The ancient Latin phrase above (it had a legal significance even in the time of Cicero) generally translates as “who benefits?” (my Latin teachers would criticize this casual definition, I’m sure) Anyway, I believe the expression applies here, as Mark discovers that Diana Daggers fully expected the altercation because of who Mark is and because of how Tad acts.

What is the point, then? How does a failed interview and fight benefit anybody? Will Tad Crass swear out a police complaint against Mark? Maybe Diana is using Mark to flush Tad out in the open so he’ll say something that hurts him. Still, has Tad Crass done anything illegal, aside from possibly bribing some government officials to help him relocate mustangs running on his property?  Surely, Diana is not that interested in just rooting out government corruption. Cui bono?

Art Dept. Hey, how about that statue in panel 1? Well, check it out! Why it has highlights on both sides of the body—while no highlights exist elsewhere in the panel—is a mystery. Then again, this comic strip almost always avoids depicting any kind of atmosphere, where every day is almost always warm and bright. In fact, we rarely see anybody or anything even cast shadows! Clearly, atmosphere is not of central importance to Rivera.