What’s that hackneyed cliché, “the plot sickens…” That groan in panel 1 may lend some weight to regular reader Daniel’s quip yesterday about a possible guest appearance by former adventure story co-star and cave-clickbait, Caria. Mark might have second thoughts about Rusty looking into that convenient hole in the wall to see what is going on in the next passageway.

Meanwhile, Rivera continues pitching this comic strip to . . . uh, well, I’m just not sure who. This does not strike me as the kind of strip a “younger reader” would find appealing. For one thing, the Wackiness Level is just not high enough, if that is what Rivera is shooting for. Rivera’s early statement about wanting to get Mark involved in more current environmental issues has only intermittently been attempted over the life of the strip. Showing Rusty as some suddenly “aware” boy affecting a TV sitcom eyewink as he delivers his punchline (panel 4) strikes me as uncharacteristic of him and smarmy.