Who knew that it would be Cherry who throws the first haymaker? Yikes! Nothing like family to set a person off, huh?
Nice Ostrich! AWK! indeed…
Truck door handle… right. Sometimes one can’t see the forest for the trees. Poor Rusty. He came from dysfunction only to land right back into a different brand of it.
The Daily Trail 
You’re right about Rusty. Even though he has been rebooted/reborn, he still winds up on the short end. And the only thing missing from that “girl-on-girl fight” meme is a bunch of mud.
But with the Turkey giving us readers the raspberry (I could not resist the Thanksgiving pun), I wonder how much longer Jules will continue to wreck havoc with the Trump Universe? Well, at least she gives the Tried-And-True Trail Tradition of random animals parading through the panels a more active role!
Confused, befuddled, baffled and wondering what this comic strip is now. As far as animals, I’ve seen lots of snakes, a tree frog and a woodpecker. Guys, a question, are you actually enjoying looking at this anymore? This really is not Mark Trail. Teen Sparkle or whatever title you want. The artwork is even lame. I’m sorry, but I’m very disappointed. I understand Jules taking a new tact here but she has created a strip that has absolutely nothing to do with the Mark Trail Comic Strip. This is not even a facilime. Sigh……….
Oh yes, Mark, I get your position! You are correct: This is not our familiar Mark Trail. Though this is not a unique situation in the history of comic strips, it doesn’t alter the present. Maybe it’s best to think of it in the same light as tv & movie reboots, such as Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Full House, Sabrina….er, maybe we shouldn’t go there.
But, I’m giving this reboot a shot. Let’s face it: We regularly blasted “Mark Trail” for its many shortcomings, in spite of continuing to follow it. It was a comfortable cushion to sit on, though losing its stuffing and looking a bit shabby. Still, it had a familiar feeling. This new version has clearly taken a 90 degree turn and is reaching out to new (and still breathing) readers. If we “geriatrics” want to keep up, that’s fine. If not, there’s still Blondie, Apartment 3-G, and the eternal reruns of Peanuts .
On the other hand, while it looks nothing like old-school Mark Trail, I think there are numerous elements to appreciate:
1. Composition: Jules has a stronger sense of framing, unusual angles, and using space; she’s certainly influenced by layouts in movies and graphic novels. Her panels are just more interesting to look at, whereas layouts in the older Mark Trail were more static and bland.
2. Storylines: Too early for much discussion, but Jules is certainly introducing story angles we’d never imagine: Mark talking to animals (a metaphor for wrestling with your inner demons or a new-found Dr. Doolittle power?) is intriguing. Mark Trail as the latest in a dynasty of earlier (and apparently morally questionable) Trails is equally fascinating. One danger is taking this too far, where everybody winds up with a traumatic backstory (which seems to be the case!) and the strip devolves into self-doubt and cynicism.
3. Art: I agree that the drawing can be harsh, especially in b/w! I think it is a matter of style, not artistic limitation. But I think the characters here actually come off a bit more “human” than their earlier counterparts, in appearance and actions.
So, I’m going to keep following it; not for nostalgia’s sake, but for its own sake, and see if I can keep up. SORRY to go on so. One of my bad habits!