Changes: Angeltop Jones

Revision as of 23:16, 6 November 2013

First Appearance December 28th, 1977.

Angelica "Angeltop" Jones was the daughter of contract killer Flattop Jones Sr. and Stiletta Jones, and sister of Flattop Junior.

Early Life

After her father drowned trying to escape capture, her brother was put in the care of their aunt, and for some reason Angelica was put in various foster homes. She managed to work her way through beauty school and opened up her own chain of wig shops that featured her Angeltop Wigs.

Seeking Revenge

In 1978, Angelica showed up in Dick Tracy's city for a television appearance to promote her book "Sins of the Father: My Life as Flattop's Daughter", and to clear her father's and her brother's reputations. Dick Tracy watched the broadcast, stunned at her description of her father as a "naive country boy" as well as by her claim that her father and brother were never proven guilty of any crime and had been murdered by police officers.

Shortly before this, Vitamin Flintheart had been shot by an unknown assailant who also assaulted Junior Tracy in that same television studio. The assailant was revealed by Junior's sketch to look exactly like The Brow, a long dead Nazi spy. It was discovered that Angelica (who called herself Angeltop) was in a relationship with this man, who was revealed to be The Brow's Son. She had instructed him to shoot Vitamin, in order to hurt Tracy.

Tracy had assigned Lizz (the policewoman who had killed Angeltop's brother Flattop Jr.) to visit Angeltop in order to ask some questions. The Brow's Son attempted to knock Lizz out from behind, but thanks to her quick reflexes, Lizz was able to dodge the assault and a shootout ensued. The younger Brow was struck in his shoulder and he and Angeltop fled.

Angeltop and the Brow's Son retreated and abducted Tracy at gunpoint. They transported him to the city lagoon to the replica of the Santa Maria where Flattop had drowned years before. Bound and gagged, Angeltop kicked Tracy into the same pilings that Flattop had become wedged in, though Tracy was still able bob his head up for air. Sam Catchem and Lizz boarded the ship while Angeltop and the Brow's Son were laying down resting. Angeltop threw a kerosene lamp at the two detectives, which caused the ship to burst into flame. She caught on fire and fell through the flaming hull of the ship into the icy waters. Tracy managed to cut his bonds with the same nail that had snagged Flattop. Tracy and Lizz swam under the ship to escape as Sam and the Brow's Son fled topside. Angeltop's body was not recovered, but she was presumed dead.

Angeltop Returns

Some time later, it was revealed that Angeltop had survived the fire and was treated by the cosmetic surgeon Will Carver (who had previously treated Mumbles, Haf-and-Haf and Putty Puss). Angeltop and the Brow's Son killed Carver to maintain the secret that she had survived. Angeltop kidnapped Lizz and held her prisoner in the house she had rented. Angeltop tried once again to kill Dick Tracy and his extended family by planting a bomb in the church where Junior Tracy was marrying Sparkle Plenty. The Brow's Son freed Lizz, who warned the wedding party and then returned to arrest Angeltop. At this point is was revealed that the ship fire had cost Angeltop her hair. She showed signs of having become even more mentally unhinged.

After Angeltop was taken into custody by the police, she was tried and convicted of kidnapping and attempted murder. During a prsioner transfer from the county jail to maximum security prison, Angeltop was freed by Quiver Trembly, niece of Shaky. The pair went into hiding.

Angeltop's New Allies

It was later revealed that Quiver and Angeltop had partnered with Prunella, granddaughter of Pruneface. The women maintained a low profile for some time, then resurfaced in 1985 when Diet Smith was about to unveil his new fusion plant. Angeltop and Quiver were co-conspirators with Prunella for the destruction of the new Fusion plant. They intended to use one million dollars (obtained from Blowtop) to purchase plutonium from a friend of Prunella's named Egan Oipse. FBI agent Jim Trailer got to the supplier first and Oipse fell to his death trying to flee the FBI agents.

Angeltop04 — Angeltop (left) with Quiver (right)

The trio then went into hiding at the home of Carl Craven, an old associate of Quiver's. Prunella instead planned to substitute the Plutonium with Xylon, the explosive that their three relatives had attempted to obtain decades previously. Angeltop was sent to plant the bomb, unaware that Quiver had given her a de-activated detonator. Quiver did not trust the unstable Angeltop, which proved to be well-founded when Angeltop attempted to detonate the bomb early.

After a hostage situation ensued, Quiver and Prunella were taken into custody and Angeltop was cornered in the fusion plant. She exchanged shots with Sam Catchem and Lizz. Rather than be apprehended, she lit some explosives that she had brought and blew herself up (February 2nd, 1986).

Legacy

It was later revealed that Angeltop had a son, who went by the name "Hi-Top". Hi-Top became a criminal and encountered Dick Tracy as well.

Notes

The Angeltop storyline was the first full-length continuity done by Max Allan Collins and Rick Fletcher when they took over the strip after the retirement of Chester Gould. His pitch for the Angeltop story was one the reasons that Collins was given the job.
In the Marvel Comics Universe, the heroine Firestar is named Angelica Jones. She first appeared in 1981 as part of the "Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends" cartoon show, several years after Angeltop debuted.
During the 1985-86 Xylon storyline, Angeltop's appearance was significantly different than she had previously been depicted. Her hair was short on the back and sides, with long bangs. It is unclear if this was a wig or her real hair that had somehow re-grown.

Known Relatives

Flattop Jones Sr. (Father, deceased)
Stiletta Jones (Mother)
Flattop Jones Jr. (Younger Brother, deceased)
Auntie Flattop (Aunt)
Sharptop Jones (Uncle)
Unnamed Uncle (Husband of Auntie Flattop, Deceased)
Hi-Top Jones (Son)
Blowtop Jones (Uncle)
Poptop Jones (Grandfather)
Unnamed Grandmother
Frizzletop (First Cousin, Once Removed)

Known Associates

The Brow's Son (ex-boyfriend)
Dr. Will Carver (deceased)
Blowtop Jones
Quiver Trembly
Prunella LaBoche
Egan Oipse (deceased)

Can Be Found

Dick Tracy Meets Angeltop
The Collins Casefiles Vol. 1

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 *The Angeltop storyline was the first full-length continuity done by [[Max Allan Collins]] and [[Rick Fletcher]] when they took over the strip after the retirement of [[Chester Gould]]. His pitch for the Angeltop story was one the reasons that Collins was given the job.
 *In the Marvel Comics Universe, the heroine Firestar is named Angelica Jones. She first appeared in 1981 as part of the "Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends" cartoon show, several years after Angeltop debuted.
-*During the 1985 Xylon storyline, Angeltop's appearance was significantly different than she had previously been depicted. Her hair was short on the back and sides, with long bangs. It is unclear if this was a wig or her real hair that had somehow re-grown.
+*During the 1985-86 Xylon storyline, Angeltop's appearance was significantly different than she had previously been depicted. Her hair was short on the back and sides, with long bangs. It is unclear if this was a wig or her real hair that had somehow re-grown.
 ==Known Relatives==