The guys seem so fascinated by director Wingit’s full name that they can’t help but repeat it in-full, every chance they get. Somehow, Mark jumps to the conclusion that, because Wingit would be shooting a scene in a cave, he might now be trapped in it. Why would he think that?

The cave reference Rivera refers to in panel 4 is to a “Journey to the Center of the Earth”-style adventure of a pursuit that took place in a southwest Texas cave. It appeared between Dec 2015-June 2016 when the strip was drawn by prior Mark Trail artist, James Allen (refer to our story category “Arachnid, Ho!”).  The adventure has since become an in-joke for its many cliffhangers, inane dialog, and seemingly unending length (the story and the cave).

It turns out that there really are numerous natural caves on Catalina Island, though most seem to be shallow. On the other hand, there are also several now-inactive mines of greater depth cut into the island rock to retrieve minerals such as silver, lead, and zinc, such as the BlackJack Mine. There is also a shallow “cave” blasted into the mountain below the landmark Holly Hill House. The town of Avalon initiated this to force the original home’s owner to allow public access across his land to the beach. Perhaps one of these will feature in Mark’s search.