Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for April 24, 2012

Good morning all…

Like an ending for a Hollywood movie!

Did the real Fritz-Ann behave like this?

Ah, young love. My, my,my……>>>>>>Hi, margueritem, and you, too, VistaBill.!!

Sam brought this one on himself; he should have kept his mouth shut beyond just “goodbye.” Maybe Fritz Ann is just playful and touchy-feely, but she makes me uncomfortable almost as much as Sam. Tracy and Patton apparently think it’s a hoot!

ha ha ha hee hee he

good clean fun

I don’t know which of the new characters introduced in this arc I like more: Blackjack, the best and most interesting Tracy rogue in quite a while…Bogart the Roach, who while we admittedly don’t know much about him, has an absolutely awesome design…or Fritz Ann, who despite her unprofessional behavior, certainly knows how to spice up a strip. Bravo!

Aaron

What I wanna know is how Mike knew that a nor’easter was going to dump a freak April snowstorm on the Northeast at the exact same time this strip came out? ;D

Let’s hope Sam’s wife doesn’t know about this episode.

Yikes! Poor Sam.

disappointed that fritz ann didnt have more of a role in the story

Wait a minute.. OH MY GOD!!! do you all see it!!! in the first panel!!!! OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!!!! syd, youre gonna be shocked! lol! unfortunately it STILL keeps alive the debate of whether or not tracy is in chicago or new york, cause theres a naperville in BOTH Illinois AND New Jersey! LOL :)

While I loved this story, I am disappointed in Fritz Ann. Whether male or female, unwanted physical attention is unprofessional and harassment. A pity Tracy and the Chief find it oh so funny. (Though I really wouldn’t expect anything else from them.)

Unwanted? What makes you think it was unwanted?

A comic strip that adhered to a perfect PC world would be a very boring comic strip indeed. So lighten up gang … give Mike and Joe credit for creating a clever and interesting strip.

C’mon Aunt Marg! That isn’t unprofessional. She’s what the world needs more of. After all, isn’t San Francisco where the saying originated “Make love; not war” ?

Great finale, right down to Blackjack’s face on the flatscreen.As for Fritz Ann – c’mon, people, it’s called “humor.”And I look forward to the returns of Fritz Ann, Blackjack and Bogart – three great additions to the cast of characters!

Wonder if Sam is still looking foward to Fritz Ann’s return?.Great Arc Team! I hope to see the Return of Blackjack, myself.

Wow—are people REALLY disappointed in Fritz Ann’s behavior? It’s a comic strip, not real life. Wait—I think I know where this is coming from. I’m sorry. BUT, this was a good story, nonetheless. I really liked Blackjack—I hope we see him again in the near future.

Well, we could MARK this (Apr.24th) as the Day when :the new strips first real BIRTHDAY was ’ trumped ’ by -I) a Hat Museum2) Indirect homage to Dicky Locher and3) The " pinacle " of Sam Catchem’s romantic life-- GOSH !Isn’t today - – - Li’l Attitude Plenty’s birthday ?

Sam!!! You animal!!! lol.

Frtiz Ann! You brazen hussy!

I guess I will weigh in on the Sam-Fritz Ann debate. My first reaction this morning was to chuckle, then I thought that Sam should probably not have said anything to invite Fritz Ann to act up. But, since she makes him uncomfortable, it’s easy to see how he might have said something, trying to be nice, without thinking it through.The real point that keeps nagging at me however, is that this is an example of a double standard. If a man made those kind of advances to a woman, after the woman said “no thanks, I’m not interested” everybody would be hollering about sexual harrasement in the work place.I know some say this is “just a comic strip” but it is rooted in reality. By that, I mean, even though there have been elements of science fiction, this is not a fantasy story, this is about a modern police operation in a big city in the USA. Therefore, it is valid to compare the actions of the characters with actions people would take in real life. After all, the original idea for the strip came from the headlines Chester Gould was reading in his newspaper.So, I agree with “Aunt Marge” and others who have said that Fritz Ann’s conduct with Sam was unprofessional. On the other hand, I suppose there are women who are just plain exuberant when they express themselves, and really don’t mean anything harmful. So, we can give her the benefit of the doubt. And Tracy and the chief have been through so much major stuff with Sam over the years that they have the privilege of camaraderie – they can laugh with Sam about something that others should not laugh about.Well, I didn’t mean to get so deep, but a good story, in books, movies or the comic strips, makes you think sometimes.

Humor evaporates when it is analyzed. Humor is often based upon incongruity and the unexpected. When you analyze humor you see why it is illogical and incongruous and it no longer becomes funny. Don’t try to analyze the comic relief. Just enjoy the comic strip.

Must be Naperville, NJ, as the best hat shop in the Chicago area is at Six Corners—no classy chapeaux in Naperville, IL. Maybe Fritz Ann has recently quit smoking and Sam gives her a nicotine fix, Loved this arc and looking forward to seeing Blackjack and Bogart and even Fritz Ann again.

Hey, what better way to stop Sam from smoking for a minute or two.The next time we see Blackjack I hope his new theme song is “Tracy” by the Edison Lighthouse.

Ahh, in spring time, a young lady’s thoughts turn to….

I think the creators have very good reasons for Fritz Ann’s behavior…she’ll be back.

Yes, it may be awhile but when Fritzy and Blackjack return, it will be a welcome return. Oh Sammy boy, you hunk a hunk a burnin’ love you…..

@ElGuapo: I think Naperville, IL is more likely. It’s Dick Locher’s hometown, and he supplied Tracy with hats for years.

I think Fritz Ann is a big fan of Rose is Rose. Jimbo Gumbo often gets this kind of sudden greeting, and answers back in kind with his own ambush smooch.. Yes, their married, but as long as Fritz Ann id doing this with high good humor, and acknowledging she understands the PC problem, I think it is OK. It’s pretty hard to denote a highly developed sense of humor in cartoon art, though, and I don’t mind the writer and artists teasing the readers with that either. I like to take the generous view..

I seem to recall that Tracy’s hat wall had a lot more hats than that. Back in the Collins days, there were rows and rows of them. Perhaps this is a second wall or he’s been giving them away (for charity?), or the police department mole has been slowly stealing them!?

If it’s female to male sexual harassment is fit for laughs. Remember Misty Waters? Dick Tracy was exasperated, and Chief Brandon found it very funny.But why?If a behaviour is wrong, is wrong whoever does it to whom.

I don’t care what some of you say. Over the years we have heard some pretty nasty things about the FBI. I even had a bad encounter with an agent when I worked as a clerk in a local motel. What was the problem? His room account showned he owed for a $2.00 long distance call. Yet at first he claimed he didn’t make it and got to yelling and flashing his badge! Then all of a sudden he changed his mind and said he DID make it and paid! Talk about unprofessional behavior. Give me a agent like Fritz Ann any day! A kiss from a good looking woman beats getting yelled at by a jerk any day!

“unprofessional behavior”………ah, lighten up – it’s only a comic strip!

Oy vey!

This was the hit calypso (and the Road March at Carnival that year), when the US no longer needed the Naval Base at Point Cumana, and moved on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yAqgatzuT0&feature=endscreen&NR=1

LYRICS :

Mighty Sparrow Jean and Dinah Well the girls in town feeling badNo more Yankees in Trinidad They going to close down the base for goodThem girls have to make out how they could – - (i.e. Prostitutes)Brother is now they park up in townIn for a penny, and in for a poundBelieve me it’s competition for soTrouble in the town when the price drop low

Chorus:

So when you bounce up Jean and DinahRosita and Clementina, round the corner posingBet your life is something they selling And if you catch them brokenYou can get em all for nothing Don’t make no row, the Yankees gone, Sparrow take over Now

Things bad is to hear them cry Not a sailor in town, the night clubs dry Only West Indians like me or you Are able to get a drink or two And as we have things back in control [From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/c/calypso-lyrics/jean-and-dinah-mighty-sparrow-lyrics.html ]Ah seeking revenge with me heart and soul Brother when I spread the news around Is to see how them cave men come into town

(This verse is sometimes omitted) When the Yankee was in full swing Just imagine how I was suffering Mavis told me straight to me face How she find I too fast and out of place No, no, no, they would start to fret Money or not poor Sparrow can’t get Because with the Yankees they have it cool Calypsonians too hard to fool

It’s the glamour boys againWe are going to rule Port of SpainNo more Yankees to spoil the feteDorothy have to take what she getAll of them who used to make styleWhile they taking two ‘shillling’ with a smileNo more hotel to rest your headBy the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat bread

Isn’t Sam married?? What happened to Mrs. Catchem?? and how would she react to this??

SORRY AGAIN Correct one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7YlFJEZYPo

If I’m correct it’s your wife that does the " INKING " on the strip ?? And, on a computer.It would be interesting to have a short summary of how that’s done.Her work is excellent !Thank you, yes Shelley does the inking and the lettering. She does do her work using the computer, although she can work in traditional media as well. I am not really at liberty to discuss what tools she uses or how she does what she does, I will state that she is on a few other art boards and Dick Tracy fan boards. You can also see her work on her deviantART site as well as other sites on the web, and of course in some of Mike Curtis’s Shanda comics.

Jeez, guy’s…it’s a COMIC STRIP!!!

There is no “wife” of Sam " to take offense…there is no “Fritz Ann” guilty of "unprofessional behavior.

There is no snowstorm or wall of yellow hats…

There is no DICK TRACY…!

There are only cartoonists of differing skill and senses of humour.

In this case, perhaps a more “modern” sense of humor, , e.g., "Bogart the Roach’ vs. “Flat Top” as villains.

“Blackjack” is certainly an interesting character…. seems more of an “homage” to the Dick Tracy strip/character than a real villain at all…

Naperville? C’mon man, you know the hat man is on Irving Park off of Cicero! Who you trying to kid?!