Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for December 23, 2020

Looks like Ty can take care of himself (or anybody else for that matter)…

Good morning™, dealer replacements !

This guy is built like a tank. I’d like to see him and Tiger go toe to toe.

Love the underground room and what looks like a tool box to Aquarius’s right. Are the white mounds to his immediate right ‘product’ ?

I think you are right about the product, but that “tool box” could be an old fashioned cash box. I have a similar one from when I used to work arts and crafts fairs.

Good morning™, everyone!

It looks like Aquarius has ignored Cheesecake’s good idea and just given all Bill’s customers to Ty. I suppose that’s fine, too.

Down in the dark dealer dungeon, Aquarius reveals more of his criminal empire as he instructs and warns big Ty. Street-level Ty looks like he can Take Care of Business if he stays alert. He might be a fair match for Tiger Lilly if Pouch gets territorial and aggressive.

Clearly, Tracyville is on the brink of full-fledged drug turf and balloon wars….

This Ty is no Beanie Baby!

I would not be surprised to see Tracy in the having a visit with mayor if she is aware of what’s happening in her city. First, someone breaks into the museum and now drugs everywhere — How shocking — in her city.

Exactly what does, “Make it clear his customers are to come to you” mean? Tell Aquarius’s other pushers you’ve got them now? Tell the competition (who may have killed Bill) that you’re handling the customers? Tell former Bill’s customers not to shop around for better value? And how does one make it clear? Do you send out emails? text messages? hire a guy in a sandwich board? sky-writing? billboard?

So, it sounds like Pouch’s comment about who would here about the Dollar Bill’s death in the last panel of yesterday’s strip was not referring (just) to the cops…who (else) is it they are worrying about?

Hahaha, this story and hats.

So, if he had his very own dealer, why was he buying product from Dollar Bill?

1-NARKY MARK: Hello? Is someone there? MOTORHEAD MOE: It’s me, Motorhead, boss. Maybe you should take off those dark glasses.

2-NARKY: I can’t. It’s a big part of my public persona designed to throw off cops as to what I do for a living. MOTORHEAD: How so, boss?

NARKY: Obviously, this look says “now that guy is probably the head of a bank or a doctor for the President”. Your look on the other hand says “dealer for a motorcycle gang.”

MOTORHEAD: HA! And that’s where I got ‘em fooled – I only sell to school kids!

NARKY: Hmmm. You just might be management material, Motorhead.

And when he meets up with Tiger, does that mean he’ll be Ty-Dyed?

[DUCKS]

Boy, throwing a lot of stuff against the wall. Maybe some will stick, but I’m looking for another quick wind up that like the Yeti/Daisy thing will leave more unexplained issues.

Well, he could be setting himself up for a small-scale cosplay of Al Pacino with those little mounds…

Suggests a scene from “Scarface” film where Al Pacino tries to snort an even larger pile. I agree with Gweedo’s appraisal of the room atmosphere. Is it my imagination, or has the strip taken a sudden shift toward the very “admirably grotesque”? Encouraging to say the least!!

If I were Ty, I might put up a poster somewhere in Dollar Bill’s territory advertising “Anyone who wishes to leave a Memorial Message for Dollar Bill, please contact Ty Phoon at the corner of Coke and Cane in Cheap Balloon Park.” That would let Bill’s customers know that he was dead. The junkies would understand the message. Then I would just hang around Bill’s usual haunts waiting for people looking for Ty. I might even offer to go into business with Pouch and open a winter-time balloon and cotton candy stand.