DICK TRACY #2, by Mad Cave Studios on 6/12/24, sets Mumbles up as the key to a murder that may lead to a grand conspiracy and a potential gang war.
Credits:
- Writer: Alex Segura, Michael Moreci
- Artist: Geraldo Borges
- Colorist: Mark Englert
- Letterer: Jim Campbell
- Cover Artist: Geraldo Borges (cover A)
- Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
- Release Date: June 12, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 34
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of DICK TRACY #2:
Plot Analysis:
Oh, what a tangled web we weave when Alex Segura and Michael Moreci put Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart at the heart of a conspiracy that could spell trouble for the entire city in Dick Tracy #2. All it takes to uncover the truth is for someone to figure out what Mumbles is saying.
When last we left the yellow-coated detective in Dick Tracy #1, he took on an investigation surrounding the murder of a city official, Tess Truehart’s father, and a reporter, Marsh, in a diner. Tess and Tracy followed the leads to an abandoned building where they found Mumbles hiding. Tracy took Mumbles into custody for questioning, but Tracy’s collar got a little too hot when Flattop tried to fill the detective full of lead to get to Mumbles.
In Dick Tracy #2, we meet Pat Patton as he tries to sneak his way onto a construction site operated by Itchy and Pruneface. Patton is keen to find out how his brother died on the worksite a few weeks ago. Itchy has Patton thrown out.
Elsewhere, Dick Tracy puts pressure on Mumbles to confess his knowledge or involvement in Trueheart and Marsh’s murder. Suddenly, the interrogation is interrupted when the chief orders Mumbles taken into protective custody at a secret location.
Later, Tracy has nightmares about his time in combat during WWII. He imagines the faces of his city’s eclectic gangsters replacing German soldiers. Tracy’s phone rings, waking him from his nightmare. Tess called to say she found records in Marsh’s office about shady money dealings related to new land development, and Mumble’s name is all over the records. Tracy races out of his apartment when he realizes Mumbles is in danger from anyone wishing to keep him quiet about the land development.
Tracy arrives at the police station and runs into Pat Patton, who was arrested after confronting Pruneface in a restaurant. Patton explains his brother was talking to Marsh about missing vets. Marsh and his brother both died soon after their talk, and Patton believes their deaths are linked by some secret.
Meanwhile, Mumbles remains in secret protective custody. However, during one of the shift changes, Flattop arrives to ensure Mumbles never utters a word about what he knows. When Lips Manlis hears that Flattop killed Mumbles, he prepares for war.
Character Development:
Segura and Moreci add a healthy dose of PTSD to Dick Tracy’s backstory by showing how he’s still haunted by his involvement in WWII. Tracy served his country with distinction, but his heroism doesn’t make up for the death he witnessed on the battlefield that causes him nightmares to this day.
Artwork and Presentation:
Geraldo Borges leans into the heavy shadows and seedy atmosphere of a city in the grip of gangsters and corrupt officials, which serves as a strong foundation for a detective noir story.
That said, Borges’s lines and character designs could be cleaner to exaggerate the eclectic cast of characters. Borges gives the cast a more realistic appearance, but bizarre physicality is what makes Dick Tracy’s cast so special. Flattop’s top should be a little flatter. Lips’s lips should be lippier. Pruneface’s face should be… well.. prunier.
Art Samples:
Pacing and Structure:
In general, Segura and Moreci’s script is tight and smooth, balancing the fine line between a serious detective noir story and the inherent silliness of a comic strip. You never get the impression the story is poking fun at itself, the scenes are efficient, and the scene transitions/order keeps the pace up.
That said, there’s one glaring stumble in the plot that immediately takes you out of the story. When Tess gives Tracy the news about Mumbles, he rushes to the station to find and protect Mumbles from assassination, but as soon as Tracy runs into Patton, he completely forgets about Mumbles.
If Mumbles was in imminent danger (which he was), why did Tracy suddenly stop? This point creates a silly plot hole that throws off everything that comes after.
Thematic Exploration:
Thematically, this issue is all about finding the truth. In aggregate, Tess makes more progress in furthering the investigation than Tracy, but they’re both working toward the same goal.
Final Thoughts:
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DICK TRACY #2 widens the scope and scale of Dick Tracy’s investigation into a murder, leading to corruption, conspiracies, and the possible start of a gang war. Moreci and Segura deliver a proper detective noir story buoyed by Borges’s shadowy art. However, the artwork lacks the character exaggerations that are a hallmark of a Dick Tracy comic, and a strange plot hole takes you out of the middle of the story.
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