Alfred Brau Jr., commonly known as The Brow's Son, shared his father's physical traits of a high forehead with heavy brow ridges, and blond hair. Unlike his father, he had ears.
All that is known about his background was that he was an infant when his father died, and had a criminal record for minor offenses, serving two years in Joliet for a gas station holdup.
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Alliance with Angeltop[edit | edit source]
Alfred Brau Jr. became part of a traveling carnival's Gallery of Villains that featured wax figures of Dillinger, Flattop, Pruneface, Shaky, Al Capone, and his own father. Brau Jr. eventually left the carnival, met Angelica Jones and fell in love with her. He and Angelica (calling herself Angeltop) came to Dick Tracy's city to promote her new book Sins of the Father: My Life as Flattop's Daughter on a TV talk show.
Brau Jr. disguised himself as a television studio crewman and shot Vitamin Flintheart (the next guest on the show), and was pursued and identified by Junior Tracy, whom he injured while escaping. Junior's sketch of the suspect shocked Tracy, who was found it hard to believe that another person could look so much like The Brow. Sam Catchem ran a background check and confirmed Brau Jr's identity.
Unlike Angeltop, Alfred Jr. did not harbor warm feelings for his father. He regarded his father as a murderer and was not obsessed with his father's past. He wanted nothing to do with the memory of his father and simply wanted to marry Angeltop and start a life with her.
Policewoman Lizz (who had killed Angeltop's brother Flattop Jr.) went to question Angeltop at her hotel room, unaware that Brow Jr. was staying with her. He hid and attempted to knock Lizz unconscious, but she fought back and managed to shoot the young Brau in the Shoulder. Tracy and Sam Catchem were waiting downstairs, but Angeltop and the wounded Brau were able to separate them and kidnapped Tracy at gunpoint.
The couple took Tracy to their hideout, the Replica of the Santa Maria where Flattop had hidden (and eventually drowned) years before. They tied Tracy up and threw him into the underwater pilings where he struggled to stay afloat while Brau rested. Lizz and Sam raided the ship to rescue Tracy, which caused Angeltop to hurl a kerosene lamp, setting the ship afire. Angeltop was severely burned and fell into the water (where she was presumed to have died), and the Brow's Son was arrested.
The District Attorney had to release Brau Jr. because it was determined that his rights had been violated. He was later seen throwing a wreath of flowers into the water to honor Angeltop, who was presumed dead.
Angeltop's return[edit | edit source]
Years later, it was revealed that Angeltop had survived the fire on the ship and had gotten reconstructive surgery from Dr. Will Carver. Brau Jr. was once again at her side, still as in love with her, despite her apparent mental instability. After Angeltop killed Carver, Brau Jr. helped her in her plan to kill Diet Smith during his Fusion Now tour. Driving to Washington DC, Brau Jr. disguised himself as a reporter and switched Diet Smith's campaign button with an explosive one. Dick Tracy, who was the Police Liaison on the tour, managed to get the explosive off Diet before it blew up. Tracy recognized Brau Jr in the crowd and searched him, but found nothing to tie him to the crime.
Angeltop was furious with her boyfriend at his failure. Angeltop had kidnapped Lizz a few weeks earlier and was keeping her prisoner in the house where they were living. Angeltop changed her plans and planted dynamite in the Church basement on the day of Junior Tracy's Wedding to Sparkle Plenty. Brau Jr. had pangs of conscience, and tried to convince Angeltop to abort her plan, as he did not want to be involved in murdering innocent people.
When his plea to Angeltop failed, the Brow's Son freed Lizz so that she could warn the wedding guests. Lizz returned to apprehend Angeltop. Angeltop was about to kill her, but was herself shot herself by Brau.
Although he still professed to love her, she now declared her hatred for him. The heartbroken Brau Jr. and Angeltop were arrested, and Lizz stated that she would testify in his favor at his trial.
Following the death of Angeltop, it was revealed that the Brow's Son had learned of the event. He was shown in prison, crying over a photograph of Angeltop and vowing revenge.
The Hangman[edit | edit source]
Alfred Brau Jr. as "The Hangman"
Alfred Brau Jr. apparently reformed for a while, but when he learned that a feature film was being made of the popular Midnite Mirror series, he became determined to stop the production. Although The Brow Sr. was depicted as a heroic character in the film, Alfred Jr. apparently did not want his father (and his real-life misdeeds) to return to the popular consciousness.
Alfred Jr. adopted the identity of The Hangman and killed several people associated with the production, including Freddy Capp (the actor playing The Brow). Dick Tracy was substituted for the actor playing "Boss Tracy" on the set in the hopes of preventing further murders. Alfred Jr. and an accomplice hijacked a helicopter and flew to a billboard location where a climactic scene was being filmed.
Alfred Jr. exited the helicopter and menaced Tracy and Forsythe (an actor). Tracy tried to arrest Alfred, but Forsythe interfered, seeking revenge for Capp's death. Alfred shot Forsythe, and was subsequently shot in the shoulder by a police sniper. Alfred grappled with Tracy, and in doing so became entangled in Tracy's safety harness. When Tracy and Alfred fell off the billboard scaffold, the harness wrapped around Alfred's neck and he was killed in the fall (December 10th, 2015).
Tracy survived without injury, and it was implied that Forsythe would recover.
The end of the Brow's Son
Alfred's pilot accomplice was taken into custody.
Appearances in Other Media[edit | edit source]
Dick Tracy - The Secret Files[edit | edit source]
The Brow's Son was a character in the short story "Homefront" by Barbara Collins, which appeared in the short story collection Dick Tracy - The Secret Files. In the story, he invades the Tracy's home and holds Tess and Joe Tracy hostage.
