Dick Tracy Book 2: Dick Tracy Vs. The Underworld

The debate will always be 'Who has the best Rogue's Gallery: Batman or the Flash?' Once you figure that out, #3 is undoubtedly that of always honest cop, Dick Tracy! The blood thirsty Flattop, with his horizontal cranium. The Brow, with his multiple folded forehead that rivals that of Duke great, Shane Battier. Names like Mumbles, Prune Face, Itchy and Breathless Mahoney either indicate a physical attribute or character trait that gives the reader a clue as to the type of villain Tracy and his men will be encountering. 

I was 12 when Dick Tracy hit theaters and I admit that I caught the fever. When it was announced that in the 1990 live action film all of Dick Tracy's main foes were assembled in what was built as an all-out gang war with Tracy and his squad in the middle to protect and serve the post-prohibition citizens of the metropolis, known simply as 'The City', I was thrilled! I grew up spending a lot of time on the farm owned by my grandmama and her family. The adventures of Dick Tracy were a weekend surprise as the major newspapers of Raleigh, NC didn't carry the strip. I feel in love with the unique criminals and their clever names. B.O. Plenty! You knew that guy stunk! Although they had been killed decades earlier, I grew up reading the classic Dick Tracy stories that were collected in comic book format. There probably was a paperback collection floating around the house. So imagine my disappointment when 90% of the promised characters get knocked off in the first 15 minutes of the Warren Beatty led movie!

If you are like me and you felt that a majority of the best Tracy villains were killed off way too early, then you will love the first 2 issues of the Dick Tracy comic miniseries produced by Disney during its all too brief experiment as a comic book publisher. Issues 1&2 act as a prequel to the movie. I've learned over the years that the live action film had underwent dozens of rewrites as the franchise rights changed hands several times in the 70s and 80s. So I wonder if perhaps there's was a lot of stuff that was not good enough for the silver screen but still warranted public notice. Hence the prequel treatment.

In book 2, Prohibition finally gets repealed. The illegal trade of alcohol is no longer a lucrative venture. As a result, Prune Face makes a play for the numbers racket run in The City solely by Lips Manlis. When some of Prune Face's gang wipe out a deli that is secretly a front for illegal sports betting of the Manlis gang, Lips' right hand man, Al 'Big Boy' Caprice is incensed! He wants revenge. But Lips is concerned about making waves what with Dick Tracy given carte blanch by the Chief of Police, on cleaning up the criminal element of The City! 

Seeing Manlis refusing retribution as a sign of weakness, Big Boy begins a play to take over. Meanwhile, a group of unknown thugs have knocked over an armored truck. Tracy and his men manage to apprehend all but 1 of the robbers, who flees to the sewers for help from a mysterious figure known only as The Mole! As Tracy investigates a robbery, the FBI send an agent to search for a criminal who might have taken up residence in The City. His investigation and how it ties into the armor car heist will amaze even the most staunchest of crime noir/mystery lovers with a plot that rivals Mickey Spillane, Agatha Christie and James Bond's papa, Ian Fleming.

Showing the origins of the two-way wrist watch radio, along with introducing about another dozen novelty villains of the Dick Tracy Rogues Gallery, book 3 is the official adaptation of the 1990 live action film.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Dick Tracy Book One: Big City Blues (2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

1990 saw a longtime dream of actor/director Warren Beatty come true when a feature length live-action version of the crime comic strip Dick Tracy debuted in theaters. Beatty had developed a treatment for such a film in the early 70s. Film rights switched hands many times and yet Warren Beatty was constantly attached to the project, chomping at the bit to play one of his long time heroes. 

Dick Tracy was created by Chester Gould. The police detective with unwavering scruples debuted in newspapers beginning in 1931. 3 years later, Dick Tracy would hit radio airwaves before a string of movie serials would thrill kids and adults alike in 1937 with a 15-parter starring Ralph Byrd. Add in a Dick Tracy cartoon that aired on television during the early 60s, that was the limit to the character's non-print appearances in the media until the 1990s. 

Disney Studios through Touchstone Pictures and Buena Vista Pictures finally got involved in the Dick Tracy project in the 80s. With Warren Beatty leading the project not just as the lead actor but now behind the lenses as director, superstars came out of the woodwork to appear in the film. Al Pacino, Dick Van Dyke, Dustin Hoffman and Madonna, arguably the biggest female pop singer of the time, all signed onto the picture which finally debuted on June 15, 1990.

There was a ton of licensing for the film. Toys, bubble gum cards, clothing, even a video game were released as tie-ins. Disney released a 3-issue comic book miniseries. During this time, Disney self-published their own comics for a very brief 3 year period. They were high quality works featuring art by media juggernauts. Unfortunately, Disney Comics was one of the many smaller publishing houses that couldn't survive when the comic book bubble burst in the early 90s.

John Moore wrote the script for this series. Art was from Kyle Baker. If you were expecting this issue to be an adaptation of the movie, you'll have to wait. Issues #1 and 2 are actually the prequel build-up. The story begins in 1938. Prohibition is about to be repealed. The gangs of 'The City' are in chaos as the lucrative cash flow from illegal bootlegging runs dry. Prune Face is attempting to encroach into the numbers racket controlled by rival Lips Manlis. Numerous small time thugs hide in the shadows in hopes of picking through the debris and casualties left in the war of the growing mob war. 

Most of the City's police force are on the payroll of either Manlis or Prune Face... Or BOTH! That is except for one police detective that wears a bright yellow overcoat and matching fedora everywhere he goes: Dick Tracy. Having recently arrested the son of an important socialite for public intoxication, Tracy finds himself stuck at a desk job. But when his girlfriend, Tess Trueheart's father is murdered while transporting 'kitchen supplies' for Lips Manlis, Tracy disobeys orders. With Tess distraught and the police claiming that Mr. Trueheart was really a smuggler, Dick investigates on the sly to find Mr. Trueheart's killer.

This was a totally unexpected treat. But probably not how you think. I wasn't expecting this to be the comic book adaptation of the film. Based on the cover title proclaiming 'Big City Blues', and how I have learned over the years that Warren Beatty longed a trilogy of Dick Tracy films, I came into this selection of my reading challenge as being a continuation of the 'first film.' I didn't know that I was going to get the inside track on how things lead up to the events of the film. 

A must for fans of Dick Tracy. It took me forever to find all 3 issues. I like to have an entire story run before I read the title. However you won't have to worry about a cliffhanger here. The story ends with a satisfying ending that you could use as the entryway into the film. Or you could wait until you find issue #2. But if you decide to skip ahead as it turns out that issue #3 actually is the adaptation of the movie, you'll be just fine, I think.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #38 (A Crime Comic) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Fright Favorites: Horror Classics to Haunt Your Movie Night by David J. Skal

It might not be referred to officially as American Movie Classics anymore, but I love the AMC Channel. It's where I feel in love with Walter Huston's Treasure of the Sierra Madre. It's also where I saw Marilyn Monroe get her toe stuck in that faucet in The Seven Year Itch. And every October, I can count on each night's programming being loaded with creepy classic horror and sci-fi thrillers in lead up (or countdown, depending on how you look at it) to Halloween. 

While it seems that the 24th-31st of each October is devoted solely to the exploits of Michael Myers night of mischief; except for that one time Silver Shamrock Novelties tried to ruin All Hallows, you can count on an amazing array of horror flicks from the past 100 or so odd years of cinema.

I found my copy at a Five Below of all places. Just as some have said that they felt like Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye was just speaking to readers to pick it up, I felt like this book was screaming at me for attention. Maybe I should have stopped at the introduction. The author clearly states that this book is anticipated for Halloween viewing sessions. I'm all for seasonal reading. But nothing on either sides of the cover indicated a need for autumn weather and falling leaves. So I just went for it. Besides, if you are creating this book for Halloween watch parties, you should focus on 31 films and not just 27! Maybe I have the wrong calendar but October is supposed to have 31 days of which #31 is Halloween. 

(Note: upon editing my review and searching for an image of the book to put on my blog, I have learned that there once was an edition of this book sponsored by Turner Classic Movies. In that volume, Skal featured 31 different books. From what I can glean, the 4 missing books are not titles that  ACM has the rights to. Regardless, I am staying with my original assumptions of the book post-review.)

The author starts off with some of the earliest horror films that thankfully still exist. As he works his way through the Silent Era, into early exploration of color and then through the Hayes Code of Hollywood through the renegade 1960s that gave birth to the R-rated or worst slasher pics, Skal gives an amazing history of the history of horror in film. 

Technically, Skal examines 54 total movies. For every THEM! the author explores in depth, he also devoted the last page of each chapter to another similar film. It's a lot like when I worked at Suncoast Motion Picture Company and I would give customers recommendations on the VHS movies they selected. "If you like A then you'll like B!" (Man, did I love working there. I still marvel at the time during the busy Christmas rush, this lady came up to me and said, and I quote "I'm looking for this movie. It stars that guy and he's always with that girl and they fall in love.", as much as I remember with pride correctly guessing the film in 1 try, for the life of me, I can't remember which movie it was I said!!!)

Anyways, despite 54 films being looked at, there are some noticeable absences. If you're looking for Hitchcock, it's only The Birds. The only 'Alien' in this book is John Carpenter's The Thing. Halloween obviously gets an entire chapter while Friday The 13th only a recommend. As for the 2 films that scarred me for life, Roddy McDowell in The Legend of Hell House and The Amityville Horror II, they are not to be found. As for comedy, there's quite a few looked at. Alas, John Carradine's visit to The Monster Club, co-starring Vincent Price, is not one of them. 

That's how these types of books go. They can only go so far without turning into an encyclopedia. Some great films are going to be left out. Some others that are real head scratchers like 1993's Hocus Pocus, get added. But there is 1 film that I will never watch, even if you paid me. It's so evil, I hated reading the chapter about it!

I would love a sequel. In fact, I'd love even more a spin-off. A look at Christmas movies! But make it 25 films. No!! Make it 26. Throw in a Thanksgiving romp for good measure. Oh, who am I kidding. Cover Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Years with 31 days worth of holiday flicks. It would be an Advent I'd never forget from my film recommending friends at AMC!

Worth Consuming! 

9 out of 10 stars. 

The Batman Adventures #21 (2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Famed biological researcher, Dr. Emile Dorian had escaped from Arkham Asylum. Placed there by Batman and Selina Kyle, Dorian first plans tortuous revenge and then to biologically alter the DNA of the Dark Knight and Catwoman. To capture the pair, Dorian visits Dr. Kirk Langstrom, where the evil scientist injects Langstrom with a new version of the Man-Bat serum. 

Now under Dorian's control, Man-Bat succeeds in capturing Batman first. In the meantime, a mysterious figure has traveled to Dorian's island compound where he meets Tygrus, a mutated cat creature that fell in love with Selena. The stranger turns out to be a werewolf and he's hoping Dorian can do something to reverse the man's lupine curse. Tygrus agrees to help the desperate man and they travel to Gotham to find Dorian.

Tygrus and his new friend first go to Selena Kyle's apartment. There, they witness Man-Bat kidnapping the woman and they follow them to Dorian's new lair. When they approach Dorian, the biologist agrees to help both the reluctant werewolf as well as Tygrus. Seeing that Tygrus desperately wants to be with Kyle, Dorian decides to help his creation become human. Seeing the ultimate revenge, the scientist will conduct a brain swap between Tygrus and the Batman!

A sequel to the season 1 episode of Batman: The Animated Series 'Tyger, Tyger', this issue brings back all the major players along with the addition of the werewolf. Though it is not disclosed in this issue, the wolf man is Anthony Romulus, who first appeared in the season one episode 'Moon of the Wolf.'

Kelley Puckett was the writer. Artwork by Mike Parobek.

Completing this review completes Task #14 (Batman Comic from the 1990s) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Batman #361 (2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Dr. Kirk Langstrom's tenure as a superhero was a brief one. By the early 80s, Langstrom's feral side won over, with the bat expert succumbing to the addictive properties of his bat-gland serum.

In this 1983 issue, Langstrom is suffering a psychotic break. An encounter as the Man-Bat against the Batman in the previous issue, led Langstrom to hallucinate that the Dark Knight killed his daughter Rebecca. In revenge, Man-Bat infiltrates the Batcave and kidnaps young Jason Todd, still sporting a full head of blonde hair. In a demented episode of eye-for-an-eye, thinking he has kidnapped Batman's progeny, Man-Bat plans on transforming Jason into a hybrid bat and raising Todd as his son!

Written by Doug Moench, this issue is notable for the first modern appearance of Detective Harvey Bullock. Introduced as a bit player in Detective Comics #441 (July, 1974), Bullock languished in comic book purgatory for almost another 9 years before reappearing here in his traditional slovenly appearance; bedecked in a loud painted tie and obviously buying off the rack.

The Jekyll and Hyde dichotomy of Dr. Kirk Langstrom and the Man-Bat would see the character switching sides a number of times over the course of the next 5 decades. The more Langstrom's savage persona takes control, the more of a villain Man-Bat becomes. In the past decade, the character has been portrayed more as a tragic anti-hero, that keeps becoming Man-Bat out of addiction to the rush of the transformation Langstrom feels when in bat form. Some recent appearances in the new millennium have involved Man-Bat as an unwilling member of the Suicide Squad, leading the Man-Bat Commandos, a branch of the League of Assassins that used a stolen version of the Lanstrom Serum, and assisting the Bat Family during the Dark Nights: Metal storyline.

Issue was illustrated by Don Newton.

Completing this review completes Task #13 (Batman Comic from the 1980s) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Sherlock Holmes and the Masquerade Murders by Frank Thomas

I figured 'what the heck...' I had been riding high from my enjoyment in reading a non-canonical Sherlock Holmes novel that co-starred the Prince of Darkness. Having another similar book on hand, I did the rare thing and went right into another Holmes mystery. 

1986's Sherlock Holmes and the Masquerade Murders was written by Frank Thomas. No, not the former infielder for the Chicago White Sox who now sees testosterone supplements on TV. But this Frank Thomas is famous too; as he was an early teen star in television, starring as the lead in Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. Though the title of this book might lead one to believe that it's another Holmes crossover, it is not! I thought being the 'Masquerade Murders', that maybe Holmes and Watson were summoned to Paris where they were to confront the dreaded Phantom of the Opera! Alas, that's just not the case.

The case begins at an investment firm where an auditor is found dead. Known to have a bad heart, Scotland Yard wants to rule it an accidental death. However, something smells fishy to Holmes and he decides to take the case despite objections from the Commissioner of Police and the influential owner of the firm. Using his arsenal of reformed confidence men, safe crackers and the cherubic lads who make up the Baker Street Irregulars, Holmes and Watson seek to uncover a murder that is masquerading as death by natural causes.

This was a book that needed to build up steam. I think that the artist did a pretty good job writing in Dr. Watson's voice. However, I think Thomas overdid things quite a bit trying to remind us of the previous adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The Sherlock Dracula only requires you to have a prior knowledge of 'The Adventure of the Essex Vampire', along with Bram Stoker's Dracula, understandably. Thomas not only alludes to many of Holmes' original cases, there's plenty of references to the previous 5 Holmes works written by Thomas. 

The book was exactly 250 pages. I think by page 185, maybe 190, it really hits its stride. I haven't read every Holmes novel by Doyle. What I have read is mostly the earliest stuff. I'm not used to Holmes utilizing so many reformed criminals to solve his cases. A member from the Irregulars, absolutely. But that's about it. I really liked the crew Holmes had assembled. The break in of the investing house was on par with Mission Impossible. Plus, there were some funny moments like when Holmes' crew accidentally followed the wrong carriage after telling the World's Greatest Detective that they would 'cover the bad guy like a tent!'

I'm not going to hunt for further Holmes stories by Frank Thomas. But if I stumbled across another, I would have no issues buying it as long as the resale price was decent. Apparently, 2 of the works involve Holmes and the complex card game of bridge. I've got to admit, they've got me intrigued. But since I don't have a clue how to play that game, it's up in the air as to whether I'll appreciate it or not.

Another reason I might not be able to find another Frank Thomas penned mystery is that they might have all disintegrated! The cover to my copy was coming apart in flakes. By the time I finished it, the wrap-around looked like an old pirate's map. There wasn't a smooth edge to be found. It's probably going to hit a free shelf or get donated to a thrift store because in its current state, I doubt a used book shop would buy it. It's funny, but the Holmes book from a decade earlier held together much better than the later copy did!!!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

The Holmes-Dracula File by Fred Saberhagen

I'm not sure when and where I got this 1978 novel by Fred Saberhagen. I've been holding onto it for a very long time. I can tell you that much.

This is actually the second book in a series. Thankfully, this book can act as a stand alone read. You pretty much just need to have some knowledge about Sherlock Holmes and Bram Stoker's Dracula. 

The concept behind Saberhagen's Dracula series is that Count Dracula survived his death at the end of Stoker's work. Deciding to chronicle his side of the story, in The Dracula Tape, the vampire then records his life up to the present day while interacting with notable figures of literature and history. 

In the Holmes-Dracula File, the Count is seeking Mina Harker, whom he considers his true love. The search takes him to London, just days before Queen Victoria's 60th Jubilee. With Saberhagen's version of Dracula, vampires don't have to feed on blood daily. Although a fast can cause them to become less powerful and to age rapidly. Upon stepping foot on the docks, Dracula in his wizened appearance is Shanghaied and taken to a makeshift research clinic where he is subjected to experiments. 

Meanwhile, the bodies of several derelict Londoners have been found floating in the Thames. Only they didn't die from drowning or any other sort of misfortune. No, these bodies tell a different story as they all show signs of the Plague!

Just as the author has taken liberties with the legend and established lore of Dracula, Saberhagen does the same with Sherlock Holmes; especially with the sleuth's possible true lineage. This is very much a non-canonical story, though it builds heavily upon the Holmes mystery The Adventure of the Essex Vampire. 

You might think why would Sherlock Holmes and Count Dracula meet? In this story, Dracula, once he returns to full strength is often confused as the World's Greatest Detective. Why? You can thank Hollywood for the idea. That is because both Dracula and Holmes are described as having the appearance of the late, great Christopher Lee who portrayed both characters many times in the 60s and 70s. It was this sort of brilliance that made me a fan of this Victorian horror mystery!

The book is told in alternating first person narratives. First Dracula is your narrator. Then Dr. Watson. Every other chapter is told by one or the other's perspective. While I am not familiar with Saberhagen's Dracula stories, I have read several of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original Holmes adventures. Saberhagen does a fantastic job capturing Watson's voice and manner of speech. Even more impressive is how distinct Dracula's narration is. This book really feels like 2 different people wrote it instead of one guy doing a terrible job of both. I'd have no problem reading another of the author's Dracula chronicles. But being a nearly 50 year old series, I doubt it would be so easy finding other volumes. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.