Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 28, 2009

We may actually be getting somewhere. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

Ah-HA!

Better leave the questions to the professionals Dick.

So I guess this means Dr. Noll isn’t moving in with the Tracy’s?

Does Nubby own a comb? At least he changed his clothes and has stopped smoldering.

“Or is it PERFUME? While we’re at it…what the heck happened to your left eye? Do you need help finding it? I was a world renowned detective in my day, if I say so myself.”

Grok, I agree that the emphasis is on the wrong word in the last panel. Basic english, you know.

Looks like the doc is a fast carpenter, too. He’s got his screen door back on.

Didn’t an adult film start just like the first panel???

INCONSISTENCIES or CARELESSNESS? 1) Why does the SHAPE of the top of Angelorious’ head keep changing? Pointed then Round, then Pointed etc! 2)As Tracy approaches Noll’s house no car under window. Three days earlier the Antique car was there. Did someone steal it or did DL forget to draw it? 3) As I recall, Tracy’s house was always on a corner (?) How come Noll has a house siting on what was earlier a road 4) Recently Diet Smith’s building lost one floor and the name changed from DS Industries to DL “Enterprises”. How? Some “nit picking” here perhaps but a consistent history of like error brings it to readers attention. Is there someone out there who can tell us why this performance is SUPERB? Matt perhaps(?) after he awakens? No insomnia I hope, and no “nightmare” after yesterday’s unintended, “confession” slipped out(?) That’s always a problem with quick-fire loquacious people. The Dick Tracy profile in the first panel in near perfect! When Locher puts out GOOD art work he must be commended. I always do, CONGRATULATIONS “DL”. Sorry, hypocritical feint praise has never been my thing.

Yes, I’ll gladly agree with the majority here that IS is the word that requires EMPHASIS in Panel 3. I have to say that Noll has got to be one of the weirdest character’s I’ve encountered in the strip in quite a long time. Yeah, a comb and a check up at the optometrist seem overdue for this one.

I don’t know from today’s strip where a house or car could possible be placed to fit, but I’m not saying that your criticism is without merit, Sydney. Please clarify if I’m confused on what you’re referring to.

This is off topic but comic related and I admit I am venting.

Today at DC is Final Crisis #7 where the DC line is given a reboot/retcon and I sure hope Grant Morrison ties it all together. DC needs to get back to doing stories on their regular titles not doing company wide crossovers that take three or more years to finish.

Today’s strip was drawn back in December, fyi, before the so-called “unearned, blind-bootlicking praise” was allowed here. I’m not condoning it or criticizing the other POV, rather clarifying.

I didn’t even read the strip, just went to the comments.. a bit disappointed there are only 13 @0932 EST

Wow - in my humble opinion, today is one of the best daily DT strips in recent memory.

Does this mean I lose my magpie status?

I’m leaving NYC the day the Con gets underway. DOH! I wish I’d known ‘cause I’d have scheduled my flight differently.

Tracy was thrilled with the way Locher drew him today. Tough, firm, in charge! “Sigh, if only this were the case everyday”! Tracy was well aware the both he and Locher shared a common foe; AGE! He knew that both of them faced pressure to retire. “Why should we, are we really that incompetent”? he lamented. Time to get back to work. Dr. Noll waited for Tracy to stand on the X to begin his dialog. “What do you want, Detective Tracy”? Dick grinned as he said his line. “Just want to know you better”. “Especially because you’re making perfume for my wife”. Noll froze! “That’s not his line! Does he know”? he panicky thought. Or is it PERFUME”? Tracy was so excite to drop a surprise that he accidentally place emphasis on the wrong word.

Isn’t that the same door that was blown off one hinge yesterday? And if it’s winter with snow on the ground, why can’t we see their breath?

Other than that, for once, it’s a decent strip.

And no, I won’t sing “love is in the air” in response to panel one.

re:I didn’t even read the strip, just went to the comments.. a bit disappointed there are only 13 @0932 EST and only 15 at 10:50 AM est..but who’s counting? At least the comments are legitimate and fun and nobody is so full of themselves and nobody is calling somebody names because they disagree with the comment. (So far) I got slammed by ‘you know who’ a few days ago , even though I complemented the strip. Up until a few days ago, reading the comments was fun and made me laugh (what ever happened to ‘firstandten”?) but lately…….well, you know.

ok, bozo…..slam away!

Lampblack, I for one, appreciate your commentary. I think that each of us, regardless of where we feel the blame needs placing, recognize that SOMETHING has to change with this strip. With regards to your characterization’s of other characterization’s here – I agree, and Liam from gocomics.com says as much, so that helps.

Where I come at it is that the wringing of fists here need to be heard somewhere in the silent recesses of Tribune Tower. Just my take.

CyberV, you bring up a fair point. The door frame in panel 1 doesn’t appear to be at a perfect 90 degree angle, though, so I’m wondering if Noll is holding up the screen door to make it look the way it appears today. I don’t know if this is the case with any certainty, just an observation.

Well, folks, the “sweet smell” of a day of research beckons. I hope I don’t miss out on more fun here today in my absence.

Lampblack, Extremely well said. Bravo!

Nighthawks, sometimes irony does not come thru well in print, also I tend to make comments in too brief a fashion, however, what you are pointing out was kind of my point.

Matthew Hansel says:

One step forward, two steps back…

sigh

MPH

Wow, I was getting worried there for a few moments Matthew. I thought you were going to ignore today’s alternate storyline. Silly me! I actually thought I portrayed Mr. Locher in a positive light today. Sort of like an old warrior fighting on despite any attacks directed at him. Believe it or not when I came up with Tracy’s lines I was picturing both of them in a sort of John Wayne mode.

Oh well, sorry to you or anyone else who took offense.

BB

Lampblack, Thank you for making the valid observations posted today. You have articulated what many feel in a clear and sober manner. It is appreciated and we can only hope that who the “cap fits” will take it, and wear it.

Grokenstein, “Nate The Neoconservative” had me cracking up! Boy does he remind me of a good friend of ours!

BB

Yes! The plot actually advanced today. Tracy finally did what he hinted he was going to do Sunday, find out exactly what’s cooking in Doc’s house. It took him so long to get back there the Doctor (last seen smoldering in Tracy’s house) got there first. Good body English in panel 1. Doc isn’t exactly opening the door and inviting Tracy in, is he? And apparently, Tracy’s head is casting a shadow on Doc’s face in panel 2. I know better than claim there is an error in panel 3 lest I be smitten with lightening and cast into the pit eternal.

Joe

Jeff said: ” The door frame in pannel 1 doesn’t appear to be a perfect 90 degree angle, though I’m wondering if Noll is holding up the screen door to make it look the way it appears today.” Jeff, You couldn’t be serious. Knock it off! How could Noll “decide” to hold up the screen door? What Noll does in the strip is what Locher decides! It seems then that the phrasing is a little “tip toe” around reality. Wouldn’t you agree? You asked for a reference on Noll’s WINDOW above his CAR. Here it is, 1-24-09 middle panel, window above and Antique car below. Then see 1-27-09, Window, but NO car! Readers must assume that the Artist forgot how he drew that scene 3 days earlier. The TMS Editiors are not at fault, they would hardly expect a Senior Practitioner to make such an amateurish error. Problem for DL, I believe, is the numbing frequency.

Lampblack says: The Dick Tracy comic is a pale shadow of the strip I remember reading in the 1960s and 1970s. I remember those glory years as well! Realistice plotlines such as Diet Smith’s Space Coupe that could get to the moon in three hours! Mood Maid’s galactice marriage to Junior and their issue; her skill at perparing TV dinners; those cool jet modules that Tracy used to chase down Ugly Christine, only for her to fall into a smoke stack; and best of all, giant es cargot from the Valley of the Moon!

I believe the critics are missing the point. No car and a screen door = basement at the Tracy’s; this is why he could hear Angelorious so clearly yesterday. Otherwise, why would DT check out his neighbor at a later time rather than immediately after the house next door exploded? This Dr Noll, so crafty, setting up shop next the the World Famous Dick Tracy. Keep your enemies close! Exploding houses next to Dick Tracy? It must be on the up-and-up and under the CIA’s radar (forget about the FBI, they can’t even handle mortgage fraud).

This can not end well for Dr Noll; with the budget cuts to the CIA, DT will surely SMOKE him out first! Those streams of angular smoke from the good doctor’s ears we’ve seen for the last few weeks are only foreshadowing of the excitement to eventually arrive.

The Comics Curmudgeon spotlighted today’s strip:

http://joshreads.com/?cat=54