Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for April 12, 2024

Enjoy a brand new VengyTale – “Anniversary!”

In your search bar type in Youtube Avenger09

Good morning™, everybody!

The new-look Lizz found the record! She looks pretty good to me, though maybe a little light on the eye makeup for some readers’ preferences.

I assume that Marmel Prison is a shoutout to Mike’s friend, M. Mitchell Marmel (“Major Matt Mason” as he posts here). I’m not sure if it’s an honour havings a prison named after you.

So, there’s a rumour that Croptop is going to visit Blowtop. I wonder if it’s true.

The way Tracy’s leering at Lizz, it makes perfect sense she’d have to slap him! (As my latest Vengytale points out!)

Timing is everything!

Chuck’s giving Lizz a more distinctive look but she’s once again lost some of her eye makeup look that Shelley had started having her wear again…

a word, Chuck…

just a tad bit more eye makeup to bring her trademark look of years ago back again… not as heavy as back in the day, but a bit more noticeable than the way she looks today…

Good morning™, Cop House Cuties !

Lizz looks my-tee fine despite some calling out diminished trademark eyeliner. Dickie’s feeling mighty charitable today. Charle’s interpretation of Dick has him as a perfect man meat specimen.

Great new look for Liz, I’m hoping we’ll get to see her in some actual action again soon.

I guess Tracy’s plan is to let CropTop & BlowTop meet, & then see if they decide to do a job together, so he can catch them in the act. Or, the way things have been going in the strip, they ride off into the sunset together.

Loving the artwork today. Well done…..

I suppose Tracy can afford to be generous. After all he is chief of detectives.

Like all the women I know, now and then they go for a new look! (I like her new look)!

I must admit with the gentlemen here. Lizz is looking delightful today. Well drawn, Mr. Ettinger!

Bank robbery has often / usually been a Federal crime since 1934 (there are fewer and fewer exceptions each year). The police computer has access to criminal data base maintained by the Feds. It would take less than 5 minutes to gather the information while sitting at his desk drinking coffee.

Dick Tracy doesn’t know how to turn on / use a computer!

Sam tells Tracy about the newspaper article. Rather than turning on the computer to Google™ Croptop (who would come up even if she weren’t a criminal) Tracy schleps over to visit Blowtop and learns Croptop has been in prison. Tracy returns to the station and, still not knowing how to use a computer, assigns Liz to gather information.

Liz gets the prison information in 1.3 minutes… Where she gets the “word on the street” that Croptop was heading to visit Blowtop is anyone’s guess. One assumes it wouldn’t be on the computer… But maybe she checked Croptop’s FaceBook™ page. More likely Tracy isn’t only character in the strip with ESP.

But, rather than running in to see Tracy 3 minutes after being given the assignment Liz, knowing Tracy is clueless about computers. Does an hour and a half of on-line shopping, then grabs a pile of papers and waving them around and runs in, “I found Croptop, Tracy!”

Tracy thinks, “This is why I don’t learn to use a computer, it takes too long to find stuff. Easier to visit Blowtop.”

I hear the Lionel comin’, it’s rolling ’round the bend

And I ain’t seen my buddies since I don’t know when

I’m stuck in Marmel Prison, and time keeps draggin’ on

But that train keeps a-rollin’ on down to Tracytown…

So Crop is appearing here fresh off her previous gig in the MCU (Marmel Confinement Universe)….

Was their father named Pop top?

Not sure where the story is headed BUT….Charles’ art is the very best yet. I dig his art!

Name drop.

“That word came from Johnny the shoeshine guy, so it’s ironclad.”

And, why again could’nt have Tracy have at least called Liz on his Wrist Wizard, and, had her start calling up files on the MCU computers, instead of waiting to get back to the station, and, having her locate paper files?

What’s this?

A law enforcement official using his initiative to decide which laws to enforce or not enforce?

Next thing you know traffic cops will not ticket EVERYONE who drives only 10mph over the posted limit.

What if this extended to other areas of law enforcement? Such as immigration law?

We can’t be having law enforcement make common sense decisions!

I’m impressed with the detail Charles gets with distant facial features. Even if these are drawn in vector or high resolution, they are downscaled to low resolution raster images and still hold up. Now, maybe that’s part of the inking process, but it’s still impressive.

Liz is the one character that a Tracy artist can take liberties with. She loves to play with style and this allows the artist to play with style. Heavy eye makeup is classic, but that doesn’t mean that she can’t sometimes choose not to wear it as heavily. Different hair styles and colors are common (given that those hair colors might be due to the MC)’s fancy.

Overall, nicely done today. Tracy is here drawn as strongly as ever.

MUSIC QUOTE

When I’m at the movies watching a love scene

And a ladies’ hat is blocking half the screen

I will not yell “Take Off That Hat!”

I’ll remove it gently with a baseball bat !

This is my New Year’s resolution!!

SPIKE JONES & HIS ORCHESTRA—1947-48

I like the wardrobe, but that middle panel looks more like Lizz’s MOTHER. A leetle sexier, please.

Tracy probably figures he can learn more surveilling Blowtop’s place than by bringing out the rough stuff.

And just to show there’s no hard feelings with Blowtop, at his bedtime Tracy will send Tonsils 2 over to sing him a lullaby.

1-LIZ raising arm: Has my deodorant failed? DT: Beats me – Sam’s stench burned out my olfactory sense years ago. ( SAM SLAM © )

2-LIZ: I was actually trying to draw your attention to my new hairstyle in an effort to get a compliment.

3-DT: Oh. Yeah. Errr…real…nice? Uhhhh…MY secret is that I wear 3 undershirts to keep my B.O. from knocking people out. See? raises both arms You can’t smell a THUD! Liz? You ok? Liz???

I agree with Neil on Lizz’s new look! Her previous one always spooked me every time I looked at her in the strips!

I’ll be gone for a week—-taking vacation time and I follow the strip on my work computer. Croptop will just plan her robbery while I’m away, so I don’t think I’ll miss much. And wherever I am, I’ll be able to HEAR Blowtop.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS—-

“The man who stole two million dollars ends up as they all do. In shackles, shame, and disgrace.

The starter button clicks. The motor hums. No one speaks as Blowtop stares straight ahead into a life of iron bars and solitude"

CHESTER GOULD—-1950

It appears I was mistaken….Blowtop is on parole based off what Tracy said about not meeting up with convicted felons.

I’m betting Blowtop refuses to help out Croptop if she shows up asking for his aid.

Lizz needs to lay off the plastic surgery…her eyes are off center

Lizz looks good but I agree, she needs more eye makeup. Her trademark look is in her eyes.