Dick Tracy: Inferno

[Abishai100]

What I really like about comic books is that they colloquialize and make more comfortable very awkward civics/jurisprudence/ethics issues such as the death penalty and criminal insanity.

The American comic book detective Dick Tracy represents a sincere interest in justice and a focus on serious issues regarding law enforcement and offers stories that are accessible to everyday people interested in the 'inferno' of modern crime.

This Dick Tracy fan-fic I wrote was inspired both by Dante's Inferno (the iconic classic epic poem about hell) and the justice-paranoia David Fincher film Se7en.


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Dick Tracy was at the Kentucky Derby trying to stop a new crime boss named Top Dollar who wanted to fix the race to his advantage so he could profit. Top Dollar was bent on turning the cherished American horse-race into a criminal operation, and Tracy wanted to be sure such evil would not go unchecked. Top Dollar was at the race with his goons (including a ghoulish disfigured bodyguard named Flat-Top who carried a silencer-pistol in his pocket) early to inspect the horses and make notes (and do some pre-race 'bullying').

When Tracy arrived at Churchill Downs (the fabled arena where the Kentucky Derby takes place every year), he noticed a beautiful woman standing next to Top Dollar (holding his arm amorously). She was wearing a beautiful red dress and hat and Tracy discovered her name --- Carmen! Tracy couldn't keep his eyes off her, but he remained focused on the possibility that she was just as evil as her terrible boyfriend Top Dollar. Tracy wondered if he could somehow draw Carmen away from Top Dollar so he could talk with her (to be sure she was evil and not a damsel who could potentially be rescued).

As Tracy approached Top Dollar and Flat-Top, he immediately guessed that the crime boss's sinister-looking bodyguard was most likely carrying a concealed weapon (most likely a silencer-pistol hidden in his coat-pocket!). Tracy came up with a brilliant plan. He would walk up to Top Dollar and stick his gun into the crime boss's back and say, "Come with me quietly or I'll plug ya with my silencer-pistol, and if you think I'm bluffing, we'll see if you're as brave as people think --- just test me!" The plan worked, and Top Dollar told his goon-bodyguard Flat-Top to stand-down. Tracy then tapped Carmen on the shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Meet me by the cop car parked outside the racing-stadium."

Tracy escorted Top Dollar to jail and then sat down with Carmen (who did in fact meet him by his cop car). He asked Carmen why she got involved with someone like Top Dollar, and Carmen told him, "America is a maze of unbearable profiteers, and I found a 'pocket' of safety under Top Dollar's wings." Tracy explained to Carmen that the 'labyrinth of criminality' in modern America is more of a 'stairway down to hell' than an 'arena of irreversible crime.' Carmen was relieved Top Dollar was in police custody and told Tracy (whom she agreed to date), "I just hope that nestling in your arms Dick Tracy will make me...an angel of Jesus Christ." Tracy smiled, knowing that Carmen's life of purgatory was over.

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[Abishai100]

Chapter 2: Arklow

After seeing one of my favorite racing-horses Arklow (trainer: Brad Cox) win the American Turf Stakes (a preliminary race at this year's iconic Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs), I wanted to add a second chapter to my ode to Dick Tracy.


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Dick Tracy was back at the Kentucky Derby, and this time Carmen was by his side (his new wife). Tracy was excited about an upstart underdog horse named Arklow whose owner-company Donegal Racing and trainer had high-hopes for him. Tracy told his new wife (Carmen) that if Arklow won, he would treat her to a splendid vacation in the Virgin Islands! Carmen was very excited (and did not disclose to her new hubby about her pregnancy!). Tracy went up to the betting-booth and put in $2000 on Arklow, even though he was a 13-1 odds to win (big underdog). The favorite to win was a finely-bred horse named Genie.

The race started and Genie pulled out to a big lead, and Arklow fell behind and was lagging in about 6th place. As the first turn came around, Arklow's jockey (Brian Smith) made a fine tactical move and tucked himself into the position between the 3rd and 4th horses. As the second turn came around, Arklow made a stunning pace-increase and whipped around to the outside of the pack and picked up speed and pulled right up to Genie. Genie and Arklow were now neck-and-neck, but because Arklow's pace was very well-maintained (by his jockey Smith), the underdog was able to stretch to a nose-ahead and won!

Tracy collected his prize-money (which was substantial given the odds!) and kissed Carmen. The two enjoyed champagne in their Kentucky Marriott suite and talked sweetly about their much-deserved vacation in the Virgin Islands. Carmen told Dick about their upcoming baby, and the two were thrilled. Tracy felt like he was on top of the world, and the next morning, he went down to the hotel lobby in good spirits to pick up a newspaper and some croissants when the hotel concierge told him about an urgent phone call from the FBI director (Thomas Naster). Naster informed Tracy that Arklow's owner (David Chappie) was suspected of involvement with the IRA (the terrorist group!).

After dropping Carmen home, Tracy went to FBI headquarters to begin his investigation of Arklow's owner, Chappie. Naster explained to Tracy that Chappie was like an 'underworld ghoul,' involved in black-market munition sales and extortion as well as illegal gambling and insider-trading on Wall Street. Tracy wondered if Chappie had Arklow's race (American Turf Stakes) fixed, but Naster explained there was no evidence of foul-play involving Arklow. Relieved but still focused, Tracy decided that Chappie's involvement with the IRA must somehow be related to mafia-activity at the Kentucky Derby. "Arklow's victory must have been pure coincidence!" Tracy remarked to himself, as he considered the eerie link between cosmopolitan life and mischievous criminality. Tracy thanked God for his fortunes with Carmen.

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