Just what is Mark’s fascination with Sharp!? Why does he continue to come to his aid? Or is Mark going to try to teach Rusty the difference between a lie and an honest mistake, based on the notion that maybe Sharp’s video did not deliberately set out to mislead.
Or maybe this is going to be a put-down of cancel culture. If so, points to Rivera. It’s a terribly arrogant and ignorantly false morality.
Rivera has spent 3 days setting this family time scenario up, so I’m thinking this episode of Father Knows Least will continue into Saturday with Papa Trail unsuccessfully trying to impart his wisdom to a 10-year old kid. Or maybe Mark will order Andy to chase Rusty into the woods so he can get some rest.
As expected, this week we see wet-blanket Mark greeting his radioactive son at home, after a long day screwing around; and it’s not even dusk yet! Rusty helps justify why grocery stores tend to install restraints in their carts to prevent them being taken off the premises, or even as far as your car parked halfway down the parking lot.
Mark remains clueless about Rusty’s life, just like he was pre-Rivera. That, at least, hasn’t changed, even if Rusty has. But what’s with all of this sympathy for Sharp, anyway? Mark looks like he’s turning into a Bee Sharp Fanboy. It ain’t Sharp that can’t a break here. But now we have to suffer Rusty’s wokeness?
In Sunday’s comments, reader Mark linked to an Ed Dodd reprint in the Vintage Mark Trail section of the Comics Kingdom web site for a visual comparison with neo–Mark Trail. Boh. Va bene, but I’ve seen better from Dodd. This was originally drawn in 1978, so probably not Dodd or Tom Hill, his original assistant. I’m thinking it had to be early Jack Elrod. I’m willing to be corrected on that guess. The drawing looks a bit too wooden for my taste. In fact, Cindi looks like she died in panel 3. Still, it falls in line with the standard Mark Trail style we all grew up with and definitely contrasts with the present realization.
I wonder if anybody is reading this blog or even reading the actual Mark Trail strip who is under 50 years old? Or 30?
It is one thing for Rivera to juggle two separate storylines in one strip (Mark’s and Cherry’s), and kudos for doing that. It’s another thing when one storyline starts branching out in a different direction, as has been going on for a while. While supposedly tracking down the source of intermittent bear attacks at the Water Bear Country STEM retreat, and possibly finding one likely source (unsecured garbage dumpsters), Mark got sidetracked into rescuing several guests from a hiking accident. Mark was hardly reluctant to step in and exercise his first aid survival skills, performing certain tasks that still seem inexplicable to urban plebes like me. The apparent telekinetic skills of Mark’s canine sidekick, Andy, came in handy when Mark had to put the injured Professor Bee Sharp into the back of his station wagon to transport to the hospital.
How does this subplot (I’ll be generously optimistic here) tie into Mark’s original mission, assuming he can even remember it? Maybe we’ll learn more on Monday when this story continues for another week. Just a note: We’ve now had four publishing weeks dedicated to Mark’s first day on assignment. He’s had a very busy day!
Want to bet that this week’s strips will focus on Mark going over his first day with Cherry? Oh, she might get a word in, edgewise, with her latest Honest Ernest tale of woe.
Well, Andy was pretty much the only “wildlife” we saw this past week, so why not devote a Sunday to Saint Bernards?
By the way, I really don’t like the new old-school beard Mark is sporting. Rivera should go back to the hand-drawn stubble and ditch this “hobo beard” meme. Does anybody like the new beard style over the old one? Just compare the banner illustration at the top of this page.
While a rogue bear is possibly munching down on a lost reporter, Mark spends quality time with his pals. The criticisms today are just too obvious:
1) Exactly how did Andy help Mark and Sharp? He seems more intent on doing an imitation of Little Orphan Annie’s dog, Sandy.
2) How is Sharp able to even stand up with his compound fracture?
3) As Sharp warned of impending shock (something we remarked on two days ago), why did Mark put him in the back, sitting up, rather than lowering the back seat so he could lie down with his legs elevated?
4) Is Rivera ill-informed, indifferent, or vengeful?
Okay, that’s all I can write. I know it’s lame, but I’m dreadfully behind in my Italian homework, which is not a good thing. I have an exam on Monday, an oral presentation the next day, and a trans-Atlantic conversation with my Italian TANDEM partner later. Oh, and I forgot about the meeting with our tax preparer before the exam. Hell, I wonder if Andy will help me!?
Well. WTF is Andy supposed to do, pull the day bed!? This is mostly Mark’s own fault, since he could have loaded Sharp into his station wagon when they first got back to the retreat. Talk about a contrived situation. What’s with this “we” business, Mark?And why are you still concerned?Call the bloody paramedics. Then find the bear and lost reporter. Just do the job you were hired to do, Mark!!!
<Sigh!> Yes, I know, another story gone off the rails. This could have been an interesting adventure of investigation, hidden agendas, and drama. Instead, it is once again Mark wasting time with the same people he’s dealt with before (except for the cargo ship owner and his assistant, who appear to have disappeared).
A few days ago commenter Downpuppy brought up a salient point about the missing reporter. My hypothesis is that he got fed up with these whackjobs and just ran away. But at least Sharp has a sense of humor.
Craziness ensues, as does Rivera’s continued slagging of tech nerds. With regard to panel 4, why didn’t Mark just put Sharp in the back of his station wagon and take him to the hospital to begin with? Did he even call for an ambulance? Hard to believe this nature retreat would have been erected in a location with no cell service. But frankly, I’m also surprised that Mark did not position Sharp in anticipation of oncoming shock. Definitely don’t want the head raised.
Side Note: It seems that most of Mark’s nemeses are involved in technology. If this is going to be a continual source of threats to nature and the environment in the Trailverse, then I think Mark could use some help, such as a partner well versed in technology. This could also open up move avenues for better story development! But who would be that person? Somebody completely new? Certainly, not any of the current stable of misfits. Kelly Welly? Haven’t seen enough to know. But Diana Daggers has some tech skills, as well as the ability to handle rough stuff. Sure, she can be a thorn in Mark’s side, but partners-in-tension is a popular TV and movie meme. It worked for Peanuts, so it should work for Mark Trail.
Wait. I recall from my boy scout training that a compound fracture indicates a bone brake that pierces the skin, causing real pain and sometimes extensive bleeding. I don’t think we saw any of that, did we? Major incidents like that are not handled in the casual manner we saw. So, either Jules Rivera doesn’t understand the seriousness of the term or Mark overstated the break for dramatic effect.
As for Stump’s erratic reaction, this seems to follow Rivera’s usual characterization of tech nerds (think Cricket Bro and Professor Bee Sharp) as unhinged or even bipolar. One has only to compare today with Stump’s polite and seemingly sincere welcome to Mark when they first met (see Feb 28 – Mar 4).
This sequence just looks so out of place, as I noted earlier. This confab should have taken place before Mark went to the rescue. But we’re not surprised to find no medical resources on site, are we? If there are any state or federal requirements about how private camps must be managed, Sid sure doesn’t act like he’s aware of them. So far, this follows Rivera’s typical take on tech-nerds. In short, how does this rescue mini adventure support the storyline?
On the other hand, kudos to Rivera for not including redundant narration boxes today.
Not to be too snarky, but shouldn’t Mark have warned Sid before rescuing the guys? Maybe Stump actually does have an emergency plan in place, and maybe a medic on staff, as well. Wait, when did anyoperation Mark dealt with have any semblance of actual organization or logistics? So, we’re not breaking new ground here, as Jules Rivera continues her ongoing beat-down of tech nerds. Maybe they are a favorite target of disdain in California, but this is at least the third story to feature clueless-in-life tech nerds. Mark needs new enemies!
Today’s strip would have been a decent cliff hanger for the week when Mark first heard about the accident. But that crisis is apparently past, so this week could turn into a Mark TrailPSA on safety preparations and training. Oh joy.
This week Cherry continued her attempt to convince Violet Cheshire to cancel Honest Ernest’s contract to pave over a portion of the grounds and garden of the Sunny Soleil Society because of environmental issues. Unfortunately, currently married Violet declaimed her love for currently married Ernest and flatly refused to cancel his contract. Cherry was shocked as much by the apparent insult to traditional family values as she was by Violet’s decision. Stymied by this defeat, she stomped away to dig up rose bushes before the concrete arrived.
But now, a bit of history and contrition: When this strip began in 1946, Cherry led a feisty lifestyle but eventually married Mark and landed a new role as stay-at-home wife and mother to adopted son, Rusty. With few exceptions, Cherry’s appearance was limited to welcoming Mark home and despairing over his departures. One of Jules Rivera’s important innovations was to give Cherry more options, including her own adventures.
I opined earlier this week about a supposed over-emphasis on emotion and reaction as might be heard in a soap opera. However, my wife reminded me that women, in general, are more likely to discuss feelings and relationships than men. Fair point. Even a blockhead like me recognizes that Cherry’s adventures add an additional—female—spotlight on this male-oriented adventure strip. So, I was wrong to get overly snarky about the dialog. Anyway, I’d still like to see a story costarring Mark andKelly Welly, since Rivera made a big deal about Kelly when she started out.
My usual quick-and-dirty research confirms most of what Mark reports. But he fails to report that some major concrete companies are working on solutions to reduce CO2 emissions, while there is a lot of research into developing safer alternatives to concrete. I’d be happy for that, because concrete is not only a health hazard, it also usually leads to ugly, prefabbed architecture, inflexible sidewalks and driveways, and sore arms from mixing it for home projects.
I’m disappointed that Rivera, having properly introduced a defeat against Cherry’s “save the grass” defense, undermined the dramatic element of the situation by introducing a lame, grade school pun in panel 3. In addition, we see Cherry reduced to committing what appears to be petty theft: removing rose bushes from the property of the Sunny Soleil Society. And she’s doing it right in front of Violet. Or is Cherry just trying to relocate the bushes to a safer part of the grounds?
Anyway, according to various gardening sites I looked up, you don’t just suddenly dig up a rose bush. It takes a lot of work and a lot of preparation. Acting impulsively is rarely a successful strategy when it comes to transplanting rose bushes.
Violet Cheshire may have gotten a bum deal from the in-laws, but I’d be inclined to put her out to pasture, as well. I reckon that she is putting Cherry firmly in her place with little or no recourse. Cherry’s attempt to cast moralistic aspersions falls flat: No laws broken, it’s private property, and Cherry is just the hired help. So, will this particular adventure draw to an early close or will Jules Rivera bring on some kind of dux ex machina to keep this story going? Unless Cherry resorts to possibly illegal actions, I don’t see what else she can do. What do you think?
Persisting to argue risks getting fired: Cherry could stand on principle, but she’d be out of work and the paving would still take place. Ernest has already made his position known and Cherry is not likely to sway him. I wonder if Rivera is brave enough to allow Cherry (or Mark) to lose once in a while? That would be refreshingly realistic and innovative.
I think if I wanted to see “Mary Worth”, I’d read “Mary Worth”. I mean, the general concept for this story is fine: Cherry is a landscaper fighting against a decision that could adversely affect the local environment. Got it. Maybe I’m being too “male oriented” here. After all, situations like Violet’s certainly must come up. I just hope that we don’t wander too far into the relationship weeds. Cherry Worth? Well, let’s see what Rivera does with the situation. Any bets on whether Cherry brings up Ernest’s wife, Carolyn?
Not sure why Rivera brands this relationship a scandal now (panel 4), as if it wasn’t already a scandal when the relationship was first revealed in Cherry’s prior story (“Rash Decisions”). But do we need the kind of “reality show” editorializing we see in the narration box of panel 4? If the characters want to declare a scandal, that’s just fine. But I don’t think we need Rivera opining from her caption soapbox, like those annoying in-show mini-interviews they stick in reality shows and “Modern Family.“
Cherry is certainly trying to be reasonable and—shockingly—even pledges to work with Honest Ernest! All to no avail, of course. And Cherry should know better, since Violet has a reputation for not changing her mind.
So, what happens next: Call on her garden club commandoes? Drive out to the mountains to get her survivalist brother? Or call on Mark to make a last stand on property that is not hers? I don’t see any way to take the Society to court; in fact, virtually anything Cherry does would likely be seen as illegal or actionable. I’d be more than surprised if she was able to talk Ernest into taking any kind of action that would hurt his business or contract. It’s a cracker of a problem. I have no idea, but I’m curious to see what Rivera comes up with. One alternative approach for Cherry is to go the way I suggested earlier: Quit and find new customers: You can’t win ‘em all.
“Miss Violet, might I have a minute of your time?” Guess they really are down South. As was I, and I still say “Yes, Sir” and “Yes, Ma’am” to people, among other eccentricities.
Seems that the “man who barely knows how to boil water” didn’t bother telling Violet about Cherry’s knowledge of their secret relationship. The way Cherry can’t keep her temper, she’ll no doubt reveal her awareness all by herself. With their history, don’t you wonder why Violet keeps Cherry around? Oh, sure, the needs of the strip. But really, Rivera can create more characters and put Cherry into a different situation.
C’mon, y’all. I don’t have to make the obvious historical connection to Cherry’s pose in panel 4, do I? But if you don’t get it, I’m sure one of the other 2 or 3 viewers will post the correct response in the Comments.
Not sure where Cherry is power-walking to, as the house behind her is the HQ of the Sunny Soleil Society. Maybe she’s just waking up her mojo. She seems unduly optimistic about speaking to the woman who is/was having a secret affair with Honest Ernest. Or will Violet literally kick her out of the house once again?
I criticized Rivera’s interpretation of Monarch butterflies in the title panel of Sunday’s strip for looking more like fall leaves. I think I may have to eat those words. As can be seen below, a colony of Monarchs in a tree looks very much like autumn leaves!
You can wake up now, the week is over. As far as the current story arc goes, Mark left the retreat with Bunny, er, Honey, . . . no, Holly (?) to investigate her plea to help her friends hurt by a collapsed trail. Mark arrived to find Rob and Sharp lying injured at the bottom of a steep hill. Instead of smiling with the feeling of justice done, and returning to his job, Mark’s good side decided to rescue them, instead. Presto! Shazam! Mark made a dog-cart pulled by faithful Andy suddenly appear to assist him. Clearly, there was an unspecified time delay. Somehow (how, Rivera does not show us) Mark was able to either get the cart and Andy down the hill or get the two boobs up, whereupon they all returned to safety, with Bee Sharp in the cart and Rob helped back by Jadsen. Of course, the two casualties complained and whined along the way. So typical.
As I noted before, this otherwise nonessential side story could have been presented in a more dramatic fashion, but I reckon Rivera decided that actual drama was out of place in a strip based more on eccentricities and parodies (or was that satire?). Parody and goofy characters have pretty much been Rivera’s approach since she started. I’m not against that in general, but I think this strip would be better if she intertwined some real drama here and there into the stories. The two elements can work together. Isn’t that we mean by a dramedy? For example, the movies In Bruges, The Wizard of Oz, and early Jackie Chan movies; Buffy the Vampire Slayer on TV; and Tintin in comics. So, it can be done.
I like the idea of the butterflies spelling out “Mark Trail” more than the execution, which looks more like fall leaves. Yet, this is a good, positive Sunday strip showing that sometimes, things do get better. By that, I mean the monarch butterfly population.
Rivera saved some drawing time, as cartoonists will try to do, by taking a few butterfly images and replicating them to create the swarms. Unfortunately, she included a heavy outline in the replicated images (e.g., panel 2), which foils their natural light appearance.
Bee Sharp is thinking of something, as we see from his thought balloon in panel 1. Just what it is, however, remains a mystery, owing to its minute size. Another mystery! Well, if you can figure out what he’s thinking, drop a comment.
Now the story moved on to a successful conclusion, I think. They are all safely out of danger, Mark proclaims in another “feel-good” story arc. Don’t those two have to get to a hospital or urgent care center? But enough, already! I had hopes that this rescue sidebar would push the story along by injecting some actual drama, like how dangerous it was for Mark to get to those two boobs (No, I’m not talking about Molly!). Maybe we could even have had a bear sighting during the rescue, something to remind readers what this story is supposed to be about.
In any event, behold the two week climax of the story arc for Mark. I’m sure we all had a few moments of nail biting, didn’t we? If form follows tradition, Monday brings back Cherry and whatever she was doing. Oh, right: Arguing with Honest Ernest.
Ah, I do so not wish to continue to take on the role of snarkmeister, so popular with commenters on the Comics Kingdom web site. Sure, I could write about the truly clumsy perspective in panel 1, whereby Bee Sharp would be about ten feet tall if he could stand up. Nor do I want to once again play the Gilligan Card and riff on how Mark was able to get Andy and a wagon all the way over to this location so quickly. I also won’t step on Rivera’s toes by wondering why Mark didn’t just call for an ambulance or rescue service in the first place. No, I won’t.
Perhaps it is reasonable to guess why Mark is having such a great time over this near tragedy: Seeing several of his “enemies” get the short end of the stick and knowing they had to depend on him to rescue them. Maybe Mark is more vengeful then we think.
The Daily Trail 