Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 15, 2020

Good morning™, gratuitous action shooters !

Looks like a lot of wasted stuff going on here. He knows he can’t get out and the potential hostages are filing out as the bullets fly. Well, they’re leaving if they know what’s good for them, while the shooters’ attention is fully engaged.

“Cold War” is another song from “Kilroy Was Here”, the same 1983 Styx album as “Mr. Roboto”.

Good morning™, blammers!

They’re still busy shooting out the windows while they try to think about what to do next.

No backup exit plan, just in and out of the front door. A well thought of plan by Mr. Roboto !!!!

Let’s see who runs out of bullets first.

If I was a hostage, I’d be flat on the floor. Love the Styx references, by the way.

Quiet? Gun shots are noisy.

Well robbing a Payday Loan place is almost acceptable. Too bad Usury isn’t still a crime.

Such a comedian!!!

Better think fast, because unless you and the boys have hidden stashes in your pockets, you are about out of ammo.

Is that the ‘polite’ teller on the phone in the background?

The chap at lower right’s pose was borrowed from the cover of Action Comics #1. Mike only swipes from the best! :D

What we need now is to hear Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping”, then Blackjack will show up and we will have a real party!

word of advice to the civilians STILL standing around. GET ON THE GROUND NOW!

BANG! BANG! Quiet, I’m BANG! thinking.

The action intensifies at Mayberry’s ill-named post office…

1-BARNEY: I hope they don’t slip out the back door. DT: There’s a back door?

2-SOULFUL: LET’S BEAT IT OUT THE BACK DOOR BOSS! NO ONE WANTS TO BE DEFEATED.

KABUKI: NO WAY. THEY’LL HAVE THAT COVERED FOR SURE. SOULFUL: HEY BOSS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAN IN THE MIRROR, DO YOU SEE A SMOOTH CRIMINAL?

AINT BEE: DAMN! I LIKE THAT MICHAEL JACKSON APPEALED TO ALL RACES AS MUCH AS ANYBODY BUT STOP WITH THE REFERENCES ALL READY!!! AN-DEEEEEE!!!

DO NOTHING GUARD: I’M HIT. THERE’S BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR NOW!

AINT BEE: OOH. A DEEP CUT. I’LL ALLOW IT.

Is Roboto really dressed for the weather? He should be wearing a winter coat at the very least. Gloves, a hat and possibly even a scarf would be good too.

And I thought these gunslinging gangster days were long gone.

It seems doubtful the Roboto Squad came prepared for a war, cold or otherwise, so they probably don’t have much spare ammunition. Charlie Johnson has about emptied his shotgun (and heated its barrel, too). Thug #2 is more cautious but still has fired a lot, Even if Mr. Roboto’s pistol is a model with a very capacious magazine (17-19 rounds), he’s probably down on ammo too. The Very Polite Cashier seems to be on the phone in the background, and that is probably not to call in reinforcements for the Roboto Squad. This rock opera is heaed for a tragic climax if the cops ever return fire….