Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for February 01, 2009

It’s the weekly recap again, but it’s not too bad. Angelglorious’ bracelets are defying gravity again, however.

Is he zoned for that type of thing? Well, we are getting a little more information.

Good to see that Nubby cleaned up the mess in the lab that exploded and everything is back to normal. No sign that anything even happened inside the house.

So Tracy is now taking on the responsibility of the fire department and local police force?

Well, given that those departments abrogated their responsibilities, I guess that’s reasonable.

The duck’s in the second to last panel, and how come there’s a skyscraper outside Tracy’s house?

Curiosity compelled me to do it. I photocopied all the daily strips for the story, edited them, cutting out repetition and superfolous panels and then re-assembled them.RESULT: Story to Saturday cut down from 42 daily strips to just 30. And I

This Sunday recap reminds me of Paul Harvey’s “Rest of the Story”. It fills in a lot of gaps created during the weekday version. And HankF, my take is that Bullethead is “where she stays”. Finally, I hate to see Tess turned into a dumb bimbo.

Sydney says:

“Curiosity compelled me to do it. I photocopied all the daily strips for the story, edited them, cutting out repetition and superfolous panels and then re-assembled them.RESULT: Story to Saturday cut down from 42 daily strips to just 30.”

Actually, I’m surprised it still takes 30.

Curiosity and disbelief compelled me do it. Photocopied all the daily strips, editied them removing most repetition and superfolous panels and then re-assembled them. Result Daily strips reduced from 42 to 30. And in it’s new “form” a seemless tale capturing all the substance, feel and naunces that DL put in. DL himself wouldn’t skip a heartbeat. He may even allow me to hold his Pulitzer Prize But skip over to the SUNDAY strips and. Try this experience, read only Jany.11th,18th and 25th one after the other. The slow forward movement will shock you. Soon in the exercises I developed the expectation on looking at the wrecked house that I would soon see “Snails” stepping out from around the corner. But the point is, the re=assembled product work, without missing anything, saves about 36 PANELS for use to carry the story briskly forwarsd for these last 7 weeks. Skeptics can “try” doing the same if they doubt me. It’s simple, I’m not “disrespecting” anyone, I just respect MY integrity more. Perhaps no one else cares but I never got anywhere in my business life by accepting every “excuse” for poor results thrown at me ! Some may wonder why I nit pick on little things so much. There is a good reason. Fail to do it and when you comment on a flaw you’ve observed for the 10th time some one rushes in to ACCUSE you of picking out isolated mistakes unfairly. When, like LESS bangles per hand today and a “square” neck line and all the undamaged chemical glassware (when they should be smashed) in the final 2 panels today, you easily see how there’s scant attention paid to simple detail. BUT make no mistake about it, the yellow “tit” WILL be there, just as important or more than, writing in the Artist’s signarure. It reflects what is really important.

HankF says:

The duck’s in the second to last panel, and how come there’s a skyscraper outside Tracy’s house?

Hank, in the upper left hand corner of the last panel, it says “elsewhere”. Surprised you missed that, as you spotted the ducky which I did not see., so we’re even

Donnie Tevault said: “Actually, I’m surprised it still takes 30” Don, Better to have a little “over kill” and have a totaly impregnable position.

margueritem said: “It’s the weekly recapap again. but it’s not too bad” I agree, despite my eaerlier remarks (in another context). It could be argued that it’s 3 panels forward !! Just shows what can be accomplished with a little thought and effort on the proper spacing of action between Sundays. It’s a world of difference! Why doesn’t it happen every week? I don’t buy that a total “repetition” product is as a result of Editor mandate. Common sense: All it needs is more careful “thought” in the preperation, it’s not Rocket Science! Reasonable?

Speaking as a recent newbie which I am, I need to say I recently saw an interview available online with DL. It has probably been mentioned and discussed here before. He and his wife seem like very nice people. He has a great home and nice work environment. For his age he seems sharp as a tack and quite the hard worker. I just don’t understand why the strip isn’t better. Look at all the panels with little or no backround. If you are a pro user of ucomics, go back to the earliest date, and compare the artwork from the Mr. Smirk story with the current offering. There is a world of difference. CG would never put out work like this. The strip can change its name to “Sawdust” or “The Invisible Tribe”.

For something that is so “hush-hush”, Doc and Angelexorcist seem to be talking about it a lot.

The most interesting thing about today’s comic was trying to find the duck.

EatDickTracySandwiches: A Valentine sandwich, I love it!

Sydney Phillips says: and a “square” neck line

~I noticed that too. To be fair, they appear to be two different outfits. The first one is a tunic top with a V neckline. The second one appears to be a jumpsuit, or catsuit, with a square neckline and a belt. I guess she has a lot of outfits in black with yellow trim. In the last panel, Mrs. Locher should have pointed out to Dick that you never wear white pumps with a black jumpsuit.

I hazard a guess that it’s not too late to ask why Dr, Nollwas allowed back into his house? An explosion serious enough to blow doors and windows off and move a car that was thirty feet away would have placed stresses on the structure that it was never designed for. It’s not safe to enter that building before the inspectors have been there and declared it safe— and that might take some doing.

I note that the duck appears in two panels today. The one in the second to last panel is easy to spot because it’s yellow. Take a look in the last panel, between the footstool and the cabinet, in the blue, and there’s the other duck.

^ He’s probably making up for one that wasn’t there a few weeks ago.

Angeldust took some bracelets off. Maybe to rest her wrists.

Gweedo,

Try the following URL. Cutting, pasting, and cursing may be required.

http://mikelynchcartoons.blogspot.com/2008/11/video-dick-lochers-career.html

Joe

You’re right margueritem It’s a jump suit, and the similarity easily fooled me! Don’t know about Mrs.Locher but I read in the early days after Rick Fletcher died she was a sort of assistant (at least in minor things … filling in black areas etc)Back then it was reported he was under a lot of pressure coping with the work load. Perhaps JEff could tell us if he has a fulltime assistant and who does the ‘coloring’. The latter is very good

Michael McMillan pointed out the blue one. What is it a birthday? Heck! ‘Boobs’ for two, and one in blue … “Come to Mama baby!” Sorry, I couldn’t resist it ! Mike, I hereby award you the Pulitzer Prize for ‘spotting’ those little duckies that float.

margueritem says:

EatDickTracySandwiches: A Valentine sandwich, I love it!

Thanks margueritem, that’s exactly what it is!! I like your holiday avatar too.

Thanks for that Locher link Joe. I liked his choice of word, “skewer” from his Editorial cartoons. It’s a “hint” as to where he got his practice. I note at the end, he’s back on the same track and into his “Don Quick Oatie” costume trying to skewer yet another windmill !

fishbulb says:

Gweedo,

Try the following URL. Cutting, pasting, and cursing may be required.

http://mikelynchcartoons.blogspot.com/2008/11/video-dick-lochers-career.html

Joe

~Thank you, Joe. That was fun to watch.

EatDickTracySandwiches: Thank you. It will change again before the 14th.

Thanks for posting the video link from Mike Lynch’s blog, Joe. I hadn’t viewed this as it must have only run on public access in and around Naperville. You’re correct on Mary, Sydney. She assisted Dick, similarly as Bev Fletcher had assisted HER husband, Dick, inking in the solid black areas in the strip.

Dick does not currently employ an assistant – he does everything himself, including the coloring. My guess about WHY he doesn’t employ an assistant currently is because the work doesn’t pay as well as it used to and creator’s end up splitting their income, as a result. As Bruce Dold stated in the interview – DL is a workhorse. His imagination never quits, even when he isn’t at the drawing board. I’m glad that the reporter showed one of the dozens of books he draws in daily. He cranks out about 4-5 illustrations a day, in addition to his usual chores.

Joe-

Compare the content (even the WORD COUNT) from the 1950s vs. the 1970s. It is dramatically more limited after only 20 years. You hit the proverbial “nail” right on the head, though – the strip COULD change its’ name to SAWDUST or THE INVISIBLE TRIBE and it wouldn’t be at all a stretch. It disgusts me to no end.

Now, to your exercise, Sydney. I appreciate your taking the time and effort to do it, first of all, but also that you shared your results. It is no doubt, revealing. Don’t kid yourself, though – every detail down to the pacing is strictly controlled by the syndicate. DL once told me that he can only show gun-play, by editorial edict, no more than twice a year, and in some years he wasn’t even allowed to do it twice. These editorial “hand-cuffs” limit creativity and always leave us wanting more of the past. I can’t imagine that THIS is why TMS places such limitations on DL, but nothing surprises me anymore.

In year’s past, however, DL DID employ several assistant’s to help with backgrounds, etc. I don’t recall that either Mike Kilian or Max Collins employed assistant’s for their writing, though. Research, yes…writing, no.

We can, however, draw a distinction when considering Chet’s work. Chet was never without at least one assistant over his 46+ years. At most, he employed four at one time.

Crime Stoppers Textbook:

“Think your phone calls are private? You could be wong.” How true, that it’s usually someone in legal authority eavesdropping.

You cats just get off on dissecting this comic. Glad ur getting entertained. I bet you love the “find 6 different things” photo in Sunday’s comics.

I happen to like Tracy.