Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 02, 2020

Good morning™, Styx fans!

Mr. Roboto is playing a dangerous game — correction: it’s not a game.

Time to check back in with Mr. R to see what his next move will be.

Picturing Tracy as a big Styx fan when he was a teen…yeah, not seeing it. Imagine 40s big band would be more his speed.

Tracy to the Chief: “Game on – I mean off…”

Good morning™, grand illusioners !

The chief did not specify “extreme prejudice” but may have a que sera sera outlook on people who point guns with intent to violence.

Well there’s only so much in the budget, and the boss must look good because he’s got to represent.

Good Morning™, Closing In Fast, Everyone!

Styx around, folks! There’s more to come!

Those guys look just like The Green Hornet and Kato. Maybe……..

And the hunt is on!!!

its more likely that the writer must be a big Styx fan

I’ve been watching episodes of Law & Order SVU on the USA network recently. I can hear Chief Patton’s speech in the last panel in Capt. Cragen’s voice.

The last three days have shown zero movement whatsoever, instead of attempting to move the story forward we get a three day rehash of what we’ve already seen…which legitimately could have been handled in one day

Introduction of a new villain in preparation for an armed robbery. The robbery. Tracy learning of the robbery. Tracy receiving footage of the robbery via Wrist Genii. “He calls himself ‘Mr. Roboto.’” Patton tells Tracy the case is now top priority. This is a lightning fast set up. It was often Gould’s practice to spend a lot of time with a new criminal before Tracy was brought into the story. The rapid establishment here gives room for other story elements to be added to the mix. Well done. Also, I like the way the three panels are used today: gang members, outside the police station (with “voice over”), inside with Patton.

1-CHIEF We got the Halloween Hooligan’s gang to pose for a picture. Like HH himself, their elaborate masks make them unrecognizable!! Where are you now Tracy?

2-DT: Outside the Police Station. It’s been my experience that all criminals in this town ultimately end up here. Or dead.

3-CHIEF: THAT’S ONLY AFTER YOU CATCH THEM YOU DOLT!!! SERGEANT!!! MORE…

SERGEANT: Sorry Chief. We’re out. CHIEF: Oh my head…

Putty Puss now sings everything he says using rock songs. Blackjack constantly plays Tubthumpin’. Mr. Roboto cosplays Styx songs. These all seem like variations on a theme. Is anyone else starting to see a recurring pattern here?

Seems the Crimson Avenger and Wing haven’t washed their costumes in some time.

The last time I really read dick Tracy in the comics was about 1990 I think and they had crook who was using his car phone to get away. They were talking about triangulating cell phone towers to find his position.. this was in 1990.. seemed far-fetched at the time but now we know it as fact.. nice to know they do some research!

On first quick read of panel 3, I asked myself, “why a game show?” Then I looked again and saw the punctuation. One problem solved.

I don’t really care if Tracy happens to be familiar with a 1983 Styx album; it’s the masks that matter, and regarding the masks it’s “Mr. Roboto’s” motive that remains to be clarified. Maybe the guy behind the mask is a big Styx fan….