The young woman known as "Skinny" (real name unrevealed) was the daughter of Mrs. Skinner, who owned a boarding house. Mrs. Skinner rented a room to Flattop Jr. during his time as a fugitive. Flattop claimed to be an art student, and only went by the name "Mr. Jones".
Skinny often helped her mother with chores around the house, and she also claimed to work as a professional model.
The Mysterious "Mr. Jones"[]
Skinny was enamored by Flattop's mysterious nature and tried to gain his affection. She convinced him to let her model for him, and he created a highly-stylized Modern Art portrait of Skinny and her dog. When Skinny suggested he should enter it in a local art show, he rebuffed her.
Skinny stole the painting and entered it under her own name. It won first place, with a prize of $500. The painting was featured in the local newspaper, and Dick Tracy and his squad recognized a similar-shaped tree from another of Flattop's works, which they had acquired from his Aunt.
Policewoman Lizz contacted Skinny, claiming that she wanted to commission Skinny to produce 2 new paintings for Lizz's home. Skinny tried to coerce Flattop into making the paintings, but when he discovered what she had done he flew into a rage. He chased her to the roof of the building and threw her off, killing her.
The Ghost of Skinny[]
Flattop then found himself beset by a ghostly apparition of Skinny, which clung to his neck. Unable to free himself, he eventually fled into the hills where he went undiscovered for some time.
Flattop re-appeared unexpectedly during Lizz's investigation of Ivy's counterfeiting operation. Still haunted by Skinny's "ghost", Flattop was emaciated, wild-eyed, and his hair had turned white. When he threatened to shoot Lizz, she was able to kill him first with a shot to the head. Skinny's "spirit" then flew off into the sky.
Notes[]
- It is unclear if Skinny's "ghost" was an actual phenomenon or a product of Flattop Jr's deranged mind and guilty conscience. No other characters were shown to have seen Skinny's "ghost", only Flattop Jr and the readers. The strip has been inconsistent with its approach to the supernatural.
- When Flattop crashes his car into the abandoned theatre as Skinny's ghost follows him, the narration says "And the old theater comes to life again, in a new drama of a car and a man and his conscience.