Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for August 31, 2009

You mean a 30-30 lever action?. Perhaps she was shot with a .30 cal. weapon, along the lines of a 30-06. Why does agent Ennen have a tie protruding from her neck?

Where do the ruffles on Sloppy the Clown end and his hands begin?

Tracy has joined the Undead in the first panel!

Agent Ennen is about as scary looking as Angelorious! (shudder)

OK, I give up - what clever first name will Agent Ennen have?

Hmm ! A Grok “tit bit” of progress today!

Panel 1 Tracy looks tired from standing so long. Could he be driving in his sleep ?

Panel 2 A Clown suspect in the background so Tracy puts on his serious Groucho look. Could that be the Pouch behind the mask? Nooo….! Locher could never be so creative … more likly a clone of J. Kindly Goodfellow

Panel 3 On the way to the Airport another “secrecy” warning ringing in her ears. But already she’s pursing her lips, Pucker Puss style to shoot bullets of information at the local police when she gets to the Circus. But no worry, it’s a long flight (as Tracy waits) she won’t get there for at least another week.

Earlier would be to fast.

Oh sorry ! It’s Karen Ennen ! (Possibly no more significant to the story than Tess’ credit card scam)

Gadzooks! Look at Tracy’s eyes. He’s about to become Little Orphan Annie’s partner. Where’s Punjab? Perhaps he can help solve this crime. PS: I suspect the elephant.

You know what I think?

I think that IT HAPPENED.

OMG! Someone has stolen Tracy’s eyeballs in panel 1!

Ah yes….silent but deadly!

30-30’s aren’t sniper weapons. They are saddle rifles and couldn’t hit the side of a barn. That’s the LAST rifle a sniper would chose.

Along with this strip… Tracy is constipated in panel two.

The eyes in Panel 1 suggest that Locher was channeling Harold Gray.

A SILENCER ?!?!?!

Why did the word “BANG” appearred then , on the strip before Louise fell down ?

Matthew , are you getting as senile as Locher ?

We are watching every day !!!

Maybe not. Is it just possible that someone else did the deed before the intended killer had a chance? (I haven’t been following this strip closely of late…this is just a speculation.)

Dick Tracy is looking down at a piece of paper – that’s why you see his eyelids.

I like Bracy’s imitation of Tor Johnson is the first panel.

A silencer? This it’s impossible.

A 30-30 sniper rifle … riiiight … with a silencer … riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight … and they can examine a bullet and tell it was fired through a suppressor … riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

The cartridge is unsuitable for sniping (to say nothing of the rifles made for it), it is a supersonic bullet (suppressors can’t do anything about the sonic boom that is emitted from the entire path of the bullet) and a suppressor doesn’t leave any trace on a bullet.

If Locher could remember what he wrote earlier he would remember he had that all planned out – the sniper fired at the same time the clown shot off his prop gun, to mask the noise – but he forgot all about that.

Can’t blame this one on the secretary….

What is that zombie doing in Panel 1? Did Tracy die of old age while waiting for the plot to advance, and return as a vengeful zombie?

-Cougar :{)

The .30-30 was the first blackpowder cartrige. Pretty good at short ranges, but definatley NOT a sniper rifle, however good for deer. It is LOUD, kicks like a mule. Short and light, tho, for carrying on horseback.

wndrwrthg, I’m thinking she has a tie tattooed on her neck and chest. Handy for formal occasions.

The rationale behind Matties message every day IS (using his words) - “building suspense”. A technique he learned from hero Locher.

It’s one of the few things Locher remembers from Gould, and he beats it to death in every storyline. He has his readers waiting week after week to find out - what’s going to happen (?)

Now we see the POWER of this technique FULLY utilized, and at it’s Zenith in this story. Locher at his “brilliant” best! (and Mattie dePica Hansel is quickly scribbling notes)

Week 1 What’s going to happen? Everyone curiously waits

Week 2 Circus performer shot dead. Wow! Quick action !

Week 3 What Happens now ? NADA ! - Waiting !

Week 4 What Happens now ? Lt. Teevo arrives.

Week 5 What Happens now ? NADA ! - Time wasting !

Week 6 What Happens now ? NADA ! - Time wasting !

Week 7 What Happens now ? NADA ! - Time wasting !

Week 8 What Happens now ? NADA ! More Time wasting!

Week 9 What Happens now ? Look for it —- Time wasting! (Between us, the key word isn’t “WHAT”, it’s really “WHEN”).

A scintilating Locher presentation, effectively, intended to show “guide book” examples on the brilliant use of the - “SUSPENSE” card in comic strips, for aspiring young artists.

And THAT folks, is the rationale behind “dePica’s” teasing, daily foray on the board (AND, the sum of what we will hear) come October 4. Just a “practice” run of a newly learned technique on us stupid Magpies.

The Silencer ?

Which one Carlo ?

The one described by Locher, OR the one by “bassmanbob” ?

How could they tell that the sniper was old?

How does one end up under a code, top security or otherwise? Hello, Agent Ennen. First name “Cee”, I presume?

For Sidney: Locher.

Aah-hah! Michael isn’t dead after all! He’s changed his last name to “Ennen” and now works for the FBI!

Sure, we’re impatient. But look at from Tracy’s viewpoint. He’s had the notes sent to the lab, had the bullet extracted from the corpse and had it sent to ballistics, and has the results back, all while making the entire troupe stand in one spot.

No wonder the clown looks grumpy.

rhutch436 I’m seeing the Michael Jackson resemblence, too.

“Top secret security code?” Is that anything like “double secret probation?”

I’m worried about the Agent Ennen Ma.

Come back next year for a list of suspects.

This is slooooooooooooooow

She does share a resemblance to Michael. Wonder if she has a removable nose or messes with kiddies?

What is most suspenseful is how long is Mattie going to keep up with WATCH THIS SPACE ON OCTOBER 4, 2009!!!!!