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Monthly Archives: May 2020

Any port in a storm, right Andy?

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When we last checked in, Andy was eye-balling this panel truck from a distance…  And Rusty had been dispatched by Mark to call Andy in from the storm…

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…what a difference a few days can make- Andy seeks shelter from the storm, leaps into the box, and voila, he’s made himself an unwitting captive.

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Trucker Travis closes the doors without taking a good look inside- I mean, why would he?

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Besides, Andy seems quite comfortable on the hard metal deck and isn’t fazed in the least in the fact that he truck has now started and is moving…

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So here we go, Ladies and Gents.  Remember- Andy has a tag.  People can read, there’s this thing called the internet…  Yet it will probably be a year before he is reunited with his humans…

Mark’s Home?

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I’m Sorry, unless you show me some form of conveyance document, complete with consideration, the amount of which both parties acknowledge as sufficient, Lost Forest Is The Davis House, as in Doc an Cherry… Not the Trail House, as in Mark.  We have established over the years that Mark has fallen backwards into money and lives at Lost Forest, Schtupping the Owner’s Daughter (we assume) without so much as a farthing leaving his bank account…

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… But what have we here??  Development?  The bane of any good conservationist?  Especially the kind that is already set and “has his?”  Sort of like Al Gore’s house, which is not exactly Off the Grid…

Next thing you know, Mark will have a beer open…

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…and scene…  Back we are at Lost Forest.  Andy running to?  from?  amok?

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Mark relaxing as best he can in a hand-made chair… leaning back, checking the weather on his phone.  Is that how he knows that there is a storm coming??  And Rusty, if he is to get more air-time, will have to agree to do more around the place that sit in his room reading the on-line comics…

I think Rusty just grew a foot…

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…no, not that kind… not literally.  Just look how tall he is next to Mark!

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As Geoff falls out of focus and Mark returns to (more) familiar form, I am reminded of the very beginning of the cave adventure when Mark was free-climbing, all to set up the final scenes in the cave, in order that we couldn’t say, “Hey, where did Mark suddenly get those mad climbing skills?!”  It wasn’t clear, to me at least, that it was Mark doing the climbing.  In fact it might have been the first time Mark was ever presented without a shirt on, unless you  count the time that we was treed by a bear after separating his shoulder…

And In case you all are wondering when the switch-over occurred, from Elrod to Allen, here is the last daily signed by Elrod and the first daily signed by Allen.  Notice how in the latter  the style seems to change panel to panel…  a reminder that Allen has been at this (along with you scribe) for over 6 years…  he’s probably looking for an out…

Who are these people?!

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I have said it before, and I’ll say it again… Hell, I have probably even used this title before…  but really?  Look at the three pictures of Mark Trail.  It could be three different people, but for the annoying and always-available pink chamois-cloth shirt…

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I don’t know that I ever particularly cared about Mark and his family, but now I have generated actual disdain… I know… Lighten up, Francis…

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Who if Geoff talking to in the left hand frame?  And Rusty, best ever?  Greatest of All Time?  (That’s what GOAT stands for, you know, when you see it- took me a while figure that one out…)  Mr. Wizard, get me out of here…

Well… certainly didn’t see THAT one coming…

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Now that we are all focused on the Crowleys and their growing family, while also enduring another close-up of Dopey McDope-face…

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Little Kevin’s dream just came true!

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But wait, little guy… I am sure there is paperwork to fill out!!  But then I am sure that this isn’t the Crowley’s first rodeo with adoption.  I’m sure it will all work out fine…

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Now can we just get the hell out of here?  And can we find someone who can draw??  That final panel doesn’t even look like Mark!!

Here’s an idea- just start running old Dodd-Elrod strips on a daily basis.  The sense of relief would be palpable across the Trailverse.  This latest story has everyone a little twitchy…

Confession is good for the Soul!

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Eric begins his long confession and ultimate redemption:  3 days worth!  But why is Kevin looking so guilty?

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Eric continues:

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“Decided to come back?”  I think it was the fire, ma’am, that made Rusty and Kevin decide to come back…  And do you really think you wouldn’t have noticed a falling, flaming tree on your own?

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Because that’s what kids do these days… shake hands!  I think a friendly shoulder punch or back slap might have been more typical…

Good thing that the ‘Rona hasn’t invaded the Trailverse, otherwise the whole camping trip would have been called off…  Now there’s an  idea… Mark Trail, Sheltering In Place, Day 100…

Enough with the close-ups!!

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As we enter the long “Minnesota Good-bye” portion of our story, we are, unfortunately, treated to full frames worth of our story-specific characters…

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I always though it was Rusty that would make the most seasoned of us cringe and turn away, but Mr. Crowley’s face is hideous!  Not to mention Mrs. Crowley’s grammar!  How about “Saved our lives?”  “Our and Eric’s?”  Really?

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And what exactly is covering Kevin’s head?  Is that hair?  Hard to believe that Mr. Crowley would tousle it, Heaven knows what is growing in there…

 

 

From Raging Inferno to…

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Perhaps it’s just me, but I believe we were to have the impression that the lighting strike combined with a drought produced forest fire of epic proportion…

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…but no, apparently not…

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…it was brought under control by four dudes from the Forest service…  So, given the relative lack of severity, what exactly did they all “make it out of” anyway?

Swamp Thing??

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Or Zombie Apocalypse??  The first frame looks a little foreboding if you ask me… 

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…And of course it’s ALL_ABOUT_KEVIN… Good Lord.

Is this where we get off?  The end of the story?  I’d say “yes!” except that means we have to warm to the notion that there is another, and another after that…  Funny how I used to feel anticipation at the end of a story arc… now I just feel dread.