An all-too-common complaint is Rivera’s supposed lack of artistic ability. I don’t believe that. I think it is deliberate. We have seen many some examples of finely crafted panels. However, today is not one of those days. The everyday banality of the scene, itself, is perfectly fine and hardly different from similar pre-Rivera scenes, except for the difference in Cherry’s attitude. It’s nice to see that Cherry is not the mewing, tearful housewife of “the old days.” Rivera’s attempts to create “greeting card” maxims (panel 3) is the only real jarring text.

Art Dept. Here is where, once again, I am perplexed and frustrated. From the cabin bedroom in panel 1 to the outdoor scene of panel 3, if you removed Mark and Cherry, I’d almost swear I was looking at panels from Snuffy Smith and Li’l Abner. Well, maybe not quite that good. Panel 3 is especially galling in its crudeness. It makes me wish Rivera would go back to using clipart and tracings. Is this another case of “Gotta go, surf’s up.”? Or maybe a challenge to the syndicate to see how much she can get away with? This is the kind of stuff that draws out regular scanner, Mark the Contrarian Commenter. Except that I stole his thunder.