Segue into a new story line….The strict definition of “segue” isto move without interruption from one story (or piece of music) to the next. But, I always felt there was at least the connotation there that the movement was smooth, blended. Like, in music, through a series of logical chord progressions (Classic example being Days of Future Passed by the Moody Blues)In story telling it would be a flow of ideas. Gould impressed me in the early 60s with a sequence that went like this:<L<Two crooks were caught at an old mansion, trying to dig up a hidden treasure. Then the mansion turned out to be where Mary Steele was living out her last days. Then Mary was killed accidentally by an errant golf ball. Then it turned out the golfer was a wanted felon. Then, when they caught him by finger print work and also comparison of his ears, a guy showed up a HQ to tell Tracy that ear identification would soon become unreliable because of radioactive fallout, which led into the “Brush” story, about a scam and a huge bag full of money. While Brush was on the run, the bag was lost on a farm, and once Brush blew himself up, we had a whole story about an old woman finding the money on her family’s farm. Four stories blended from one to the other without any real break – things just kept happening. That, to me, is a segue! This today seems to have just jumped in out of nowhere – it may part of the set up for the next story, but it’s not a true segue, at least in my opinion.
It was John Harvey Kellogg, assisted by his brother W.K. Kellogg who had the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a kind of health farm in Battle Creek, Michigan. It was Kellogg who invented the new spelling, “Sanitarium,” for his health resort. Corn flakes, a Kellogg invention, were part of the therapy. C.W. Post (as in Post cereals) also worked with him. It’s kind of interesting that Putty Puss is eating cereal in the last panel.
I just found something else. During its peak years, “Battle Creek Sanitarium was world renowned and became the ‘in’ place for the rich and famous to seek their lost health, to listen to health lectures and to learn and practice the principles of a healthy lifestyle”. Notable patients included Warren G. Harding, Amelia Earhart, Johnny Weissmuller, Henry Ford, Mary Todd Lincoln, and J.C. Penney.
With the coming of the Great Depression in the 1930s, the institution started to decline, but it went through several transformations. “Owned by the Seventh Day Adventists, the Battle Creek Sanitarium continued to operate as a psychiatric facility through the 1970s but closed its doors by the end of the decade.” (Wikipedia) That would explain the association with psychiatric facilities.
Putty Puss (real name Harley Niav) has been in and out of mental institutions. So yes, it would make sense that the nursing home is some sort of mental health facility.FYI Putty Puss’s last story (12/4/2011 through 1/30/2012) began with him escaping the custody of a prison guard who was assigned to supervise him. PP has committed multiple homicides, the last one being Cueball in January 2012, so he’s definitely a mean and dangerous dude.
When JPuzzleWhiz said “intro” he meant that it is an introductory part of the new storyline, not an intermission. There are always a lot of cameos and minor supporting characters in this strip, but anyone who appears in the first couple of days on a new storyline is generally pretty important to the plot. Putty Puss might actually be a leading character in what’s to come.
Intro (skip if you’ve already read any of the previous intros):
Hello, greetings, casual readers of past Tracy stories. I’m here because I’m on 2 missions. The first is something I’ve never done before, read each Tracy story by Mike Curtis (or his occasional guest writer) in one sitting each. I feel his stories are worth it. IMHO, Curtis is by far the best post-Gould writer this strip has ever had, and we’re all lucky to have him.
My second mission is to provide an immediately useful Featured Comment whenever needed. My 3 friends below will reply to me. You can read their replies if you like, but their only real purpose is to bump up this comment to the Featured Comment.
There are 2 basic types of immediately useful Featured Comments: the first type is to provide you with a Mumblespeak translator when needed. The other type (this type) is anytime that day’s strip quotes a real song. I will provide an html to a recording to that song so you’ll know the tune even if you’ve never heard it before.
cpalmeresq over 8 years ago
Putty Puss? An interesting and unexpected addition!
22ph over 8 years ago
Where’s the wedding reception?
jonahhex1 over 8 years ago
Who in the world is that?
gimmickgenius over 8 years ago
Happydale? Isn’t that the sanitarium they wanted to send “Teddy” Brewster to??
AnyFace over 8 years ago
“I’m melting … oh, what a world … what a world …”
seanyj over 8 years ago
Oh my, is that Putty Puss? Between him, Mr. Bribery and Notta, Tracy will have his hands full.
Steven Wright over 8 years ago
Sad the reception we missInstead of that we get thisSomeone new on the sceneOh what does it mean?A new story to bring us bliss
Neil Wick over 8 years ago
For those who don’t know the songs:
“Someone left the cake out in the rain” from“MacArthur Park”: 1968 song by Richard HarrisListen on YouTube
“Burn baby burn” from “Disco Inferno”: 1976 song by The TrammpsListen on YouTube
“Ain’t nothing gonna break my stride” from“Break My Stride”: 1983 song by Matthew WilderListen on YouTube
fredville over 8 years ago
Actually, he’s probably listening to Donna Summers (ugh) version, given his disco leanings, lol
therese_callahan2002 over 8 years ago
I know what he’ll sing next: “He’s a coldhearted snake. Look into his eyes.”
QuantumMechanic Premium Member over 8 years ago
I prefer Jimmy Webb’s (the songwriter of “MacArthur Park”) own recording of the song. Much simpler arrangement (piano only).
tsull2121 over 8 years ago
didn’t know putty puss was into disco
WaitingMan over 8 years ago
Today’s strip makes me glad this comic has a mute button.
Raijin over 8 years ago
Anyone care to venture a guess if the songs in today’s strip have any significance?
Ken in Ohio over 8 years ago
Segue into a new story line….The strict definition of “segue” isto move without interruption from one story (or piece of music) to the next. But, I always felt there was at least the connotation there that the movement was smooth, blended. Like, in music, through a series of logical chord progressions (Classic example being Days of Future Passed by the Moody Blues)In story telling it would be a flow of ideas. Gould impressed me in the early 60s with a sequence that went like this:<L<Two crooks were caught at an old mansion, trying to dig up a hidden treasure. Then the mansion turned out to be where Mary Steele was living out her last days. Then Mary was killed accidentally by an errant golf ball. Then it turned out the golfer was a wanted felon. Then, when they caught him by finger print work and also comparison of his ears, a guy showed up a HQ to tell Tracy that ear identification would soon become unreliable because of radioactive fallout, which led into the “Brush” story, about a scam and a huge bag full of money. While Brush was on the run, the bag was lost on a farm, and once Brush blew himself up, we had a whole story about an old woman finding the money on her family’s farm. Four stories blended from one to the other without any real break – things just kept happening. That, to me, is a segue! This today seems to have just jumped in out of nowhere – it may part of the set up for the next story, but it’s not a true segue, at least in my opinion.
Don Bagert Premium Member over 8 years ago
So the “Nursing Home” is actually a sanatorium?
Vista Bill Raley and Comet™ over 8 years ago
.Good morning fellow DT fans!
Neil Wick over 8 years ago
It was John Harvey Kellogg, assisted by his brother W.K. Kellogg who had the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a kind of health farm in Battle Creek, Michigan. It was Kellogg who invented the new spelling, “Sanitarium,” for his health resort. Corn flakes, a Kellogg invention, were part of the therapy. C.W. Post (as in Post cereals) also worked with him. It’s kind of interesting that Putty Puss is eating cereal in the last panel.
I just found something else. During its peak years, “Battle Creek Sanitarium was world renowned and became the ‘in’ place for the rich and famous to seek their lost health, to listen to health lectures and to learn and practice the principles of a healthy lifestyle”. Notable patients included Warren G. Harding, Amelia Earhart, Johnny Weissmuller, Henry Ford, Mary Todd Lincoln, and J.C. Penney.
With the coming of the Great Depression in the 1930s, the institution started to decline, but it went through several transformations. “Owned by the Seventh Day Adventists, the Battle Creek Sanitarium continued to operate as a psychiatric facility through the 1970s but closed its doors by the end of the decade.” (Wikipedia) That would explain the association with psychiatric facilities.
willy007 over 8 years ago
Putty Puss (real name Harley Niav) has been in and out of mental institutions. So yes, it would make sense that the nursing home is some sort of mental health facility.FYI Putty Puss’s last story (12/4/2011 through 1/30/2012) began with him escaping the custody of a prison guard who was assigned to supervise him. PP has committed multiple homicides, the last one being Cueball in January 2012, so he’s definitely a mean and dangerous dude.
Sisyphos over 8 years ago
Setting the scene.Will Putty Puss escape (or, even worse, be released)?How will his bit blend in to the other threads still in the air (if at all)?
Neil Wick over 8 years ago
When JPuzzleWhiz said “intro” he meant that it is an introductory part of the new storyline, not an intermission. There are always a lot of cameos and minor supporting characters in this strip, but anyone who appears in the first couple of days on a new storyline is generally pretty important to the plot. Putty Puss might actually be a leading character in what’s to come.
boboscar 7 months ago
Intro (skip if you’ve already read any of the previous intros):
Hello, greetings, casual readers of past Tracy stories. I’m here because I’m on 2 missions. The first is something I’ve never done before, read each Tracy story by Mike Curtis (or his occasional guest writer) in one sitting each. I feel his stories are worth it. IMHO, Curtis is by far the best post-Gould writer this strip has ever had, and we’re all lucky to have him.
My second mission is to provide an immediately useful Featured Comment whenever needed. My 3 friends below will reply to me. You can read their replies if you like, but their only real purpose is to bump up this comment to the Featured Comment.
There are 2 basic types of immediately useful Featured Comments: the first type is to provide you with a Mumblespeak translator when needed. The other type (this type) is anytime that day’s strip quotes a real song. I will provide an html to a recording to that song so you’ll know the tune even if you’ve never heard it before.
End Intro
Panel 1 is from the song MacArthur Park:
https://www.youtube.Com/watch?v=sD-zTwi3_GU
Panel 2 is from the song Disco Inferno:
https://www.youtube.Com/watch?v=pG8TyIEAqps
Panel 3 is from the song Break My Stride:
https://www.youtube.Com/watch?v=B4c_SkROzzo