Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for October 02, 2010

Didn’t anybody ever tell that woman not to talk to weird street people?

Tracy’s eyes light up with avarice!

Tomorrow, on a very special episode of Seinfeld, we have the Nothing Recap, followed by the Monday Recap Summary, after which Thick will turn down the dollar, then will start to leave, and by next Saturday he may actually be observed by Homeless Guy, who will decide that Thick is a genuine bum and not an undercover cop …

Remember that theory which had been put forward many story arcs ago, the one which held that Tracy was suffering severe brain damage and just playing cop, and that most of the strip’s “action” (if you can call it that) was actually occurring within his feverish mind?

Well I think we’ve finally gotten to the point where we see Dick as he actually is: daft, bedraggled, and living off spare change from strangers on the street.

The present story up until now has just been another of his crime-fighting fantasies, but it has served to reconcile his fantasy with his reality.

Flight Suit, that theory makes more sense than anything Locher has done here. And it would be just like him to take forever to reveal the facts.

In the forlorn hope that this week’s events have something to do with anything, perhaps the woman is a cohort of Homeless Guy and is out in the rain on Saturday morning with her groceries to give people a chance to perform acts of random kindness while Homeless Guy observes and judges them.

A dollar down and like the song 999 more dolars to be handed out. it only took a week to get it, That means Locher can keep this going for over 19 years at that rate. Good security for a comic strip writer.

Butterfly McCorpse had a tattoo. D-cubed has a butterfly tattoo. Mullet Head has a butterfly tattoo. Grocery Girl has a butterfly tattoo. Sue Doko has a butterfly tattoo. I’m tellin’ ya, they’re all part of some kinda conspiracy and that butterfly tattoo is their symbol! They’re conspirin’ to expose corporate crime and inspire noble behavior among the unsuspecting citizens of Nappingville! They wanna recruit our Thick into their ranks! Especially because after a week on the streets he’s so rank! Don’t let ‘em get away with it, Thick! If crime ends and people act nice, you’ll be out of a job!

Remarkably, this is the best artwork we’ve seen in ages. In panel #2 Thick has an expression that goes beyond his usual range of boredom, determination and myopic squint, and actually looks friendly. In both her panels Grocery Girl looks like a typical human being. Both she and Thick look like they’re caught in the rain, and the diagonal shadings suggest strong wind and heavy rain.

OK Bill, I will concede that panels one and three are rather well drawn. However, in panel two, Grocery Girl’s arms seem really weirdly proportioned and positioned.

I didn’t say it was perfect, Flight Suit, just the best artwork we’ve seen lately. The distortion of her arm might be due to foreshortening as she juggles her groceries.

I’m beginning to wonder if we’ve all misunderstood Locher’s attitude. He’s given a great deal of attention to Homeless Guy and to the K-notes. Perhaps in Locher’s mind the real crime is not some trivia that involves murder or kidnapping or embezzlement, but the actual giving of Christian charity.

Does anyone else think it strange (even for Locher) that an attractive young woman is out, alone, walking in driving rain w/o an umbrella, carrying sacks of groceries through what is obviously a rough neighborhood?

The only way this continuity could be worse is if B.O. Plenty were involved.

Oh, lordy, btmosley, think of the polluted rain runoff!

I think Grocery Girl’s arrival is a set-up and she works with Mullet Head. After Thick graciously turns down the dollar I expect Mullet Head will appear and either offer him a K-note, or tell him he’s passed a test, or shoot him.

At this point I would much rather see Godzilla appear and do the Tokyo Two-Step on the entire scene, although I’d settle for an appearance by Barney Fife to arrest Thick for dropping the newspaper he carried yesterday.

Yeah, ladies just love it when a street bum starts grabbing up the packages they’ve dropped. That’s an offer they never refuse….

-Cougar :{)

Her bags are orbiting her in panel 2, like electrons.

The rain doesn’t wash off Tracy’s makeup?

Is Tracy so much ‘in character’ that to display his HUNGER, he’s taken a ‘bite’ out of his rain coat ? (panel 1) ?

Thank the Lord for that dollar !

Flight Suit said “Didn’t anybody ever tell that woman not to talk to weird street people?”

Let’s check Crimestoppers tomorrow.

“Hmmm… he can’t find homeless guy until the last panel of the Sunday strip… how to kill time… well, I’ve always wanted to draw rain!”

“no thanks, i’m looking for the guy with the $1K bills.” “oh yeah, he’s in hiding somewhere around here at Jefferson and Ewing.”

Better take it, Tracy – save up so you can finaly retire after 75 years with the police department!

Flight Suit, has a point - this story has to be a Tracy ‘muttering’ in a delirious dream.

I predict, it will be ;’remembered’ as the worst Dick Tracy story of all time !

What’s the strange letter and numerical code hidden at the bottom right in panel 2? Is the 452 the number of panels since anything interesting has happened?

i admit it - thought of art frahm - nsfw

Sydney Phillips, I don’t know how Locher will do it, but I’m sure his next story arc will be worse than this. I don’t know what he’s up to now–a sinister conspiracy of do-gooders?–but he’s bound to find a way to make things worse.

At least Dracy is finally getting paid what he’s worth.

C’mon, Locher, I know you’re just winging it here but can’t you have SOMETHING happen in this inept strip? It’s getting harder to force myself to come here everyday because the strip is SO bad. If it weren’t for the comments I’d have given up on this strip long ago.

In Nappingville, the hookers are so inept that they pay the johns!

Either that, or Mullet Head is testing Thick; if he turns down the dollar, Mullet Head will know he has a good heart and will induct him into whatever weird operation he has going. This despite having already met Thick and heard nothing from him but his desire to find the guy who hands out money.