Yes, Rivera’s art can certainly be atrocious, as recent critic Rich grunkle duck likes to point out. But more often, it is inconsistent, not always sunk to the bottom of the comic strip swamp, though today’s strip is a good candidate for that distinction. If this, and other recent strips were all we had to go on, it would be difficult to disabuse the accusation of non-stop slop.
As for this storyline, my fear is that, once again, Rivera will give lip service to the topic, itself. Like the just completed AI and the Environment story, very little time was actually spent on the topic and we didn’t really learn much more than a few platitudes. As this is a strip with a focus on the environment, one might expect a bit more depth.
But was it any different in pre-Rivera stories? Mark’s infamous bat-cave adventure had virtually nothing to do with bats or wildlife problems. Doc’s buried gold adventure took place in the desert. The bank heist and fake kidnapping story also partly took place in a cave with a silly sideshow of calming a bear with candy bars. The premise of Mark going to visit a friend to see gray wolves was soon forgotten.
None of these stories were really what we would call “nature-oriented”, as opposed to just being adventure stories. But, however far-fetched and contrived they were, they were still presented seriously, providing elements of plausible danger and suspense, with a feeling that somebody could get hurt (reference the Yeti, Oh My Yeti story, where the leader actually did die!). But ignore these elements and the stories, themselves, become thin and mediocre. That is: take out all of the “Indiana Jones” traps and pitfalls in the Bat-Cave story, and all you have left is a story of three people, trapped in a cave by human traffickers, making their way through a cave system, finally locating an exit and winding up swimming in the Gulf of Mexico.
Those elements of danger and suspense taken seriously are almost always missing in Rivera’s stories. Their absence helps lays bare the dead-ends, lapses, and plot holes in her stories. Why she leaves them out is not clear. It’s not from lack of awareness. Again, her first story certainly did exhibit real elements of suspense and danger, along with strong emotions. But that is nothing like what have been getting.
The Daily Trail 
Lets say you are correct and today’s strip is of more objective quality than the lackluster ones preceding it. I don’t understand then what you think this negates in terms of the overall perception of this strip and its cartoonist. Its not like there is a bar that goes up and down and when its full enough Rivera becomes a professional level draftsman with coherent messaging and accurate science in her writing. You’re trying to brow beat me but all I’m learning is that you have bad taste and big mouth.
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Hmmm, “Lets say you are correct and today’s strip is of more objective quality…” Actually, that’s not what I said or implied. In fact, I asserted the opposite. And I did acknowledge your assessment on that point, in general, but I added qulifications of my own.
“Its not like there is a bar that goes up and down and when its full enough Rivera becomes a professional level draftsman…” That’s fine as regards to your assessment. Quality can rise and fall, as has hers, at times. Your claim that she cannot reach a “professional level draftsman” level may or may not be true. I do not think that it is Rivera’s goal. She may have other, even pragmatic, reasons for her choices, as I’ve covered in the past. You dislike the strip because you believe she is incompetent. That’s okay. I often dislike it because I think she is deliberately drawing this way. You are certainly not the only one here that believes Rivera is simply incompetent. as regular reader Mark the Contrarian will tell you.
However, let’s clear the air here. I am not trying to “brow beat you”, as you asserted, nor have I attacked you, personally, in any way. I’m not forcing you to think as I do. However, I’m sorry to say that I cannot say the same for some of your comments. (e.g. “Someone who was actually capable of aesthetic analysis“, “… all I’m learning is that you have bad taste and big mouth.”) This isn’t X, Instagram, TikTok, or some other free-for-all social platform. We don’t engage in ad hominem attacks against each other here, and I will not allow yours to continue.
You are welcome to criticize the strip or my commentary, but comments about me, specifically, or my qualifications, are not acceptable. This blog is not a doctoral thesis nor does it pretend to be a professional critique. You are not forced to view this blog, it is not monetized, and you do not have to pay to access it. The focus is on the comic strip and shared reader reactions to it. Opposing opinions about content are always acceptable, but you need to confine your criticisms to the strip and commentary. If you feel the need to continue to troll me, or any other user here, I’ll be forced to block your account. I’d rather not have to do that.
Otherwise, you are welcome to visit and comment as often as you like. If you do not want replies from me to your comments, I’m happy to comply with that, as well.
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