Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 14, 2021

So who’s this guy? Maybe the original customer?

Good morning™, people on the trail!

Aquarius apparently has the feeling that he’s being followed, despite the fact that Tiger Lilly is trying to hide behind that guy with the brush cut.

But like Brian said, it appears our new character is now tailing Aquarius – and not being as discrete about it. Although, if he is the customer for the blue balloon, and he’s never met Pouch, does he have a reason to be discrete?

It appears that Mr. short hairs is also following Aquarius. I wonder if he had arranged to pick up the blue balloon?

Next panel: (Tiger Lily) “Dang… now I gotta get in line behind the thug who wants to mug him for the ORANGE balloon.”

Good morning™, (marked) Trail Blazers !

All he has to say to goon guy is “Got the money ?” …And then scoot like a scalded dog to stay ahead of Ty, once it occurs to him that he has yet another “follower”, after getting goon’s dough.

Good morning™, park lurkers!

Imaginary Backstory

Subject: Big guy with brush cut

Brucci “Bruce” Pugili spent most of his childhood in Witness Protection with his mom, Peggy. His dad, Bruno “No-No” Pugili, ran a protection gang for the Hungarian mob in Columbus, Ohio until he was killed by his boss, Karlos “The Cat” Kaitan, after taking pity on a delinquent “client” who’s son had just died while serving in Afghanistan. When Kaitan and most of his top lieutenants all died several years later in an outbreak of legionnaires disease, Bruce and Peggy were able to come out of hiding.

A quiet “gentle giant”, Bruce lives with his mom while attending the Tracyville Community College where he majors in culinary arts. On weekends he often works as a bouncer for pop-up rave parties. Tonight, while working the door, a group of girls spiked his water bottle with a party drug to see what would happen if “Big Bruce cut loose.” Suddenly feeling flush, Bruce took a break and went for a walk outside to cool down. Without questioning why he is so entranced, Bruce now finds himself mesmerized by the vibrant colors and bouncing motion of the balloons in Aquarius’ grip, similarly unable to break away…

I hope something happens soon…

The “Scenic Route” usually means either a short cut or out of the way route so Aquarius is about to be “stomped” maybe!

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire!

Sometimes a big fella near a skating rink is just a big fella near a skating rink. What does Aquarius find “interesting”? Did the smoke from Tiger’s stogie give him away? I think he’s been made. All roads lead to the “commune.”

So they are all either outside of the park, or there are a lot of curfew violators around tonight! LOL

Well, apparently Aquarius stopped off at an all night barber shop, or bought a pack of razor blades at the concession stand. In any case his goatee is gone in panel three. (Maybe the director needed to re-shoot part of this scene, and the continuity manager missed the goatee – oh wait. That’s the movies where that happens.) Oops. I guess Joe made a mistake.

1-NARKY MARK: WHOA BABY! What’s in that vendor’s coffee? It’ll knock the hair off your chin!

2-FRENCHY: Follow da balloons, yah, follow da balloons, George.

3-NARKY: Did I just hear somebody say “follow da balloons, George”? Or was that the coffee talking?

Tip O The Hat I’m Wearing this morning to avoid a hairwash to Ken In Ohio for his contribution to today’s Alt Take – whether he wants to be associated with it or not.

Who is the lantern-jawed galoot?

Nothing to see here folks, just a grown man with a handful of balloons being followed menacingly be a couple of thugs. Just another day in the park.

More deep analysis from Neil. Anyone know where the Dick Tracy strip can be found? Maybe it went the same place that goatee went.

Look out for the man selling ice cream singing Italian songs.

I’m going too be kind of out of things for the next few days. My wife got me a new laptop for Christmas and I haven’t had time to load programs or set it up. So for the next few days, that is my task.

I think the big boy likes blue balloons.

The guy following Aquarius resembles the late “Gruesome”…

That is getting to be one very scary park! Two big thuggish-looking guys hot on the trail as Aquarius opts for the scenic route (why? Isn’t that likely to be less safe?!). The Blue Balloon is still there, but it’s lost its CG tag. Once away from the brightly-lit skating rink area, all kinds of bad things could happen, and to more than just one victim….

I like the depiction in P3, even with the mistake. He regularly gets drawn as either chubby or fat making him look comical, in P3 he looks serious.

Methinks that the scribble for the reply is significant. Mumbles? Scribbles?

Hi Joe I remember Tiger Lily reprints that got him in a lot in early 40s.Can’t work who the guy is in Sundays stripIan.