Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for May 12, 2021

So, “dart guns” are apparently allowed by the Tribune Syndicate. ✨

*Good morning™, updaters!

Tracy finally learns that Rikki has escaped and that there is a strong suspicion that Abner Kadaver sprung her. I’m pretty sure that Kadaver introduced himself to the guard, but the guard only remembers him as an anonymous “creepy guy in a cape.”

Good morning™, regained sanity !

If Dick keeps losing it Dr. McCoy will declare him unfit for duty.

That dart looks horribly un aerodynamic. I would think with a knobby back end the thing would go wobbly and not even make it all the way to the men.

Creepy guy in a cape? Not COUNT BASIL!!! Say it ain’t so, Mike! ;-)

Ray Toler traveled about 2 hours ago

@BreathlessMahoney77

“Going to SD and Montana. Will see Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horde. Deadwood & Custer Ntn’l Park.”

Is that anywhere near Crazy Horse ? LOL !

If you have time you might hit Devil’s Tower on your way through Wyo.

Tracy: “Anyway, can I have a handful of those glossies? I have some space on my pin-up wall.”

“Tracy, you believe Abner Kadaver is alive and has taken a contract on Charlie 21?”

“I just finished telling you that, Chief— you feeling all right?”

Ah, the joys of awkward recap exposition….

Time for a tune:

I got knocked down, but I get up again.

You are never gonna keep me down!

Run Abner, run!

Am I the only one who thinks Rikki is kind of hot?

What Tracy is holding sure seems a larger bigger than what stuck in Sam’s hat.

If Abner Kadaver is using darts what do they have to counter them with? Shields like in the days of King Arthur?

1-CHIEF: Did you find anything of value today, me boy?

2-DT: I got this ceremonial golden spike that they tried to drive into Sam’s head to mark the anniversary of … I don’t know … that operation he had that removed most of his frontal lobe?

3-CHIEF: Aye, that’ll be a hard one to bargain for, for sure but…I’ll trade you this 8 by 10 color glossy of Rikki Tikki Tavi that, according to the writing on the back that I wrote, was taken before she succumbed to Abner’s charms – if you take my meaning.

DT: So, it’s… CHIEF: You’re right, boy-o. It’s her ROOKIE CARD.

DT: DEAL!

This might be an ideal time for a trip to Diet Smith Industries. Maybe their research and development lab has something Tracy can use.

Chief Patton has a weary look on his face….obviously this body guard assignment is taking on a life of its own.

Apparently Rikki’s guard managed to get a glimpse of Abner before the dart rendered him unconscious

And all explanations have brought me up to date. I did not know Rikki Mortis (I love thatname) was a jail birdie.

took Tracyville po po chief a long time to hear about Rickis jail break

Thanks Neil, for reiterating what we all just read. Anything new?

Abner’s dart gun only disabled Rikki’s guard, which was fair enough, since Abner had no reason to want the guard dead. Since Abner’s contract is presumably to kill Charlie (presumably before he testifies—too late for that, as has been pointed out), why use the dart gun? Even with lethal instead of tranquilizing darts, it seems much chancier, in terms of dosages and aim (I’m guessing that a dart would be much more susceptible to factors like wind than a bullet would).

Tracy: Creepy guy in a cape? [into his wrist phone] Put out an APB for Superman—he’s using red kryptonite again.

I know that the large dart in the container and the large photo is meant for the reader to focus on, but both of them look a bit ridiculous. And yes a “long distance” dart would look more like a sewing needle.

So who’s guarding Charlie 21 while Tracy is meeting with Chief Patton?

Ahh, the classic old team of Tracy and Patton still has the magic! In fully-meshed synch, they reinforce each other and point the investigation inexorably at the living (at least -for now!) Abner Kadaver and his glamorous but evil henchwoman, Rikki Mortis!

The game’s afoot!