Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for March 30, 2014

Straightedge always on the job, he seeks out BlahminozeOn the other side of town where shady crooks and thoseHiding from authorities or angry, ill-used spousesCome to have a drink or three: trouble welcomes dousesOf whiskey, gin and keg drawn brew, hunched over on barstoolsTelling tales of misspent youth, suckers, marks and fools.Straightedge stands in Flora’s door in stunning silhouetteIf someone’s hiding Blahminoze they shall live to regretProtection of a criminal ends badly for deceiversCome clean to Trustworthy: who threw that sharp meat cleaver?Straightedge fires off a round, “I’ll see Blahminoze in a cage!”Honeymoon declares it cool: Pop Pop on the Funnies page.

I said it before and I’ll say it again . . .

J. Straightedge Trustworthy is no Fearless Fosdick.

I love this Sunday! And that last panel seems destined to be a classic.

Happy Sunday all!No newspaper comic strip editor would allow such a long winded name, they’ll cut it, like “Plainclothes” Tracy became DICK Tracy. So Vera Alldid would have been mad tocall her detective…Strait Through!

After skimming through this, the first things to come to my is, I wonder whatever became of Dr. Sail, Dr. Ghote, Silver Nitrate, Sprocket, that Monroe brother that was on the space coupe, Abner Kadaver and if the horrible Jumbler and his vicious dog are out of prison yet?

The Sunday LimerickVera’s newest artistic creationis becoming the latest sensation.As you’ve already guessedTracy’s none too impressed.Punching Alldid is such a temptation!

So, “everyone in the city is reading” Vera Alldid’s strip. Maybe Alldid’s fancy office is justified. The funniest thing is how they have to keep explaining the pun in the crook’s name. That’s the third time now in a couple of days. The Crimestoppers hint in the top panel is pretty funny too, but I still saw that Alldid can’t draw a comic very well.

Aw, Honeymoon’s sooo cute in that last panel!

I thought the “Crooknabbers” was funny. Weirdo can indeed be dangerous, great safety tip!

There is a pretty rough crowd in that bar. Looks like the line-up includes Poopdeck Pappy, Commissioner Dolan from The Spirit, the Scarecrow, and Marty from Marty and Spud with Ed Asner as the bartender.

The one with the Commissioner Dolan haircut could also be Clarabelle the Clown or Bozo.

Nice little homage to Dick Tracy vs Cueball with the Filthy Flora reference. How many of you spotted it?

ANOTHER reference to Little Orphan Annie! Hmmmmmmmm ?

Pequod’s poems come so quickly and effortlessly that I suspect he is really Foozy in disguise. Another great one today!

ps: @Jonathan K, I liked the limerick, too.

So much to absorb today! Vera Alldid, thoughts of Annie’s return, Pequod77’s prose… how much better could things get! Good morning everyone!

Some of the guys in the bar look familiar! I’ll leave that for someone with a younger, sharper eye and brain to determine who!

Wow, it’s like Alldid was right there as this was happening! What a great storyteller he is! (Ye Gods!)

This is all way too meta for words! I agree with the previous posters who have regarded that last panel as an instant classic. I also find it interesting to see the Trustworthy and Tracy profiles more or less side-by-side in the penultimate and last panels. Bang, bang!

Wow that IS a seedy dive—looks like Popeye, Bozo the Clown, the Shadow (Or the Hooded Claw) and Tintin all drink there….

Today’s Crooknabbers does look very much like the sort of Crimestoppers Notebook you’d find during Dick Locher’s solo run of the strip. About as helpful, too.

I guess I’m a minority of one..I actually like this Vera Alldid and his strip! Only his history casts aspersions upon his veracity..At times, Honeymoon has seemed a better judge of people than any of the grownups around her. Let’s see if she’s going to be right once again!.For all we know, he’s about to make amends for his checkered past. Okay, so he’s got a sick sense of humor. (So do I) But through the lens of that sense of humor, I think I see an actual tribute to the yellow robed detective..Hmm. Yellow robed detective? Is that anything like the yellow rose of Texas?.Gotta run! I see some rotten tomatoes coming my way!

Happy Birthday Chief Amiott! Glad they are honoring you today!

I remember in the 70s when Carmine Infantino was doing the Marvel Comics ‘Star Wars’. Fans (critics) were always griping he used ‘T-Squares to draw jaws’. The first appearance of J Trustworthy Straightedge reminded me of that little gem.

Plus – “Weirdos can be dangerous” bahahahahahah! :D

Love Joe Staton’s art!J. Straightedge’s triangular head is very funny, and the rest of the strip within a strip has a great distinctive look that’s better than a lot of real strips!And that last panel is a gem.

Alldid’s altered version of Tracy looks a bit like Tricky Prickears from “The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.” I think. I wasn’t always occupying the same dimension as everyone else back in the days when I read the Freaks.

As long as Joe and Mike are doing the shout-outs, I eagerly await the appearance of Tricky Cad.

I see more Tricky than Fosdick in J. Straightedge Trustworthy.I agree that the last panel is classic. Honeymoon hanging with Pop Pop, enjoying the Sunday Funnies. As to the identities of the bar flies, I’m going with Poopdeck Pappy, Commissioner Dolan, the Scarecrow and Tintin..Thanks to Gweedo, Ray Toler and VistaBill for the kind words. Much appreciated!

Watch out for the Weirdos…they’re everywhere..

The comments about Honeymoon in the last panel are so true. It is a great image of her, what a beautiful girl. I am enjoying the Straightedge comic strip. Hope Mike continues to keep this new character around.

Honeymoon is CUTE! Joe Staton captured just the right expression.

As for why I am not as happy with last year’s resolution to Mysta Chimera, let me see if I can do it in 150 words or less:.Two crooked, lying doctors take the DNA of a dead woman, stuff it into a stock female criminal from Tracy’s past. As (I believe) tsull2121 once said, “What could possibly go wrong?”.Nevertheless, this is the Moon Maid that Mike and Joe have given us. And, as a Moon Maid fan, I guess I need to be satisfied with what they have given us..But I see these turns of events as promising:.Mysta driving Mindy out – completely, and.Vera finding new life, quite possibly no longer associated with criminals, and.Quite possibly Vera is showing affection, in his own jerky way, of the man who has intercepted him and other criminals!.If Mike and Joe really intend to undo the moves of the chess pieces from the Max Collins’ era, then that’s just fine with me!.And speaking of chess (or checkers), apropos to the above, When a piece makes it from home row to the opponent’s home row, doesn’t that piece have the choice to become a queen?.And isn’t Dick Tracy turning out to be one of the more complicated chess games we have seen in some time?

Wasn’t until now I really thought about what Honeymoon said.. Now I’m thinking be careful what you wish for… Still, she should be safe as she probably doesn’t qualify as a public figure like Tracy does. Also, if Alldid values his health, he’d best not go there…

Last word for a Sunday:.When it comes to pawns, the pawn most badly mistreated has been Mysta the Moon Maid..I’d be more than happy if she gets to become a queen again someday!

But Honeymoon, you are in the funny papers…. and this website.

Vera is also the ex husband of Sparkle Plenty Honeymoon’s step mom!

Regarding my earlier comment of “I still saw” wich was supposed to say “I still say” I actually think that Alldid’s art here has a certain appeal, in its way, but I was thrown by the “weirdo” in the “crooknabbers” panel. It not only looks out of place from the style of the rest of Alldid’s strip, but it also looks like it was drawn by an 8-year-old. Nevertheless, it is very funny, which was the point. In defense of Vera, one of the main reasons it looks simplistic is that it’s so small.

I have to admit, based on how popular the J Straightedge Trustworthy strip is in the Tracy’s city, it certainly isn’t considered incompetent. The contrast in style between the last two panels is very effective.

Straightedge always on the job, he seeks out Blahminoze

On the other side of town where shady crooks and those

Hiding from authorities or angry, ill-used spouses

Come to have a drink or three: trouble welcomes douses

Of whiskey, gin and keg drawn brew, hunched over on barstools

Telling tales of misspent youth, suckers, marks and fools.

Straightedge stands in Flora’s door in stunning silhouette

If someone’s hiding Blahminoze they shall live to regret

Protection of a criminal ends badly for deceivers

Come clean to Trustworthy: who threw that sharp meat cleaver?

Straightedge fires off a round, “I’ll see Blahminoze in a cage!”

Honeymoon declares it cool: Pop Pop on the Funnies page.