“Oh brother!” That was my reaction or pretty close, but I’m fine with it. I’m a little surprised that there is a member of the Jones family that Tracy has never encountered, but I guess he can’t know everything. Is this the first time that Charles drew Sam? Nice angle on him.
“Blowtop says the family just reconnected with Croptop. Apparently she was left at an orphanage for years. Something about a lawyer named ‘Bob Smith’ and paperwork in a garage. Couldn’t figure out what he was talking about.”
this is a perfect example of Dick’s lackadaisical attitude in not staying on ‘top’ of things in goings-on of the criminal underworld, specifically Flatty’s family……
They left out Mulletop. Crime boss in the front and raver drug lord in the back. They also left out Buzztop, ex-military who is working for a corrupt PMC. Not to mention their sister Bobtop who happens to be a well rounded character.
Back to the amazing coincidence. Just as Croptop arrives in town it is such a slow news day (No earthquakes, eclipses, terrible storms, war in any parts of the world, accidents, etc) that the paper runs a story on Flattop’s family.
In journalism that would be called a feature article. It isn’t news. Feature articles don’t make the front page, above the fold (top half of the page), with picture. (There may be a large page with picture given to a feature article somewhere back in the paper. But never front page.)
Since feature articles aren’t news they can be kept around for a slow news day, when an editor will need to fill half a page with a new recipe for deviled eggs or a list of famous people buried in a local cemetery. But FRONT PAGE? Just as Croptop arrives at a random bar to recruit stooges? Coincidence is used way too often as a crutch.
Oh how splendid ! Sam’s looking great and Dick’s got something to get all detective about . A picture of the notorious Flattop on the front page of the paper and I am stoked about this story .
Dick Tracy looks great today . The art is great . The story is great . Sam is great and America’s greatest detective , Dick Tracy , is great . Is the long drought over ?
Let us not forget Poptop, the cousin who dealt in counterfeit Poptarts, but was killed when he overloaded his latest creation with ‘unstable cinnamon’.
Or musical assassin Beboptop and his lethal kazoo!
Only third cousin, twice removed Coptop escaped the family ‘business’ and went staright.
1-SAM: EXTRA, EXTRA! GITCHER PAPER HERE! OLD NEWS IS NEW AGAIN! DT: I’ll take one, boy. Oh. It’s you, Sam. Do you have to bring your side hustles into the squad room?
2-…Hmmm. Flattop is still dead…
3-The citizenry of Tracyville will be thrilled to learn that! What’s this? Shootout in South Tracyville results in 10 dead, and 15 wounded. I’m glad I saw that! Wow! I’m never going down there! Oh look. They put Little Orphan Annie on the front page! That’s convenient.
Don’t forget Laptop, who makes his illegal money by hacking into wealthy people’s accounts, then disguises his footprint by making it seem that a farmer in East Nowhere NE is doing the hacking.
Brian Premium Member about 1 month ago
“Hoo-Wee!!!”
Neil Wick about 1 month ago
Good morning™, all!
“Oh brother!” That was my reaction or pretty close, but I’m fine with it. I’m a little surprised that there is a member of the Jones family that Tracy has never encountered, but I guess he can’t know everything. Is this the first time that Charles drew Sam? Nice angle on him.
Gweedo -it's legal here- Murray about 1 month ago
Good morning™, Bad Relations !
I think Tracy needs an antacid. Sam has good face.
Brian Premium Member about 1 month ago
“Blowtop says the family just reconnected with Croptop. Apparently she was left at an orphanage for years. Something about a lawyer named ‘Bob Smith’ and paperwork in a garage. Couldn’t figure out what he was talking about.”
firestrike1 about 1 month ago
this is a perfect example of Dick’s lackadaisical attitude in not staying on ‘top’ of things in goings-on of the criminal underworld, specifically Flatty’s family……
avenger09 about 1 month ago
Trying to get used to Sam’s face-lift under Doctor Chucky’s skilled knife work.
Also, I dig a newspaper that can change a headlines font faster than Firestrike farts!
firestrike1 about 1 month ago
sometimes I use the Daily to clean up in case it turns out to be something else than what it originally SEEMED to be at first…
hey, sometimes I forget to stock up, y’ know?… LOL…
Leo Cannyn Premium Member about 1 month ago
They left out Mulletop. Crime boss in the front and raver drug lord in the back. They also left out Buzztop, ex-military who is working for a corrupt PMC. Not to mention their sister Bobtop who happens to be a well rounded character.
Ida No about 1 month ago
Could talk to Poptop too, but he’d just blow his lid.
wallylm about 1 month ago
Why are they reading the paper? Sounds like a job for LapTop!
IvanB.Cohen about 1 month ago
All those Tops is enough to make one reach for a caffeine fix.
DaveG1960 about 1 month ago
I have coffee every morning with another member of the family…..Milktop…..
iggyman about 1 month ago
Don’t forget “Spinning Top”, the D.J. on the radio!
iggyman about 1 month ago
And don’t leave out “Big Top”, the circus performer!
kurtoons.wilcken about 1 month ago
Not terribly subtle, but it’s a way to bring new readers up to speed on the Flattop Family Tree.
LawrenceS about 1 month ago
Back to the amazing coincidence. Just as Croptop arrives in town it is such a slow news day (No earthquakes, eclipses, terrible storms, war in any parts of the world, accidents, etc) that the paper runs a story on Flattop’s family.
In journalism that would be called a feature article. It isn’t news. Feature articles don’t make the front page, above the fold (top half of the page), with picture. (There may be a large page with picture given to a feature article somewhere back in the paper. But never front page.)
Since feature articles aren’t news they can be kept around for a slow news day, when an editor will need to fill half a page with a new recipe for deviled eggs or a list of famous people buried in a local cemetery. But FRONT PAGE? Just as Croptop arrives at a random bar to recruit stooges? Coincidence is used way too often as a crutch.
Gent about 1 month ago
Great perspective artwork. Only a master cartoonist can does perspective perfectly.
dag8686 Premium Member about 1 month ago
Sam looks 10 years younger…
sundogusa about 1 month ago
I almost spit out my coffee laughing! I was waiting for the angry uncle Blowtop to show up too.
jlwilliams360 about 1 month ago
and who could forget Toptop, who’s always on top of things (some say he’s the real brains of the family).
crobinson019 about 1 month ago
“Gosh…Woo!”
Ashmael about 1 month ago
You forgot HiTop
Richard Klinzman Premium Member about 1 month ago
I don’t remember a Sharptop. When did he show up?
Wizard of Ahz-no relation about 1 month ago
Bigtop ran away to join the circus.
VegaAlopex about 1 month ago
What happened to hightop?
General Trelane (Ret.) Premium Member about 1 month ago
Oh how splendid ! Sam’s looking great and Dick’s got something to get all detective about . A picture of the notorious Flattop on the front page of the paper and I am stoked about this story .
General Trelane (Ret.) Premium Member about 1 month ago
Dick Tracy looks great today . The art is great . The story is great . Sam is great and America’s greatest detective , Dick Tracy , is great . Is the long drought over ?
General Trelane (Ret.) Premium Member about 1 month ago
The text of todays strip is terse and to the point with appropriate artwork that compliments it .
prrdh about 1 month ago
What about the NBA center, Mountaintop?
Wichita1.0 about 1 month ago
So, a quiet shift to a new storyline? I had figured the Annie one would last significantly longer.
Wichita1.0 about 1 month ago
Let us not forget Poptop, the cousin who dealt in counterfeit Poptarts, but was killed when he overloaded his latest creation with ‘unstable cinnamon’.
Or musical assassin Beboptop and his lethal kazoo!
Only third cousin, twice removed Coptop escaped the family ‘business’ and went staright.
trainnut1956 about 1 month ago
What about the cousin who is a short order cook, Stovetop? Or the circus manager, Bigtop? Or the environmentalist, Treetop?
Another Take about 1 month ago
1-SAM: EXTRA, EXTRA! GITCHER PAPER HERE! OLD NEWS IS NEW AGAIN! DT: I’ll take one, boy. Oh. It’s you, Sam. Do you have to bring your side hustles into the squad room?
2-…Hmmm. Flattop is still dead…
3-The citizenry of Tracyville will be thrilled to learn that! What’s this? Shootout in South Tracyville results in 10 dead, and 15 wounded. I’m glad I saw that! Wow! I’m never going down there! Oh look. They put Little Orphan Annie on the front page! That’s convenient.
Kidon Ha-Shomer about 1 month ago
and then there is the Derriere family…Flatbutt, Tightbutt, Roundbutt, and Stinkybutt.
Another Take about 1 month ago
I counted 463 “Top” family references in today’s Comments. Did anyone come up with a higher number?
MuddyUSA Premium Member about 1 month ago
@Neil Wick – I agree with you on Charles art of Sam and his over all art work. I havea feeling this will be a good story to follow!
Drbarb71 Premium Member about 1 month ago
Then there is Croptop, Screwtop, Poptop…
jim_pem about 1 month ago
Interestingly, all these tops were never able to keep a lid on it.
rickmac1937 Premium Member about 1 month ago
Flattop my all time favorite
orbenjawell Premium Member about 1 month ago
….AND Blowtop gives “Top Value” Stamps! Can’t squirrel away too many books of those, now can we?……
patroman about 1 month ago
Don’t forget Laptop, who makes his illegal money by hacking into wealthy people’s accounts, then disguises his footprint by making it seem that a farmer in East Nowhere NE is doing the hacking.
Batster about 1 month ago
♪♪ You’re the Tops!
You’re a wicked multitude.
You’re the Tops!
You tax Tracy’s fortitude…. ♪♪
eced52 about 1 month ago
Is he related to blowpop?
Aladar30 Premium Member about 1 month ago
And who knows how many more.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] about 1 month ago
Hey, Sharptop was hypnotized. And no mention of Hi-Top, who killed a kid for a pair of sneakers.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] about 1 month ago
Sam looks great—20 years experience rolled into one panel.
And by Gouldian tradition, “lulls” never last long.
b2plusa2 about 1 month ago
Left out ‘Hightop’. Was that for PC reasons?