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The game’s afoot!

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(January 2, 2025) Military commanders like to say that a plan never survives contact with the enemy. However, you need to have a plan in the first place, right? With all of the time that has passed between Mark learning about the assignment and right now, I would have thought the Storm Brain NPO could have put something together by now. Anything!

And just what the heck is going on in panel 1? Is this another instance of dialog balloons getting mismatched, intentionally or accidentally? As even a blockhead like me knows, “I’m glad you called me” is Mark’s line. And that “brilliant” analysis that transit is the best time for grabbing Max could have come from non-other than the impulsive Skeeter. Of course, he is wrong. The best time to grab Max is now, while they are standing around plotting strategy. And the Whether Men won’t just grab Max; they will grab the truck with Max in it.

It’s really hard to not laugh at the sheer naivety of these people, acting like little kids participating in their first school football game. This storyline and dialog force me to consider whether Rivera is once again mocking her readers or maybe her syndicate. I’m not criticizing the basic story idea—which is just fine— but the way it’s being developed.

So, am I wrong (again)? Is my analysis off, or is there anything else on your mind?

Happy New Year, unless you are a manatee or report the weather.

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Rivera brings in real events and (absurd) beliefs that have been in the news during 2024 (if not before). In the Real World, crackpots accuse meteorologists and the federal government of controlling weather, specifically, hurricanes. For this story, Rivera redirects that blame onto manatees. And not just manatees in general, but specifically to Max the Manatee. Somehow, teaching climate change is wrapped up in this stew of stupidity.

I may be just a slow kid from Virginia, but I found Skeeter’s comment in panel 1 problematic. Based on that comment about the influence of teaching climate change, I don’t know if Rivera wants us to think that Skeeter is acting a bit too paranoid or if we are supposed to believe that the members of the Whether Men are even more mentally unbalanced than originally presented . Well, maybe Skeeter is a bit too involved, anyway, as he thinks Max is their manatee.