Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for May 08, 2023

“The little flag that pops out will have a really sarcastic message. You don’t want that do you, Brad?”

Good morning, BOOMERS !

Brown trousers time for Brad. :-O

Good morning™, everyone!

He modified a “Time Bomb” game from Milton Bradley! Oh no! Why would he want to blow up the Monopoly game? I’m still not sure of his motivations. I suppose, “Hand it over or I’ll blow you up” works.

Brad doesn’t feel like playing chicken!

Other than the fuse changing shape in each panel, today’s installment of; “As The Strip Flounders”is not bad at all!

I give it a solid B!

I can be nice!!!

It’s hard to see how Gameboy could set off that fuse & get away in time before it went off, but Brad seems too scared to realize Gameboy is bluffing. It also seems surprising that the MCU didn’t leave at least one member or con security personnel at the Monopoly booth at all times, even in the event of a diversion, which was pretty easy to predict. Maybe Chick Tracy II will swoop in & save the day by kicking the bomb out of Gameboy’s hand. Stay tuned…

I had one of the toy ones as a kid. Despite the fact that I would laugh when one of my friends would “blow up”, I still turned out ok…..

I got a feelin’ that Brad isn’t squeaky clean as he looks or he knows a lot more about what’s going on.

Is it just these two in the building after everybody else did “feet don’t me now” toward the exits? The alarm has been turned off. Where is the fire department? Where is MCU? Oh yes as far as they are concerned, they got their man. Someone is in for a rude awakening. Quick, bring on the coffee and chick n’ delites.

That CH explosive will never be mistaken for the hush a boom which Boris Badenov from Rocky and His Friends plus The Bullwinkle Show would display.

An overage juvenile delinquent playing with bombs, it has been a while since Tracy land had some suspense. Whether this moment qualifies as a nail biter or have readers on the edge of their seats, the jury is still out.

“If you don’t give me the deed to your ranchI’ll saw you all in half!”And then he grabbed her (and then)He tied her up (and then)He turned on the bandsaw (and then, and then!)

Bah Time Bomb. I had a REAL Hot Potato game. And it caused a lot of Aggravation too!

I have the same toy I inherited from my grandparents after I found it in their basement. Not in mint condition, it has a crack and the plastic top part is missing yet it is still working.

And I’m thinking ‘Acme’

Does he want the map because it leads to a cache of valuables stolen in WWII?

Gameboy is delightfully fiendish!

Okay, this person is definitely the same Brad from the bank that was robbed at the beginning of this storyline. Apparently he is helping out his grandfather during the display of the game and other wares during his day off, since the bank is likely closed (the Chief mentioned last Tuesday it would be on display during the weekend).

I didn’t leave a comment about this yesterday when I should have, but I have to ask. Do the creators of Dick Tracy now own Annie? She’s appeared too many times for fair use.

Shelley Pleger does facial expressions well.

this one has a short fuse

Ahh, so this is Brad. His eyes have changed.

https://www.gocomics.com/dicktracy/2023/04/07?ct=v&cti=1714140

Is helping grandpa out a side gig or did he leave the bank job after the trauma of having been robbed? If it’s the latter, it didn’t work out so well for him, did it? I’m impressed by how well Game Boy remembers the teller at his first bank robbery.

In other news, the bomb thing tends to do indiscriminate damage: to people holding them as well as to goods that said people may want to steal. It may have worked for Princess Leia holding a thermal detonator in Jabba the Hutt’s lair, but this isn’t exactly an intelligent approach in this situation. Pretty risky. If it’s a bluff, he’s gambling on Brad not being able to call his bluff. If it’s real, he’s gambling on being able to get away fast enough before the explosion during which time the bomb could be thrown in the direction he’s running. He could also wind up destroying his target item, which is either his meal ticket or something he actually cares about.

Honestly, that only works if he is suicidal or fanatical… which he doesn’t seem to be. Brad should call out his bluff.

I’m just wondering – How did we go from bank robberies to collectible game thefts? Why are they looking for game thefts when Game Boy could just as well rob a bank?

These MCU stakeouts are so helpful.

G-Boy is threatening Brad with a ‘real’ explosive and is playing chicken with him in threatening to detonate it?… is G-Boy willing to off himself, as well?… I don’t think so… G-Boy is bluffing and playing on Brad’s initial reaction of fear…

Who writes this stuff…some game boy?

He does realize that he, himself, would also be killed in blast…

1-LAMEBOY: Does the fact that I no longer care that you can see my face concern you?

2- …Like maybe I’m not worried that you’ll be around to give the cops my description? BRAD: Why wouldn’t I be around?

3-LAMEBOY: BECAUSE I’VE FILLED THIS TOY UP WITH LOVE POTION NUMBER 9 AND AFTER I MAKE YOU DRINK IT YOU’LL FOLLOW ME TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH!

BRAD: No! No! Totally unnecessary. I’d go anywhere with you – stud. LAMEBOY: Really? But I went to all this trouble!

BRAD: You had me at IT’S BANK ROBBERY SEASON sigh!

Editor’s Note: I would point out that yesterday’s far superior effort disappeared before I could even get a couple of Pity Likes. I have reposted it in case anyone is curious enough to go all the way back to yesterday to see if it really is superior to today’s effort (it is but you know – low bar.

MOVIE QUOTE—-

“You mean to say if I offered you glamour,fame,and fortune,you’d turn it down?”

Lewis Stone to Joan Crawford—-THE ICE FOLLIES OF 1939

Well, I’d guess that Chief Patton will be hopping mad at his “crack” MCU staff. Today we see that they (for now, anyway) have been duped once again by a petty toy thief. And after Patton laid out this “rare and valuable item” on a silver platter, his detectives don’t think to post an officer nearby or at the very least, inform the vendors of the possibility that Gameboy may want to make off with this “priceless item?” (And before anyone mentions “off-panel,” I would say that Brad and Gramp’s actions at closing time indicate that they’re not aware of any potential danger.) Nope, I don’t think I’d blame Patton one bit if heads rolled over this one. If these guys can’t even protect an old Yahtzee game, what would they ever do if someone actually did commit a “major crime” in Tracytown?

From today’s Comics Curmudgeon:

It feels on-brand for Dick Tracy that this guy is threatening to set off an explosive device in a crowded exhibition hall and all the talk is about the potential damage to a rare World War II-era Monopoly game. “_*No! No!*_ Our blood and viscera will be smeared all over these collectables! Their condition will have to be downgraded to ‘Fair’ and their resale value will plummet!”

It’s Basil Rathbone’s illegitimate son

I’d give it a test…..

I start to like him.

Gameboy is taking a big Risk,but he’ll end up being Mouse Trapped.

Gameboy plays a mean C4-ball!

Brad capitulates instantly, without bothering to take a moment to reflect on whether or not maskless Gameboy would be willing to self-destruct just to prove a point. Gameboy’s hoodie does help obscure his features, even though maskless, so if Brad hands over the super-rare POW Monopoly game, he will have a fair chance of getting away from the porous police stakeout….