Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for October 08, 2021

“Swordfish!”

That guy looks familiar, even from the back. Is he from Cuba?

Good morning™, everyone!

Those neck scarves are pretty popular in Tracy-land. This could be the “mole” from Smith Industries. The Apparatus may have a normal-looking office, but it does have security.

Good morning™, mysterious strangers !

If he is the mole he at least doesn’t look like the guy operating the drone.

He knows it’s Apparatus Headquarters because Google Maps told him so.

Not a gorilla in sight? Then what’s he smoking? [Seeing how many will get that.]

Pretty amazing how he can change his skin color like that! Must come in handy when trying to avoid being caught! LOL!

Doesn’t Crystal’s Dad wear a lot of Neck Scarves and collect Belt Buckles?

Since one of the slang terms for a large henchman is ‘gorilla’ I wonder what the stooge thinks of the sign and countersign? You don’t see a lot of them in bowties.

Interesting twists and turns to this story!

Super reunion of Dick Tracy villains is coming soon.

“The orangs dance on the happy petals.” “The wombat is in the pantry.” “Clark Kent is Supermen.” " “The sky i…WHAAAAT?!?!?!”

The portly doorkeep with the bowtie looks potentially interesting, but he’s probably just another of Joe’s well-delineated extras, never to be seen again.

swordfish

How is it that the J Jonah Jameson look-alike on 9/19 got right in to see Ace with only minor interference from Doubleup but this guy has to have a password at the street level? Also, is this chameleon just another throw-away character like J Jonah? How crowded is Ace’s office gonna get before we see some action outta this story???

Meanwhile, outside the Manhole Dance Club

1-SCARFY FACE: Slow night? BOUNCER: Yeah. The regulars are resting up for the Stonewall Commemorative Protest tomorrow. This was the bar the cops rousted back in ’69, ya know.

2-SCARFY FACE: ‘Course I know. Anyway, ya gonna let me in?

BOUNCER: Well…

3-…I like your panache. And your ability to change color. And…are you smoking a Cuban?

SCARFY FACE: Depends. Are there any here tonight?

BOUNCER: Follow me, funny boy…

“It’s a beautiful day.”

“In this neighborhood.”

In panel three…. this dialogue beats the standard “what’s the password” cliché.

I suppose this person who wants to see Ace of Spades brought his membership application along.

The Apparatus’s secret plan to exterminate all other primates so humanity may reign unchecked is subtly revealed at last.

“Aw, please let me in. I was invited to a smoker and I’ve already lit my cigar.”

I just love those high rider pants Green Hat is wearing.

Soon and very soon….there will be more characters in this story than you can shake a stick at.

I love this type of superspy “conversation” passwords! “I go whither the wild rose blooms”

As far as code phrases go, I prefer “The sun is shining, but the ice is slippery.”

I’ve always preferred “We’ve got a gorilla for sale,Magilla Gorilla for sale”

From the back he’s a ringer for Dr.Will Carver;crooked plastic surgeon.But he’s “deadfish dead”,to use somebody else’s favorite phrase.

Somebody call the caterer before this gigantic cast starves to death while they’rewaiting around.

Wait! I spy a gorilla!

ONLY ACCURATE INFORMATION.

SHOWBIZ TRIVIA—-

Anne Jeffreys(Tess Trueheart) and Ian Wolfe(Vitamin Flintheart) appeared together in alowbrow comedy classic “ZOMBIES ON BROADWAY”(1946)

Does this strip continue from day to day????

The challenge/password puts me in mind of “Guards, Guards” by Sir Terry Pratchett.

[I am posting even later than usual because of a lengthy condo association meeting this evening, and am not taking time to read all the preceding Comments.]

Kind of an incongruous gatekeeper-thug for the Apparatus, with his green bowtie (a Catchem reject?) and old-fashioned cap! And the password bit is an instant classic! But who is Red Scarf Guy, with the wannabe-mullet shaggy haircut? Is he the mole from Smith Industries, as I know many have thought?

Pretty public place for the headquarters of a super-secret organization.