Why is Mark talking to himself out loud? Normally, this kind of discussion appears in a thought balloon, not a dialog balloon, where Mark might be seen as somewhat mental by any passersby. Or security.

Whatever experiment Rivera was engaged in regarding a revision of this strip’s visual style seems to have been chucked aside as we return to the over-the-top exaggerations in image and words that became standard as far back as the “LA Confidential” story, where Mark first faced off against his now-perennial gang of opponents and grifters:  Cricket Bro, Professor Bee Sharp, and Sharp’s one-time assistant, Diana Daggers. But here, Daggers reprises her role as an Airport Welcome Wagon. She is a true hustler and plays both sides of the road. 

As movies will deviate from their origins in a book, it seems clear that this adventure will soon turn away from anything remotely serious and drive pell-mell through the dusty roads of chaos and absurdity. In short, this will probably be another typical story in the Rivera Trailverse. Buckle Up!