Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for November 28, 2021

Dick Tracy undercover. Ace clearly does not know

Tracy calls Sam Catchem. Confirmation means it’s go.

Mumbles never stopped to check. The Jack is now a Joker

What a time to not count cards. Should never bet at poker.

The Briar Rose she sang a song. She’ll have revenge today

The waiting room does not spell doom, for help is on the way.

Time now of the essence, for they’ve come to kill the Jack

Tracy, solo and unarmed, prepares for the attack.

Good morning™, everyone!

Now he’s talking about “counterman” rather than “collarman.” I did a lot of searching and couldn’t find anyone using “collarman” in the sense that Mike apparently claims it’s used. At least Tracy/fake Jack has his suit the right colour today.

For anyone who didn’t read all the comments yesterday. The counterman who was really a cop was just substituted for the other one so Mumbles would think everything was okay. The one who was present when Sam had lunch is no longer there.

The strip has lost all credibility with this ridiculous disclosure.This borders on being offensive!

This is definitely a Jump the Shark moment.

Very sad moment indeed.

Jack of Spades now has a square jaw

Good morning™, housecallers !

Pandemonium is about to be unleashed. Will Mumbles discretely vanish in the haze ?  Back to the “bars” for Doubledown.

Waiting for Sam to get on the megaphone to tell Ace and company that the place is surrounded and to “come out with your hands up.”

If Sam calls Dick “Tracy,” why doesn’t Dick call Sam “Catchem”?

This looks extremely dangerous to Tracy. Even if they buy who he pretends to be, he’s impersonating a guy who in their eyes has royally screwed up.

But I notice the glance between him and Doubleup. Does Doubleup recognise him?

Maybe I shouldn’t have abandoned my theory that Doubleup is switching sides. Switching sides.

It’s a trap!

Is that you, Tracy, or just a brilliant disguise?

Tracy, master of actors. Awesome!

Super great images today , as usual . I wonder who the whip is for ?

so they know where there hideout is now, awesome.

Shelley’s artwork and panel composition is superb.

You’d think the outline of his nose would be a dead giveaway!

You would think some facial features would give it away. (Ace of Spades: Wait a minute… that jaw line – Tracy! )

Whoever called it a few days ago was right. It is Tracy in that getup.

It is batter to call him Tracy.

1-DT: TRA… uh, JACK REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR!

RATFACE: Where’s your cigar, son? Not only did you screw up an easy assignment, you come in here OUT OF UNIFORM! And you stink and there’s a bullet hole in your outfit. I find that curious…

2-DT: I can explain! I don’t have a cigar because Whippy didn’t give me time to grab one from the bin and I stink because – well – whose stomach doesn’t get riled up a little when they come in to see the Big Bossman???

3-RATFACE: OK. That all makes sense but doesn’t explain the bullet hole. Wait outside while I think of a punishment that could range anywhere from Shunning to Death.

4-DT: Hey Sam? GET ME OUTTA HERE!!!

SAM: Huh? I thought you gave your Wrist Radio to the Undercover Hippy?

DT: I gave him the one I always wear on my right arm in case my left arm gets broken or otherwise incapacitated.

SAM: Well, that explains that hole in the story rather neatly. Well done!

5-DT: Do you need to know what I’ve learned about headcount and the layout of the rooms since I’ve been here?

SAM: Nah.

DT: That’s good because I didn’t learn anything.

SAM: You should hear Doll blowing CHARGE on the bugle any second now, Tracy.

DT: You’re cutting out, Sam. Who’s blowing wh… DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Oh.

How convenient that Tracy’s size and voice are so very similar to Jack’s that Apparatus gangsters’ suspicions not aroused!! Shades of Clark Kent’s spectacles!

It would be unsurprising for the “waiting room” to be bugged………or, at the least, Doubleup or someone listening just outside the door (like the Queen Of Hearts did all those moons ago when Tracy infiltrated the 52 Gang’s mesa-top hideaway….)………

Relative to the burning ? why Tracy, and not Catchem, originally the title of the strip was to be called “Plainclothes Tracy”. Obviously no one would be called “Plainclothes” So just Tracy made sense. An editor suggested Gould call him Dick, as many cops/detectives were referred to in those days. Hence. Dick Tracy

I suppose this is where passing the buck comes in. Ace of Spades: Jack of Spades told me you got rid of Briar Rose’s body. Counterman: I thought Jack would do it but since there was a crate available, it seemed easier to put her in it. A delivery truck came and the body was carted off. Ace: do you know where they took it? Counterman: look, having her remains here would bring down the property values. They didn’t tell me and I didn’t ask, she’s gone what’s the difference? Ace: I’d feel better if I had proof. Counterman: Look, the next time you want souvenirs, say it in advance. Look customers are walking in, got to go…bye.

In the coming week story is going to be interesting. I will learn how a bullwhip is going to compete with tasers and stun grenades.

Speaking of the “undercover cop/counterman”… Hopefully, there’s a plan to “extract” him before the Ace of Spades gets to him…

Or will Sam and the MCU’s raid on the Apparatus do that instead ?

Here is a preview of tomorrows panel.

https://www.gocomics.com/dicktracy/2015/08/30

OK, not tomorrows. But we can assume it will be similar.

That explains why Sam didn’t arrest the Jack of Diamonds along with Briar Rose.

Who want’s to bet Double Up is LONG GONE??

Wouldn’t the Apparatus members realize the difference in voices between Tracy & the Jack of Diamonds? & Who was he really, anyhow? Mike invested a lot of narrative time building up the character & his mysterious identity, apparently it’s joining many others on Mike’s Island of Lost Plot Threads & Storylines.

Er, that should be Jack of Spades.

Coming soon, to a hideout HQ near you, Ace: a full SWAT team, plus the MCU detective flying squad!

It’s a good thing that neither Ace of Spades nor DoubleUp DoubleUp noticed that Wrist Wizard “Jack” is wearing and wearing out in the “waiting room” (i.e., cell). BTW, Tracy fills out that Jack of Spades spandex (or some similar stretchy stuff) pretty nicely.

Ace, however, did have the same question that’s been troubling us here, though: what happened to the body of “dead” Briar Rose? Jack Tracy’s answer is kinda also like some proposals made here.

Step on it, Sam! Tracy is in potential great danger!

If we can see the Wrist Wizard, can they see the Wrist Wizard?

- Yes I know, just having some sarcastic fun.

About the “Hall of Fame” section, I cringe when I read “vice squad.” I’d like to see prostitution legalized or decriminalized in all states, not just Nevada. But it would have to be done state by state. It doesn’t reach the federal level except for the Mann Act (transportation across state lines for “immoral” purposes).Heck, if it could be done for marijuana, it could be done for play for pay.