Ooh! Rusty is really hot under the collar (an emotion excellently illustrated in panel 1!). But he proves to be a quick thinker and comes up with an idea much more topical and arguably more important—if less cute—than axolotls.

The plot of this storyline starts out as another (pre)teen rivalry between frenemies. We’ve seen in the past how Robbie takes every opportunity to stick it to Rusty. Will this tension continue to be the driving force of this story? Well, of course! I don’t expect we’ll see Robbie giving Rusty a High Five for a quick recovery and a superior topic. Nope. If anything, we can expect some sabotage along the way.

Art Dept. Have you noticed a small but increasing use of digital screentone patterns to suggest shadow (panel 2) or possibly mood (panel 3)? This technique normally replaces the more time-consuming manually-inked crosshatched lines. Rivera normally does not bother creating hazy or shadowy ambiance or even suggesting volume, preferring to use flat shapes and colors. I think it is a positive addition that I hope will eventually make its way onto the characters.