Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for October 13, 2020

Hmm …

Good morning™, car buyers!

Stokes is probably pretty happy that Hope can only meet with him late at night. That’s the best time for his plan, anyway.

Brenda has heard of the company that Stokes claims to represent. She’s calling his bluff by asking for his business card. Did she really just buy a new car? Maybe yes, maybe no.

In the first panel it appears that Tracy is shadowing Ms Brown?

Maybe Tracy arranged for Brenda to substitute for the real receptionist?

Good morning™, bleeding warranties !

His heart must be doing flip flops to hear Hope say it would have to be a late meeting. [Fumbling through pockets] Sorry, ma’am, but my printer is late with a new batch of cards. Can I take your number and call you with more information ?  By then I may have offed you to keep your trap shut.

Also, maybe Hope called the car dealership and asked if they contacted “Protect-My-Car?”

Hope doesn’t realize she just set herself up but I’m sure Brenda can predict what “Mr. Stoker” will be planning for tonight. So how does Ms. Starr play her hand? I never read her strip but I can’t imagine she’d be so cavalier as to not inform anyone and try to get an “exclusive“ thinking she can bring down Stokes by herself without her and/or Hope being harmed. The smart, responsible play would be to bring in Team Tracy ASAP and let them decide how to spring the trap. Since it will be dark, do they put Lizz in a blonde wig to be bait for the trap that can more capably fight back?

“‘Car Armour’ is the bulletproof warranty provided by Protect-My-Car. It covers pretty well anything and everything.”

Meanwhile, Stokes thinks to himself, “I hope that she doesn’t read the fine print and finds the clause that nullifies the warranty if she makes any claim!”

Took a hint from today’s Overboard and pulled this;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=MfM7Y9Pcdzw&app=desktop

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra does it good !

I found that this works by opening the link in a new tab.

I think this is an aha moment that Brenda’s reporter sense is tingling! She looks lovely today by the way!

That’s it Brenda! Call his Bluff!

Hmmmmm!!! Brenda’s piqued by this man!!!

Hope Brown can’t leave Travel Today until “late tonight,” ideal for “John Stoker”!

But, hark!

Brenda Starr smells a fishy story. She may even recognize Professor Stokes from her work with the Tweeners and is being quite cagey with him.

—Maybe too cagey. If he has no “John Stoker of Protect-My-Car” business cards (and there is a good chance he does not), he will have to improvise a modification to his vampirism caper and suck the redhead dry as well as the blonde.

In other words, we have two players going against each other here in a very dangerous game. Can Brenda flush him out and do so safely? Or will she find herself entrapped and in need of rescue? Ther is still room for the Tweeners to play a significant part in rescuing either Brenda or Hope or both.

Where’s Tracy when you need him?

And thus, the downfall begins…

What a beautiful image of beautiful red haired green eyed lady . Some may want to run to a cold shower .

1-THE SHARP TOOTHED INSULT COMIC PROFESSOR: How come the Bigguns Augmentation Center is located in the Travel Today building?

2-RED: I can answer that. Originally Dr. Bigguns couldn’t afford to change the sign. Then he found out that women with money for a nice vacation could be easily persuaded instead to buy his services. So he left the sign up.

3-TSTICP: Ahhh, now I get his slogan Bigguns will take you places no airplane ever could

RED: Yes! Just ask any former Playboy centerfold who ended up marrying well. Men are stupid.

TSTICP: Yeah well, two bucks and a nice personality will get you a Short Black at Starbucks. And even though I’m a professional comic, I know better than to try to make a joke outta that. That IS one of their product offerings. So no Sa-Nap.

RED: You’re on thin ice, buddy.

gee imagine that… TWO coincidences in under three minutes (strip time)… what are the odds?

Brenda is no dummy (tho she looks like a clown here) and she knows that this is Stokes… she’s put him on the spot here, asking for his card. If he says he doesnt have one, then she (should) ask “but you had an appointment to discuss coverage, why wouldnt you bring a card?” and if he DOES give her one, then she more than likely would turn it over to tracy.

After all, the “leading professor on vampirism” visiting the sister of a recently murdered woman via vampire bites under a false name like STOKER would raise an entire friggin FIELD of red flags

Of course Brenda didn’t buy a new car. She’s checking to see if he’s legit and has a business card (which she can then use to check him out online). As for the trip, she just needed an excuse to talk to the blonde to ask about her late sister, etc. Don’t you guys ever watch TV shows about private detectives? This was all taught in Rockford 101.

Oh -- Oh!