The danger Mr Bigg/Bribery posed on Poppa Smith brought the moon maid out of Honeymoon. I hope she can maintain control over her new discovery until Mysta arrive because it looks like she is losing it. Looks like T-Bolt had been hit by a thunderbolt. I still believe T-Bolt is undercover and she is most likely Lee. What she has to go through to maintain her cover.BTW I did not realize that Suite 6B was the closet where Diet and the 2 girls were hiding until Nun’Ya Bidness mentioned it in yesterday’s comments. No wonder why the other Blackhearts did not know about it. :)
Been waiting for Mysta to show up again. Yes! Doesn’t look like T-Bolt put up much of a fight, though. As for Bribery, does this mean he’ll be arrested? I’ve been thinking he will escape, but now I am beginning to wonder.
I’m kind of wondering about T-Bolt. If she’s really Lee, she must have known Mysta would take her down, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Why would she choose to get zapped rather than simply arrest Bribery, especially since she knows Bribery has some secret escape route planned? All this just to keep her cover?
How I dreamed of this day. In my wildest imagination did I ever think I would see a Moon Maid again, or that Honeymoon would become a central character with antenna’s! Mysta looks totally HOT here! So glad to see her in her Moon Maid outfit. The dowdy earth clothes do nothing for her. (Same with Notta Chin Chillar). I am in Moon Maid heaven. THANK YOU for this fantastic strip today Team Tracy. Long Live Moon Maid!
Morrow said late last night:Neil, did you intend that to be a spoiler? Nowhere have we been told or shown that T-Bolt dealt with Mysta.
Not a spoiler unless you haven’t read the strip from 3 (now almost 4) days ago. Mr. Bigg was still on his way to Suite 6B and was saying that he would have to make the “journey” on his own, when T-Bolt spotted a flash down the hall. She said, “Keep going, sir. I’ll deal with her!” Then, she turned to deal with Mysta, leaving Mr. B to continue to Suite 6B on his own.
I never said anything about how her plan to “deal with” Mysta came out. We don’t know yet. We only know that she stopped “escorting” Mr. B in order to deal with Mysta.
Now that I look at today’s strip, the tables have turned. T-Bolt said she was going to “deal with” Mysta, but it appears today that Mysta is actually dealing with T-Bolt, instead!
Very pleased with today’s panels. Thank you Mike Curtis and Joe Staton. Seeing Honeymoon and Mysta together like this, taking out bad guys, is a thrilling development. I’m excited to see where you will take their story from here.
I’m reflecting more on what happened yesterday when Mr. Bribery’s head appeared from around the corner. Someone off-panel yelled “Mr. Bribery!” At first I thought it was Honeymoon who yelled that out, but then I decided it was Diet Smith. Now that I think more about it, I’ve decided it probably was Honeymoon.
Of course, Smith didn’t expect to meet up with anyone after they had just discussed how quiet things were, but he shouldn’t have been too surprised to see that the noise was coming from Mr. Bribery. Honeymoon, on the other hand, had no idea that Mr. Bribery (supposedly dead) was in the building and would have been doubly shocked to see him there.
Honeymoon seems quite knowledgeable about villains of her grandfather’s past. She tagged along with her dad when he was taking pictures for a book about her grandfather’s past cases. She seemed to have no trouble at all identifying Mumbles in a semi-dark alley. I think she would know who Mr. Bribery was.
Okay, nice day’s work by Mysta Chimera and Honeymoon Tracy. Now, let’s see what becomes of Mr. Bigg. How soon can the cops arrive on this scene and rescue Lee Ebony, if T-Bolt is her?
My visit to the Planetarium aside, I am loving this double-dose of Lunarian audacity. Honeymoon and Mysta make a great team. If T-Bolt is Lee working undercover (and I think this is the case), Mysta could not know this. Lee would know that Mysta would not use lethal force, so she kept her cover intact. Elsewhere in the building, the MCU and FBI are engaging some armed and dangerous Blackhearts. What an action-packed story this is.
It is possible that Lee & Mysta have never met. The only way Lee would know Mysta was from the video from the roof. I’m certain she involved during the Lunarian era, but might even be a bit confused as to why a Lunarian was involved but knowing that the Lunarians had aided the MCU in the past. She might have been going to meet up, identify herself, and team up with Mysta. Mysta for her part is solely focused on rescuing Honeymoon, Annie & Diet. Anything, which might include the MCU & SWAT, will not stop her from entering, as we know she arrived independently of the MCU, and rescuing her friends, tunnel vision if you will. Also if Mysta is aware of Honeymoon’s attempt to immobilize Mr. Bribery, and proximity would seem to confirm this, she has no time for anyone friend or foe.
It doesn’t look like T-Bolt was holding a gun. Although it’s a long shot, I do like the idea suggested yesterday of T-Bolt being a “secret identity” for a Green Hornet-type character. That would require T-Bolt getting away in order to help the police another day.
I posted this late yesterday, and especially in light of today’s strip, I thought it was worth sharing again, slightly edited.Dear Mike and Joe,I am overjoyed to see Honeymoon use her Gould-given powers to fight crime for the first time. What a great day this is in the history of Dick Tracy! And whereas I realize the title of this strip is Dick Tracy and not Honeymoon, I would certainly enjoy seeing more demonstrations of Honeymoon’s budding abilities as we have witnessed today. Now that that genie is finally out of the bottle (FIFTY YEARS in the making!), please do not cap off the bottle and give us only mincing doses of future demonstrations. Also, please do not make Moon Maid such an infrequent visitor to the strip as she has been over the last year. She and Honeymoon make a great team, and I think the mystical connection between the two is completely enchanting.It is obvious from reading the comments here every day that there are many fans, like me, for whom the excitement level of this strip skyrockets whenever the lunar angle of Gould’s canon is explored. Moon Maid has very strong appeal, that is clear. You have gone to considerable lengths to reintroduce her to the Dick Tracy cast. Now that she is on the brink of becoming a full-fledged lunar woman, and seeing that the fans are clearly excited about that development, I can’t think of a single good reason to limit her involvement in the strip to only occasional appearances, and especially not since Moon Maid has proven ability to attract new fans.Honeymoon also has very strong appeal. That is equally clear. And that is why in my opinion it makes sense to give us more of what we’ve seen today, not less. Why allow us to enjoy the immensely satisfying and highly acclaimed development of Mysta and Honeymoon’s powers if the idea is to turn around now and cut off that enjoyment? That makes no sense to me. As long as their powers are deployed to fight crime — as they have been to this point — it makes perfect sense to see more of those powers, not less. The fans (at least a good many of them) obviously love it, and they generally adore Mysta and Honeymoon. Why not give them more of what they want? Please?I understand the concern of some fans that the moon stuff will predominate too much. But for goodness sakes, we had virtually ZERO moon stuff between 1978 and 2011! Thirty-three long years of the strip with hardly a mention of Moon Maid’s legacy, and only occasional and brief appearances by Honeymoon. And again, let’s not forget that it took FIFTY YEARS of Dick Tracy strips before Honeymoon’s full powers were finally expressed. In the context of the last generation of the strip, even taking into account the reintroduction of Mysta three years ago, we’re not presently anywhere close to being overrun with moon stuff, nor of seeing Dick Tracy turn into a “super hero” strip. So I think that concern is a bit overblown. (By the way, Mysta’s moon outfit is not a “super hero” costume. As everyone knows from reading the original Space Era stories, her attire is traditional dress for a lunar woman, and since that is what Mysta is becoming, it makes logical sense for her to wear it, even all the time as the original Moon Maid did, as others have argued.)The Space Era was in cold storage for a very long, and seeing how the fans have been gobbling it up since it was reintroduced in 2012, it seems to me that there is considerable hunger for it. Another reason to see more of it and more of Moon Maid, especially since the newer generation tends to love science fantasy. Just my $0.02.
That was terrific, Pequod! You make us feel like we’re really there with you, experiencing the fevered excitement as Mysta dazzles the world with her red carpet appearance. Your rhymes are always enjoyable, but today we’ve discovered how talented you are at prose, too. Very imaginative and thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you!
At first I thought that T-Bolt was getting the full treatment. But I noticed now that her aura is different than Honey’s. I’m thinking that T-bolt and Mysta is all a front to protect T-Bolt, while Honey isn’t holding back. She’s quite afraid of Poppa Smith, and Anne being harmed by Bribery.
As one who has taken self-defense training, and a CnC, I haven’t had to use it yet but that’s always on my mind, if I need to actually use it. Which is why I hope that Bribery survives. I can only guess the tremendous physiological damage it would do to Honey if she went too far with her bio-electrical discharge.
It is also possible that, off-panel, T-Bolt and Mysta are staging what we’re seeing today.
It is possible, but if I had to gamble on it, I would say it’s probably just straightforward and not a staged fight. After all, who is there around who can witness the fight — staged for whose benefit?
That, plus Diet might have shouted “Mr. Bigg!” since he now knows Bribery by that name.
He might have, but even though Mr. Bigg told Diet when the blindfold came off, “I go by ‘Mister Bigg’ these days,” Diet Smith has addressed him as “Bribery” or “Mr. Bribery” eight times, and has never addressed him as “Mr. Bigg.”
I said it yesterday, I’ll say it again. Dick Tracy has Hugo Award potential. If there isn’t a category for daily comic, there ought to be. This is world class stuff and deserves to be recognized. Current, while at the same time retro. Superb art, great writing. Y’all go on and on, talking back and forth to each other. We ought to do something and get Staton and Curtis the recognition that they deserve.
What a rush! I’m completely fascinated with Mysta and Honeymoon, their telepathic connection, their Japanese nicknames, their sisterly bond, and the way they are both evolving into moon women. Mike Curtis has tapped into my affection for those two characters and amped it up to a level I could never have imagined. It’s just very cool and gratifying to see them side by side like this. Honeymoon and Mysta, rocking the house!!! Count me as one of those people who would literally pay money to see a lot more of both Moon Maid and Honey, just like this.
The narration box says: “Honeymoon has just discovered a new power.”Isn’t this basically the same thing that happened when those kids were harassing her at the Mall?And, come to think of it, whatever happened there, anyway? When my nephew was a young teenager, and bullies harassed him at school, it was often my nephew who got in trouble if he tried to defend himself. Not fair, but true life. Honeymoon fried the whole part of the mall where the incident happened, and we never heard any more about it.
Last but not least, what a fantastic “live report” from the Planetarium, Pequod! Bravo! I, too, feel as though I was at your side, being dazzled by Mysta! I enjoyed these parts especially:“Her luxuriant hair was like spun gold, falling past the middle of her back, shimmering softly in the sunlight…I caught a glimpse of her eyes and gasped. Those eyes. The striking depth of her vivid blue eyes was such that sky blue would ever after seem a bit commonplace. She wore the flowing cape from her film costume, but a gentle breeze off the lake revealed her preferred attire beneath: black body suit, hip boots and gloves well past the elbow. Breathtaking….Then she was in motion. Watching her walk from the van to the Planetarium is a sight that stays with me. She possesses the coiled power and fluid grace of a leopard. When she turned, smiling, and waved to the crowd, a little boy broke away from his mother and rushed forward to greet her….It was only as she entered the darkness of the short passage into the Planetarium that I saw her horns flare: a brief pulse of energy illuminating her head in a halo of light.”That is some **** fine writing! It’s swimming with your affection for Moon Maid, which makes all the more enjoyable. This is a post that “stays with me,” and I’m going to save it to read again. Thank you!!
Today’s strip is a beautiful thing. And your Planetarium report is too. Makes me wish I could see what you describe! It’s so fun that the most talented poster here feels the same way about Moon Maid as I do. Thank you, Pequod!
Thanks to Charlie, 22ph, Willy007, Night-Gaunt49, Neil Wick, Gweedo, Nun’Ya Bidness, Sydney Phillips, Day-Day2001 and JerryH for the very kind words. Very much appreciated!I’ve said this before: What Team Tracy has done with the strip is a real inspiration. Beyond the brilliant return of Mysta and marvelous development of Honeymoon, Tracyville is a fascinating place. The MCU is on the job, and it is always fun to see Tracy and Sam in action. I chuckled to see the Planetarium today from the bike path heading south. The path cuts behind the Aquarium, but Phishface was nowhere to be seen. The action at the Ace Tower is riveting. The strip is simply smashing!
Punjab’s sorrow was momentarily put asideAs finally his existence he didn’t have to hidIt pained him so that his world had sunk so lowThat the only chance to be was to guest on Tracy’s showWe all deserved far better than the termination letterThat left us all adrift with confusion as our giftBut today I am the star in a strip that’ll hopefully go farTo restoring what was lost and bring us back regardless of costIf the sun does clear the clouds I’ll be the first to sing out loudThat the folks of Tracyland have in me a lifetime fan.’
Along with abundant parkland and towering trees, Michigan Avenue has streetlamps that begin to glow at dusk and host ever-changing banners announcing trade shows, conferences, sporting and cultural events. Imagine my delight to spy new banners announcing the Mission Moon program at the Adler Planetarium. Rumors had been rampant since the rumpus at the mall. Yet the Mission Moon program had been in the works for some time, scheduled to coincide with longstanding back-to-school educational programming.
Out of sight, out of mind. The Lunarians had barely made a ripple in the news media for years. Since the car bombing and the Governor’s breaking off all contact with earth, the Lunarians had received scant mention in the press. That is, until the Mysta sightings last year. Subsequently, The Moon Maid film scored at the box-office, doing even better overseas, where movie-goers embraced the film’s audacious premise. Mysta’s exotic origins and otherworldly beauty were clearly a draw.
The hub-bub at the Mall served to further ignite curiosity. What many initially assumed was a publicity stunt aimed to coincide with the Blu-Ray release of The Moon Maid (now streaming on Netflix), was subsequently shown to be the real deal. Several shoppers had captured events at the mall on their phone. Still, it was the superior bootlegged security-cam footage that went viral. Honeymoon’s Lunarian heritage was asserting itself! She’s a cute kid, and her friend, Annie Warbucks, is certainly no stranger to the press. Things died down a bit once reporters were told in no uncertain terms that the granddaughter of the city’s most famous detective, Dick Tracy, was strictly off-limits and not to be approached.
Which is all to say that I was not alone among the curious and kooky outside the Planetarium last month. Numerous school buses commandeered the parking lot, depositing lucky kids by the main entrance. When a limo pulled up I was sure it was her. The Chimera. The crowd surged. Phones on selfie-sticks were waved about. Yet it was Vitamin Flintheart and his lovely companion, Kandikane Lane, who emerged. The old ham held Kandi in one arm, all the while signing autographs and grinning like a Cheshire cat. The actor knew how to work a crowd, no doubt. He had a lot of hair and a lot of woman for a man his age.
It was after Flintheart and Lane disappeared into the Planetarium that I noticed Retik. He was trying to stay inconspicuous, but I’d seen photos of him posted on “Weirdness of the City,” a site devoted to the unusual, the unexplained and the just plain bizarre. These days, much of the site was devoted to all things Lunarian, from Mysta on the red carpet at the premiere of The Moon Maid, to heavily redacted government documents, some referencing DNA research and Smith Industries. Retik was nonchalant in a hat and shades, but looming at over six and a half feet he was easy to spot. He was scanning the crowd.
I worried that the Moon Maid was already inside. It was rumored that she lived at the sumptuous apartment complex at Smith Industries. Smith had his own security force on site. One of the more ambitious “Weirdness of the City” posters had sent a small drone armed with a camera over the compound’s fence last spring. It was quickly brought down, but not before transmitting brief, grainy footage of the Chimera, which now ran in an endless loop on the “Weirdness” site. Maybe she arrived early to glad-hand with potential Planetarium donors before the school kids were situated. Maybe I was foolish to walk over to the sold-out program in hopes of a glimpse of the Moon Maid.
That’s when I spotted the nondescript van easing to a stop by an empty school bus. The windows were heavily tinted, concealing driver and passengers alike. I glanced over at Retik who was looking at the van, moving slowly to position himself between the crowd and the path from the van to the side door. Locating myself on advantageous real estate, I had a clear line of sight to the van as the driver emerged.
A passenger door opened and suddenly there she was! Her luxuriant hair was like spun gold, falling past the middle of her back, shimmering softly in the sunlight. She closed the door and turned, joined by Stellaluna, who had emerged from the van. Unlike the others, Mysta wasn’t wearing sunglasses. I caught a glimpse of her eyes and gasped. Those eyes. The striking depth of her vivid blue eyes was such that sky blue would ever after seem a bit commonplace. She wore the flowing cape from her film costume, but a gentle breeze off the lake revealed her preferred attire beneath: black body suit, hip boots and gloves well past the elbow. Breathtaking.
Then she was in motion. Watching her walk from the van to the Planetarium is a sight that stays with me. She possesses the coiled power and fluid grace of a leopard. When she turned, smiling, and waved to the crowd, a little boy broke away from his mother and rushed forward to greet her. She knelt down and spoke to him. He grinned, pointing at her horns. She tilted her head toward him, nodding that he could touch, playfully tousling his sandy mop of curls in return.
Rising, she waved again as he ran back to his mother, laughing. Rejoining Stellauna, Mysta turned and proceeded to the now opened door. It was only as she entered the darkness of the short passage into the Planetarium that I saw her horns flare: a brief pulse of energy illuminating her head in a halo of light.
cpalmeresq over 8 years ago
Which begs the question: “Did T-Bolt actually NEED to be dealt with?” Or, is Mysta one to zap first and ask questions later?
22ph over 8 years ago
The danger Mr Bigg/Bribery posed on Poppa Smith brought the moon maid out of Honeymoon. I hope she can maintain control over her new discovery until Mysta arrive because it looks like she is losing it. Looks like T-Bolt had been hit by a thunderbolt. I still believe T-Bolt is undercover and she is most likely Lee. What she has to go through to maintain her cover.BTW I did not realize that Suite 6B was the closet where Diet and the 2 girls were hiding until Nun’Ya Bidness mentioned it in yesterday’s comments. No wonder why the other Blackhearts did not know about it. :)
Chief Patton over 8 years ago
Woot! Honey zapping Bribery, and Moon Maid taking down T-Bolt! What did T-Bolt think she was going to do to stop Mysta, anyway?
Vista Bill Raley and Comet™ over 8 years ago
Good morning guys!.Lightning strikes!
blunebottle over 8 years ago
…and get arrested, maintaining their cover.
fredville over 8 years ago
……well, I don’t think too many readers guessed Mr. Bribery would be taken down THIS way a few weeks ago, ie; by Honeymoon of all people, lol
yumpinyiminey over 8 years ago
Love the side by side panels of Honeymoon and Mysta. Moon Maid and her moon-powered protege, oh yeah!
wanewonderful over 8 years ago
Mysta isn’t with the police….so if indeed T-Bolt is an undercover Lee Ebony, she wouldn’t know…..she wouldn’t know Lee Ebony either methinks…..
Ashmael over 8 years ago
Good morning,DT fans!I feel galvanized by this strip! IMHO, T-Bolt is not Lee, or she will have arrested Bribery by now.
fhoffman01 over 8 years ago
Been waiting for Mysta to show up again. Yes! Doesn’t look like T-Bolt put up much of a fight, though. As for Bribery, does this mean he’ll be arrested? I’ve been thinking he will escape, but now I am beginning to wonder.
willy007 over 8 years ago
I’m kind of wondering about T-Bolt. If she’s really Lee, she must have known Mysta would take her down, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Why would she choose to get zapped rather than simply arrest Bribery, especially since she knows Bribery has some secret escape route planned? All this just to keep her cover?
jonahhex1 over 8 years ago
Looks like T-Bolt got hit by a thunderbolt…..martial arts skills don’t work too well when you’re being electrocuted.
Vista Bill Raley and Comet™ over 8 years ago
What an electrifying day! Or should it be, “electrifrying”?
dennis4476 Premium Member over 8 years ago
How I dreamed of this day. In my wildest imagination did I ever think I would see a Moon Maid again, or that Honeymoon would become a central character with antenna’s! Mysta looks totally HOT here! So glad to see her in her Moon Maid outfit. The dowdy earth clothes do nothing for her. (Same with Notta Chin Chillar). I am in Moon Maid heaven. THANK YOU for this fantastic strip today Team Tracy. Long Live Moon Maid!
60sFan over 8 years ago
We have Moon Maid back, and now Honeymoon is zapping crooks too? Pinch me, I must be dreaming. Thank you, Team Tracy!
charliefarmrhere over 8 years ago
Another broom closet escape route again, like the one months ago at the betting parlor?
seanyj over 8 years ago
No Mysta, that’s Lee Ebony….isn’t it ?
Neil Wick over 8 years ago
Morrow said late last night:Neil, did you intend that to be a spoiler? Nowhere have we been told or shown that T-Bolt dealt with Mysta.
Not a spoiler unless you haven’t read the strip from 3 (now almost 4) days ago. Mr. Bigg was still on his way to Suite 6B and was saying that he would have to make the “journey” on his own, when T-Bolt spotted a flash down the hall. She said, “Keep going, sir. I’ll deal with her!” Then, she turned to deal with Mysta, leaving Mr. B to continue to Suite 6B on his own.
I never said anything about how her plan to “deal with” Mysta came out. We don’t know yet. We only know that she stopped “escorting” Mr. B in order to deal with Mysta.
Now that I look at today’s strip, the tables have turned. T-Bolt said she was going to “deal with” Mysta, but it appears today that Mysta is actually dealing with T-Bolt, instead!
TJ000 over 8 years ago
Very pleased with today’s panels. Thank you Mike Curtis and Joe Staton. Seeing Honeymoon and Mysta together like this, taking out bad guys, is a thrilling development. I’m excited to see where you will take their story from here.
AnyFace over 8 years ago
Is this wrapping up already?
Neil Wick over 8 years ago
I’m reflecting more on what happened yesterday when Mr. Bribery’s head appeared from around the corner. Someone off-panel yelled “Mr. Bribery!” At first I thought it was Honeymoon who yelled that out, but then I decided it was Diet Smith. Now that I think more about it, I’ve decided it probably was Honeymoon.
Of course, Smith didn’t expect to meet up with anyone after they had just discussed how quiet things were, but he shouldn’t have been too surprised to see that the noise was coming from Mr. Bribery. Honeymoon, on the other hand, had no idea that Mr. Bribery (supposedly dead) was in the building and would have been doubly shocked to see him there.
Honeymoon seems quite knowledgeable about villains of her grandfather’s past. She tagged along with her dad when he was taking pictures for a book about her grandfather’s past cases. She seemed to have no trouble at all identifying Mumbles in a semi-dark alley. I think she would know who Mr. Bribery was.
Sisyphos over 8 years ago
Okay, nice day’s work by Mysta Chimera and Honeymoon Tracy. Now, let’s see what becomes of Mr. Bigg. How soon can the cops arrive on this scene and rescue Lee Ebony, if T-Bolt is her?
Pequod over 8 years ago
My visit to the Planetarium aside, I am loving this double-dose of Lunarian audacity. Honeymoon and Mysta make a great team. If T-Bolt is Lee working undercover (and I think this is the case), Mysta could not know this. Lee would know that Mysta would not use lethal force, so she kept her cover intact. Elsewhere in the building, the MCU and FBI are engaging some armed and dangerous Blackhearts. What an action-packed story this is.
William Weedman over 8 years ago
It is possible that Lee & Mysta have never met. The only way Lee would know Mysta was from the video from the roof. I’m certain she involved during the Lunarian era, but might even be a bit confused as to why a Lunarian was involved but knowing that the Lunarians had aided the MCU in the past. She might have been going to meet up, identify herself, and team up with Mysta. Mysta for her part is solely focused on rescuing Honeymoon, Annie & Diet. Anything, which might include the MCU & SWAT, will not stop her from entering, as we know she arrived independently of the MCU, and rescuing her friends, tunnel vision if you will. Also if Mysta is aware of Honeymoon’s attempt to immobilize Mr. Bribery, and proximity would seem to confirm this, she has no time for anyone friend or foe.
Tommygunner over 8 years ago
Pequod, the report of your planetarium visit was very fun and entertaining. What a great read! You make me jealous that I didn’t get to go lol.
22ph over 8 years ago
Not only a poet but a good story teller as well. :)
Can't Sleep over 8 years ago
Talk about a high-voltage strip!Looks like Mysta didn’t give T-Bolt a chance to identify herself as a cop.What you do to maintain your cover…
Don Bagert Premium Member over 8 years ago
It doesn’t look like T-Bolt was holding a gun. Although it’s a long shot, I do like the idea suggested yesterday of T-Bolt being a “secret identity” for a Green Hornet-type character. That would require T-Bolt getting away in order to help the police another day.
willy007 over 8 years ago
I posted this late yesterday, and especially in light of today’s strip, I thought it was worth sharing again, slightly edited.Dear Mike and Joe,I am overjoyed to see Honeymoon use her Gould-given powers to fight crime for the first time. What a great day this is in the history of Dick Tracy! And whereas I realize the title of this strip is Dick Tracy and not Honeymoon, I would certainly enjoy seeing more demonstrations of Honeymoon’s budding abilities as we have witnessed today. Now that that genie is finally out of the bottle (FIFTY YEARS in the making!), please do not cap off the bottle and give us only mincing doses of future demonstrations. Also, please do not make Moon Maid such an infrequent visitor to the strip as she has been over the last year. She and Honeymoon make a great team, and I think the mystical connection between the two is completely enchanting.It is obvious from reading the comments here every day that there are many fans, like me, for whom the excitement level of this strip skyrockets whenever the lunar angle of Gould’s canon is explored. Moon Maid has very strong appeal, that is clear. You have gone to considerable lengths to reintroduce her to the Dick Tracy cast. Now that she is on the brink of becoming a full-fledged lunar woman, and seeing that the fans are clearly excited about that development, I can’t think of a single good reason to limit her involvement in the strip to only occasional appearances, and especially not since Moon Maid has proven ability to attract new fans.Honeymoon also has very strong appeal. That is equally clear. And that is why in my opinion it makes sense to give us more of what we’ve seen today, not less. Why allow us to enjoy the immensely satisfying and highly acclaimed development of Mysta and Honeymoon’s powers if the idea is to turn around now and cut off that enjoyment? That makes no sense to me. As long as their powers are deployed to fight crime — as they have been to this point — it makes perfect sense to see more of those powers, not less. The fans (at least a good many of them) obviously love it, and they generally adore Mysta and Honeymoon. Why not give them more of what they want? Please?I understand the concern of some fans that the moon stuff will predominate too much. But for goodness sakes, we had virtually ZERO moon stuff between 1978 and 2011! Thirty-three long years of the strip with hardly a mention of Moon Maid’s legacy, and only occasional and brief appearances by Honeymoon. And again, let’s not forget that it took FIFTY YEARS of Dick Tracy strips before Honeymoon’s full powers were finally expressed. In the context of the last generation of the strip, even taking into account the reintroduction of Mysta three years ago, we’re not presently anywhere close to being overrun with moon stuff, nor of seeing Dick Tracy turn into a “super hero” strip. So I think that concern is a bit overblown. (By the way, Mysta’s moon outfit is not a “super hero” costume. As everyone knows from reading the original Space Era stories, her attire is traditional dress for a lunar woman, and since that is what Mysta is becoming, it makes logical sense for her to wear it, even all the time as the original Moon Maid did, as others have argued.)The Space Era was in cold storage for a very long, and seeing how the fans have been gobbling it up since it was reintroduced in 2012, it seems to me that there is considerable hunger for it. Another reason to see more of it and more of Moon Maid, especially since the newer generation tends to love science fantasy. Just my $0.02.
jrankin1959 over 8 years ago
Uh, Mysta? You might want to back off of T-Bolt until you learn whose side she’s on…
willy007 over 8 years ago
That was terrific, Pequod! You make us feel like we’re really there with you, experiencing the fevered excitement as Mysta dazzles the world with her red carpet appearance. Your rhymes are always enjoyable, but today we’ve discovered how talented you are at prose, too. Very imaginative and thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you!
seanyj over 8 years ago
T-Bolt, if you’re Lee, you better show your badge to Mysta!
mrichman over 8 years ago
What an exciting story. Go Honeymoon and Mysta! Will Bribery escape though?
Starman1948 over 8 years ago
Good morning everyone.-——————-Lots of action in only 2 panels.-——————-Have a sunny day my friends.
kantuck-nadie over 8 years ago
At first I thought that T-Bolt was getting the full treatment. But I noticed now that her aura is different than Honey’s. I’m thinking that T-bolt and Mysta is all a front to protect T-Bolt, while Honey isn’t holding back. She’s quite afraid of Poppa Smith, and Anne being harmed by Bribery.
As one who has taken self-defense training, and a CnC, I haven’t had to use it yet but that’s always on my mind, if I need to actually use it. Which is why I hope that Bribery survives. I can only guess the tremendous physiological damage it would do to Honey if she went too far with her bio-electrical discharge.
abdullahbaba999 over 8 years ago
The Moon Maids are Baclk…gotta Love the Comics..
Neil Wick over 8 years ago
I love the planetarium story. Your choice of words is the best thing about your writing.
Neil Wick over 8 years ago
It is also possible that, off-panel, T-Bolt and Mysta are staging what we’re seeing today.
It is possible, but if I had to gamble on it, I would say it’s probably just straightforward and not a staged fight. After all, who is there around who can witness the fight — staged for whose benefit?Neil Wick over 8 years ago
That, plus Diet might have shouted “Mr. Bigg!” since he now knows Bribery by that name.
He might have, but even though Mr. Bigg told Diet when the blindfold came off, “I go by ‘Mister Bigg’ these days,” Diet Smith has addressed him as “Bribery” or “Mr. Bribery” eight times, and has never addressed him as “Mr. Bigg.”Durak Premium Member over 8 years ago
I said it yesterday, I’ll say it again. Dick Tracy has Hugo Award potential. If there isn’t a category for daily comic, there ought to be. This is world class stuff and deserves to be recognized. Current, while at the same time retro. Superb art, great writing. Y’all go on and on, talking back and forth to each other. We ought to do something and get Staton and Curtis the recognition that they deserve.
cueball404 over 8 years ago
This is what the electric chair must of felt like.Yow!
harkherp over 8 years ago
T-Bolt looks like she’s doing the “Limbo” in panel 2 !!!
SYDNEY PHILLIPS over 8 years ago
@ Peguod
Mission Moon
Ever so eloquently written . . .
Even as your choices of panels, and the impeccable ‘neatness’ of the presentations continue to please . . .
And given the subject matter, and timing . . . a subtle ‘opinion’ - where it may be needed . . . ! ?
Jerry1967 over 8 years ago
What a rush! I’m completely fascinated with Mysta and Honeymoon, their telepathic connection, their Japanese nicknames, their sisterly bond, and the way they are both evolving into moon women. Mike Curtis has tapped into my affection for those two characters and amped it up to a level I could never have imagined. It’s just very cool and gratifying to see them side by side like this. Honeymoon and Mysta, rocking the house!!! Count me as one of those people who would literally pay money to see a lot more of both Moon Maid and Honey, just like this.
Ken in Ohio over 8 years ago
The narration box says: “Honeymoon has just discovered a new power.”Isn’t this basically the same thing that happened when those kids were harassing her at the Mall?And, come to think of it, whatever happened there, anyway? When my nephew was a young teenager, and bullies harassed him at school, it was often my nephew who got in trouble if he tried to defend himself. Not fair, but true life. Honeymoon fried the whole part of the mall where the incident happened, and we never heard any more about it.
Jerry1967 over 8 years ago
Last but not least, what a fantastic “live report” from the Planetarium, Pequod! Bravo! I, too, feel as though I was at your side, being dazzled by Mysta! I enjoyed these parts especially:“Her luxuriant hair was like spun gold, falling past the middle of her back, shimmering softly in the sunlight…I caught a glimpse of her eyes and gasped. Those eyes. The striking depth of her vivid blue eyes was such that sky blue would ever after seem a bit commonplace. She wore the flowing cape from her film costume, but a gentle breeze off the lake revealed her preferred attire beneath: black body suit, hip boots and gloves well past the elbow. Breathtaking….Then she was in motion. Watching her walk from the van to the Planetarium is a sight that stays with me. She possesses the coiled power and fluid grace of a leopard. When she turned, smiling, and waved to the crowd, a little boy broke away from his mother and rushed forward to greet her….It was only as she entered the darkness of the short passage into the Planetarium that I saw her horns flare: a brief pulse of energy illuminating her head in a halo of light.”That is some **** fine writing! It’s swimming with your affection for Moon Maid, which makes all the more enjoyable. This is a post that “stays with me,” and I’m going to save it to read again. Thank you!!
DayDay2001 over 8 years ago
Today’s strip is a beautiful thing. And your Planetarium report is too. Makes me wish I could see what you describe! It’s so fun that the most talented poster here feels the same way about Moon Maid as I do. Thank you, Pequod!
Pequod over 8 years ago
Thanks to Charlie, 22ph, Willy007, Night-Gaunt49, Neil Wick, Gweedo, Nun’Ya Bidness, Sydney Phillips, Day-Day2001 and JerryH for the very kind words. Very much appreciated!I’ve said this before: What Team Tracy has done with the strip is a real inspiration. Beyond the brilliant return of Mysta and marvelous development of Honeymoon, Tracyville is a fascinating place. The MCU is on the job, and it is always fun to see Tracy and Sam in action. I chuckled to see the Planetarium today from the bike path heading south. The path cuts behind the Aquarium, but Phishface was nowhere to be seen. The action at the Ace Tower is riveting. The strip is simply smashing!
frankt0001 over 8 years ago
Let’s get one thing straight. Moon Maid and Honeymoon are freaking awesome and I love them both. That is all.
frankt0001 over 8 years ago
And lets get another thing straight. Pequod’s report about the Planetarium is also freaking awesome.
abdullahbaba999 over 8 years ago
Thank You All for being sooooAwesome….
avenger09 over 8 years ago
Punjab’s sorrow was momentarily put asideAs finally his existence he didn’t have to hidIt pained him so that his world had sunk so lowThat the only chance to be was to guest on Tracy’s showWe all deserved far better than the termination letterThat left us all adrift with confusion as our giftBut today I am the star in a strip that’ll hopefully go farTo restoring what was lost and bring us back regardless of costIf the sun does clear the clouds I’ll be the first to sing out loudThat the folks of Tracyland have in me a lifetime fan.’
sjsczurek over 8 years ago
Does Mysta always go around in a Liza Minelli Cabaret outfit?.Cheeeeee……………
Pequod over 7 years ago
Mission Moon
Along with abundant parkland and towering trees, Michigan Avenue has streetlamps that begin to glow at dusk and host ever-changing banners announcing trade shows, conferences, sporting and cultural events. Imagine my delight to spy new banners announcing the Mission Moon program at the Adler Planetarium. Rumors had been rampant since the rumpus at the mall. Yet the Mission Moon program had been in the works for some time, scheduled to coincide with longstanding back-to-school educational programming.
Out of sight, out of mind. The Lunarians had barely made a ripple in the news media for years. Since the car bombing and the Governor’s breaking off all contact with earth, the Lunarians had received scant mention in the press. That is, until the Mysta sightings last year. Subsequently, The Moon Maid film scored at the box-office, doing even better overseas, where movie-goers embraced the film’s audacious premise. Mysta’s exotic origins and otherworldly beauty were clearly a draw.
The hub-bub at the Mall served to further ignite curiosity. What many initially assumed was a publicity stunt aimed to coincide with the Blu-Ray release of The Moon Maid (now streaming on Netflix), was subsequently shown to be the real deal. Several shoppers had captured events at the mall on their phone. Still, it was the superior bootlegged security-cam footage that went viral. Honeymoon’s Lunarian heritage was asserting itself! She’s a cute kid, and her friend, Annie Warbucks, is certainly no stranger to the press. Things died down a bit once reporters were told in no uncertain terms that the granddaughter of the city’s most famous detective, Dick Tracy, was strictly off-limits and not to be approached.
Pequod over 7 years ago
Which is all to say that I was not alone among the curious and kooky outside the Planetarium last month. Numerous school buses commandeered the parking lot, depositing lucky kids by the main entrance. When a limo pulled up I was sure it was her. The Chimera. The crowd surged. Phones on selfie-sticks were waved about. Yet it was Vitamin Flintheart and his lovely companion, Kandikane Lane, who emerged. The old ham held Kandi in one arm, all the while signing autographs and grinning like a Cheshire cat. The actor knew how to work a crowd, no doubt. He had a lot of hair and a lot of woman for a man his age.
It was after Flintheart and Lane disappeared into the Planetarium that I noticed Retik. He was trying to stay inconspicuous, but I’d seen photos of him posted on “Weirdness of the City,” a site devoted to the unusual, the unexplained and the just plain bizarre. These days, much of the site was devoted to all things Lunarian, from Mysta on the red carpet at the premiere of The Moon Maid, to heavily redacted government documents, some referencing DNA research and Smith Industries. Retik was nonchalant in a hat and shades, but looming at over six and a half feet he was easy to spot. He was scanning the crowd.
I worried that the Moon Maid was already inside. It was rumored that she lived at the sumptuous apartment complex at Smith Industries. Smith had his own security force on site. One of the more ambitious “Weirdness of the City” posters had sent a small drone armed with a camera over the compound’s fence last spring. It was quickly brought down, but not before transmitting brief, grainy footage of the Chimera, which now ran in an endless loop on the “Weirdness” site. Maybe she arrived early to glad-hand with potential Planetarium donors before the school kids were situated. Maybe I was foolish to walk over to the sold-out program in hopes of a glimpse of the Moon Maid.
Pequod over 7 years ago
That’s when I spotted the nondescript van easing to a stop by an empty school bus. The windows were heavily tinted, concealing driver and passengers alike. I glanced over at Retik who was looking at the van, moving slowly to position himself between the crowd and the path from the van to the side door. Locating myself on advantageous real estate, I had a clear line of sight to the van as the driver emerged.
A passenger door opened and suddenly there she was! Her luxuriant hair was like spun gold, falling past the middle of her back, shimmering softly in the sunlight. She closed the door and turned, joined by Stellaluna, who had emerged from the van. Unlike the others, Mysta wasn’t wearing sunglasses. I caught a glimpse of her eyes and gasped. Those eyes. The striking depth of her vivid blue eyes was such that sky blue would ever after seem a bit commonplace. She wore the flowing cape from her film costume, but a gentle breeze off the lake revealed her preferred attire beneath: black body suit, hip boots and gloves well past the elbow. Breathtaking.
Then she was in motion. Watching her walk from the van to the Planetarium is a sight that stays with me. She possesses the coiled power and fluid grace of a leopard. When she turned, smiling, and waved to the crowd, a little boy broke away from his mother and rushed forward to greet her. She knelt down and spoke to him. He grinned, pointing at her horns. She tilted her head toward him, nodding that he could touch, playfully tousling his sandy mop of curls in return.
Rising, she waved again as he ran back to his mother, laughing. Rejoining Stellauna, Mysta turned and proceeded to the now opened door. It was only as she entered the darkness of the short passage into the Planetarium that I saw her horns flare: a brief pulse of energy illuminating her head in a halo of light.
Then the door swung shut and she was gone.