Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for February 16, 2020

Edison winks. “Come to bed.” Yet Shaky so distracted

Drinks and smokes and shakes and mopes. Revenge shall be extracted.

Violent bully deals out grief. Nasty little thug

Plots and plans and schemes and shakes. Vengeance is his drug.

Makes his move to Tracytown. What might he be thinking?

Reckless is the path he treks. Cut back on the drinking.

Who would guess? Going after Tess. This fiend shall be undone

To mess with Tracy’s family means kill, or die, or run.

Good morning™, revenge-tired readers!

We do have two twists from the usual.

1. He’s not planning to kill Tracy, from what he’s saying. He’s planning to take financial revenge instead.

2. He’s going after Tess for the money. I’m not so she she’s an easier mark than Tracy is, but she hasn’t been featured much for a while, so it’s a bit of a change of pace.

I see Edison changed out the of shorts. Howdy-do!

This is interesting- wonder if Tess will catch onto Shaky’s plan when he starts to “mess with” her…

I like it, I really like today’s strip.

Hooray!

Such a coward, planning to threaten the spouse of his enemy rather than face him like a man. The man doesn’t shake from some brain damage. He shakes because he is a sniveling COWARD!!!

Good morning™, luckiest men alive !

Don’t mess with Tess’s … spouse, but her instead. Best lookin’ ‘Ed’ I ever did see !

The differences between Sunday art and daily art are becoming very stark!

Shaky’s got a weird face and weird eyes. Ancient astronaut theorists suggest that he could actually be an outer space alien. That would explain his amazing talents despite his ever shaking body.

He’s a true Evil genius. Maybe this will become something different of anything done before. I start to like him and the woman looks interesting too.

Be careful of who you think is easier!!! It may bite you in the toucus!!!

You want to ruin Tess Tracy? Just plain straight up kill her husband. It’s the safest, easiest, most likely way to get the job done.

But no, you have a plan. You’re going to be clever. And you’ll fail.

Could somebody please remind me of the date the current DT creative crew took over?

Being with Shaky, one might imagine that Edison would have no need of certain female-friendly toys…

That falls under the very definition of messing with Dick Tracy!

Now I KNOW this guy’s failed to do his research! He wants to mess with Tess? Good luck with that!

Foolish mortal. Mess with Tess, die with the res(t)!

Riffin Without A Script gets some help…

1-JOE JACKSON SONNY SR: HEY! I just found Sugar Daddy and Barber Pole’s old love letters in that old stage prop! I’ll just create my lines from these. Here goes – “My love for you knows no bounds Sugar Daddy. Well, to be honest, there’s one bound – it is limited to the amount of money you got.”

2-DOLLFACE?: I gotta better idea. Some sexy lingerie ought to spice up this turkey.

3-JJSS: Ugh. Let’s pretend we done the deed and I’m having the after-action cigarette. Make that a 4 paper joint. The idea of doing the deed with you has made me queasy…

4-DOLLFACE?: Don’t you love me anymore…uh, what’s your name in this play?

5-JJSS: Hmmm. Good question. How about…Jay Bogart. You know, cause of the way I’m bogartin’ this J. And cause my rugged good looks and manly demeanor remind me of Rock Hudson.

DOLLFACE?: Sure…that makes sense…?

If it’s not one thing it’s another. Do you know Mr. Shakey that loves makes fierce warriors? You go after Tess, you go to the grave.

Good plan, S! That never enrages that homicidal maniac.

She wants a little dummy

Shaky is a Jerry Lewis or Jim Carey character: I expect him to burn his nose with the lighter or spill the drink he’s pouring. And now he thinks he’ll blackmail Tracy’s wife. “Heeey laaaaady! I’ve got some pictures…”

Too much speculation here fan boys, let it play out. Who said anything about blackmail BTW.?

Shaky by the way did die back in the 40’s but this is a “new” DT so who cares? On with the show!

Yeah, plot against Tess, Shaky. Like no miscreants have ever considered that course of action. You’d best check with some of those kidnappers before taking action. Maybe you could talk to your predecessors — although you may need the services of a medium to facilitate that.

This is The Wives’ Tale (or at least “partner” Edison, since I am not sure of her legal status, and wife Tess Trueheart Tracy). Shaky’s tremors seem to have affected his brain function, not unlike multiple concussions. His plan is doomed to a bad and bitter end….

He says that like Tess doesn’t have her own body count.

Interesting nickname Shaky has for Dick Tracy – “Old Hatchet Chin”….

Edison’s no dim bulb.

How did Skeletor get into this?That last panel is a death mask. “Come to bed,Shaky” in a nightgown?Yeep.