Okay, are we finally finished with this story? I think so. And yet, even more information comes to the surface about poor Rick the Hunter, aka Pokey-Man. I’m not sure why Cherry is nervous about Rick coming back to Lost Forest, since Peach lives in Florida, just like he does. But, dear readers, I stand (or sit) confused, and I’m a bit nervous to reveal the reason. But here goes:

Where are Mark and Cherry walking to in panel 3?

There, I got it out of the way. I feel much better. So Panel 1 shows Mark and Cherry walking alongside the truck, not towards it. I know I’m being nerdy, but in panel 3 they are still walking, as if on one of their nature walks. That truck isn’t that long!

Could there be some unmentioned time dilation between panel 2 and panel 3?

Do you think they decided to take an impromptu nature walk while still at the local pokey, before hopping back into the truck? We see that Cherry is guiding Mark, who is just a tad too happy from their conversation. It also seems like an unusual time and place to see a turkey lurking about. Still, I saw one just the other day walking on a neighborhood sidewalk. Go figure!

I suppose Cherry and Mark can claim some justification for their visit and shaming, since Peach invited herself up to Lost Forest and involved them in her troubles. But I agree with Rick: “No more!”

I have to hand it to Rivera for coming up with a nice closing comment from Cherry in panel 4, though I think I’d have swapped a “y’all” for “you” (y’all can be singular or plural, whereas “All y’all” is definitely plural). It would have just given Cherry’s statement more southern sweetness.

Artwork: Are you as mystified as I am about panel 3? It’s as if Rivera had been reading “A Tale of Two Cities” with all of its jail scenes. Rick’s cell has taken on the form of some old plaster-and-brick prison. That’s odd for what appears to be a modern concrete and steel building. Furthermore, the architecture of the jail cell is completely different from before. But I’m really curious how and why the jail cell door is now open. Maybe the sheriff agrees with me that having to listen to Mark all this week was punishment enough for anybody!

So, Mark and Cherry feel the need to butt in and get their pound of flesh. Seems rather petty to me, and not in any way useful. Not that I have sympathy for Psycho Rick, who is definitely being portrayed as a pathetic loser.

And I have a some questions about Mark’s diatribe in panel 3.

1. Exactly when did mark contact this editor, as he only just got back from Florida?
2. How did Mark figure out which magazine and which editor to contact?
3. Why would any magazine editor pull an article on the say-so of a nature journalist with, uh, only about 500 followers? Sure, the hunt was rigged, as Peach originally stated, but where is the evidence? As an editor, I would want more verification.

I’m confused here. Cherry and Mark talk to Rick as if he was some local punk, trying to pick a fight with them in a bar. Then Rivera has Mark spout some cornball mano-a-mano nonsense in panel 2. Curiously, while spouting his eye-to-eye declaration, Mark is shown farther away from the cell. Based on Mark’s declaration, I would have expected Rivera to show an actual face-to-face, eye-to-eye closeup of Mark and Rick. It’s a curious disconnect.

Also curious is panel 4, where Mark suddenly says he’s fine with letting The Authorities take care of Rick. What was all that macho talk about, then? This panel reminds me of stories where the bratty little kid catches an older sibling swiping a cookie and says “I saw you! I’m gonna tell Mom, and you’ll be in big trouble!”

Anyway, just what is Rivera trying to accomplish with this extended jailhouse confrontation? And how many more days will this verbal beat-down visit continue? Alas, Rivera likes to start new stories on Mondays, so I hope we’ll see something else filling out the rest of the week. Maybe we’ll find out whether Olive, Peach, and Dirk have left for their homes, or are meeting with the Lost Forest Prosecuting Attorney(!), to give testimony.

Boys will be boys, huh? While I understand the implication that Mark is upset that somebody threatened his family and in-laws, his assumption of authority here is egregious and downplays the fact that Cherry and her siblings already took care of the problem without him. Does Mark feel guilty for not being there? Or does he just feel a need to insert himself into the situation? Mark has always been more vigilante than reporter. It’s not “the Two Pens O’ Justice” that he wields.

Art Dept. Well, I don’t know why Rivera keeps having trouble keeping Mark’s face consistent. His head in panel 1 looks as if his nose has been chopped off. And he displays such small hands in panel 4. Small hands are something that has plagued Mark from time to time. Here is another example from May 2016, during the infamous cave chase adventure (“Arachnid Ho!”).

I can tell you from experience that hands can be quite difficult to draw well, and in proper proportions. But that’s no excuse.

For any newcomers to Mark Trail, that 2016 illustration above represents what Mark looked like before he underwent the transformation to the Mark you see today. It’s similar to Dr. Who’s transformations that take place when a new actor takes over.

Another point of interest: The jail cell illustrations. How do you illustrate people in jail, when seen from the outside? Too far away, and the character disappears behind the vertical bars. Too close, and you might lose the panorama you want to show.

Rivera’s solution of making cell bars temporarily disappear is inventive, but not really satisfactory. She has used this “disappearing bars” technique before, as far back as January 2022 in the “Zeeba Mussels” adventure. So, check out panel 3 in today’s strip, where Rick looks as if he is actually standing outside of his cell!

A Sheriff?! Is Lost Forest actually in Arizona or Wyoming? Well, this Sheriff is wearing his official Stetson and holding his official “Old West Jail Cell Key Ring”, the kind that hangs on a peg by the cell, so prisoners can work on creative ways to get them and escape. Maybe we’ll find out soon just why Cherry thinks it is necessary to visit Psycho Rick, especially as sister Peach appears to no longer be around.

The Sheriff looks guilty of playing the “male chauvinist” card, while he talks to Mark as if he is the one who needs to talk to Rick, and “the little woman” just came along, clinging to her husband. But his remark might be understandable, given that Mark is the one who spoke up first, while Cherry remained silent. And she sure looks clingy. Still, what’s the story here? Where is it heading? Are we going to have a “Silence of the Lambs” moment this week?

Art Dept. That’s one strange jailhouse. Another one of Rivera’s strange art days, with shifting proportions and bad perspective. Clunky drawing mars the panels where visual elements such as the cell door and the front door look as if they were bent and then slapped onto the walls. There’s a lot to unpack and you’re welcome to indulge.

Has Mark been reading those old adventure books by Rafael Sabatini? I mean, who says “So great to reunite with you.” And Mark’s only been gone two days. So fine, I think we all understand by now why Mark and Cherry enjoy their so-called nature walks, which also makes it easy for them to do tick removal before heading home.

We now know why Rivera didn’t draw a combined arriving-and-leaving scene at the airport. Apparently, Peach and Olive have to hang around town for Rick’s trial. I don’t get why this requires heading out to the jail, unless Rick filed counter charges against Peach, Olive, and Dirk.

It’s a shame, though, that we didn’t really get much education about manatees and wildlife while in Florida. Perhaps Mark and Cherry really should take some time for a nature walk so can at least observe some birds and bees.