In case you missed this week, I’m sorry to report you may not have missed much. Mark and Cherry shared a phone call and commiserated over each other’s tribulations. Taking it from a Big Picture point of view, I’d have to say that Rivera is emphasizing the fact that both Cherry and Mark are now active participants in their own stories, yet still try to find time to connect. Very “hallmark” of them, sure, but on the positive side, the fact that they try to find time to keep in touch in the midst of their jobs is a good thing. At least, in the abstract. In reality, Mark quickly laid aside Cherry’s morale quandary (“just focus on your work.”) to emphasize how much trouble and anxiety he is having. Well, this is his strip, right? I think we’ll get back to Cherry’s unresolved issues on Monday.

A very interesting creepy-crawly title panel today! I am not at all familiar with this snake, so I am now a bit informed. I’m surprised to see that Rivera continues to have a problem drawing the raised finger gesture (in the next-to-last panel) that Mark tends to use on Sundays. That pointing finger is always too flat and straight. Today, it looks more like a piece of wood stuck in his hand. Hands can be almost as tough to draw as feet. Yet, Rivera does just fine with Mark’s hand gesture in panel 2.

Anyway, 4 mph is hardly “almost a run“, but more like a slow jog. Sorry, I’m being too picky. At least, I’m glad to see Rivera not making the common mistake of confusing “poisonous” with “venomous”, as so many of us normal citizens do.