Are you wondering if I’m going to make a crack about Cherry’s hips in panel 2? That would be grabbing low-hanging fruit, so to speak. But feel free to ponder why Rivera made the choice to draw Cherry that way. It’s about consistency, not sexism!

If you read yesterday’s strip, you know that I asked whether Rivera can keep up the dramatic mood she sprung on us (and on Peach). Well, today is a mix of inanity and drama.

First of all, how can Cherry’s trash bin be tricky to find when it’s right beside the steps in plain sight? Are we to think these outdoor scenes are really supposed to be dark? Or does Cherry think Peach is an idiot? Inanity! Rivera could have made up a simpler and more likely reason: “Maybe she got distracted by the great views we have of the stars. I’ll go check.”

Secondly, Rick’s car magically appears in the back yard, though I believe Rivera had to take some liberties for the sake of the scene: Cherry descends the steps, only to discover the danger Peach faces as she is forced into the car. There is another loophole.

In short, real danger continues to hang over the story. What will Cherry do next? What will Rick do, now that Cherry is on the scene? And I wonder where Dirk is.