to do! Re-boot it back to where Queenie’s big arse is plugging up the smokestack of a harbor tug! That way, none of this garbage ever existed!
The feminists have had their 15 minutes of fame running the PD, and Teevo has had his experience changing the ribbon on the dot matrix printer in the Telex Room. C’mon back, Pat Patton! Bring it on Diet Smith and BO!
puddleglum1066 almost 14 years ago
Bill Thompson–thanks for the link to the NYT article. It explains a lot, including why I canceled my subscription to the Tribune a little after Zell’s Angels took over.
The good news is that no matter how dismally this arc ends, all the new guys have to do is have Tracy wake up and say, “Wow, what a strange dream that was!” If it worked for Dallas…
Groundzero almost 14 years ago
If someone gave me their SS# I wouldn’t know what to do with it–I guess I wouldn’t make a very good con man.
William Bednar Premium Member almost 14 years ago
Anyone else notice, in panel 4, that the granary has grown! Compare size to strips: 1/23, 1/29 for examples. Maybe it can turn into a sports venue after Thick and Mordred have their denouement.
mjmsprt40 almost 14 years ago
Bill, I just looked at your link. As you say, it does explain a lot. Locher fits right in with Tribune management thinking. If that’s not a frightening thought, it will do until the real thing comes along.
thejensens almost 14 years ago
Since this is an old abandoned building, I am surprised it is holding up so well.
When you look at granary being hit by high winds and those raging waves of water, one would think the foundation would be giving out by now, bringing down the building.
LudwigVonDrake almost 14 years ago
Once Mordred gets free of his chains will he take off his mask?
emptydog almost 14 years ago
Most excellent, wndrwrthg.