Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for March 04, 2011

Look! Morbid set out rat poison between his feet!

I knew it! In panel #2 at least one rat has a definite death wish!

By the way, can you repeatedly pull the trigger on an unloaded automatic pistol?

Attack of the Killer Rats!

No more bullets? Well then I guess Dick’s finally going to die.

Eat him already and end our worst nightmare!

VistaBill, you’re thinking of “The Killer Shrews,” also known as “The Attack of the Killer Shrews.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhG8vLz9PUA

And if that trailer doesn’t remind you of this strip …

The entire movie, with ads, is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5OQGXgNyVc

Morbid will be even uglier when the rats are done chewing on him.

I like the way Dick extends his pinky finger when attempting to shoot. Very high class.

No, you can’t keep pulling the trigger on an unloaded automatic, unless you keep pulling the slide back.

Is the rat in panel 2 actually sticking his nose into the gun barrel? Naw, couldn’t be.

BillThompson said, “VistaBill, you’re thinking of “The Killer Shrews,” also known as “The Attack of the Killer Shrews.” ”

That’s one scary movie!

Yeah, I know how you feel, Mordred. My worst nightmare is another ten days of this…

barticle35, that rat has discovered the only way to get a mind-blowing experience in this arc. Either that or it wants the lead role in a production of “The Taming of the Shrew.”

The rats will pull off Mordred’s hood and run away screaming (squeaking?). This will earn Thick’s gratitude which will be displayed in an adults only spin off.

They’ve put up some more Sunday sections from the Thirties, Fourties and Fifties:

http://www.ilovecomixarchive.com/D/Dick-Tracy

Elmer Fudd: Hey, you! Come back here! (Elmer primes gun, but nothing happens, he stops and looks down at his gun) Well, whaddo you know, no more buwwets.

Bugs Bunny, who has been looking on with interest, and now feigns surprise: No more buwwets? (Calls out to Daffy) Hey laughing boy, no more bullets.

Daffy returns, rubbing his hands.

Daffy Duck: No more bullets?

Daffy Duck, snatching the gun from Elmer’s hands: Here, lemme thee this thing. (he raises the gun to his eyes) Hmm

The gun fires in Daffy’s face.

Shot of Elmer, looking surprised and happy to see his gun working.

Elmer Fudd: Well, whaddo you know, one buwwet weft.

Bugs Bunny: One buwwet weft?! Hey, laughing boy, there was -

Daffy Duck, a bullet still in his scalp, very grumpy. The bullet has taken his scalp off and left pink skin.

Daffy Duck: I know, I know!

There are double action semi-autos. Single action is so 1911

In truth, Mordred is so bored that his eyes have glazed over.

Lame dialogue. Would a villain especially one of the “bwaaa ha ha etc” variety, really say: “my worst nightmare!” ? More like: “Aaaargh get them off me get them off me etc”.

Are the eye slits in Mordred’s mask spinning? It’s hard enough to believe the crocodile-jawed mutant rats let alone that sentient mask.

I hope Sam doesn’t turn up real soon ‘coz Tracy with an empty gun means this strip can finally be put at rest.

Rats! I was beaten to the Elmer Fudd punch.

Huh, huh. I said “rats.”

HA HA HA HO HO HA!

Is Morbid just going to lie there and whine, or is he going to do something constructive like panic and jump out a window?

Maybe that rat in panel #2 is worried about Thick’s gun and wants to give it muzzle-to-muzzle resuscitation.

We still have almost two weeks of Mordred screaming like a girl over the rats.

The rats scurry and scamper across the floor Soon Mordred will be no more An ignominious end to one so vicious If only Locher would be more expeditious Tracy having fired his last shot Is next on the menu, likely as not Soon though, the rats may be crying foul As fear causes Tracy to loosen his bowel The vile vermin, their teeth they cruelly bare Are about to dine on the most unappetizing fare Those are the fugliest rodents that Locher could draw Instead of fear, they produce a hearty guffaw Counting down the days, the end is almost nigh And when it comes, we will all breathe a great sigh.

Thanks, billdi, BillT, Nvash and neonleon59.

@ BillT, I notice that “The Killer Shrews” stars James Best ( Rosco P. Coltrane) and Ken Curtis ( Festus Haggen) in early roles. I’m glad they got better roles later on.

Guys, I have seen on tribune media site some preview of the new strip by new creative team. The y are awesome!!!

Don’t cops carry a spare clip or two? Not that it would be much help against hundreds of rats.

I have a strong hunch that Tracy is going to be rescued yet again. This has happened a lot lately. By the time the Marines show up, James Bond has already blown up the island, destroyed the nuclear missile, impregnated three women, and is sipping a martini. Sigh…

One more day of rats vs Tracy and we’ll pretty much get the wrap up on Sunday.

The rat in panel 2 loves the smell of cordite in the morning.

In panel 3, Mordreck speaks for us all, although we’re talking about the strip, not the rats. But why doesn’t he just appeal to them to leave him alone out of professional courtesy?

It’s not surprising that Spacy would waste all his ammo rather than run out the door. Nor is it surprising that Spacy would pee in his pants in panel #2.

who’s chirping now froggy?

The first rule of self-defense when attacked by a pack of rats: lie down on the floor to get them over-confident.

So they just slapped their signatures right smack in the middle of a panel?

Deus ex ratina.

Look at those legs: they’re reindeer! Tiny reindeer! Eight tiny reindeer! Wearing masks! Which means that the big guy in the mask–ohmigod, now we know what happens to kids on Santa’s Naughty List! And who does it! He doesn’t just sit around and make toys during the off-season, does he?

And this means Dick Tracy shot Rudolph!

3 Questions

1) Where is Sam and his Amphi-car?? 2) Is Spacy left handed or right? It keeps changing. 3) Why doesn’t Spacy just handcuff Modred while the rats are attacking since they won’t bother him? They might help put the chains back on too.

Thanks for picking up the names, Wonder Warthog. What’s interesting is that James Best is still alive and working, and according to the IMDB, he’s just been cast in a sequel to “The Killer Shrews.” No word on whether or not the new movie involves an old granary …

Give Mordred credit for summing up this saga.

I’m guessing about 3 more days of ‘action’ and then 6 days of awful puns at Police Headquarters.

Oh and good job as always Wonder Warthog; your talent is amazing. I’d be stuck on the 3rd line and give up.

Yes indeed. There are double action automatic pistols. My Walther PP 7.65 mm is such a weapon. Btw, they are really SEMI-automatic pistols. An automatic weapon keeps firing as long as you hold the trigger back (or until it runs out of ammo-whichwever comes first). A semiautomatic fires only when you pull the trigger each time. It just automatically ejects the old cartridge case and chambers a fresh one after each shot.

P.S. It also bleeep the trigger too, of course.

chemcope, I understand that pulling the trigger with an empty chamber can mess up the firing pin. I wonder if those multiple clicks are there for dramatic effect (the gun is really empty, and going to stay that way) or if they mean Thick has panicked.

You’d think he would have a second clip on hand.

Wndrwrthg: most excellent, I admire your skill.

9

WW Another good one. I don’t know how you come up with them. I wouldn’t even think of the first word.

Where were all the rats when the water was over Tracy and Mordred’s ankles?

Actually, if the pistol was out of ammo the magazine follower would have locked the slide open after the last round was fired, indicating a reload is needed. With the slide locked back, he wouldn’t be able to pull the trigger.

Any second now Mordred will stop screaming, stand up and say “Wait - did you say No More Ammo?” Let the Bwahahahing recommence!