Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for December 21, 2023

Who’s ashes is Lee mourning over?

Did I blink and miss something??

“sniff So, it sounds like that book was pretty valuable?”

Good morning™, everyone!

I guess those are Ms. Caxton’s friends and relatives in the last panel looking at the prayer book that was stolen from her when she was murdered.

I give Shelley a lot of credit,,, it’s gotta be hard to illustrate when you can’t keep your eyes open because the story is so boring!

and the week-long soliloquy goes on…

and on…

and on…

and on…

has story moralizing ever gone on this long before?…

why would Lee even BE at services for the dearly departed?!?…

Good morning™, more losses tallied !

Why do I feel a pall that hangs heavy when seeing all these expositions ?  This little morality play seems to make up for all the “crime does not pay” declarations so forever missing from DT.

To see it was a little book which started all of this.

Quest for treasure? Oh great another playing down and glossings over the heinous crimes of a serial murdering kook crook. That character a wicked criminal and it not some mere treasure quest but pure criminal greed. And not so fast. What was this “quest” for treasure for? Money? Wealth? Or she just a kooky collecter? What was she really after? Be more specific about motive.

Good one today!

Can I have her books?

Is this justification for Dick spending so much to me on this case ?

I, along with others enjoyed the Gould style story telling, even with it’s flaws and criticisms. But I also agree with those who suggest that yesterday, today’s, tomorrows and possibly for the next several days should be a three panel post script.

In fact I would say that Sunday would’ve been great use for the review of the story and also include the post script of what happened in the aftermath.

Ya know, when ya’re rich as Croesus and have book collecting as a hobby/fetish/obsession ya usually scour the auction catalogues and estate sales to find manuscripts, incunabula, or rare books rather than murdering people to steal theirs.

Really hope there isn’t a dead body behind every volume in that huge library.

The final fight was silly. Nobody wearing heels that high and a skirt that right could even run, much engage in a fight.

I’m glad to see a wrap up of the story with a follow up on what happened afterwards, unlike past stories where things were left unresolved before a new story starts…

Merry Christmas everyone !

More “movement” (and most assuredly NOT of the “bowel variety”) in this ridiculous wrap up then there was in the 365 weeks leading up to it

I’m still pretty fuzzy on what Libris’ crime wave was supposed to accomplish. “Getting all the books but being unable to tell anyone you have all the books, because murder” seems a bit under-thought. I’m hoping that the valuable tome that brought her downfall was “The Pokey Little Puppy” (too close to Christmas to be a Dick Tracy Collected Adventures volume).

I never thought that her crime wave was about treasure. She was obsessed about wanting her library to be the best, most complete (for herself since no one would ever see it) and it didn’t matter who stood in the way. In the case of Caxton, since Caxton’s relative got the book from Libris’ grandfather, she probably thought she was entitled to it.

And the Mary Worth “how do I end this dang thing” multiple strips continue.

And so we take our last look at Dr. Mandatory….

He was eccentric.

He was shirty.

His chronically addled expression masked a wealth of vital expertise.

He is survived by his nephew Cain, who will be hosting a wake at the House of Mystery.

That symbol on X’s small case still looks like a stylized L to me :)

So, panel 2 could have been some time ago, but in panel 3 – that prayer book was not recovered until after X’s death, so that means they delayed her funeral until the book was recovered? Wow, she really did love that book! LOL

I got nuthin’ .

Will this never end??

Not to mention, the loss of interest, like a month ago.

ARRRRRRGHHH! MAKE IT STOP!!!

1-OWEN: I wonder what’s in that? DT: I guess we’ll never know…

2-Meanwhile! PERFESSOR MOLDY: I suppose we would miss you Manutius if we had ever noticed if you were here or not…

3-BLONDIE: Pssst! Hey Ronald -I thought Auntie was Jewish?!? RONALD: Dang it! HEY RABBI! HOLD UP! Uh…do you have any “Priest” pals on speed dial?

This week is awful … just awful

Like who???

It strikes me that the portrait in panel two looks like B.O. Plenty encountered a comb and a set of brushes.

I wonder how many people she killed.

OT: Well, MORABU is edited for paperback and Kindle. A hardback on this on is nixed, as it’s just under 600 pages long and I’d have to cut about 28 pages, and the structure would make for major holes.

I’m considering getting a new laptop and paying in installments. That would take a load off my tiny mind. Currently trying to get the poorly presented early hardback unpublished.

In final a run-through I found 2,000 time a letter ‘a’ s omitted. Aah, SUCH fun.

Well intentioned bringing Xaviera to account, but also sort of okay, I get it! rubbing our noses in it. Yes, she stole valued antiquities. Yes, she offed Prof. Manutius, among several others. Yes, these deaths resulted in grief among the loved ones of the deceased.

Thes are all things we already knew, not clarifications of issues remaining, such as her motives, choices, and driving needs.

Christmas day so long ago

A special star shining bright

Led a group of weary men

As they traveled through the night

To meet the one

Who came to bring

Peace and joy to all

Will you open up your heart

And heed the baby’s call

Christmas comes but once a year…now it’s here…now it’s here…bringing lots of joy and cheer…Tra lala lalala