Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 01, 2017

See a sleek swift private jet. A traveler arrives

Makes a stunning entrance. Perenelle visibly thrives.

Wind-swept hair, curves here and there, she graces Tracyville

Rare those who can take her on, so few possess the skill.

Look to see a winged craft with passengers deplaning

Sammy, Dolan and the man possessing deadly training.

Denny Colt was once his name. His moniker now Spirit

Violent men recoil and cringe every time they hear it.

Except the one called Octopus who has a thousand faces

A mastermind who works his will, seldom leaving traces.

Elsewhere, at Hotel Siam, The Great Am receives guests

None possess his wisdom, chosen few can pass His tests.

Am remembers Flammel, deftly reaching back in time

She, too, is immortal. Her longevity her crime.

An alchemist of shocking skill. Gaze upon her to behold

The art of transmutation: worthless dross is turned to gold.

.

Happy New Year Guys!

.

“The Twilight Zone”?

I’m a little surprised – but pleased – by the origin recap.

And now an appearance by the Great Am, to move the story along at warp speed! No need to make any more guesses as to who she is!

The only question now, is what is she peddling?

Chiming in a little late…family get together, ring bells, make lots of noise, then eat hot dogs [yuck!] because it’s a family tradition.

.

Interesting that The Spirit seems intimidated by The Great Am…but I guess anybody would be.

Ok, this has definitely perked my ears. He was in 1397?? Time traveler? Or immortal?

Something isn’t quite right about the strip now. Tracy didn’t know his friend was immortal, or at least a time traveler?

This may have already been mentioned, but the Annie site on GoComics,com is rerunning the story which includes what I think is the first Mr. Am appearance.

I was looking for a modern-day sequence towards the end of Annie’s strip, where Annie had traveled back in time several thousand years, and she encountered Mr. Am there – except for back then he called himself Mr. Was lol

The Siam Hotel is yet another great location in Tracyville. I like the fantastical element Am and Perenelle Flammel bring to the strip. Am and Punjab are two of my favorite Annie characters, as things tend to get interesting every time they appear. A rare “thought bubble” from Spirit lets us in on his perplexed reaction upon meeting Am. Nice set up this week for what promises to be a tale filled with fascinating characters. More of the good stuff from Team Tracy.

Am’s immortality was established when he was introduced in 1937. His initial story in Little Orphan Annie can be found at http://www.stuartliss.com/loahp/mram.html

Thanks to Willy007, Vista Bill, Gweedo (nice!), Night-Gaunt49 (nice!), Chris Sherlock and Jonathan K. for the kind words. Very much appreciated! Happy New Year to all Tracy fans.

I wish they could have some buildings or brick wall or something spell out the letters “SPIRIT,” like in Eisner’s stories.

Perenelle Flammel…We Are All Immortal…Happy New Year All!!

Happy New Year 2017, all!

I think that Pequod’s poem today is among his best. It is fascinating that we are in a story with two Immortals who have “met” five tomes over the centuries, beginning with her death in 1397. [I suppose one could argue that she she is not really immortal, since she died at least once; rather, she is an undying revenant.] And yet Tracy treats it as if there is nothing unusual at all about dealing with immortals in Tracyville’s elite Hotel Siam, where the Great Am holds forth. The question remains, though we now have all this establishing information, what is going on in Tracyville?

Happy New Year to everyone in TracyLand, my wish is that Joe & Mike make a resolution to stay away from cross-over stories in 2017 (A girl can dream…)

I just noticed something odd on The Spirit’s lower neck in panel 2 (the row under the title row.) Look just above the upper right corner of his necktie knot. Is that a scar on his neck?

Just heard that Wayne Rogers has passed, age 82.

If I recall correctly, it has also been suggested that Am might be Santa Claus.