The drawing of Mark’s expression in panel 1 (minus the cheap beard) is quite well done and above Rivera’s current standard of comic expressions and minimal shapes. On the other hand, Rivera seems to have not figured out how to draw a senior citizen with authenticity. Old people have more than gray hair, unless Happy has had a face lift.

One another technical note: Rivera has taken the usual curved background shape she often favors for highlighting individuals and continued it behind both Mark and Happy, creating a visual connectivity of the conversation, as if they were adjacent to each other. It is a clever, visual technique that helps put these two into their own conversational space. (This is just another example of the kind of in-depth, hard-hitting analysis I like to present that tries to provide you, dear reader, with more useful context and understanding. Or not.)

The Big “Small Hitch” Reveal didn’t reveal much and suggested more:  A train trip and Mark’s “working laptop.” I don’t believe Mark usually takes his laptop or camera with him on jobs, just like the old Mark Trail. Odd, for a photojournalist. What if Happy Trail doesn’t mean “fishing” in a traditional sense? What do you think?