Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for May 01, 2011

  1. Bill 1960
    Vista Bill Raley and Comet™  over 13 years ago

    Sunday Blue Laws! I was hoping to see the new Plenty baby today!

    Happy May Everyone!

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  2. Emerald
    margueritem  over 13 years ago

    getting arrested is a watery excuse for not showing us the baby!

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    Can't Sleep  over 13 years ago

    Oh no! It isn’t a happy May!

    After waiting all week for a look at the kid, we get another joke (okay, it IS funny), and no kid.

    Come on, guys – the joke is wearing a little thin. With this build-up he’s gotta look like a cross between B.O. and a warthog - with antlers. And a tail.

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    thejensens  over 13 years ago

    re: crimestoppers

    that might have been good info in the 50’s, but you never know about your neighbors in this day and age.

    Mine would probably use my garage for a meth-lab while I’m on vacation.

    Now, to Mike & Joe - Please don’t do a Locher here.

    Never did see Mordred’s face, don’t do the same here.

    Plus, you have dragged out the suspense of the baby’s face long enough, so……………………..

    “FACE UP” to the facts, your readers want to see the FACE.

    My guess he looks like the -

    Pillsbury Dough Boy but made with a “Devils Food” cake mix.

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    Steve Bartholomew  over 13 years ago

    Let’s pray we never have to see it.

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    Bill Thompson  over 13 years ago

    Hey, Nightshade09, if the kid can write poetry like a warthog, it’s cool.

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    Farmboy71   over 13 years ago

    I am greatly enjoying the return of a classic Dick Tracy strip, and have been thinking/ hoping a couple things lately:

    1. I’m not sure when Tracy seemed to move to Naperville (as referenced here, and at least hinted at in Locher’s strips), but Dick Tracy always seemed to me to be a “big city” cop… most likely Chicago, but vague enough to fit the story. I’m hoping the new team plants him in a gritty, tough big city… not a strip mall covered suburb. 2. We’ve seen the Fifth smoking in cabs and indoors… I hope we don’t live in a world so PC that B.O. doesn’t still have at least the occasional chaw!

    by the way… I’m kind of enjoying the suspense of not seeing the baby yet. Seems to be very Gould- like. This seems to be building up to something; I got the feeling that Mordred’s mask was more like an “easy way out” instead of giving him a face.

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    Can't Sleep  over 13 years ago

    Hey, I forgot to say how much I like the art.

    The use of shadows is terrific - it gives the scenes a realistic depth. And I like the use of color in panel 5, highlighting Lizz (great expression!) who could have faded into the background otherwise.

    Hot Rize had me really confused. She looked very familiar, but I know she’s a new character.

    And then it hit me - she’s a female version of Jimmy Olson, in his plaid suit days, circa 1965!

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  9. Mmc
    Donald Benson Premium Member over 13 years ago

    Maybe they’ll name the kid Upwind. (Super obscure old comic reference.

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  10. Warthog
    wndrwrthg  over 13 years ago

    I just loves me some hot biscuits and real butter You know, the stuff made from the juice of the udder Milk the cows and then just wait Skim the cream, mmm, that tastes great A hand cranked churn with a little time Makes a product that’s just sublime Hot buttered biscuits that my mom used to make Oh, the memories that now are awake Chocolate gravy, homemade syrup, or even a pot of beans With fresh biscuits, they’re part of my gastronomical dreams Oh, yeah, I guess I should take the time to say That the strip today is better than o.k. They teased us most this past week All we really wanted was one little peek But alas, it seems we are to be denied Making some who post here fit to be tied But I will say this in Joe and Mikes’ defense It is a novel way to build up suspense And before I go, I just want to opine That the face of a Warthog is simply divine.

    Thank you Wiseking and Det.DD.

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    Farmboy71   over 13 years ago

    sorry about the huge font above…not sure why that happened!

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    thejensens  over 13 years ago

    Tracy says if the baby’s picture was in the comics, they would get arrested.

    Does the baby look like Hitler, Ted Bundy (or Al Bundy), Timothy McVeigh, Castro, Osama Bin Laden or Geraldo Rivera????

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    Tarry Plaguer  over 13 years ago

    safeway674 said, 20 minutes ago

    Tracy says if the baby’s picture was in the comics, they would get arrested.

    Does the baby look like Hitler, Ted Bundy (or Al Bundy), Timothy McVeigh, Castro, Osama Bin Laden or Geraldo Rivera????

    ——————————————————————————–

    None of the above. I think he looks like this:

    http://www.comicsinfo.dk/Billede/mad0.JPG

    Anyone want to guess on the kids name? I already know it, so I won’t play, but I would love to see what this group of Magpies can come up with. I sort of liked my idea from yesterday, Mun E. Plenty. Maybe you rub his head for luck. (grin)

    I will say this much about the baby. He is a little monster. His name fits him perfectly. I have a feeling Tracy may be tracking down this kid sometime in the future. Maybe in 16 years or so….

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    jonahhex1  over 13 years ago

    I still think the kid looks like The Brow.

    And panel five is the best one I’ve seen in a Dick Tracy comic in many years…..great job. :)

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  15. Tracy
    coratelli  over 13 years ago

    Wonderful sunday page!

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  16. Major matt mason315
    Major Matt Mason Premium Member over 13 years ago

    Odear. Out of the old granary, into the flour factory… (evil grin)

    (and man, I’ve been waiting WEEKS to use that line!) ;)

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  17. Bren suit
    FLIGHT SUIT  over 13 years ago

    The Flakey Biscuits Show certainly is one of those old-timey elements, in that a TV variety show sponsored by one company is very much a thing of the past. Like the clothing styles and whatnot, these are elements which tell us the DT universe is kind of taking place in the modern world, but it’s a different modern world from the one that we live in.

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    Bill Thompson  over 13 years ago

    Terry, my only guess for the kid’s name would be something like Hornough Plenty or Horn O. Plenty.

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    Det.DanDone  over 13 years ago

    WHAT NO KID!!! I get it MAY FOOLS!!! (We never gonna see the kid!)

    Terry Pleger, I’m going with Ray Voltan Plenty…

    Stunning Artwork, once again, Dare I say it’s a STUNNING SUNDAY!

    wndrwrthg, I never thought I’d read the word, gastronomical, in a poem. But, you pulled it off nicely. Bravo!

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    puddleglum1066  over 13 years ago

    I love the way Mike and Joe are constructing a self-consistent but slightly odd reality for the new DT. “The Flakey Biscuits Show” screams “early days of TV,” but there’s Dick sitting in front of a flat-screen computer monitor (and apparently knowing how to use it)… comic strip reality can be so much fun in skillful hands!

    As for the Crimestoppers advice, one thing I’d add: unplug your wireless router when you leave. Last thing you want to find when you get home is a driveway full of police asking about all the kiddie-porn that was downloaded through your router while you were gone!

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    JCFremont  over 13 years ago

    That second to the last panel is priceless. Man, this is great!

    Another inspired piece of poetry, wndrwrthg!

    Hot Rize also reminds me of a character from Daniel Clowes’ Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron, but that’s probably a bit of a stretch…

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    neonleon59  over 13 years ago

    The new creative team just gets better and better!

    Flakey Biscuits is an intriguing new character (watch out, Ms. Deen), our new story arc is being set up quickly, the artwork is consistently consistent and amazing. BRAVO, Mike, Joe, and crew. A month and a half in, and I’m loving the ride!

    And for the record, if the plan is to not show the Plenty baby at all, I’m fine with that. Kinda like Norm’s wife on Cheers - let us have our own ideas as to what we imagine the baby looks like. Besides, now that we know the baby’s appearance is so horrific, there’s not really a way to live up to that expectation if/when the actual face is shown. Kinda like if I say I’m about to tell you the funniest joke you ever heard, you’re gonna be disappointed no matter how funny the joke is.

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  23. Oddball
    Morrow Cummings  over 13 years ago

    Please, no more Mordred-like stuff. It filled up months of space that could have been used to good benefit.

    Good hands alert, for a change!

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  24. Tor johnson
    William Bednar Premium Member over 13 years ago

    Hate to say this, but I don’t think we’re going to see the baby, ever! The new team has pushed this idea, of not showing the baby’s face, too far. To show the baby’s face at this point would be too anticlimactic. No matter how odd they make the baby look, it will disappoint us. Mordred strikes again!!! Just my opinion.

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    Det.DanDone  over 13 years ago

    Newenglandah, said Besides, now that we know the baby’s appearance is so horrific, there’s not really a way to live up to that expectation if/when the actual face is shown.

    I completely agree, I honestly don’t think we will see the baby. The theatre of the mind is a powerful thing and hardly used anymore. If so nicely done Mike. It’s like most of the X-files episodes, you never get to see the monster. Whatever we’ve build up in our minds is way worse than it actually is. Same approach was used in Rosemary’s Baby, (possible inspiration Mike?) did supernatural events actually take place? I don’t know, but it was a great horror movie, and they never actually showed the baby! Coincidence, I think not…

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    dakota_jones  over 13 years ago

    The strip is different, but in a good way! Please do keep it up!

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  27. My boys
    woodworker318  over 13 years ago

    WW: Another good one. I haven’t been inspired to post anything for awhile as I think the strip is moving along at a pretty good pace but I guess some people will never be satisfied. The only thing I find wrong is, why does Pat Patton have to wear his hat all the time in the office? seems foolish to me.

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    Det.DanDone  over 13 years ago

    Rightwingmoron, That was a big mistake in Inspector Gadget! When I watched the cartoon as a kid I always imagined Destro from G.I. Joe or technically Cobra, because of the glove. Another mistake, was Judge Dredd being seen without his helmet. Granted not the greatest movie, however, in the comic when Dredd has his helmet off, they always find great and imaginative ways to hide his face. I always thought it was a very cool aspect of the comic. Hopefully they do better in the reboot.

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  29. Emerald
    margueritem  over 13 years ago

    Hot Rize reminded me of Jimmy Olson or Pesky in ‘Brenda Starr’. Paula Dean came to mind when I saw the biscuit magnate. I see that several others thought the same. “Do a Locher”, I like that. Or perhaps ‘pull a Locher’.

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  30. Mike curtis avatar
    MikeCurtis Premium Member over 13 years ago

    I’m an old time radio fan. Have been all my life. So when Jack Benny guested on THE LUCY SHOW and his mythical money vault was shown, it was a disappointment. I figured a setting like the Mines of Moria, but got the old Republic cave set.

    That being said, I actually did see a photo that looked like the Plenty baby once. It was on a popup ad for “Will your baby look like this?” and looked like a beardless BO.

    Lastly nothing is stronger than Baby BO., Ask any parent.

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  31. Sonnyboy
    jimwill0803  over 13 years ago

    That baby can’t be any uglier than the seed from whence it came. Just look at those two beasts!!!

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    mumbles  over 13 years ago

    upwind was Mad’s version of Downwind in their classic parody—Smilin’ Melvin. Remember unpatient ones, Gould often went days without revealing what characters looked like. I realize no one defers gratification any more, but maybe we give the new guys some leeway

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    Can't Sleep  over 13 years ago

    MIKE CURTIS: Love your writing and dialogue, but you’re wrong on one thing - Baby BO is nowhere near as strong as Baby BM.

    As far as his name, I’m reminded of a classic character of W.C. Fields…

    Will the baby be Larsen E. Plenty?

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  34. Emerald
    margueritem  over 13 years ago

    All kidding aside, I would like to see the idea that the artist and author have for baby Plenty. I have no preconcieved notion of what he looks like, I’m along for the ride!

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    BeetleMan  over 13 years ago

    Today’s Brand New character, Ms. Biscuits looks exactly like “PAULA DEEN”, the First Lady of Southern Cooking famous for her southern style biscuits and chicken!

    Dick’s always been on the cutting edge of technology and today he is typing at the world’s first keyless-keyboard! Go High-Tech. You break the rules, boy!

    Where’s the new baby boy….? We’ll all see that very soon, he’ll be in plenty of trouble! Oh well, there’s plenty more where he came from!

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    tbetz  over 13 years ago

    Hey, Hank O’Hair got a facelift and a new gig at Flaky Biscuits!

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    Det.DanDone  over 13 years ago

    MikeCurtis, on a more serious note. I was curious, with your background in law enforcement and Jim Doherty doing the Crimestoppers, is there anything special planned for National Police Week (May 15-21, 2011)? Also, I was curious if there would be any other collaboration between the strip and the FBI? I always thought it was one really cool ideas that happened during the Locher years.

    For those that don’t know here’s a link from the FBI. It dealt with missing children.

    http://tinyurl.com/42pngqq

    Thanks again to you and the team!

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  38. Bakuman kato
    Tarry Plaguer  over 13 years ago

    puddleglum1066 said, about 7 hours ago

    As for the Crimestoppers advice, one thing I’d add: unplug your wireless router when you leave. Last thing you want to find when you get home is a driveway full of police asking about all the kiddie-porn that was downloaded through your router while you were gone! ——————————————————————————–

    It is an interesting point puddleglum1066. I am amazed at the number of wireless routers that are left at the factory settings. There are three things you can do with a router that will make it much harder for someone to access your home network.

    Hide the SSID. The Service Set IDentifier is a name that identifies your home network. You set this up when you install the router. This SSID is constantly broadcasting it’s presence to the world, saying”HERE I AM. CONNECT TO ME!” There is a setting on the router that will “hide” the SSID. Other computers can detect that a router is there. but it isn’t telling them it’s name anymore. Unless they know the name, they can’t access it.

    Use encryption. This sends all data in a secret code that only the computer and router can read. I recommend Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) combined with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). These are currently the most secure available to the home market. Make sure to use a complex password. A common gimmick is to use an obscure sentence from a favorite song, and then replace certain letters with symbols and numbers, and alternate capitalization. “Carry moon beams home in a jar” becomes, C@rryM00Nb3@m5H0M31nAj@r. It is long and complex, but you won’t have any trouble remembering how to type it. No, that isn’t my password. Also those are zeros not O’s Kind of hard to tell.

    Restrict the Media Access Control (MAC) address. Every Network Interface Controller (NIC), that is your networking card, the thing you plug the cable into, has a specific MAC address. You can find out the MAC address of your card pretty easily.

    http://www.wikihow.com/Find-the-MAC-Address-of-Your-Computer

    Once you know the MAC of the computer you can tell the router to only allow that computer access. If you have more than one computer access the router, you can create a list of MAC address that are allowed access. Any other computer will be denied.

    With these three things, MOST casual crackers will give up. There are still plenty of tools that a determined cracker can use to bypass all of this, but they would take some time.

    Unplugging the router, will often result in it reverting back to factory default settings, and require you, or in worse case, your Internet Service Provider (ISP), to set it up again. This can be a costly and time consuming chore if you have a bunch of devices using your router. You should back-up your router configuration, just in case such an event occurs. I would also recommend using an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). They are much better than surge protectors, and will provide power to your device for a limited time during a power outage. Long enough to save important info and shut down properly.

    This has been the Terry Pleger Computer Crime Stopper for the week. Maybe I will put up others. Anyone learn anything?

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    ReneTray  over 13 years ago

    Yes the business of imagining the vault versus actually seeing iy on “The Lucy Show”. Yes on the router power switch off and when either get one that jut operates inside one room or if possible “dial it down” so it can be pick up outside. Interested in stand not seeing Mrs. Coloumbo or the face of Cobra Commander.

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  40. Coop1
    tuckerch  over 13 years ago

    Terry, just unplug the computer from the router and/or disconnect the connection to the Internet from the router. As long as the router is getting power, it shouldn’t forget its settings.

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  41. Coop1
    tuckerch  over 13 years ago

    “why does Pat Patton have to wear his hat all the time in the office?”

    Bald spot.

    BIG bald spot.

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  42. Major matt mason315
    Major Matt Mason Premium Member over 13 years ago

    @margueritem: Any resemblance between Hot Rize and Superman’s Pal…is purely intentional! ;D

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    Saucy1121 Premium Member over 13 years ago

    I’m guessing Baby Plenty resembles the south end of a north bound horse.

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    dakota_jones  over 13 years ago

    I prefer to let my imagination determine the leetle tyke’s appearence!

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  45. Coop1
    tuckerch  over 13 years ago

    “why does Pat Patton have to wear his hat all the time in the office?”

    Bald spot.

    BIG bald spot.

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  46. P6290172a
    436rge  over 13 years ago

    The baby may have a beard like the kid in the Capitol One Viking commercials has.

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    sydney  over 13 years ago

    And for those who remember the strip Smilin’ Jack, we never ever, did ‘SEE’ - Downwind Jackson’s FACE, only a half outline of forehead, cheek bone and jaw.

    The strip ran in the N.Y. Daily News with Dick Tracy.

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  48. Pufnstuff
    s.gottlieb  over 13 years ago

    I’m guessing the kid looks like Mr. Intro from the Gould days.

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    andy.vaughn  over 13 years ago

    It’s obvious that Mike and Joe’s keeping the Baby’s face hidden will be a running gag through this story, as those of us that followed it on the Plainclothes site can attest to.

    Otherwise…I think the idea of placing Tracy and company in a world where old-time TV shows with single sponsors can also exist with modern computers is a stroke of genius. It actually never ages the characters or their situations, and worked fabulously on Batman The Animated Series.

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  50. Jonah hex graphic
    jonahhex1  over 13 years ago

    By not showing the face, it allows for the kid to grow out of it. Some ugly babies lose the ugly look as they grow up.

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