Flakey is one smart cookie. She heard Hot Rize yelling at Tracy that she wasn’t going to be the only one to take the fall. Another mistake Hot Rize made, in a long line of mistakes, ending in her entering that hopper. Flakey used the opportunity to kill Hot Rize. She already had Hot Rize running the operation, so that she wouldn’t be implicated in any way. Now it looks like she will get away with it. Ms Biscuits knows how to keep her buns out of the fire. Poor Sam, remember this is his childhood idol. Doesn’t look like an adoring fan in panel three does he? Instead of not washing his hand for a week, he is more likely to not be able to clean it fast enough. Think he will ask Flakey for her autograph?
If the MCS can prove that Flakey Biscuits murdered Hot Rize, that might give the prosecutor enough leverage to make her talk without giving her immunity.
The orders that Biscuits gave Hot Rize prove she was a willing participant, so there should be a way for the MCS to prove it. The set-up of the plant’s machinery might give clues. So could testimony from the plant’s workers (they’re bound to have noticed something odd; “She said those green-strip bags had experimental mixes in them. Funny how they did so many huge experiments, but never marketed anything new”).
.Great writing Mike, I was wondering yesterday, how you were gonna handle Flakey asking for a deal. Since Cops can’t make deals, and you did it “by the book”. Nicely done!
Dumb question, but did we actually see Hot Rize kill the driver? I know that there was evil sounding and insinuating words spoken before and after the murder, but did we actually see the murder happen. (I am at work and cannot take the time to look back.)
Hi Mr. Thompson, Thanks for the info. I remember at the time thinking it was kind of strange that we did not see the murder actually happen. I’m starting to wonder if the late Hot Rize was actually the murderer. Time will tell…
Hey again Mr. Thompson, Hokey smokes after reading your last comment I just realized that we have a mystery, clues and a developing investigation in the Dick Tracy strip. Ain’t we got fun!!!
Well gentlemen, when you first came about, I said I will give the strip time to see how the story goes; I will say, that this old time DT fan (at least 30 years) is most impressed, and enjoyed it!
You got the Gould mix of background humor (IE: B.O. getting clobbered by the baby’s tossing an iron for example.) crime, and detective works, mystery, and surprising to me. Moved the timeline /back/ some decades. Good move!
The biggest thing I like; your bringing back characters that shouldn’t have been taken away; Junior for example. It has a feel of the 70s – from what strips I’ve been able to see.
The only critique I can give, is there’s still a slight silliness feel to it. I know your still working out the strip, so take this as constructive critique, not ‘this strip isn’t worth the electrons it’s printed on!’ I would love to see it return to a more gritty, more "Tracy doesn’t give a **** if it offends someone’ feel. Remember, that crime doesn’t care. It hurts people, and Tracy is Elliott Ness. He will bring the crooks to justice regardless.
Remember how 88 keys met his death? or the way that Mrs. Pruneface tried to bump off Tracy? Oh my all-time fav stories ‘Crime Inc.’ and Chrome. Remember how he begged while his hand was crushed? Remember what Tracy did with the Mole at Christmas? That’s one of my all-time favorite strips of the entire strip.
Just some ideas and such. Hoping for a great run, and if/when you all release DT in book form, I’m buying. :)
Hmmm—thanks for all the good comments. Joe and I could easily duplicate the graphic deaths of the Gould era, but nowadays the feeling is that comics are for kids. There are things Gould could do that we cannot. We are prohibited from doing so. Deaths will likely take place off camera.
Yes, I definately remember Krome and Murder Inc. In fact this fall you will see one of the characters from that story return. Joe and I feel that it’s just as easy to have a Gould character return to start a story as it is to have Sam Jones (or someone else we create) do it. So you’ll see a LOT of the subsidary characters dropping in on Tracy, and in fact, one shows up this Sunday, from the 1960 strips.
So, you will see primarily new criminals, and even the old ones that return will have new twists. After all, BB Eyes for instance, could not be bootlegging tires anymore. The crime itself is extinct in that case, yet the character is very viable.
Anyway, all those that are excited about all the superhero movies coming out might wonder if they plan to film any of them in Tracy’s city, like DARK KNIGHT was lensed in Chicago. Find out Sunday!
Mr. Curtis:I totally understand your being held back by the editors. It’s a pity too. But I’m looking forward to everything you said. [laughs] If I had the artistic expertise, and writing skill, I’d make a new web strip that harkens back to Gould’s works. But of course all new characters. Maybe in 5 or so years, after lots of schoolin’ :)I’ve even wished we could bring back the huge strips like they use to do in the 20s, 30s and such – before papers started shrinking the strips down. Especially since the web doesn’t have those restrictions. It’s a dream, but reality is behind the wheel here.Good luck!- Kc
MKZDAD,http://www.chron.com/apps/comics/showComics.mplHas DT in B&W. This paper lets you create a personalized page of Monday through Saturday strips. Hope this helps!
Computerized control systems keep a log of what valve opened when for what reason. It should show "opened flour valve at time xxxx in response to pushbutton. " There’s no indication that Ms. Biscuits had time to organize the thorough deletion of such logs. With the video link working, she would have had a view of Rize in the danger zone. That plus a fingerprint would be good enough for me as a juror to find that Biscuits killed Rize. Premeditated or manslaughter would be a harder call. (She could claim she got angry and reckless pushed the button so Rize could not get away from Tracy, as opposed to carrying out a thought-out plan to silence a witness.)
Well, Joe and I are just glad we can keep up with what everyone wants. That’s a tricky tightrope, especially since he’s about in August right now, Shelley and Shane are in July, and I am at the end of November on scripts.
Reminds me of a running joke we used to have on a RPG group board I belong to. One of the villains, who happened to be mother to some other interesting characters we’d use to joke about the dangers of eating her cookies, ‘because, you can taste the almonds, num num num.’ ; )
Flakey is pretty smart, considering other factors. She knows Macy’s job better than he does! If I were the MCS, I’d haul her doubnle butt into the DA’s office for a little singing. Of course, they could waterboard her for more info.
Mike Curtis: Thankyou for your explanation of your vision for the Dick Tracy strip. We are all pretty excited to see what happens next. It occurs to me that you have to deal with something Chester Gould never dreamed of: all this analyzing that the fans are doing day by day – isn’t the internet fun?
I say again how much I enjoy the mix of “retro” elements with the modern. And Joe: your art is top notch! Today’s silhouette is great.
Mike: the idea of bringing in old villians is cool, but be careful! I’m pretty sure BB Eyes drowned at the bottom of a garbage scow encased in an old tire. Unless perhaps they revived him at some point after my reprint book stopped the story?
margueritem almost 13 years ago
Sam looks quite skeptical.
Vista Bill Raley and Comet™ almost 13 years ago
Good morning all…
Tarry Plaguer almost 13 years ago
Good Evening All! Tomorrow we get a special treat. We will see Sam without his hat. Any takers on whether or not Sam has a bald spot?
jumbobrain almost 13 years ago
wow…a few months ago it would have taken a week to lead up to this question, then a week to ask it, then it wouldn’t have made any difference.
Llewellenbruce almost 13 years ago
She’s guilty as hell.
Tarry Plaguer almost 13 years ago
Flakey is one smart cookie. She heard Hot Rize yelling at Tracy that she wasn’t going to be the only one to take the fall. Another mistake Hot Rize made, in a long line of mistakes, ending in her entering that hopper. Flakey used the opportunity to kill Hot Rize. She already had Hot Rize running the operation, so that she wouldn’t be implicated in any way. Now it looks like she will get away with it. Ms Biscuits knows how to keep her buns out of the fire. Poor Sam, remember this is his childhood idol. Doesn’t look like an adoring fan in panel three does he? Instead of not washing his hand for a week, he is more likely to not be able to clean it fast enough. Think he will ask Flakey for her autograph?
jonahhex1 almost 13 years ago
Methinks that somewhere there is a recording system that will show Flakey Biscuits pressing the switch to give Hot Rize a “floury” demise.
Bill Thompson almost 13 years ago
If the MCS can prove that Flakey Biscuits murdered Hot Rize, that might give the prosecutor enough leverage to make her talk without giving her immunity.
The orders that Biscuits gave Hot Rize prove she was a willing participant, so there should be a way for the MCS to prove it. The set-up of the plant’s machinery might give clues. So could testimony from the plant’s workers (they’re bound to have noticed something odd; “She said those green-strip bags had experimental mixes in them. Funny how they did so many huge experiments, but never marketed anything new”).
rshive almost 13 years ago
Lots of sympathy for the late Hot Rize.
Det.DanDone almost 13 years ago
.Great writing Mike, I was wondering yesterday, how you were gonna handle Flakey asking for a deal. Since Cops can’t make deals, and you did it “by the book”. Nicely done!
florchi almost 13 years ago
Look how Sam is holding the hand that pushed the button – could there be a fingerprint on the button?
runar almost 13 years ago
Somehow, Ms Biscuits reminds me of Ida Smith…that means nothing good can come of this.
Bill Thompson almost 13 years ago
Hey, we got our avatars back! Boy was I tired of looking like a toon.
punchydugan almost 13 years ago
Dumb question, but did we actually see Hot Rize kill the driver? I know that there was evil sounding and insinuating words spoken before and after the murder, but did we actually see the murder happen. (I am at work and cannot take the time to look back.)
punchydugan almost 13 years ago
Hi Mr. Thompson, Thanks for the info. I remember at the time thinking it was kind of strange that we did not see the murder actually happen. I’m starting to wonder if the late Hot Rize was actually the murderer. Time will tell…
Maxine_Viller almost 13 years ago
That second panel is what the movie poster SHOULD have looked like — but for the vanity of a certain actor/director who shall not be named…
punchydugan almost 13 years ago
Hey again Mr. Thompson, Hokey smokes after reading your last comment I just realized that we have a mystery, clues and a developing investigation in the Dick Tracy strip. Ain’t we got fun!!!
TheDOCTOR almost 13 years ago
“I don’t know a thing about it”…..LIES,LIES, LIES! i HOPE THE D.A. Throws the book at you and then (mimiking) DEEP FRIES YOU!
MikeCurtis Premium Member almost 13 years ago
http://www.atlantamagazine.com/atlintel/culture/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10242676
This storyline makes ATLANTA magazine
mzkdad almost 13 years ago
with the merger, where can one find daily strip in black & white? thanks.
kcredden almost 13 years ago
Well gentlemen, when you first came about, I said I will give the strip time to see how the story goes; I will say, that this old time DT fan (at least 30 years) is most impressed, and enjoyed it!
You got the Gould mix of background humor (IE: B.O. getting clobbered by the baby’s tossing an iron for example.) crime, and detective works, mystery, and surprising to me. Moved the timeline /back/ some decades. Good move!
The biggest thing I like; your bringing back characters that shouldn’t have been taken away; Junior for example. It has a feel of the 70s – from what strips I’ve been able to see.
The only critique I can give, is there’s still a slight silliness feel to it. I know your still working out the strip, so take this as constructive critique, not ‘this strip isn’t worth the electrons it’s printed on!’ I would love to see it return to a more gritty, more "Tracy doesn’t give a **** if it offends someone’ feel. Remember, that crime doesn’t care. It hurts people, and Tracy is Elliott Ness. He will bring the crooks to justice regardless.
Remember how 88 keys met his death? or the way that Mrs. Pruneface tried to bump off Tracy? Oh my all-time fav stories ‘Crime Inc.’ and Chrome. Remember how he begged while his hand was crushed? Remember what Tracy did with the Mole at Christmas? That’s one of my all-time favorite strips of the entire strip.
Just some ideas and such. Hoping for a great run, and if/when you all release DT in book form, I’m buying. :)
- Kc
MikeCurtis Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Hmmm—thanks for all the good comments. Joe and I could easily duplicate the graphic deaths of the Gould era, but nowadays the feeling is that comics are for kids. There are things Gould could do that we cannot. We are prohibited from doing so. Deaths will likely take place off camera.
Yes, I definately remember Krome and Murder Inc. In fact this fall you will see one of the characters from that story return. Joe and I feel that it’s just as easy to have a Gould character return to start a story as it is to have Sam Jones (or someone else we create) do it. So you’ll see a LOT of the subsidary characters dropping in on Tracy, and in fact, one shows up this Sunday, from the 1960 strips.
So, you will see primarily new criminals, and even the old ones that return will have new twists. After all, BB Eyes for instance, could not be bootlegging tires anymore. The crime itself is extinct in that case, yet the character is very viable.
Anyway, all those that are excited about all the superhero movies coming out might wonder if they plan to film any of them in Tracy’s city, like DARK KNIGHT was lensed in Chicago. Find out Sunday!
peteatkinson almost 13 years ago
So great to see Dick Tracy alive again. Lets keep this American icon alive people!
So, are we going to get any hints as to the next story Mike?
kcredden almost 13 years ago
Mr. Curtis:I totally understand your being held back by the editors. It’s a pity too. But I’m looking forward to everything you said. [laughs] If I had the artistic expertise, and writing skill, I’d make a new web strip that harkens back to Gould’s works. But of course all new characters. Maybe in 5 or so years, after lots of schoolin’ :)I’ve even wished we could bring back the huge strips like they use to do in the 20s, 30s and such – before papers started shrinking the strips down. Especially since the web doesn’t have those restrictions. It’s a dream, but reality is behind the wheel here.Good luck!- Kc
tuckerch almost 13 years ago
MKZDAD,http://www.chron.com/apps/comics/showComics.mplHas DT in B&W. This paper lets you create a personalized page of Monday through Saturday strips. Hope this helps!
Inkpaducah almost 13 years ago
Computerized control systems keep a log of what valve opened when for what reason. It should show "opened flour valve at time xxxx in response to pushbutton. " There’s no indication that Ms. Biscuits had time to organize the thorough deletion of such logs. With the video link working, she would have had a view of Rize in the danger zone. That plus a fingerprint would be good enough for me as a juror to find that Biscuits killed Rize. Premeditated or manslaughter would be a harder call. (She could claim she got angry and reckless pushed the button so Rize could not get away from Tracy, as opposed to carrying out a thought-out plan to silence a witness.)
MikeCurtis Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Well, Joe and I are just glad we can keep up with what everyone wants. That’s a tricky tightrope, especially since he’s about in August right now, Shelley and Shane are in July, and I am at the end of November on scripts.
hossblacksilver almost 13 years ago
Reminds me of a running joke we used to have on a RPG group board I belong to. One of the villains, who happened to be mother to some other interesting characters we’d use to joke about the dangers of eating her cookies, ‘because, you can taste the almonds, num num num.’ ; )
lpope4 almost 13 years ago
Sam’s puffin’ on a ciggy. Does that mean that papers in California are forbidden to run the strip? The anti-smoking Nazis will be in a total dither.
BuzzyKincaid73 almost 13 years ago
It’s great to hear from Mr. Curtis ! Thanx to you and Joe for returning this strip to its’ former glory !
When are Dick and the whole bunch coming to investigate crime in Tennessee ? ! I can see the headline: " The Case of the Music City Murder " !Loved panel 2 ! ! ! ! ! !
coratelli almost 13 years ago
The 2nd panel is awesome.
margueritem almost 13 years ago
The pig has on his party hat because I got my avatar back!
Det.DanDone almost 13 years ago
Glad to have an avatar FINALLY!
ChucklinChuck almost 13 years ago
Thanks for your avatar efforts, Det.DanDone, and good to see your POWs back in force, margueritemyesavatars.
Tarry Plaguer almost 13 years ago
Yea! I have an avatar!
Morrow Cummings almost 13 years ago
Flakey is pretty smart, considering other factors. She knows Macy’s job better than he does! If I were the MCS, I’d haul her doubnle butt into the DA’s office for a little singing. Of course, they could waterboard her for more info.
Ken in Ohio almost 13 years ago
Mike Curtis: Thankyou for your explanation of your vision for the Dick Tracy strip. We are all pretty excited to see what happens next. It occurs to me that you have to deal with something Chester Gould never dreamed of: all this analyzing that the fans are doing day by day – isn’t the internet fun?
I say again how much I enjoy the mix of “retro” elements with the modern. And Joe: your art is top notch! Today’s silhouette is great.
Mike: the idea of bringing in old villians is cool, but be careful! I’m pretty sure BB Eyes drowned at the bottom of a garbage scow encased in an old tire. Unless perhaps they revived him at some point after my reprint book stopped the story?