In spite of having the peacock in hand, or on-the-head, Honest Ernest seems to have lost it once again. Do you notice anything else? In panel 2 Ernest looks older, more self-reflective and serious. I’m not sure what the extra-heavy inking of his work suit is all about, but he certainly presents a different persona, like a real person. Maybe I’m reading too much into it. Again.

Meanwhile, I don’t get Cherry. Well, I don’t get why she is turning into this less capable, more worrisome person, as if she has nothing more to do than just react to everything going on around her. As for that narration box in panel 3:  It was my understanding that the phrase “having a man in your/her/my life” refers to somebody personally close, such as a boyfriend, husband, or son. How does Ernest fit into any of those categories!? Isn’t he the ineffectual opponent to Cherry and the entire Trail family? He’s made actual threats and instigated violence against several of them, in fact.

Even Rivera seems to have forgotten the “other men” in Cherry’s life, to wit: Her brother, Dirk, and her father, Doc Davis. They don’t count anymore? Well, they do spend most of their time stuck in the “Mark Trail Occasional Character” closet.

Cherry has become a worrywart, hasn’t she? Is Rusty really coming apart (emotionally or psychologically)? And what’s that panic phone call all about? If this trend is going to continue, I’d rather see Ed Dodd’s version of Cherry. At least she had spunk in the beginning!

Wait…

Rivera’s Cherry had spunk in the beginning, too! The pre-Rivera Cherry eventually became more of a stay-at-home, dutiful wife, worrying about her husband’s safety or catching rays on a beach. And it looks like Rivera’s Cherry is following a similar path. But it’s a dead-end that leads to obscurity and irrelevance. Still, there are differences:  The pre-Rivera Cherry could have ceased to exist without affecting the strip very much. Mark could just as well have had Doc minding Rusty, or hired a nanny. Rivera’s Cherry, on the other hand, has mostly been a positive, dynamic part of the strip, with her own storylines and supporting cast. Maybe she just needs to get out of Mark’s shadow more often.