Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Violent Panel(s) Wednesday returns...


                                  Welcome back to Violent Panel Wednesday!
            Today we get to see the end of the Brow, and what a way to go.
               Impaled by the American Flag!  More eloquent, it do not get.
                                                      Take that you Nazi pig!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Scooter Tracy...


Muppet Babies.
Yes, that would be one of my bottom choices on places to find a Tracy connection too.
Yet, here it is.
For a short time while warbling a nice little ditty about "The Sunday Funnies", our hero dons the identity of Scooter Tracy.
This all takes place in the episode, "Comic Capers".
Now don't take this as an open invite to slam Muppet Babies.
I liked them too.
(but don't tell.)

Monday, January 26, 2009

Depression sets in...


I haven't said much about these wonderful reprints by IDW because I do not want to be accused of hawking somebody's wares, however the silence is at an end as of this post.
I have bought many Tracy reprints over the years, hardcovers, trade paperbacks, and comics.  Some were handled well given the format difficulties and some were just plain bad.  As a result, I spent a lot of time and money trying to organize the years and the various formats;  
"Lessee here, Tommyguns and Hardtimes along with the 70's hardcover and the 3rd series comics, then back to the Blackthorne series.  Missing 1937 and the filler for the Texie Garcia overlap..."
Whew! 
It got convoluted. 
Now thanks to IDW, the entire Chester Gould series is going to be reprinted!  Starting with the depression years in 1931, the very beginning!  This is old news to some but good news anyway.  If the project is seen to the end it'll take about 8 years at the announced output of three per year.
I have many of the stories already, but not all and they will be in a nicely designed set.  The daily art is crisp and looks very nice.  The sunday's on the other hand are too small and have no color (except for the out-of-continuity ones in the first volume) but it is a small price to pay to have these in one series, in order.
No fan of Tracy should be without them.

Reasons I don't like Dick Locher...


From 3/31/08.
A "friend" pointed this out.
I just...
I want to... 
it's not what...
Aww, ferget it!  Just look at it!  They actually print that crap!

No Jive...


Here's a bit of trivia that even die-hards may have overlooked.
Sesame Street used to have one hip cat named "Billy Jo Jive" who was a super crime-fighting ace (he said so himself!).  In the opening sequence, there is a group of posters and images on the wall that represent his heroes.  
Among such crime-fighting stalwarts as Sherlock Holmes, "Bogart", and Shaft there is a comics section tacked up with none other than our guy Tracy!
If  you wish to sample Billy Jo's technique, feel free to explore here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb5a2cCxcb0

To first experience the joys of early-70's kid crime fighting methods? 
I envy you.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Dick's on Duty...


Indeed, my friend.
Indeed.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Arresto, buster!


Milan, Italy.
That's where you'd have to be to see this thing close up.
I like it, myself.
Very Folk Art!
Running isn't allowed in the library, Mr. Tracy.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

You came on a good day!


Welcome to Violent Panel Wednesday!
It could change to Violent Panel Monday or Friday, depending upon which day it is, but for now Wednesday is good.
For the most part I will let these panels speak for themselves as they convey the comic strip's groundbreaking (to put it mildly) use of realism without much in the way of a 'Zap', 'Pow', or even a 'Ker-chang'!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Hit the Road, Tracy...


Okay, I have no idea what Dick Tracy was doing in Norway but he was there as evidenced by this sign that gave him the right of way on the crime-ridden streets of Oslo.
I have mercifully spared you the obvious jokes regarding signs and not crossing Tracy.
You're welcome.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Tracy's Geek Shirt of the Week...


Okay, I can't leave you guys and gals on such a somber note, so here's a new feature called Geek Shirt of the Week!  Yay!
Most Tracy apparel is just that, Tracy.  This gets a nod for being an item dedicated to Tracy's CREATOR.  Nice.
Very simple and yet it gets the message across.  
Let it never be said I brought you down and left you there!

Rainy days and Mondays...


Feeling very somber today as noted on my other blog, dealing with Jack Cole's suicide.
So you will feel just as melancholy as me, here's the final resting place of Tracy's creator, Chester Gould.
Buried with him is his wife of almost 60 years who loved him very, very much as indicated by every interview I've read with Gould.  She would interject during interviews how good a person he was and how much he loved his family.  I would think no one would know better than she.
Rest in Peace, Chet.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

I could do that blindfolded...


Most people utter or think the words of the title at least once in their lives.  Chester Gould actually tried it!  
Along with some other strip cartoonists of the day, (1947) he participated in a little fun and games for a newspaper (probably the Trib).  He was asked to draw his famous character with a blindfold on.
The result is not so bad.  Of the others I've seen, some don't even look human.  He COULD draw with his eyes closed.
Looks better than the current version of Tracy also, I might add.