When the eponymous Gruesome gets out of the slammer he meets up with fellow criminal and part time pianist 'Melody'. Melody explains that he has an idea for a job that will involve scientist Dr A. Tomic; Gruesome goes to meet the man but while snooping around his office he opens a container which releases a gas. He staggers out and it looks like he has died. He isn't dead though and wakes up in the police morgue! He escapes and comes up with a plan; he and his gang will use a refined form of the gas to rob a bank. When released the gas freezes everybody where they stand; the only witness is Dick Tracy's girlfriend who was in a phone box at the time. As the gang flee Melody shoots a policeman and soon Dick Tracy and the homicide squad are on their trail.
This story is was rather fun if more than a little preposterous; not only does the gas instantly freeze people it also seems to negate the laws of physics concerning the conservation of momentum moving people do not fall over and when they wake they move as if nothing has happened. This doesn't really matter as it isn't meant to be taken seriously. The names of the bad guys adds to the fun, not only do we have Gruesome and A. Tomic; there is also X-Ray, Dr. L. E. Thal and Dr Learned! The action is fun with Tracy getting into danger more than once although nobody will doubt he will prevail; the only question is how he will do so and what will happen to the various bad guys. Ralph Byrd does a solid job as Dick Tracy but it is Boris Karloff who steals the show with his performance as Gruesome; playing the role straight rather than overplaying the part. Overall a fun way to pass an hour.
This story is was rather fun if more than a little preposterous; not only does the gas instantly freeze people it also seems to negate the laws of physics concerning the conservation of momentum moving people do not fall over and when they wake they move as if nothing has happened. This doesn't really matter as it isn't meant to be taken seriously. The names of the bad guys adds to the fun, not only do we have Gruesome and A. Tomic; there is also X-Ray, Dr. L. E. Thal and Dr Learned! The action is fun with Tracy getting into danger more than once although nobody will doubt he will prevail; the only question is how he will do so and what will happen to the various bad guys. Ralph Byrd does a solid job as Dick Tracy but it is Boris Karloff who steals the show with his performance as Gruesome; playing the role straight rather than overplaying the part. Overall a fun way to pass an hour.