Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for January 12, 2014

Recall a time back in our prime, movie theatres were quite grandGlory days before the Cineplex brought boxes dull and bland.Escape the day at a matinee in a palace of ornate splendorUp on the screen with a magic sheen, we’d watch the great pretenderVitamin Flintheart of stage and screen, his name appeared in lightsComedy, tragedy, action, romance, thrills and spills and fights.Today at one such palace, now abandoned and forgottenLive Silver Nitrate and sister Sprocket up to something rotten.Their pet hyena answers to Lena, beware her nails and teethKitty has the claws and fangs to deal bloody grief beyond belief.Elsewhere at the Patterson Playhouse, rehearsals are taking placeVitamin the preening ham; Mary Perkins of class and grace.Mykyla takes a message: what was lost has now been foundCalling Captain Video! Space savior once of renown.

First!

Dick Tracy with Mary Perkins! What a concept! And what are Silver & Sprocket holding…shovels?

When did Dick Tracy appear with Mary Perkins in her strip?

Good morning fellow DT fans..

Thanks for your concern about me. After all, I am 79 years old but I feel fine. The bitter cold winter has me sleeping earlier and longer so I haven’t been checking in until afternoon. I’m on the the east coast and it’s 1:15 am here. Now, on with the show!

Good morning all!So Mary Perkins and Dick Tracy “shared some ink on stage”. Judging by the way they hold hands and look at each other, they shared some more than “ink” whatever that means! Notice Vitamin’s jealous look! Wonder what Tess would say?

It’s good that Silver and Sprocket clean that sticky theater floor!

This is a real snoozer so far….and the story set up is almost always the best part….would actually welcome a couple of additional storylines at this point…Hmmmm…Vitamin’s expression is one of someone who initially thought Dick and Mary’s first meeting wasn’t so, uhhh……innocent. C’mon, Vitamin, it’s Dick Tracy, lol…

“First at nothing. Pay him no mind. Children have been taught to be first. Just not be the best. Maybe one day….”Sour grapes, NG……

When did Dick Tracy appear with Mary Perkins in her strip?

..

(Tracy)… We shared some ink together, I was on page one she was on page 5 of the funnies….

Tracy and Mary are old Tribune Syndicate comics cohorts; if memory serves, there was a certain period when Tracy was on page 1 of the Chicago Tribune Comics Section, above the fold, and Mary Perkins was below the fold (she dropped off page 1, but Tracy long dominated from his lead position). I wonder what Silver and Sprocket Nitrate think to gain by luring Vitamin into their lair? He’s not rich, I think; maybe they intend to use him to get at Tracy, as Kadaver used Uncle Ray and Bonnie?

Mary Perkins… shades of Snowflake, perhaps?

And here I thought Tracy & Mary got matching tattoos.

“Shared some ink on stage.” Is there supposed to be some irony to that statement?

Comic strips characters “sharing ink” sounds immoral, or at least a bit naughty.

As ever, it’s nice…and I never even followed Mary’s strip. And the beauty of it is, Vitamin Flintheart has been in this strip since before television, much less Captain Video.

Maybe “shared some ink together” is the comics world version of shared some DNA together. I mean look how there holding hands and making googley eyes at eachother -well as googley eyes as Dick can muster.

Although clearly there’s supposed to be a double meaning, since they were distributed by the same syndicate, and often seen in the same comics section, “getting ink” is a colloquialism that means getting space in the newspapers..So it is likely the NON-double meaning is that, once, perhaps on a case, Tracy crossed paths with Mary, who was appearing in a show, and the incident was recorded in the media..JIM

Here I was thinking they may have had the same inker at some point, or different points.

Mary would never think about fooling around with a married police officer. Women never do that. Sam Catchem can verify this!

Next, Mary Backstayge, Noble Wife.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOlI-9qNsiQ

Last but not Least. It’s good to see Mary & Dick sharing ink. Takes me back to the funny pages of old….maybe a detergent commercial break…My Back Pages..

Okay, the “shared some ink together” line is just comic strip inside humor.But could Tracy’s addition “on stage” be for something that may come up in the story?For instance, maybe Tracy met Mary during an investigation (untold story), or even (gasp!) in community theatre together?My point is that Tracy would have knowledge of stage slang, and the operation of a theatre – something that may come in handy here.

Why is a hammy old actor named “Vitamin Flintheart”? Is it a ’30s reference?

Regarding the Crimestopper Textbook, this very same con was played out a couple of months back in my city. A lady rented a house from someone who had the keys but didn’t own it. Really sad.

cat fight??

When I was in the Air Force in the early 70s, I spent time in Mississippi. I had a fellow serviceman, who was born and raised in Alabama, explain to me that taking a woman’s hand in both hands (as Tracy is doing) was a token of deep respect, a genteel custom of the South. There was nothing sexual about it. Don’t know if the custom is still practiced.Tracy could certainly have a pure, respectful friendship with a married woman.

The older theaters are the best…even (and sometimes especially) the little ones in small towns. I hate cineplexes.

What’s on second, I don’t know is on third

Sad to say but Mary Perkins has had work done…

I always liked Vitamin. Good to see him in a larger role than his last appearance as master of ceremonies preparing us for the final Act of Showdown. Of course Tracy and Mary Perkins have met before. They used to see each other in the funny papers. Thanks Gweedo, coldsooner, Willy007, JPuzzleWhiz and mzkdad for the kind words. Much appreciated!

I didn’t mention it before, Pequod77, but your poem today was one of your best.

Recall a time back in our prime, movie theatres were quite grand

Glory days before the Cineplex brought boxes dull and bland.

Escape the day at a matinee in a palace of ornate splendor

Up on the screen with a magic sheen, we’d watch the great pretender

Vitamin Flintheart of stage and screen, his name appeared in lights

Comedy, tragedy, action, romance, thrills and spills and fights.

Today at one such palace, now abandoned and forgotten

Live Silver Nitrate and sister Sprocket up to something rotten.

Their pet hyena answers to Lena, beware her nails and teeth

Kitty has the claws and fangs to deal bloody grief beyond belief.

Elsewhere at the Patterson Playhouse, rehearsals are taking place

Vitamin the preening ham; Mary Perkins of class and grace.

Mykyla takes a message: what was lost has now been found

Calling Captain Video! Space savior once of renown.