Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 20, 2019

Tracy and Sam have a firm plan to warn Zelda the Great

Splitface, he does now run amok. Sick mind simmers with hate.

Welcome to Patterson Playhouse. Rehearsals do proceed

Earplugs offered at the door for those who feel the need.

Magnus a pathetic drunk. He soaks booze like a sponge

Lurches from his dressing room, upon the stage he’ll lunge.

With a fake chin, a pickled grin, a stagger to his gait

He’ll play the great detective. ‘Tis a role served up by fate.

No Caruso is Flatirontop. Howls like an injured cat

Vitamin must save the show lest box-office falls flat.

Stay up so late

Just to read Dick’s fate

When all is said and done

I’m a sucker!

Always hope for thrills

Usually only spills

Like taking bitter pills

I’m a sucker!

Roads that lead no where

Plots that disappear

And yet I’m always here

I’m a sucker!

Complain is what I do

Most think I’m a fool

It doesn’t bother you

That you’re a sucker?

Dick seems amused.

*Good morning™, rehearsal viewers!_

I really wonder what the tune sounds like for that song. The lyrics are not so bad, in my opinion.

Dick seems amused. ✨

I can imagine the song being sung well. And I like the lyrics.

I would not have missed this for all the world.

Good morning™, singing Thespians !

If Donnie were involved I bet we’d get the audio version.

Good Morning Neil and Sneak Peek People!!!

Can’t wait for J. Straightedge Trustworthy, to sing!!!

A villain song straight outta Disney!

Well, we pretty much wasted another Sunday strip as far as moving the story along.

But, that is one of the best profiles of both Tracy and Sam (in that last panel) that Joe has ever drawn. He got the mouths just right to capture Tracy’s wry grin and Sam’s easy going attitude.

I noticed that the featured Leo of the day is from Naperville, which is Dick Tracy’s home town.

I’ll give today’s strip points for the commentary on Sgt. Anthony Mannino, but I’d give the musical a pass.

This is almost as dumb as Alley Oop.

So Sunday has become the day to view Patterson Playhouse rehearsals? (Remember the Deacon and Miller rehearsal several weeks ago.)

A Chin to Die For is reminding me of the classic It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman play from the 1960s….

“I didn’t know Leopold could dance.”

[Warner Brothers, 1947]

Nice tribute to Popeye’s 90th birthday at Lum and Abner’s today. http://lumandabnersociety.org/Comic-Strip-Home.html

I’d predicted an explosive Sunday strip, but looks like it’s not this week’s. Nonetheless, I like today’s panels a lot. We get a taste of the slow moments of police work AND a taste of the production that Diet’s involved in. I’m hoping this is a buildup to something good (to atone for the Polar Vortex story).

I suppose this is not bad. But I find that Donnie sure spoiled me the last two weeks!

I don’t get it – is Zelda performing her high dive act at the playhouse or just visiting Vitamin there?

the last three days has been tracy and sam driving to, and showing up at the Patterson playhouse.. the minit mystery ended a full week ago.. so its been a total of THREE WEEKS since we’ve seen anything with Tulza.

im just sayin’

best line today

TULZA WHO? JOE AND MIKE…MAD MAGAZINE ON 2,,THE ONION ON THREE

I bet you still don’t know, Tracy!

Hopefully Vera Alldid didn’t kill off Flatirontop in the Trustworthy strip – since now would be a great time to have another story arc featuring him! LOL

(Hey, JST could have a crossover with Adam Austin’s Midnite Mirror – Flatirontop vs. the Chalice! The fanbase could nickname it “Crisis on Earth-Midnite”, to be followed in a year or two by an “Infinite Tracys” crisis hehe)

I guess you’ve got to have a taste for theatre, especially musical theatre. When I was in college I would sometimes attend rehearsals of drama department major productions (I used to say in those days, only half-jokingly, that if I didn’t have to earn a living I would have been a drama major). And much later on, I would attend rehearsals at our community theatre, where my close friend and professional colleague was a sometimes-actor and award-winning set designer. So I could be there with Tracy and Sam at the Patterson and enjoy Flatirontop’s number!

Interesting to note that the Old Thespian gets top billing, above Jack Magnus (who has the lead rôle)….

✌