Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for September 30, 2019

So Ms Howell has some friends in the legal system. Verrrrry interesting!!

Despite her attempts to come across as cool, calm and collect, the ace detective Tracy realized Frisk was really very discombobulated when he noticed her trying to light her cigarette backwards.

“I don’t make the big bucks for nothing!”, he chuckled under his breath while contemplating why Junior never calls him dad!

Good morning™, interviewers!

As some suspected, Frisk was also a Howell baby, so she has a personal stake in all this.

I find it hard to believe that she is not breaking the law when stolen babies were already mentioned. Anyway, she hired that assassin, as we know, so that is definitely against the law.

Again, Frisk doesn’t have the extreme Locher-like linework we saw yesterday. I suppose the longer deadline for Sundays is at work. Did Joe start drawing her like Locher, but moved to his own version of the character when he drew the dailies later?

Is Mrs. Howell’s first name Lovey?

Well, I don’t know. The official foster system seems messed up. The adoptive system is a minefield. Some biological parents are frightful. Children are damaged by all of it. What can be done?

Sorta like lighting a cigarette’s filter tip is wrong.

Det. Frisk is about to light the filter end of the cigarette….

OK, I’m confused. If Howell is “selling babies” as opposed to charging for legitimate services of adoption placement, or is involved in a “racket”, how does it figure that she is not breaking any law?

Looks like Frisky suddenly changed her coat. It was a different one yesterday.

Either she is nervous about something or its burning her up that she can’t catch her doing any thing illegal!!!

Being shot is bound to leave one rather discombobulated. Still, Frisk won’t be allowed to smoke in police headquarters, even if she is able to light the right end.

Sorry to disappoint, she’ll flip the filter end into her mouth before lighting the cigarette.

Good morning™, rattled recovering baby seller investigators !

Whichever end she lights Dick may actually wave saying anything about the no smoking policy in deference to her state following the wounding and stress of this adoption process and of her own personal involvement in it.

I will be curious to see how Tracy does handle the smoking. Even in private office buildings, it’s strictly forbidden let alone a government office. Detectives used to smoke in all the old comics.

She looks like Tracy but with boobs

Look close at the hair. Fisk is Dagwood’s sister!

1- DT: Wow. You changed clothes for our dinner date since we last met during our Speed Date! I didn’t. (Editor’s Note: That’s exposition in case you didn’t read yesterday)

2-PRIMM: Yeah, I put on some old rags so my trick to end this date won’t ruin my good stuff. DT: Ha! Tricks on you. I purposely chose a private club for our dinner WHERE SMOKING IS STILL ALLOWED!

3-PRIMM: Nice try Tracy but have they ever smelled the combination of burning filter AND FLESH! I’ll be booted outa here faster than you can say “SHE’S A PSYCHO!”

From the comments, it appears some readers seem to feel that continuity should be something these “storytellers” try to achieve. BWAHAHAHA. Haven’t been paying attention have you? BTW, why is there a different artist than yesterday. Is this guest month?

Just a little slip there Fisk. Not feeling well today?

“She’s not breaking the law, but what she is doing is wrong.”

If only more of us refused to tolerate immoral legal behavior.

I think I know what the problem is. Frisk bummed a cigarette off of this guy(check 3:30 mark.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R7iBSo9zHg

why is she lighting the wrong end of the cigarette?

Friskie says: illegal? No. Immoral? Yes.

This does sound rather more like a job for a vigilante (Charles Bronson, or TV’s The Equalizer) or superhero than for a lawman. And that must put Tracy in an awkward position.

Speaking of awkward positions, is Friskie about to light her filter?

Nooo! Don’t light the filter. (They stink to high heaven.)