Hmmm, yet another week with Mark. Frankly, I’m surprised to see this story continue. Mark’s comment in panel 4 is questionable, at best, and can lead to a person’s injury or death. Usually, the best way to help a wild animal in need is to call the proper authority and let them take care of it. For example, picking up a bat is not an honest mistake; it is reckless and dangerous, as we just saw. Wear gloves first!? How about “Don’t touch it”? As a survivalist teacher, Mark is guilty of providing bad and misleading information similar to the bad information in Connor’s fake survival book that Mark raged against.

NB: The CDC and Mayo Clinic state that a potential rabies patient must actually undergo a series of shots. Better than dying, however, as untreated rabies is almost always fatal! Bats are the number 1 cause of rabies in the Americas.

Getting back to the strip, I wonder where Rivera is taking this story? I’m no writer (as you can tell), but since Rivera seems reluctant to include actual survival/camping lessons in this story, what is left to do? I think it is time for Mark to get that old, familiar phone call from Bill Ellis and go back to work.