Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for April 30, 2024

and THIS is how it all comes together…

Oh Jeez, can this strip get any more corny?

Chucky, do you have to take Pepto Bismal while bringing Mike’s astonishing story to life?

Where the hell is Baldy? And BO has room for only another person…

Good morning™, everyone!

See? The “hat-mobile” is involved in this story, after all. B.O. is quite generous, as usual, but he gets himself involved in crimes this way.

Good morning™, Stranded Miscreants !

A higher power must be sending a message .. that wont be received and now they have opportunity for a ride on “The Cornball Express”. Great composition in P.2.

There better be an ejector seat sequence coming up. Maybe make it rain the money that’s in that briefcase as foreshadowed by the fireworks?

I think B. O. Is about to lose the car…..

I’ll bet ten to one she’ll recognize him.

THIS takes the cake!

Call Uber?

Call Lyft?

Call a taxi?

Call the other guy in on the bank robbery?

Call AAA?

Call Blowtop (or one of his relatives / friends)?

Wait for the Batmobile to pull up and offer the two of you a ride in one seat, when you’re carrying a large suitcase?

“One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn’t belong.”

Gee how convenient.

And the day is saved once again by coincidence. (Why do we pretend Tracy is a detective when coincidence is always the key?)

In a restricted space with BO? Do they have a gas mask?

Ooooookay…

Woo gosh, this is getting dumber.

Tolja the Hatmobile would come into play. Poor BO is so trusting and innocent.

Kind of clunky dialogue tday… who in the world says “The car we drove here now won’t start”???

uh, why won’t the car start?

Didn’t the Batmobile only seat two?…….?!!!!!….oh, I get it: one of these two lucky guys rides with Croppy sittin’ in his lap!

Oh, Gee. Are we starting to see a shark-jump?

Why in the hell would BO be driving that thing through the park….. Give me a break.

boy, ain’t that convenient… :J

I have to say, she has the right reaction. To this whole arc.

So is this motley crew gonna eventually get dumped in Blowtop’s lap, like Vitamin and his shrunken head all those years ago?

And the plot lines converge!

You said what we’re all thinking, Croppy. “What on earth?” indeed.

The stupid Hatmobile aside, B.O. is filling a classic role here. This could get interesting.

Must be an electric. You got to keep an eye on that gauge.

Oh, no!

Called it! (Except Junior was not there…..)

You folks need a lift? Too bad because this is a two seater.

Wasn’t Junior taking a ride with him?

Why did Adam West leave his keys laying around ?

I TOLD Y’ALL THEY BURIED BOWLING LEAGUE IN THAT HOLE! Or Mike forgot that he had a 3rd criminal in his story.

1-CLEANCUT: Well no wonder it won’t start – THERE’S NO MOTOR!!! CROPPIE: That’s the trunk you moron. Good thing this didn’t happen when we robbed the bank. CLEANCUT: Yeah! Uh, whadaya mean?

2-B.O.: Hey thar! I was trolling the park for women of a certain age who would be impressed with my car but you’ll do. I generally likes ‘em older… CROPPIE: There’s two of us AND a big suitcase, dummy. B.O: You’re ridin’ on my lap, a course! Who’s the dummy now?

CROPPIE: Hang on… WHERE YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING, CLEANCUT??? GET BACK HERE! CLEANCUT: All mine! Hee hee heeee!

It’s called an ‘ignition key,’ You turn it and magical things happen. No, the name doesn’t mean the key will burst into flames…

all we need now is James Bond’s Aston-Martin to make an appearance to join the merry chase soon about to happen, no doubt…

but I WOULD like to see Charles’ rendition of THAT, since his Batmobile was pretty good…

This story as I remember it (‘cause I’m not about to go back and reread it):

Croptop mysteriously (to Tracy) gets outta prison and immediately recruits two henchmen who she trusts to be legit and not undercover police even tho one looks exactly like a cop.

Tracy wastes time trying to get info that would be readily available online.

Croptop and crew rob the only bank in the country that doesn’t have security guards or cameras.

Tracy sends Sam on a mission that is either an obvious waste of time or a suicide mission.

Croptop buys a comic with 3 simple minded clues as to the location of a treasure.

B.O. arrives with a preposterous, ridiculous, outrageous story about having won the Batmobile.

Mike forgets about his 3rd criminal and focuses on Croptop and the undercover cop.

They find the treasure only to discover their car won’t start.

B.O. arrives in a preposterous, ridiculous, outrageous coincidence to save the day.

the plot thickens

i’ve only picked up one hitchhiker in my life…her name was Aileen Wuornos…

Irony Comics presents…

Got my AWARD WINNING guest story idea, if i ever get another shot: Sam is mystically sent to a world of gummy bears that is slowly falling into the sun, and finds himself almost immediately in a sticky situation.

He has to go all Flash Gordon/John Carter, costume and all, and must appeal to the ice cream people of the Cone would to help cool things down.

This, of course, leads to an epic arena battle with the Hamms Bear (who hasn’t had much to do these days, and needs the spare change). Once Sam realizes the foam around his mouth is beer suds and not rabies, they form a partnership (see, Bear Buddy in the encyclopedia) and take on the wicked and soooo eeeevil Emperor Grape Ape, who is behind the planet’ shift.

I’m smellin’ MOVE RIGHTS, over at Marvel!

What kind of car did they drive? A hybrid? Surely not an EV. Mike, the readers could see this scenario a mile away. (no pun intended) Of all the parks to drive by, why did B.O. pick this one?

The guy who dug up the money is no mechanic. Where is the other fellow? On a bar stool?

Is Gertie using the family vehicle to go shopping?

I’m not worried, he will drive them “Batty”!

Brilliant criminals using a vehicle that won’t re-start

I knew BO’s extreme kindness would end up to get him into big trouble, again.

I admit, that ridiculous sight gag in p2 made me crack a smile.

Oh, great. Another tornado night here. Currently three in the adjoining county, one 27 miles from here.

Holy Hitchikers!

Can her stuffed top get in the vehicle ?

I bet those whiskers won’t stop a bullet !!!

Back in 1974, Vera Alldid and his famous gas guzzler stopped to give The Brain and his gang a ride. It didn’t work out well.

And if Croptop abandons the original car in the park, guess what can be easily traced?