Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for November 05, 2022

Good morning™, everyone!

The important development today is that Robert finally realizes that Sam is a cop. It makes him sweat, so I guess he’s feeling guilty.

I wonder if Mr. De Haven has been following Tracy and Sam in the comics, or more logically, just in the news. Anyway, we have quite a mutual admiration society going here.

“Pinfold” just put 2+2 together and came up with 10 to 20.

“Loose lips sink ships!”

This story is getting kinda weird!

NOW the light bulb blinks on over Robert’s head… and Sam’s response to DeHaven is off… “Same here…”?… he’s saying that HE follows Dick’s adventures, as well?… like the Dick Tracy comic strip exists in Tracyville… peculiar response from Sam…

Vitamin has a perpetual, always on the hunt leerous look!!

Did they break the Fourth Wall by a living person in cartoon form acknowledge following the Dock Tracy strip to the character Sam Catchem ?

Good morning™, sweat hogs !

Cat’s out now, Rob. “Wha’cha gonna do when they come for YOU” ?

Not gonna pretend I’m a fan of how much of a circlejerk the newspaper comics world is. I want to see them bust a car theft ring!

either Robert is now seeing Sam as his way out from under Uncle Steely Arce’s thumb or his loyalty will be stronger to Steely and will give him the heads-up on Sam’s presence and remain in the situation that he is now in… what WILL you do, Robert?… go with Sam and betray Uncle Arce or go with Uncle Arce and remain within the status quo?… I think Robert will choose option Sam…

Well, that cat’s out of the bag now.

Everyone who follows this strip may have different expectations about its stories and its characters. I criticized some readers here in the past, caustically and unnecessarily so. I really like Mike Curtis’s writing. But l believe his stories from the past 1 1/2 years have been very weak. This is not a fixed thing though and there is always room for improvement. There are people who demand more from this strip than others and l side with them. It is not enough to accept mediocrity from someone who can deliver more. It is not cool to say this is just a comic strip and that it doesn’t matter. It does matter and art matters. The power of art is a potent one and history shows us this. Shelley Pleger continues to bring powerful and skillful illustrations to the table every day. I do expect Mr. Curtis to compose better, more thoughtful material. His writing should match Shelley’s artwork. It hasn’t recently… But l’m optimistic it can be. Every day l see many people here who have terrific ideas and a few who don’t. But what l like to see most is a healthy exchange of ideas and most people who comment here facilitate that process. They have my thanks. I love the Dick Tracy character and his cast. One thing l must say is that many more people enjoy and respect the Dick Tracy character just as much as me. But my opinions here are only opinions and they are not absolute. I apologize to those l’ve offended with them and l apologize for this needlessly lengthy commentary. Best to all.

So, Robert is just learning now that this stranger who’s been hanging out during rehearsals & is neither a member of the cast or crew is a fan boy cop suffering from arrested development? I guess I can see where this is going, narrative-wise, Robert will turn to Sam to help get him out of his jam with his uncle, I just wish there was somebody editing this stuff at TMS who could challenge Mike on some of his story-telling decisions.

Isn’t Sam famous as DT’s colleague from newspapers?

This man lookalike Steven Spielberg

Sam’s been following his own adventures? How meta is that?

A reference to passing time in the strip. Sam had been with Tracy for years. Ironpuss was actively stealing cars in Boston before Sam moved to Tracyland. Even allowing that the scale of his operations are probably larger now Ferrisface has had years and years and years of grand theft auto and the police in both cities (and any cities in between) have been totally inept even before Sam handed him the inside scoop on the police activities (and the cops didn’t immediately catch on to the fact after the first busted raid)?

ka-oops

Are Sam and DeHaven treating each other as comics characters? And, now that Robert knows Sam is a cop, what angle will that do with the story?

….that’s because he’s a perpetually on the hunt, leering kind of guy…..always!……..

Yes, Sam has followed his own adventures with Dick Tracy for years.

Well, he is SORT of. Mostly he’s there for the goodies left unguarded in Evidence. SAM, I have my eye on you!

SO, Let me get this reasonably straight. Kid i advised there was a wrist radio in the car he lifted, and he made no connection? Didn’t the car have that comforting yet stimulating New Cop feeling?

Well duh. Mr. Catchem?

1. Robert is a huge comic fan

2. Dick Tracy comics exist in his world

3. Robert obviously never reads Dick Tracy comics.

4. Robert is smarter than us.

Robert is alarmed that Sam Catchem is a cop, but not that he’s a cartoon in a strip where people have been watching him boost cars. I love it! It’s like toon-ception.

So… why doesn’t DeHaven clue Sam in on Robert’s activities if he’s been reading about them in the strip? Maybe he’s not caught up with recent events?

1-MINERAL: As Vitamin’s brother, I’d advise you to run as far away from this production as fast as you can.

ROBERT: Gee willikers Mr. Mineral. Are you suggesting that those stories about Mr. Vitamin and the family dog are true?!?

2-MINERAL: So you’re a cop? SAM: Is it that obvious?

MINERAL: Quite the contrary. The TPD must be desperate. SAM: Thank you!

VITAMIN: I wonder if I’m still on the Animal Shelter’s NO PETS TO THIS PERSON list…

ROBERT: Wow. The reason I never continued to read Dick Tracy’s so-called “adventures” is standing right in front of me! I clearly have no need to fear being caught boosting cars! HEY! SOMETHING UNDER MY HAT JUST PEED ON MY HEAD!

And all this time he just assumed Sam was stalking that Tracy fella’!

Does this arc have point? If so I wish they would get to it.

wait if they already have Sam’s two way radio, how does he NOT know he’s a cop?!?

FanBoy bliss; talking heads vie for sappiest compliment of the day! Only Robert “Pinfold” Parrish begins to break a sweat upon realization (late in coming) that Sam Catchem is a detective of the TPD and sidekick to the Chief of Detectives!

Will this turn out to be trivial flop-sweat, or is this Bobby’s (Aristotelean) anagnorisis and maybe peripeteia?

Vitamin Flintheart was originally a villain, who popped vitamins by the bushel. I see he’s evolved, like Gravel Gertie and B.O. Plenty.

The other classic Dick Tracy villains of the 1930s and 1940s either wound up doing life or dead.

Say WHAT??