Dick Tracy by Dick Locher

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  1. Llewellenbruce

    Llewellenbruce said, about 1 month ago

    Wonder what he has in mind?

  2. Margueritem

    MargueritemGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    I thought he was an exporter…
    Now he’s been a clown forever according to the way he’s talking…

  3. fishbulb

    fishbulbGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    MargueritemGenius_badge said, 34 minutes ago

    I thought he was an exporter…
    Now he’s been a clown forever according to the way he’s talking…

    Exactly! Huh? What?

    Panel 2. Isn’t that train car or trailer on the right hugely out of proportion if it is as big as the entire big top? Is the SWAT team in it? They sure aren’t around the tent.

  4. donaldo

    donaldo said, about 1 month ago

    a career-clown who somehow had access to hi-tech weapons which he sold to foreign countries, but instead of retiring on the Cayman Islands the nostalgic smell of sawdust brought him back in the circus ring.

  5. Flight Suit

    Flight SuitGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    Fishbulb, I guess that trailer thing explains the various moments over the last several weeks in which Tracy’s appeared to have magically teleported from the circus tent to a crime lab, and back again.

    It sure is odd, though, that we’ve never seen it before.

    And, as you pointed out, it’s too big!

    Or maybe the circus tent is shrinking?

    That could explain why the “circus grounds” are suddenly “deserted:” Extraneous personnel have been forced to flee the rapidly dwindling big top!

    All of this, from the very get-go, has been very Kafka-esque, thus supporting the assertion made so many weeks ago, that what we’re seeing are the feverish hallucinations of a Dick Tracy who’d been forced to retire due to a brain injury, but still thinks he’s a cop.

  6. Fearless_Fosdick

    Fearless_Fosdick said, about 1 month ago

    Yes folks, bring the kids out to the circus when it comes to town. We have the world’s greatest collection of thieves, murderers, blackmailers, and terrorists, all under the big top. Come on down and see death defying feats. Come down and see some that didn’t defy death.

  7. LudwigVonDrake

    LudwigVonDrake said, about 1 month ago

    Donaldo, NEVER underestimate the smell of sawdust.

  8. morrow

    morrow said, about 1 month ago

    Let’s keep the politics as far off this board as Locher’s mind is from the story! It’s a hot-button and there are appropriate places to comment on it. Not here. We like each other too much!

    Thanks, folks!

  9. Flight Suit

    Flight SuitGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    OK, let’s just talk about the art. Having seen Locher’s political cartoons, I now feel it’s good discipline for him to be forced to draw DT, ‘cause he has to at least make some effort to produce illustrations which kind of resemble a known property in an established style.

    With his political cartoons, he he free rein to be as sloppy as he wants, and boy does it show! Malformed hands are the least of his problems there.

  10. Sydney Phillips

    Sydney PhillipsGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    Margueritem nailed another contadiction and we recall the unrealistic language from a Captain of industry (“copper”, “squeal”)

    On Sept. 20 the (last) Police Officer told Tracy :
    “We’ve got records on the whole troupe” Agent Ennen effectively said the same thing. So both the FBI and Police HQ know the identities of all the criminals AND of their earlier threats to Ringo.

    Knowing THIS, why would Mr.Pops then THINK that his “silly” plan to frame Ringo could possibly work?

    Talk about writers carelessly “faking”, and then ending up twisting themselves and their work into knots. ?

    He should stand in a corner of the Studio and CRY ! All he has done is shamefully embarrassed himself ! This Kindergarten XYZzzzz’s will be remenbered and haunt him long into retirement

  11. BASSMANB0B

    BASSMANB0B said, about 1 month ago

    BAH, EVERYONE needs to keep their STUPID opinions regarding ISSUES that have NOTHING to do with DICK TRACY off the board. (How’s my Matthew imitation?)
    Now, commenting on stuff like the fantastic drawing of the water gun in Bozo’s hand in the 3rd panel is fine.

    BB

  12. captainzero

    captainzero said, about 1 month ago

    So this is his plan? Pull a gun on some cops and then talk about his feelings for the next 3 or 4 hours?

  13. Matthew Hansel

    Matthew HanselGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    Hello Lads and Ladies:

    So soon…October 4th is coming…

    Sorry I haven’t been posting more, but I’ve been swamped by deadlines…doing TWO strips takes up quite a bit of time…

    MPH

  14. BASSMANB0B

    BASSMANB0B said, about 1 month ago

    Matthew, all the best with the strips. I really am looking forward to them. You are quite talented as an artist, that’s never been in question for me.

    BB

  15. mumbles

    mumbles said, about 1 month ago

    MPH, yeah, I bet everyone missed you. Maybe try a third strip, then you can take a few more days off. Or help DL with his health plan screeds.

  16. morrow

    morrow said, about 1 month ago

    Matthew…….. do you stand to make money doing this? If so, WHO pays you?

  17. jtpozenel

    jtpozenel said, about 1 month ago

    Circus people with shady pasts? Who’d a thunk it?

  18. dstufff

    dstufff said, about 1 month ago

    (captainzero said:

    So this is his plan? Pull a gun on some cops and then talk about his feelings for the next 3 or 4 hours?)

    Don’t you mean talk about his feelings for the next 3 or 4 weeks worth of comic strips?

  19. Sydney Phillips

    Sydney PhillipsGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    Mattie, It’s good to hear that you are busy working on two strips. I hope you have found placement for them (?) Perhaps, that’s why you have calmed down considerably, not making outrageous exagerations on Locher’s sad, pathetic work on Dick Tracy.

    But I suspect that’s exactly what you’re going to trot out on Sunday and then divert criticism by saying you’re really praising the “survival” of the strip. Not so ?

    Regarding your strips, I’ll certainly read them, if I can find them anywhere. And will give you some “expert” critiques and positive encouragement along the way. They’ll be well intentioned, just as they have been for Dick Locher these past seventeen years. He’s the loser. Look where he is today. Being hounded into obscurity and forced retirement.

    You better believe (and deep down YOU know) that what experienced readers think really COUNTS. No need to hide behind Stan Lee’s trite little quips. And in any event, from his success platform Stan can say that. A little start up guy isn’t in that ball park; neither frankly is Locher the man who confidently, KNEW everything about how to do it, but who perfected - “the Anti-Midas touch” instead.

    Poor, bad choices, hard-headed Dicky threw it ALL away.

  20. Matthew Hansel

    Matthew HanselGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    bassmanbob: Thanks.

    morrow: Eventually I hope to make money. For now, tho, I’m doing this all on spec.
    I might end up putting some advertising on the site, once I feel that I have enough traffic to generate income from that source. Otherwise, ‘tis free. I also hope to publish “physical” copies in about a year or so.

    Sydney: Stan’s comment is absolutely true, “never give the fans what they think they want”. I do not hide behind it. And, I will welcome all constructive advice and commentary. Much along the lines with evaluations I get from my students every semester, I immediately throw out all those that contain nothing but praise “This is the best class ever” and those that are nothing but negative “This class sux moose”, because NEITHER of those comments helps me in any meaningful way.

    And–I will post here where you can find the strips on Sunday.

    MPH

  21. Sydney Phillips

    Sydney PhillipsGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    Looking forward to that Mattie. Hope you will give us an outline on Sunday on the type of strip. The market you are aiming for and who will do the writing ?

  22. Matthew Hansel

    Matthew HanselGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    Sydney (and, I’d REALLY appreciate it if you called me MATT or MATTHEW or MPH):

    The daily strip (with color Sundays!) is an action/adventure strip. To use a Hollywood pitch: This is the golden age Batman meets Dick Tracy! This strip is MY version of how superheroes ought to be done and how a daily adventure strip ought to be done. It’s also a love letter to Chester Gould, Dick Locher and golden age Batman artist Dick Sprang. I’m writing, lettering, drawing and (on the Sundays) colouring it.

    The “thrice a week” strip, I’m just doing letters and artwork. It is being written by my friend Len Robertson, who is a published science fiction writer with several novels to his name. We will update that strip on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. It’s in black and white. Len and I are also working on a graphic novel that is a text book for school children about recent scientific discoveries, most particularly exoplanets.

    Len and I are also working on a series of graphic novels (out of which our webstrip comes—it’s a ‘side story’–that takes place between two of the books).

    Plus, I have a day job and I teach part-time…no rest for the wicked I guess (this is why I start my work day at 4:00am!).

    MPH

  23. jumbobrain

    jumbobrainGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    Flight Suit: I don’t know that Locher bent his style overmuch doing Dick Tracy…he’s been on it for 25 years, and his style has always been very different from both Gould and Rick Fletcher. I looked at his editorial stuff here and age is definitely a factor…his linework is not so strong as it was years ago. Still, I think he’s a decent editorial cartoonist, and was even okay as Dick Tracy artist…but, as writer he is clearly and painfully unsuited to the task, and I sure wish TMS would wake up to that fact.

    I was going to comment yet again on how this plodding plot gets flimsier with each revelation…but why bother? Maybe Locher feels that, being new, Brozman can’t be trusted to draw anything but people standing around talking, and that’s why nothing has happened since July.

  24. morrow

    morrow said, about 1 month ago

    Chubsy, DT WAS once a hero! That’s before he turned into a wienie, thanks to DL.

  25. VistaBill

    VistaBill said, about 1 month ago

    Wow! That’s one big trailer (or train car)! Or… is the tent shrinking (again)?

  26. BASSMANB0B

    BASSMANB0B said, about 1 month ago

    Matthew, I never knew you were British.
    BB

  27. Matthew Hansel

    Matthew HanselGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    bassmanbob:

    I’m not. “Colour” is a perfectly acceptable way to spell “color”. In fact, I believe that “colour” is the original, proper spelling.

    And—why is it that people make such an issue out of this (and I don’t mean just this board, other places I post immediately pounce on the same thing)?

    MPH

  28. tracyfan92

    tracyfan92 said, about 1 month ago

    Hey Matt, how about giving us a background on Len then.
    Has he written or scripted any other stuff? We will all look forward to seeing (and critiquing) your strips on Sunday. I wonder if we can post the remarks here?

  29. CougarAllen

    CougarAllen said, about 1 month ago

    Killin’ is too good for him. Let’s talk his ear off!

    -Cougar :{)

  30. LudwigVonDrake

    LudwigVonDrake said, about 1 month ago

    Is that the sun setting behind Tracy’s head in the third panel?

  31. countoftowergrove

    countoftowergrove said, about 1 month ago

    WTF? the clown was out to get Ringo for revenge for blowing the whistle on his business, now the clown is a long time resident of the circus. Wouldn’t Ringo have seen the clown without his makeup from time to time and recognize that he might be in danger?

  32. Araldite

    Araldite said, about 1 month ago

    Matt, how about giving us links to find your strips?

  33. Fer Lefer

    Fer Lefer said, about 1 month ago

    …because “circus people are different”?

  34. Matthew Hansel

    Matthew HanselGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    I will provide links on Sunday (there’s NOTHING on the sites right now).

    AND–you can google Len and come up with the books he’s written (I don’t think any of his short stories are available). Len’s written about four books. I believe they are all available at AMAZON and places like that.

    Regarding comments…I’d prefer that you leave comments where the strips are posted, not here.

    MPH

  35. jjff

    jjff said, about 1 month ago

    What’s Gaddaffis tent doing in this strip? I can’t believe DT would approve that.
    I’m trying to figure out how long these people have been standing there after the murder and how long when the FBI lady traveled to the scene. Don’t they need to use the toilet, eat, sleep, etc.? Isn’t Bonnie and Tess worried about DT and where he’s been since the murder?
    And by the way, whatever happened to Jr. Tracy and his truly alien wife who used to zap people with her fingertips? And dress really slutty? Didn’t they have a half human half moon child (or whereever her planet was) who could zap too?

  36. LudwigVonDrake

    LudwigVonDrake said, about 1 month ago

    Did they ever remove Louise to the morgue or is her body still lying in the saw dust?

  37. Sydney Phillips

    Sydney PhillipsGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    BASSMANBOB,

    Your’re right, the original English spelling of the word IS colour. In America it has been abreviated to color, which I try to use posting on these boards

    Years back there was a bit of a “tizzy” as Gould liked the spelling of “Clew” and used it more frequently than the more traditional “clue”. It sent quite a few readers “off”. But both are grammatically correct.

    I’m not the best at spelling around, but heck it’s too much up and down to get to one from this board.

  38. dwkiser28603

    dwkiser28603 said, about 1 month ago

    OH CRYING OUT! CAN’T ANYBODY ON THE TRACY STRIP DRAW A PISTOL FULL SIZE? WHAT THE CLOWN HAS IN HIS HAND LOOKS LIKE A @#&%* WATER GUN!

  39. Sydney Phillips

    Sydney PhillipsGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    jjff,

    You sound like a long lost fan from Gould’s sixties and seventies. a whole lot of water has gone under the bridge since then. In recent years under Dick Locher it has gone real bad !

    Locher changed Junoior Tracy to look like his son John, his one time assistant who died young. Moon maid was killed off in 1978 by Max Collins who wanted to end the sci-fi aspects in the strip. Junior got married to Sparkle Plenty and Honeymoon Juniors offspring hasn’t been seen since 1991. “New” Junior hasn’t been in a story for about five or six years.

    This is probably the worst D,T, story ever written ! Tracy has been STANDING in the Ring for over 12 weeks now. Enough time for FBI Agent Ennen to fly in from Wastington an join him. Poor guy, he hasn’t hit the toilet for THREE months

  40. Matthew Hansel

    Matthew HanselGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    NotNormanChubsyUbsy:

    BOTH are correct. On this side of the pond, our friends to the north in Canada spell it “colour” as well.

    MPH

  41. Flight Suit

    Flight SuitGenius_badge said, about 1 month ago

    But Norman, we’re on the Internet now. Does a comment-poster’s place of origin even matter when the comment itself has the potential to be read by people all over the world?

    Compared to all this darned 1337-speak and txt-ing shorthand that’s destroying our language, the difference between grammatically correct, properly spelled US English and grammatically correct, properly spelled Queen’s English seems moot.

  42. countoftowergrove

    countoftowergrove said, about 1 month ago

    “Colour” was in common use in the US until at least WWI. This spelling appears in the original additions of Booth Tarkington novels.

  43. jjff

    jjff said, about 1 month ago

    Thak you Mr. Phillips for the info.
    Trying to search my memory if I saw the death and remarriage.
    I’m almost tempted to say to the clown……pull the frigging trigger already! We all know Macy will survive.

  44. OldHipster

    OldHipster said, about 1 month ago

    What’s this, the Dick that is Tracy is still around?

    Well, I’ll be dipped!

    Ya know?