Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for October 15, 2022

Good morning™, all!

The name, Steelface, rings a bell with Sam? This might be the first siign that Steelface is “known to police” already.

if ever there was a red flag, Steelface is IT…

“Hmm, sounds like someone Tracy would like to shoot. Ha ha, I mean meet.”

“Recognition.” ✨

Finally! Some action!!! (Not really, but at least there’s the potential!)

I’m guessing(haven’t checked) that Mike can’t go more than 3 days in a row without at least one person holding a drink in their hand! (Neil, be a good sport and check it out for me)

LOL!

Good morning™, name recognizers !

Sam’s pastrami, coffee filled brain begins to churn. Is Robert about to become an unwitting accomplice to something ? ? ?

Sam must know that name !!!

The memory of a steel trap snaps shut.

I guess Tracy and Sam dealt with Steelface before.

Maybe the beginning of the exciting part!

Sam may have been thinking the moniker was ‘Stealface’ – if you’re a character in the strip you can’t read the word balloon for the proper spelling. Stealface does sound like a monster out of some slasher flick.

Or: “Steelface,” Sam mused. “That sounds familiar… Got it! The Man in the Iron Mask! Parrish’s uncle is the rightful King of France! Wait ’til I tell the guys!” (see the novel by Dumas for the reference)

…maybe, but even if he’s (she’s?) not known in police circles, just hearing a name like “Steelface” conjures up mental images galore: from Dr. Doom to Darth Vader, faces covered in rigid, grim masks have a creepy attraction since, I reckon The Prisoner Of The Iron Mask and well before that……

cue the ominous music

“My big number is ‘The Mushoom’ song from GIANT GILA MONSTER. I’ll just slip in in the heartwarming scene where I sing my pet spider to sleep. Wont the producers be surprised!”

(Reference: Don Sullivan contributed a badly cut song concerning the Garden of Eden to the flick. It has since achieved a sinister reputation for being he ultimate white bread ‘rock’ standard ever. And he sang it self-accompanied on a ukulele.).

Why does Steelface need to get involved at all? He made it on his own!

STAGESTRUCK SAM: Sooooo,can I be your understudy? You know. In case some (insert Peter Lorre excited breathing here) tragic accident just happens to strike you down on opening night. Something that will stuck you in the ICU for the run of the play. Perish forbid. (add Renfrew giggling here)"

I thought Robert’s uncle hated to be called “Steelface?” And, either Sam is wondering at the name “Steelface,” or, Neil is right, and, that name does seem to ring a bell with Sam.

Me too, Sam. STRAIGHTFACE!

These criminals are always so subtle.

1-SAM: Did you just vigorously rub that hat behind you? It’s suddenly much larger than your head. ROBERT: Ha. You oughta be in the Funny Papers !

2-STAGEHAND: You guys gotta get outta here now. Mr. Vitamin needs to trowel on the makeup before going home so his wife won’t see how really old he is.

3-ROBERT: Don’t take any wooden potatoes, Leprechaun!

SAM: Wait – here’s two bits. Get a shave and a haircut.

ROBERT: Your favorite candy bar must be Three Muskateers because you’re such a Dumas!

SAM: I don’t get it…

SAM: “STEELFACE! Is he related to Robber Nose?. Or maybe my old nemesis from the Reichenbach Falls, Putty Patella!”Sam had many unchronicled adventures before he met Tracy

Very interesting….Pickle nose knows Steelface.

Steelface? Well Sam, what’s in a name? Are you going to jump to conclusions? Yep! Probably have a mugshot of him on file at headquarters.

CONSIDERABLY OFF TOPIC PLUG: With only 3 chapter left to record on OTHERWORLD, I’d like to recommend Linda Kuzma, the narrator, to anyone contemplating a converting a project to an audio book. She’s been a joy to work with and did an excellent job.

“Steelface?”

Does Sam know something about Steelface we don’t know? Or, perhaps more likely, is his curiosity piqued at the odd name?