Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for July 05, 2015

Johnny down in Florida. How can this be so?Last seen in the alley absorbing mighty blows.He convalesced in hospital. Recovery takes some timeSteffinhawk attests Johnny not fit for fighting crime.Yet here he stands, cold drink in hand, flirting with a galDressed for fun in the hot sun, seducing his new pal.Mumbles sips a cold libation, he’s earned some R and RShocked to see a tanned Johnny holding court at Tiki bar.Mumbles starts to simmer. Johnny slathers on more lotionShoulders broad and muscles toned, he’s blocking out the ocean.Mumbles calls up Blackhearts, still relishing sea-side breezeSecretary has no ear, can’t translate Mumble-eze.Says to say it in a tweet, an e-mail or a textMumbles mumbles to himself, “wht shud dye do nxt?”

Mumbles does NOT look happy!

Adonis Lives!

Good morning everyone!

Transcript for those who can’t read “Mumblespeak” (like the receptionist at Blackhearts HQ):

That guy looks familiar.

That’s Johnnie Adonis, that private cop!He got beat up by Biggs’ bodyguard.

Got to call Mr. Bigg.

Wndriffmblztxtsrmbldtu

Speaking of Bigg’s bodyguard, we haven’t seen T-Bolt since March — just shortly after we last saw Johnny. She should be due for a re-appearance soon.

I wonder if Mumbles mumbles as badly in a text message as he talks…..

Great work, Pequod77! Very well done today.You raised the question, and my conclusion is that that ISN’T Johnny Adonis. I’m not sure who it is, but considering the real Johnny knows the identity of Mr. Bigg, I doubt he would leave the hospital (if he’s even ready to leave the hospital) and immediately jet off to Florida without telling anyone that information. It’s just too bizarre seeing Johnny having fun in the sun right now, and my hunch is that this is a major clue related to the mystery of the Blackhearts.

Does Johnny have a twin brother ?

Hmmm, I do wonder about that. He was just in the hospital a couple of days ago.

Good morning DT fans!It depends on the internal timeline of the strip, maybe several months have passed from the “get well soon Johnny” reference strip time.

Maybe iit is Apollo in disguise! I fear Mumbles is about to explode in a fit of rage…

So who is Dat Catnip? I treat Mumbles like the adults on the Peanuts specials, I just skip over his talking….Now the guy looks like Johnny Adonis, none the worse for wear.

I don’t think this is really Johnny.

Blissful Sunday morning my friends. -———Good poem Pequod77-———Be happy and healthy everyone.

JonahHex said,I wonder if Mumbles mumbles as badly in a text message as he talks…

No. He jus uses all those abbreviations and emos that are harder to understand that his mumbling.

Apparently Johnny (THE MAN!!) Adonis is none the worse for the wear…well that would make sense since he hasn’t been seen in ALMOST SIX MONTHS!! and the only mention was about two weeks ago when honeymoon went to the mall.

For my money…it’s the real Johnny (THE MAN!!!) Adonis following Mumbles and keeping tabs on his actions

Well we could ask the same thing about Mr. Bribery ? . . .

Does he have a Twin Brother ?The original seemed to die falling from a Space Coupe atop a prison Carpenter shop ?

How many Florida newspapers still carry Dick Tracy?

My mind is blown at the thought of either a text message or email from Mumbles.

Johnny Adonis has always been a very vague presence in this ever changing story line…the family of choice in the 4th of July celebrations will be the heroes in the stories to come…i think…TBC..

A few days ago, several of the readers figured Mumbles was in Florida making a drug run. I didn’t think so because I figured Mumbles was too valuable a baddie to be used for a “mule”, which in the drug trade, are expendables. I see I was wrong! Maybe his text or e-mail might get intercepted since the government is hell-bent on eavesdropping in all forms of communication.

Wow-I haven’t read this strip in years but I was caught by the great art- Staton &Curtis have revived my love of Dick Tracy-I have every Chester Gould comic book reprint and hardcover collection I could get my hands on-great to see Mumbles again-what other villains have Staton &Curtis brought back to life???

A Week of STALEMATE at EVERY GATE . . . Where NOTHING FURTHER HAPPENED . . .-———————————————————————————-

Sunday:

Young teeny fracas, empowered Honeymoon bullies all around, Police woman there, issue left up in ‘Mid Air’ !

Monday:

“Only we four " ?But what about the man downstairs that opened the door, the individual that sold it, those that transported it to the building and up to Bribery’s floor ? The ‘unknown’ confidents of the seller or of the transporters ?

Tuesday: and Wednesday:

“Preoccupied” the Text Box said, describing Tracy, his MCU and Fritz Ann of the FBI on the stolen Bullion . . .It took no more than a panel or two to figure out they still (collectively) didn’t have a Clue of what to Do (?)Nothing had ‘changed’ (since May 3rd), when Mole handed him a Hot - timely ‘to the Lake’ - workable Clue !“Astonishingly”, he apparently dropped it right there on the rail tracks, returning to the City and the MCUAnd then, later in the City, ‘complained’ to Sam of not knowing what to Do

Then in Wednesday’s strip, Tracy held out a ‘thin ray’ of hope - a lead “witness”, (Tellum) would be coming in for questioning ! On then to Thursday . . .<p.Thursday:

Sam’s seen to shrug at the Media Circus gathering, Tellum’s there in a self promoting shirt. But no questioning was seen to occur. For readers (anxious to see some ‘progress’) it was a Nothing Event !You only get to ‘wonder’ why they “bothered” to Show It ?

You’re getting around to ‘thinking’ Tracy’s ‘not all there’, you’re kind of worried that if he gets another clue (?) he might just drop it in the Waste Paper Basket and with Sam take another drive around the City to ‘CLEAR his Head’ ?So, yet another day. of No apparent Progress ! (?)

Friday:

‘Suddenly -* we are in Florida (Tellum. Witchell have disappeared) ? ?What we SEE is Mumbles in swimsuit on a beach. And you start to “think” this must be of considerably greater ’importance’ than Tellum’s evidence ?

Saturday:

But we have to ‘wait again’ - it’s the July 4, Independence Observation Strip

The good news here is that the “real” Cops and FBI - performed ‘admirably’ . . . Not One Reported Attack by the Terrorists !

Seems comic strip Tracy and Fritz Anne are in the same (can’t say Boat ;-) but rote will do as ISIS.Just that they are trying to go in different directions !

As I reflect on the change of focus from day to day . . . it must have been a ‘Nightmare’ week for Timmy !

Johnny seems rather vigorous for someone just released from the hospital. Nary a bruise nor a bandage to be seen. Why no sign of injury? T-Bolt’s attack was pretty vicious. Or was it? This is sloppy work if Johnny is tailing Mumbles. Odd coincidence to vacation at same beach as Mumbles. What if T-Bolt is working undercover? If so, she did not really injure JA and the “hospital stay” was a ruse to protect T-Bolt’s identity. Administering a fake beating would cement her cover. Explains why no concern from Tess was ever shown to readers. Still, the faked-injury theory (styrofoam 2×4?) is pretty flimsy. Helping T-Bolt cement her cover (and we don’t really have any indication she is working undercover) does not explain Adonis showing up at the same resort as Mumbles. I agree with Willy. I think this Adonis may be an imposter. The real JA is either still in the hospital or just released to finish recovering at home. Ms. Steffinhawk would have no reason to lie to Honeymoon about visiting Johnny. If this is an imposter, for whom does he work? The Apparatus? Who ponied up the cost of the make-over? Is he there to rob Mumbles? A twin brother seems more far-fetched than an imposter. Very interesting.Seeing Mumbles near water reminds me of a 1955 story. Mumbles tries to escape in the fog, uncertain as to the location of the shore.

Thanks to cpalmeresq, Willy007, Gweedo, Starman1948, Sydney Phillips, Chris Sherlock and JPuzzleWhiz for the kind words. Much appreciated!

I do remember reading that your Aunt Esther had died. I’m very sorry.-I’m not sure if you’ve linked your shots yet but please tell me when you do. I hope I didn’t ‘embarrass’ you in front of your buddies on Dick Tracy yesterday. Haha! I just wanted you to know that I haven’t forgotton about you. That would be almost impossible.-Hope you enjoy the freshly painted room you will be staying in at Eileen’s. -I just want to point out that it’s still not a real job but it’s the closest to a real one I’ve ever had. I’ve already learned how to use the Photocopier and Laminator. Hopefully I can do Word Processing and other computer related tasks. I know I’ll be answering the phones because after a week there, I told Andrew that I would like to start answering calls.-Oh by the way, I’ve noticed that you enlarged my avatar on the ‘Sylvia’ strip. It looks good but would you mind taking it down? I’m not getting the blame again for any damage to your computer screen! -I’m at my Work Placement again on Tuesday and I always look forward to the 47 minute train journey there and back.-Don’t feel too depressed that it’s Monday tomorrow!

@richard schmidt: Welcome my friend. We are glad to hear from you. Hopefully on a regular basis. Be well.

Quite apart from the enjoyable humor of Mumbles’ failure with the phone receptionist back at crime-HQ, I (like many others here) find the apparent presence of Johnny Adonis, fit, hale, and hearty, in Florida to be puzzling indeed; were he tailing Mumbles I’d not expect him to be so careless as to be chatting up some chick in close proximity and with his back to Mumbles! One cannot help but wonder, under the odd circumstances, if this guy really is Johnny! Or, if it is him, what he actually is doing in Florida….

Turning to the sidebar, if I recall aright, the original name was “Special Irish Branch”.

Hmmm…T-Bolt…I wonder if she could be TJ’s mother? That might make TJ’s initials stand for “Thunderbolt, Junior”…____________________

Wow!

That would bridge the Blackhearts and Bullying stories, huh?

If this JA is an impostor, could it be Putty Puss?____________________

Woo! Gosh!

Could it?!

@NightShade09: The Honeymoon scenario sounds plausible. I think you may have hit the nail on the head. Be well, my friend.

Thanks to Sgt. Doherty for the interesting facts in the Crimestoppers textbook. The colors are spectacular yet again. I’m ready for beach volleyball with a cold drink in a coconut to follow. It is hilarious the way Mumbles tosses his drink over his shoulder in response to identifying Johnny. The gym bag at his side strikes me as ominous.

This past week has been puzzling on a lot of levels. I have no idea where this is going but there should be some explanations eventually. You never know what’s going to happen when Mumbles is involved. I think I’ve learned how to speak Mumbles-ese.

I wanted so very much, before I lost my touchTo write a poem today, I hoped there’d be much to sayAmazing tales of suspense, or if Mindy’s a tad too intenseDid junior really steal those cups, Or did Sandy ever sire some pupsWill Honeymoon file a complaintOr has the MCU’s reputation suffered taintWill Poppa continue to puff in the airCausing health problems to all who are nearInstead I’m driven to tryTo create a poem on the flyBecause Mike and Joe wrote such a fillerThat could’nt have been much more sillier.

Johnny down in Florida. How can this be so?

Last seen in the alley absorbing mighty blows.

He convalesced in hospital. Recovery takes some time

Steffinhawk attests Johnny not fit for fighting crime.

Yet here he stands, cold drink in hand, flirting with a gal

Dressed for fun in the hot sun, seducing his new pal.

Mumbles sips a cold libation, he’s earned some R and R

Shocked to see a tanned Johnny holding court at Tiki bar.

Mumbles starts to simmer. Johnny slathers on more lotion

Shoulders broad and muscles toned, he’s blocking out the ocean.

Mumbles calls up Blackhearts, still relishing sea-side breeze

Secretary has no ear, can’t translate Mumble-eze.

Says to say it in a tweet, an e-mail or a text

Mumbles mumbles to himself, “wht shud dye do nxt?”

“What’d he say?”

Mumblespeak Translator: He said, “That guy looks familiar…”

“What’d he say?”

Mumblespeak Translator: He said, “That’s Johnny Adonis the private cop! He got beat up by Bigg’s bodyguard!”

“What’d he say?”

Mumblespeak Translator: He said, “Gotta call Mr. Bigg!”