A week of stops and starts, or at least a stop, then a possible start, then a probable stop. Then a boom. Happy Trail’s ill-thought plan to take Mark on a train north to Ohio for a two-day fishing trip went south when the engine stalled for half a day, somewhere along the route. While they waited, Happy revealed there was to be a surprise ceremony to award a certificate to Mark in honor of his grandfather, Forrest Trail. He was involved in environmental activities back in the 1960s that helped usher in the EPA. For some reason, Mark seemed pretty ignorant of his grandfather’s work. Kind of strange in a family devoted to environmental causes, if you ask me (go head, ask me!). Can you picture Mark trying to give a talk about his grandpa at the ceremony?

Art Note:  Speaking of “picture”, check out the Wednesday and Thursday strips. Rivera chose to show Forrest Trail looking something like a pre-Rivera version of Mark Trail. On Thursday, I displayed a gallery of Mark Trail faces over the decades, from the strip’s artists. I think the early and current versions by Rivera are pretty shocking in the amount of change they show over just two years. Check ‘em out!

Anyway, while Mark and Happy were outside of the stopped train (possibly later in the trip) getting in some stretching, a loud explosion took place, revealing that “a train has exploded.” Was it their train or another train? Don’t know, yet. But we do finally have some actual suspense and the chance for some serious drama. Let’s hope Rivera comes through for us. But first, let’s dip into the Sunday Nature Chat.

It seems that “killfish” is a generic term for over 1K different species (in several taxonomic families) of small fish that appear in waters around the world and are also popular (if involuntary) participants in aquariums and fishbowls. Many are picturesque, but long life is not a characteristic of killfish. It may be that their short lifespans allow multiple generations to more quickly evolve, building up their immunity to the toxic pollutions Mark is talking about.

By the way, that’s a well composed and executed last panel! Almost a shame to have a dialog balloon.