Jr. sure is up to no good but what really is his reason for doing this ? That is one honest to badness mean look in P. 3, which sits right below a real fine looking meek/resigned(?) expression on the old man.
@LawrenceS—-I guess you have been enlightened. Writer Eric has taken you hook, line and sinker, and I admit the rest of us, with this clever plot twist. I tried to tell you, without doing a spoiler. We were all going by “misleading” information up to this point, and just ASSUMED that Grandpa was the SS Nazi bad guy. He was NOT! His brother was. Actually, Grandpa almost was a hero when he got to the US, as he worked hard to be a success. I don’t think it was ever stated by Eric as such, but we were manipulated into thinking so, that he was the bad guy you kept fretting about. Tracy is a kind of Fantasy strip, and as such, a writer has certain liberties. It often imitates reality, but in many ways does not. There are rarely any characters that match any in real life, including Tracy himself with that razor jaw. Nearly every villain in no way resembles any real person. Many plots are in the Fantasy area also. You are taking this strip entirely too serious, but you do bring up some good comment points. I repeat again one of your other complaints, about the failure of the bomb squad finding no trace of a bomb. That will soon be explained. Not sure yet about Pruneface, who was mentioned as being involved in the War bomb plot, but he may be long dead by now. Another fantasy character, unlike any “real” person.
Note to charliefarmrhere so, the whole back story we were fed on “gramps” was the result of Sam’s incompetence? Massive incompetence.
First error: misidentified gramps to begin with as founder of Totten Co. Second error: he requested and received the dossier on the wrong man. Third error: If he’d actually read the report he was sent (or had a buddy steal – that was ambiguous at the time) he’d have noticed the guy he thought was gramps had been hanged at the end of the war and was unlikely to have arrived as a refugee in 1949.
It makes Sam look very stupid. And it doesn’t answer one of my early questions – why are you researching the grandparent of a murder suspect. But, d@mn it, should you decide it is worthwhile to research the genealogy of a murder suspect to see if they were related to Lucrezia Borgia at some point in the past you ought to get the name right. (Still don’t know Tracyville’s interest in grandparents, second story to bring it in.)
During our discussion yesterday I realized that when the cops were talking to Jr’s CO they had never gone into gramp’s history (which would have been irrelevant, so it was good to leave it out). I had, for a moment, thought the army had confirmed that and then realized they hadn’t.
I still have a rather long list of logic holes in this story that may or may not get some explanation. But the historical nonsense had been my biggest sore spot. I didn’t see how it could be gotten around, but it could be fixed – we simply label Sam as incompetent in doing research.
The War ended 80 years ago. Pruneface first appeared, and died in 1942. We can safely guess he and his wife were about 40 when the original adventure took place. Logically, Pruneface can no longer be alive. Since the Prunefaces were married, it is logical to assume they had children and grandchildren who could be today’s Pruneface. Even if the original, cryogenically frozen Pruneface were alive today, it has still been another 40 years since his regeneration. Therefore, this Pruneface should be the great grandchild of the original.
That is the problem with WWII, we didn’t kill enough Nazis, and work overtime to make the idea of fascism so repugnant to everyone that it could ever be allowed to flourish like a festering sewer of hate backing up into your basement! Instead, nearly everyone who sacrificed their lives, sanity, and body parts in the name of democracy is getting a HUGE slap in the face for their clearly futile efforts on Jan. 20th!
OMGARSH!!! ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT HIS GRANDPA WAS ONLY A NAZI AND THAT IT WAS HIS UNCLE WHO WAS THE EVIL RELATIVE AND THAT EVERYTHING HIS GRANDPA ACCOMPLISHED IN THE USA IS NOT TAINTED WITH INNOCENT BLOOD! WELL, THAT CHANGES…
1- FRED SR: Before I invoke my right to remain silent, lemme tell you some of my family’s history…
2- : …Dad was what you would call a good Nazi. He righteously and ruthlessly killed anyone his idol – Hitler – identified as an enemy. Innocent Czechs, innocent Poles – you name it…
3- : …My uncle maybe took it too far. That’s for history to decide. I believe he was just following orders…
4- : …Anyway, Pops came to the realization that his idol may’ve been evil. Ultimately he immigrated here and became a big success…
5- : …AND made it his life’s mission to drill into Fred Jr that ALL POLITICIANS ARE LYING, EVIL, SCUM WHO DON’T DESERVE TO BREATHE OUR AIR!
Fred Jr really took that to heart – he’s a good boy. Ok – what is it you wanted?
At this point we know that Junior killed Sprengstoff, correct? The murderer on 11/3 wore a ring with a spider insignia, and on 11/30 Junior is seen wearing a ring in the watchtower. On 12/28 the clue becomes explicit when Junior is seen wearing that exact ring while closing a mechanism in the watchtower. Further, the spider Insignia is revealed on 12/31 to be the symbol for the 135th Airborne, Junior’s former unit. For some reason, Junior only wears the ring with doing dirty dealings, though; maybe it puts him in a tactical mindset. Still, why didn’t the tech-squad from the State Police find anything mysterious when they swept the tower on 1/10? Are they that incompetent?
Pequod about 9 hours ago
Troubled family history. So very much was bad
Justice came a-calling. None were truly sad
When Uncle had to pay the price, swinging from a noose
Dirty deeds did follow him, hooked on like a caboose.
Tracy now all over this with Sam and Lizz and Lee
Time is of the essence to avert a tragedy.
Junior would play copycat. In Uncle’s footsteps tread
Tracy shall confront him now or innocents are dead.
firestrike1 about 9 hours ago
airing the family dirty laundry which is kept in the closet with possible other skeletons…
avenger09 about 9 hours ago
Sadly, the small balloon of hope I had in the current story has burst. Today’s strip is talking boredom. No one can say I didn’t give it a chance.
SHAKEDOWNCITY about 9 hours ago
Another “slob” story.
Neil Wick about 9 hours ago
Good morning™, everyone!
Junior has been obsessed with researching his grand uncle!
Gweedo -it's legal here- Murray about 9 hours ago
Good morning™, Deranged, Determined Avengers !
Jr. sure is up to no good but what really is his reason for doing this ? That is one honest to badness mean look in P. 3, which sits right below a real fine looking meek/resigned(?) expression on the old man.
BigDaveGlass about 9 hours ago
Nice rendition of Panzer IV’s.
charliefarmrhere about 8 hours ago
@LawrenceS—-I guess you have been enlightened. Writer Eric has taken you hook, line and sinker, and I admit the rest of us, with this clever plot twist. I tried to tell you, without doing a spoiler. We were all going by “misleading” information up to this point, and just ASSUMED that Grandpa was the SS Nazi bad guy. He was NOT! His brother was. Actually, Grandpa almost was a hero when he got to the US, as he worked hard to be a success. I don’t think it was ever stated by Eric as such, but we were manipulated into thinking so, that he was the bad guy you kept fretting about. Tracy is a kind of Fantasy strip, and as such, a writer has certain liberties. It often imitates reality, but in many ways does not. There are rarely any characters that match any in real life, including Tracy himself with that razor jaw. Nearly every villain in no way resembles any real person. Many plots are in the Fantasy area also. You are taking this strip entirely too serious, but you do bring up some good comment points. I repeat again one of your other complaints, about the failure of the bomb squad finding no trace of a bomb. That will soon be explained. Not sure yet about Pruneface, who was mentioned as being involved in the War bomb plot, but he may be long dead by now. Another fantasy character, unlike any “real” person.
Johnny Q Premium Member about 8 hours ago
“Property can always be replaced.” Not always.
BreathlessMahoney77 about 8 hours ago
“For our sins my family is condemned to wander aimlessly in this tedious never-ending story throughout eternity.”
iggyman about 5 hours ago
Quite a backstory.
tsull2121 about 5 hours ago
It’s pretty sad when the crimestoppers textbook has more action in one panel than this story has in the last 15 months
LawrenceS about 4 hours ago
Note to charliefarmrhere so, the whole back story we were fed on “gramps” was the result of Sam’s incompetence? Massive incompetence.
First error: misidentified gramps to begin with as founder of Totten Co. Second error: he requested and received the dossier on the wrong man. Third error: If he’d actually read the report he was sent (or had a buddy steal – that was ambiguous at the time) he’d have noticed the guy he thought was gramps had been hanged at the end of the war and was unlikely to have arrived as a refugee in 1949.
It makes Sam look very stupid. And it doesn’t answer one of my early questions – why are you researching the grandparent of a murder suspect. But, d@mn it, should you decide it is worthwhile to research the genealogy of a murder suspect to see if they were related to Lucrezia Borgia at some point in the past you ought to get the name right. (Still don’t know Tracyville’s interest in grandparents, second story to bring it in.)
During our discussion yesterday I realized that when the cops were talking to Jr’s CO they had never gone into gramp’s history (which would have been irrelevant, so it was good to leave it out). I had, for a moment, thought the army had confirmed that and then realized they hadn’t.
I still have a rather long list of logic holes in this story that may or may not get some explanation. But the historical nonsense had been my biggest sore spot. I didn’t see how it could be gotten around, but it could be fixed – we simply label Sam as incompetent in doing research.
platinumboy7 about 2 hours ago
The War ended 80 years ago. Pruneface first appeared, and died in 1942. We can safely guess he and his wife were about 40 when the original adventure took place. Logically, Pruneface can no longer be alive. Since the Prunefaces were married, it is logical to assume they had children and grandchildren who could be today’s Pruneface. Even if the original, cryogenically frozen Pruneface were alive today, it has still been another 40 years since his regeneration. Therefore, this Pruneface should be the great grandchild of the original.
Space_cat about 1 hour ago
That is the problem with WWII, we didn’t kill enough Nazis, and work overtime to make the idea of fascism so repugnant to everyone that it could ever be allowed to flourish like a festering sewer of hate backing up into your basement! Instead, nearly everyone who sacrificed their lives, sanity, and body parts in the name of democracy is getting a HUGE slap in the face for their clearly futile efforts on Jan. 20th!
Another Take about 1 hour ago
OMGARSH!!! ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT HIS GRANDPA WAS ONLY A NAZI AND THAT IT WAS HIS UNCLE WHO WAS THE EVIL RELATIVE AND THAT EVERYTHING HIS GRANDPA ACCOMPLISHED IN THE USA IS NOT TAINTED WITH INNOCENT BLOOD! WELL, THAT CHANGES…
nothing.
Durak Premium Member 44 minutes ago
The art is exceptionally good today. The shading makes it gritty, real. And the contrast between the two brothers, well done.
Another Take 43 minutes ago
TOMORROW’S SINGLE PANEL:
DT: Yeah. That’s not what I’m here about…
Another Take 9 minutes ago
1- FRED SR: Before I invoke my right to remain silent, lemme tell you some of my family’s history…
2- : …Dad was what you would call a good Nazi. He righteously and ruthlessly killed anyone his idol – Hitler – identified as an enemy. Innocent Czechs, innocent Poles – you name it…
3- : …My uncle maybe took it too far. That’s for history to decide. I believe he was just following orders…
4- : …Anyway, Pops came to the realization that his idol may’ve been evil. Ultimately he immigrated here and became a big success…
5- : …AND made it his life’s mission to drill into Fred Jr that ALL POLITICIANS ARE LYING, EVIL, SCUM WHO DON’T DESERVE TO BREATHE OUR AIR!
Fred Jr really took that to heart – he’s a good boy. Ok – what is it you wanted?
Chocolate_Chip 6 minutes ago
At this point we know that Junior killed Sprengstoff, correct? The murderer on 11/3 wore a ring with a spider insignia, and on 11/30 Junior is seen wearing a ring in the watchtower. On 12/28 the clue becomes explicit when Junior is seen wearing that exact ring while closing a mechanism in the watchtower. Further, the spider Insignia is revealed on 12/31 to be the symbol for the 135th Airborne, Junior’s former unit. For some reason, Junior only wears the ring with doing dirty dealings, though; maybe it puts him in a tactical mindset. Still, why didn’t the tech-squad from the State Police find anything mysterious when they swept the tower on 1/10? Are they that incompetent?