At some point between Friday and today, Cricket, Crypto, and Diana apparently found time and reason to completely change their outfits. Just why they would want to do that has yet to be revealed.
Now, if your first (or second) reaction is that this story is shaping up to be worthy of a junior high writing contest, we’re on the same page. And it’s a certainty that Cricket Bro didn’t take the time to read Mark Trail’s Sunday nature strip, or he wouldn’t be going into the cave on his own. Well, I take that back.
It will be mildly amusing to see what Crypto Bro and Diana are going to do, or why they even bothered to show up. Without video, Cricket Bro will have nothing to show anybody, unless he has a GoPro attached to his helmet or jacket … Nope. Don’t see one. Perhaps Cricket Bro is just making sport of his brother and they will all head into the cave, after all.
Mark is back in Lost Forest, where nothing was said about Happy, catfishing, or Rusty’s reign as the Raccoon King. Instead, the week started with Mark watching—and visibly reacting to—videos of cave explorers getting into trouble. Cherry was concerned that Mark might be having flashbacks to his own perilous cave adventure, and that was certainly true. However, Mark offered the excuse that watching these cave disaster videos helped keep him ready to provide rescue services in case somebody happened to get stuck in a nearby cave. Well, you can never tell! Let’s see:
There you are, taking a leisurely hike through the woods, enjoying the smells, the sounds of twittering birds, and the quiet rustle of rabbits and deer moving through the trees. It’s a beautiful morning and you could stay here all day … when your reverie is suddenly interrupted by the muffled cries of several people yelling “Help! We’re trapped in a cave and can’t get up!” “Egads!” you exclaim to yourself. “They must be trapped in that nearby cave! Good thing I watched those videos and happened to be wearing my steel lantern hat and carrying a hundred feet of rope looped over my shoulder. It’s time to get to work!”
Speaking of convenient timing, Cherry added that Ranger Shaw just happened to be putting up “CAVE CLOSED!” signs at the hitherto never-before-mentioned Peligroso Cave (located somewhere around Lost Forest), because it is Flood Season. A coincidence, you say? Jules Rivera is just getting started, folks!
While Cherry and Mark were talking about cave disasters, the strip cut to another location where Cricket Bro, brother Crypto Bro, and hired videographer Diana Daggers were hiking, decked out in their corporate yellow cave-exploring attire. To nobody’s surprise, they are at Lost Forest to explore the Peligroso Cave! Of the thousands of caves throughout the country, Cricket Bro just happened to select that cave to explore. And during the flooding season, no less. I sure hope that Cricket Bro pays Mark well for his predictable rescue job when the time comes, because Mark certainly hasn’t been bringing home the bacon for a while.
“Caves are inherently dangerous and not worth risking your life to explore. But here is how to prepare for your visit.” Now that is one clear message! However, I do like Mark’s comment, “You are not an exception.” That could be a daily mantra for all of us. As usual, the pun in the last panel falls flat.
Cherry Trail has studied her TV sitcom history well. Her closing comment yesterday provided us with the required irony for today’s switch to Peligroso Cave and the explorers who are soon to be trapped
Sorry, Diana. Poor Diana Daggers. She seems to have gotten stuck playing backup for one second-rate bozo after another, her early fire having fizzled. Like Cherry, Diana Daggers is another woman in this strip who started out with an aggressive, in-your-face personality, but soon softened up to became just a “go along to get along” supporting cast member. I have written before about Cherry’s path to docility. I’ll put Violet Cheshire here, as well. Given who writes and draws this strip, I’m flummoxed. Tess Tigress seems to have kept her personality largely intact. Go figure. I could be wrong and we’ll wind up seeing Diana take a much stronger part in this story. I hope so, anyway.
For some reason, Cricket Bro (life-long rival of Mark Trail) feels the need to inform his brother, Crypto Bro, and Diana what they are about to do (panel 1), even though they are already outfitted for spelunking and already on site. If this is Rivera’s method for revealing what the plot is about, she could have had Cricket Bro say something less embarrassingly stupid, such as “Hey, fellow web goons! Are we ready to hit Peligroso Cave today!?”
Nobody should be surprised at this surprisingplotline. It wasn’t the Grungey Boys, but I wasn’t too far off the mark. It’s a small world in the Trailverse. However, creating comic strip characters takes a lot of work and if you aren’t hauling in the big bucks, then you go with what you already have.
We used to call Mark Trail “Captain Obvious”, but I think we may have to reassign that nickname to Jules Rivera for a storyline that looks to be as predictable as any episode of Gilligan’s Island. I still hope to be surprised and corrected.
Note: The term “web goons” is apparently popular Internet slang. In this context, it refers to people obsessed with Internet projects, such as web comics and online humor. There is another popular definition for “goon” referring to individual sexual activities, often centered around online fictional images. It’s a fluid term, I reckon.
What a relief. I’m glad Cherry put a stop to Mark’s pity party, so we’ll have no cave rescue adventure to worry about, right. Right!? So where is that blasted call from Bill Ellis, anyway? I want to see Mark sent out on another assignment before he winds up feeling he has to rescue the Grungey Boys for being illiterate and stupid.
Poor whiney Mark. “What if I have to help!?” Well, why would Mark believe that? Is he a member of the Lost Forest Rescue Brigade? Does such a group even exist? Jules Rivera presents a Mark Trail who seems to believe he is the one person capable enough to perform whatever daring feats of discovery, recovery, resuscitation, or rescue are required in any given situation. It must be tough being King of the Lost Forest: “Please stop me before I help again…!”
Anyway, what’s with this Peligroso Cave? And why would a cave in Georgia (presumably) have a Spanish name? Well, it turns out that Spanish conquistadors explored this area looking for gold. Hernando de Soto was the most famous of that greedy lot. They didn’t find gold, but did introduce the peach to the state. I reckon we’re about to have una peligrosa aventura en una cueva! So get your steel caving helmet and LED headlamp ready!
Art Dept. Is Ranger Shaw gesturing hypnotically, as Mandrake the Magician would say, to seal off the entrance? If not, what is he doing? You tell me!
I’m not really sure how watching reality videos about people trapped in caves helps you get ready to save others who are trapped in caves. In reality, it requires years of training, specialized equipment, and great health coverage. But even Mark is entitled to his fantasies.
I reckon we have an honest-to-goodness insider joke in panel 2, where Mark mentions feeling like he was trapped in cave for 6 months. Turns out that the cave adventure Cherry references (which blog originator Dennis Williams called “Arachnid Ho!”) lasted approximately six months; well, actually seven months, including a month-long prolog beginning in December 2015. But Mark did not come into the storyline until January, 2016. Mark, Carina, and Gabe raced into a cave for their safety on Feb 1, 2016. The adventure ended on Jun 25, 2016. Where you want to start counting is a matter of opinion. In a way, then, Mark’s cry in panel 2 echoes sentiments of Trailheads who felt like the cave story was going on forever. Okay, I think I’ve flogged this beast enough.
Anyway, I have no idea what Jules Rivera is referring to in panel 3. What scouts!? Rescuers are not “scouts.” Is Jules Rivera talking about Rusty, now?
I don’t find humor or satisfaction in body shaming, but it sure looks like Cherry could do with a little more physical activity in her day. Maybe some jogging with her sister, Olive? In any event, today’s minor episode is just a drawn-out affair to make the point we did two days ago about Mark’s cave experience in New Mexico.
In fact, Mark was in another adventure involving a cave pursuit, also published during James Allen’s tenure. It was a story of epic length and plotlines, starting with a phony “female hostage situation” in the Rapid City, South Dakota airport (“Ferret, Black-footed Ferret”); Mark being taken prisoner by a bank robber and led on a dangerous escape through the country; a law pursuit through a cave with a grizzly bear who likes candy bars; a deadly storm; fist fights; guns; and more!
So the question I pose is: Will Mark get a call from Bill Ellis this week? Mark has had two non-paying adventures in a row. If Mark wants to be able to pay for another expensive home repair, he better turn up a couple of good-paying gigs soon! Frankly, I don’t know why Mark doesn’t actively pursue assignments like any good independent reporter would, rather than hang around waiting for the phone to ring. That’s no way to build up a national reputation!
Perhaps Mark watches videos like this because they recall the old days when his assignments presented elements of violence and real danger. But the times they are a-changing for ol’ Mark! Danger and violence are largely replaced by farce and jokes, probably because there is too much of that dangerous stuff in the comic strips: Hägar and his gang loot Nordic kingdoms; Camp Swampy conducts war exercises; the Ghost Who Walks still autographs jaws with his signet ring; Popeye kicks butt; and Garfield continues to be published. There’s just too much! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!
Speaking of real danger, maybe it’s time for Cherry to put her foot down and tell Mark to get over his lost years and fix the back of their cabin before it collapses.
I tell ya, Mark Trail’s “Lincoln LogCabin” sure looks like it could use some major league restoration work based on that rear view (remember the steps down to the recycle bin?). And I’m glad to see the old greenhouse once again. It tends to appear and disappear on an irregular basis, probably on the basis of available drawing space.
But what’s this nonsense about a “spooky cave story”? Is Markey reliving his childhood? Mark seems to get excited pretty easily, even watching a hokey “Reality TV” video. You tell me. Is Jules Rivera setting up Mark in panel 3 so she can mock him? Her caption is the kind of question that is often delivered with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
On the other hand, maybe this video triggered a PTSD episode related to Mark’s dramatic cave adventure several years ago (during James Allen’s tenure). Remember? (see “Arachnid Ho!” for the details.) That might explain it better.
Art Dept. If Rivera meant to show that the cabin’s foundation has dangerously settled or is just rotting, we can move on to other observations. If that is not the case, I am shocked at how sloppy the cabin is depicted. I was also struck by the chipmunk in panel 1. Tell me if I am wrong, but my first reaction was that it looks like something James Allen might have drawn. I’m not suggesting that Rivera lifted it! I just mean it reminds me of his work. I could be totally wrong.
We were back at Happy’s house this past week, as Mark and Happy relaxed on his deck, clutching their coffee cups. Mark provided an update to Happy on what happened after they left the sanctuary. To wit, Niecy stayed on site to oversee the treatment and disposition of the gorillas. Somebody has to do the scutwork in Mark Trail, because it’s not usually Mark.
Mark commiserated most of the week over the illicit gorilla trade. By Friday, Mark was expressing sympathy for Happy’s matrimonial grief, but Happy didn’t seem that broken up. So Mark decided to head back to Lost Forest. Saturday was something of a surprise. Apparently, Happy couldn’t wait for Markey to go home. As Mark drove away in his green station wagon, Happy got back on his phone and resumed his catfishing pursuits, now with another “young lady” named Starlina. Clearly, Happy had her already lined up while he was pursuing Dreama. Maybe Happy is the real problem here.
Sure, dinosaurs have always been a popular topic. But are they appropriate for a strip that focuses on preserving nature and animal life in the present?
Jules Rivera avoided a typical “overview” and instead, focused on the recent finds of feathered dinosaurs. The Title panel looks rushed, but I appreciate Rivera composing the strip’s name with bones and “feathers”(?). Rivera brings up the Cassowary, one of the largest bird species in the world, and one that will put a really bad hurt on you if you venture too closely. There are only a few places left where they can be found in the wild. I located an interesting BBC short (see below) concerning the Northern Cassowary found in Australia’s rain forest, which is being threatened by an invasive animal species. Care to guess what it is!? Interestingly, Cassowarys are considered (along with ostriches) to be the most dangerous bird in the world.
Hah! I dropped a hint yesterday: Mark suggested Happy go on a fishing trip, while a catfish is shown swimming in a nearby stream. Figured this was Jules Rivera just making a visual pun (and for a change, a pun that actually works well, I thought). But I let it ride, in case anybody here wanted to run with it (assuming it was even worth mentioning. I might have been wrong). But little did I know …
I have to admit that I was really surprised by today’s strip. Not what I expected, other than Mark driving home. So, what are we to make of this? Is Happy just a serial womanizer? Or maybe a serial sucker? Or is this some kind of fantasy sequence in Mark’s head? It’s hard to wrap my own head around this scene, unless we come to the conclusion that Happy Trail really is off his rocker and needs to be in an assisted living situation with ongoing psychiatric supervision.
Well, what’s the worst that could happen: Happy Trail gets fleeced again for the rest of his retirement money? No! The worst would be another “catch the catfishing hustler” story. Let’s give it a rest for a few years, okay?
“Explain herself”? What explanation would Happy or anybody else need that wasn’t already obvious? “Sorry, Happy, but avoiding jail and spending the money I conned from you is at the top of my To Do list at the moment. Byee!”
At least we see Mark working his way towards a polite excuse to go home by bringing up the matter of Gail after talking about the gorillas. Mark knows Happy would rebuff his half-hearted offer to stick around. It’s as good a cue to skidoo as anything. So catfish aside, it looks like on Saturday we’ll either see Mark chugging home in his station wagon or already back at Lost Forest, ready for his next assignment.
All true, all true. And yet, superficial. Sure, this is just an adventure strip, not a documentary, though that is, in fact, part of the strip’s mission. Still, Happy Trail certainly knows all the stuff that Mark is lecturing about, owing to his own former career. So why is Mark going on as if Happy was some uninformed suburban coffee hound? Well, for the sake of the storyline and our own education. Nevertheless, Jules Rivera could have done this more effectively (yes,hindsight is so helpful).
Mark’s recitation could have been delivered to Niecy’s dad, if Rivera had included him this week, standing on the deck with Mark and Happy, and sharing a cup of “what they’re having.” The recitation could have been part of Mark and Happy’s overall praise of Niecy’s importance in uncovering the fraudulent gorilla racket and supervising the disposition of the apes. Oh, for those who came in late, Niecy’s father is Jolly Rogers, who happens to be Happy’s friend and neighbor. If you go back and read Rivera’s first Mark Trail story (“Happy Trails”), you’ll learn a lot about Jolly Rogers, Niecy, and Happy Trail.
Mark’s comment in panel 4 sounds like a proper “And that’s all, folks!” closing cue to me, and there doesn’t seem to be much else to bring up. But I’d be surprised if they spent the rest of the week having a heart-to-heart about Happy’s romantic needs.
The epilog continues as more details come out, as delivered by Mark who got them from Niecy. You remember her; she’s the one who had the Right Stuff and stuck around to see things through, enabling Mark and Happy to feel better. Fact is, Niecy was the one who did all of the research that made this possible. Mark and Happy should be planning a big Thank You Party for Niecy when she returns. Anyway, I wonder if this update chat will drag out all week long, or will we be spared more by a phone call from Bill Ellis or Cherry that will put Mark back into his biodiesel station wagon heading home. We can dream, can’t we?
On the other hand, the more Happy talks (panel 4), the more arrogant he sounds. Apparently, he seems to believe that Gail’s running off robbed her of a happiness she could have had by marrying him. Sounds a bit arrogant and certainly didn’t sound like that was part of Gail’s motivation. But if that is what it takes for him to deal with the situation, more power to him. However, Gail did make off with a pile of Happy’s retirement money and probably some savings from other suckers, as well; so she’s probably far from unhappy. Still, we’ll give Happy credit for keeping a good attitude, even after getting fleeced by Gail.
I always thought it was a cop-out, even in the earlier presentations of Mark Trail, when the consequences of whatever activity Mark was involved in are encapsulated into a few summary footnotes back at home. For an adventure strip that sells itself as a bastion of environmentalism, defender of nature, and cheerleader for animal protection, it seems that the less glamorous hands-on work is rarely emphasized. There could be much to learn:
What was wrong with the gorillas and how were they treated by the vets?
Exactly how do they rehome the gorillas?
Who is paying for Niecy’s food and lodging while she remains behind to help out? And since she drove there with Mark, how is she going to get home when her work is done?
But more importantly, why didn’t Mark and Happy also remain on site to assist?
As for Gail and Guyer getting away, it must have been the case that the investigating police officer was either too busy watching the setting sun or he took off in the wrong direction.
As I suspected, Jules Rivera decided to give us a traditional “Mark Trail Epilog”, with Happy filling in for Cherry. That is, we learn about the rest of the story by way of a recap. And we have to assume that some time has passed since the failed wedding ceremony, given Mark’s comment in panel 1. Some of what he says is shocking: Just how many gorillas were there at this sanctuary, anyway!? And who “rehomed” the gorillas? Unless this chat is taking place several months later, the gorilla placements certainly happened quickly!
Art Dept. In a departure from the way we often see Mark depicted, I’m impressed with how he is portrayed in panel 3. The drawing is clean and solid, with less of a cartoony face. His expression shows a bit of emotion and concern. There is also greater volume and solidity in Mark’s figure than what we often see. The overall composition of the panel is nicely understated, with Mark discretely placed just off-center. Asymmetric portraits tend to look more energized or “dynamic” than centered compositions, which are often reserved for figures of veneration.
Well, I’ll go further and say that all three panels are quite well drawn and arranged (though Happy’s face often creeps me out!). It must have been a good day for drawing and a bad day for surfing.
It’s been Drama Week in Mark Trail! In case you don’t recall (after spending a week with Rusty the Raccoon King), the Trail-Getz wedding ceremony began to fall apart like the First Little Pig’s house of straw when a gorilla suddenly collapsed (a “young female western lowland gorilla” according to Mark). Mark called for the ceremony to halt as he ran to investigate. Gail kept yelling to keep the ceremony going while Happy wavered between his desire to continue and his longtime concern for animals. The fact that Gail wasn’t cooperating should have been a big clue.
Moving on to this past week, the ambulance Mark called for arrived. Happy finally put animal welfare above his personal ambition (who would have guessed!?) and left an irate Gail standing at the altar as he ran over to assist. A police car also rolled up at this point (who called him?), which initiated a conversation with Happy and a request to talk with Gail.
Mark—apparently not yet helping the attendants—was standing near Niecy and wondering where Gail and Guyer had gotten to. Sometimes Mark is slow on the uptake, but not Gail and Guyer, who are experienced con artists and knew it was time to split. So they sped off in the “wedding vehicle” (complete with tin cans tied to the rear). Mark saw them fleeing and wanted to chase after them. I thought this was odd, given that he did not try to stop the wedding or call the cops on Gail beforehand. But Niecy reminded Mark that his biodiesel station wagon had no chance in hell of catching up. Therefore, he turned his attention to helping with the gorillas.
We have at least another week for this story. It will be interesting to see how this story plays out. Before Rivera started, this story might simply have cut back to Mark being at home in Lost Forest, summarizing the expurgated details to Cherry. As this strip is about enjoying and protecting nature and animals, we should expect to see the gorillas being treated at the animal hospital (educational!) and observe Gail and Guyer being led off in handcuffs (justice!).
Yes, most all sharks must keep moving to obtain oxygen, giving rise to the observation that sharks do not sleep. Apparently, most sharks go into some kind of near-sleep stasis, while moving much more slowly. But some sharks are able to remain immobile, at least for a time. A 2022 Smithsonian article cited a study that demonstrated that the Draughtsboard Shark is one species that can remain stationary and enter a sleep state. Some sharks can remain motionless or near motionless when resting, such as the whitetip reef shark, the Caribbean reef shark, the nurse shark, the wobbegong, and the lemon shark. This has to do with a different biological function that forces water through the gills so oxygen can be extracted.
Biodiesel fuel!? Really?! Well, if you are careful about it, the research says it is viable, as well as street legal and federally approved. But it won’t work in gas-powered vehicles, of couse. I found a rundown on the topic from several years ago on the Car Talk web site (There’s probably better information today, but I tend to be lazy on subjects I’m not that interested in!). With the price of diesel today (and biodiesel is even more expensive!), Mark and Cherry better be pulling in big bucks to keep that station wagon running.
Meanwhile, Mark’s moment of righteous indignation and frustration gets interrupted when, for the second time, he is asked help carry the ill gorillas into the ambulance. But damn! Who knew old Happy Trail was strong enough to lift a gorilla on his own (panel 3)? I’m impressed. I’m thinking that maybe Happy Trail should not have retired.
Alas, Mark and Niecy can only watch in frustration as Gail and Guyer drive away, knowing there is no way to catch them. That reminds me: Why would Jules Rivera apparently “forget” that she just wrote a police officer into the story a few days ago? Why isn’t he pursuing Gail and Guyer, rather than presumably still gazing at the sunset? Perhaps this is all a red herring or practical joke. After all, there is another week to go with this story, so it’s possible that the absent police officer will suddenly show up in Monday’s episode, speeding after the fleeing “wedding vehicle.”
What a shocking and totally unexpected action: Thomas Jefferson showed up to help carry the incapacitated gorillas into the animal ambulance (panel 1)! I suppose that was because Mark Trail was too busy trying to look important and concerned to get involved. And Mark can’t resist making sport of a tragic situation (panel 3): Ill animals are being taken to an animal hospital for treatment, while his dad has been abandoned and conned out of thousands of dollars by Gail Getz.
Also, I wonder where the police officer from yesterday’s strip went to? Oh, yeah. He’s in a field some place, talking with Happy Trail. Will we see him tomorrow, chasing the getaway car, or will his presence just be eliminated from the rest of the story as if it never happened? I’m pulling for some logical follow through.
As we have seen, Jules Rivera treats the romance scam that started this adventure as a bit of absurdist theater or parody. But that is par for the course; it’s how the strip has evolved. Serious subjects get introduced, but are handled in a fairly casual manner. I reckon it’s possible that this lighter approach might hit the target for readers within certain age ranges (most likely, younger people). On the other hand, after a few seconds of deep online analysis, I found research showing that the most vulnerable age ranges for romance scamvictims are 50-64 and 65-74; which more or less fits the age range of the scammer (Gail) and victim (Happy) in this story.
Romance scams are “big business” (or “big crime”), with overall victim financial losses exceeding $1 billion annually in the US. The scammers can be anywhere in the world, of course. In the current story, the romance scam seems have just been a pathway to the issue of animal mistreatment, a serious issue, itself, which Rivera has used in several of Mark’s adventures.
“My fiancée runs…” may be more accurate than Happy realizes. This story is getting deliciously nutty. Why are the police here? Did Mark call them in, as well? Why would cops show up at an animal medical emergency? I half expected that panel 2 was a setup for some kind of bad joke: “You’re saying a gorilla passed out during your wedding?”, “Yes”, “I see. Somebody on your fiancée’s side of the family, Sir?”
In any event, it seems like the gorillas are off to be examined at the animal hospital. It’s possible Mark went along, but we’ll have to see if he shows up tomorrow. Otherwise, our story has moved along as we all suspected: Once Gail saw that she couldn’t get the Trails away from the gorillas or complete the wedding to help secure what she thought was a big financial payout, she decided to cut her losses and split town with her son, Guyler. Just a presumption. Will the cops try to put the arm on Happy if Gail has truly fled?
Art Dept. Panel 4 holds some interest. An opossum (not a possum!) takes center stage and has been drawn freehand, by Jules Rivera. Its fur is defined by a series of individual lines that are mirrored in other locations of the panel, including the inconsistent rays of the setting sun framing Happy and the investigating cop. The repetition of these short, adjacent lines provides a continuity of texture designed to give a cohesiveness to the picture. This is the kind of hard-hitting, high-quality analysis you won’t get in other comic strip analysis web sites!
As the story develops (I’m using a conventional turn of phrase here!!), professional help has finally arrived on the scene to care for the gorilla(s). That is to say, DoctorHappy Trail has looked and diagnosed the issue, based on his medical experiences catching poachers, arsonists, and kidnappers; making countless fishing trips; and even going on a Yeti hunt. Let’s not overlook the efforts of his assistant, Resident Physician Mark, who has established a causal link to the infection. Whatever would the rescue staff do without their input!? Like politicians, I reckon Mark and Happy need to be the center of attention (Frankly, it just might be in their contracts).
At least the rescue staff are polite and not telling them to keep their unqualified opinions to themselves. In fact, it looks like they are trying to help Mark deal with his anguish (panel 3) by finding something useful for him to do (panel 4). This should be a simple task for Mark! I would not be surprised if he winds up hoisting the gorilla into the ambulance on his own and riding along to the animal hospital, where he will advise the staff veterinarians.
The Daily Trail 