Sue Reel was an associate of Art Dekko, and she worked with him to arrange the sale of stolen artworks. She was an attractive blonde, with the distinguishing feature of a long, thin moustache which she wore waxed into curls at the tips, similar to Salvador Dali (or possibly Snidely Whiplash).
Art Dekko's Accomplice[]
Sue acted primarily as Dekko's go-between with the Apparatus. When Dekko had stolen a new piece of art, she would arrange to fence it on his behalf. Sue seemed to have a romantic interest in Dekko as well.
When Dekko was contacted by "Jewel Onallit", the reclusive daughter of a wealthy shipping magnate, Sue became suspicious. She was also jealous of the attention that Dekko paid the glamourous heiress. Despite her suspicions, Sue aided Dekko in his plan to steal a Picasso that was on display at a local museum. She helped him arrange his alibi, using the dummy in his likeness sculpted by Polly Chrome.
While Dekko was stealing the Picasso, Sue paid close attention to "Jewel", who was actually Lizz in disguise. Sue observed Lizz using her 2-Way Wrist TV and realized that she was a police officer. When Dekko returned from the theft, Sue told him what she had discovered, and the pair plotted to dispose of Lizz along with their stolen goods. They told their party guests to meet that them at a local disco, and after everyone had left they held Lizz at gunpoint and took her to Dekko's gallery.
Art and Sue had arranged to meet their Apparatus Connection at the gallery, where he would take the stolen paintings and eliminate Lizz. They had been tracked there by Dick Tracy and his squad. When Sue Reel and the Apparatus operative emerged through the gallery's back door, intending to take Lizz somewhere and kill her, they were promptly apprehended by the police. Dekko had held back and locked the door on his associates, which angered Sue. Dekko was soon captured by Dick Tracy, and he betrayed Sue again, claiming that she was mastermind behind the art thefts and offering to turn State's evidence against her.
Sue Reel Returns[]
Sue Reel, as drawn by Shelley Pleger
Years later, Sue Reel was shown to be out of prison and still working with Art Dekko. Dekko's new scheme involved forging entertainment memorabilia, but he extended his efforts to forging a "newly-found" painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
Notes[]
- The name Sue Reel is apparently a play of the term "surreal". Salvador Dali (whose moustache was similar to Sue's) was a surrealist painter.
- Sue Reel was aware of Paul Chandler's involvement with Art Dekko's forgery scheme, but they were never shown directly interacting. Chandler would therefore not qualify as an associate of Sue Reel.