Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for November 14, 2021

I wonder if Briar will now turn State’s evidence?

Noontime repast for Catchem. This deli knows what for

Just then Briar Rose appears and heads straight for the door.

No time to call for backup. Most wanted is this Rose

Catchem cautious as he creeps, thus up the stairs he goes.

Briar screams! She’s been set up. Apartment just a ruse

Seems she is expendable. Her trust Ace did abuse.

Shot is wide! Nowhere to hide. Sam Catchem returns fire.

His aim is true. Clear is his view. Hit man does expire.

Good morning™, everyone!

It’s not the Ace, because he wears black or at least dark grey, not this greenish colour. It must be one of the other cards, but we don’t see any indication as to which one.

Briar Rose is not as helpless as some of us thought. She is quite capable of fighting back.

“Oh, none of my business. Well then, I’ll leave you to it. Try the brisket!”

Wow, this artwork is FANTASTIC! I love that first panel with the forced perspective of that huge door knob. The way Pleger takes a mundane moment, Sam climbing the stairs, and really makes it pop. Literally, every panel here is a work of art. Bravo!

Great artwork !!

WHAT IF…..Briar Rose is somehow one of the good guys, deep undercover?

Sam will aim for a “center mass” shot and succeed…

Good morning™, shooters !

The action is tense as shots are fired. This “joker” just got red (blood) carded.

“It’s none of your business, cop!” – Deuce of Clubs

Well, since you’re trying to murder a woman and Sam Catchem is a cop, I’d say it IS his business.

Hmmm…did the Blue Man Group have an open date?

1. Great action.

2. Great artwork.

3. Ridiculous plot.

“Two out of three ain’t bad!”

Sam’s eyes are a different color today.

Let’s hope that Sam has a better aim than the bad guy!

Exciting today, wow!

“No no, Apparatus Boychik.I’m Sam Catchen, not Nunya! Remeber that in Hell!” Sam seriously needs to work on his street cred.

And why didn’t he just shoot her as he came through the door? Is the plot being generated with a role-play die (dice is plural form)? Roll a five or six – write something that makes sense. Roll a three or four – rely on unbelievable coincidence. Roll one or two – write something that makes no sense at all. The die’s been coming up with a lot of ones in this arc.

Great work from Shelley Pleger. Really great!!!

Blam?

All images are just wonderful today . And Briar Rose is one tough lady with that elbow to the ribs and what a great image of Sam up the stairs and the panel with the gun out and his expression in the last panel . Shelley you are just great , BIG TIME . I do very much love Sams hat even if he is indoors . : )

The question is who fired first…Sam or the villain?

Bad guy loses.

Close call Sam…

Good action sequence.

“Get out of my murder room! Can’t you see I’m busy!”

1-SAM: THANKS CITIZEN! I’ll take it from here!

2-DEUCY: Umm, sure. I was making a Citizen’s Arrest. Always glad to help the…

3-…OWWW! WHERE’D SHE GO? I CAN’T SEE THROUGH THE TEARS!

4-BLAM Did I get her???

5-SAM: YOU MISSED HER! LET ME TRY! BLAM Uh oh…sorry Citizen. I haven’t been to the shooting range in a while… MEDIC?

“It’s none of your business, cop!” – are you kidding?

good thing the villains have the shooting accuracy of an Imperial storm trooper.

Yay, she lives. With a body like that, we need to keep this one around. For diversity, you see.

“It’s none of your business, cop”?! Seriously?!

Good shooting sam

Pretty clear that Sam is shooting second.

It’s with thanks to her move that what’s-his-name’s shot on Sam was a bit off the mark………Sam’s counter-shot, on the other hand, likely hit pay dirt……..

“It’s none of your business, cop!” — Ok, goes to show criminals aren’t all that bright. Especially ones here who post their crimes /on FB of all things!/

Fun fact! Pull down at the wrist and push UP at the elbow to break a choke hold. If you do it just right the assailant will be on the ground, face in the dirt with a broken arm.

oNCE again, thanks Neil for explaining what we can see

Well, team Tracy has finally accomplished what they’ve been heading for; turning Tracy into Marvel now with costumed villains. This one looks like the 40s Blue Bolt. Stan Lee says “Excelsior” Expect son of Doc Oc in a couple weeks. Sad.

Wow! The art is particularly great today.

OOOH NICE! The lines and the colors are all together in glorious harmony on this one! Great poses, great expressions, nice details, good action! Best sunday strip/page in a while, I love it!

I think we have a nominee for one of the 10 Best Strips of the Year!

Wow! Sam’s expression in the last panel really shows the stress and sheer panic of a gunfight at close quarters! Apparatus Guy missed with his first shot, though, and Sam’s return fire, with a controlled, two-handed grip on his pistol, is far more likely to have hit its target. And if so, Ace’s stooge is down and Briar Rose lives to sing, sing, sing like a Soprano (TV show reference might have been intended). BTW, I have no idea when she slipped from her green outfit into her Phantom-purple bodysuit, but it is appropriate to her elbow strike against the gunsel and ducking safely down below the line of fire!

Hip. hip, hooray for Sam Catchem, solo hero! (I think that is not premature.)

I love Sam’s face in the last panel as he shoots back !

Well, somebody is turning states evidence.

Well I for one am stunned….almost completely speechless in fact….and TOTALLY, UNEQUIVOCALLY DISAPPOINTED IN STILLDAMATT…. he didnt point out that Sam’s pants changed color from yesterday to today

I wonder if this contract killer got paid in advance. Or was it one of those half of the money now and he would get the other half when the results are shown on television news. Well the Apparatus lost money on this guy. Where is their “Plan B”?

I hope this figure had the good sense not to have any identification on him if caught or killed.

Sam’s irises turn brown when he’s stressed? Crystal Gale would beg to differ!!