It is a happy day, indeed, to see Jules Rivera revisit the old Mark Trail trope of the ambiguously misplaced dialog balloon. Hah-Hah. Look at that bird (is it a European Robin!?) shouting “ARGH!” So funny. Okay, it might be a little cute. But fortunately, Rivera doesn’t do this very often. Moving on…
Today’s strip is a filler, certainly not moving the story along, even though we’re only in the prologue stage. But let’s give Cherry (or Rivera) her due for keeping a popular southern oath (panel 1) in the public domain, where some readers might assume Cherry’s statement is the result of having spent the prior evening binge-watching The Beverly Hillbillies.
But I’m still a bit disappointed that Rivera chose to not have Cherry participate in this assignment. It would have been a nice change from her usual Sunny Soleil Society stories. That is, Bill Ellis could have given both Mark and Cherry their own, separate assignments. Instead, Rivera kept it conventional. Looks like we’ll have Cherry once again cleaning Violet Cheshire’s boots and putting up with Honest Ernest.
The Daily Trail 
Today the trendy French press coffee maker makes its Mark Trail debut in a remarkably modern Lost Forest kitchen.
Mark Trail coffee should be made the “cowboy” way of tossing grounds in a pot of boiling water while sitting around the campfire. While they are basically the same method, the French press strains out the grounds.
If we can’ have a campfire, perhaps lifestylist Megan Markle will make a cameo soon? I would have said Martha Stewart, but young Julz probably does not know of her.
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Good point. Not being a coffee drinker, myself, I appreciate a learned commentary on the subject. I agree with you about the “cowboy coffee” ethic.
Martha Stewart aside, perhaps it would be better and more fun to have Mark and Cherry get a visit and “how to” session from cowboy cook, Kent Rollins.
Now, there is an idea for Rivera: Get real-life outdoor experts to give permission to have themselves featured in some of Mark’s stories, even if they are just cameos.
I can picture a lot of Trailheads shuddering at the mere thought of Rivera doing this!
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The high tide of James Allen’s Mark Trail was when Abbey Powell from DoA explained the emerald ash borer problem, & the Department of Agriculture used it.
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Say, that’s right, Downpuppy! And who could forget her starring role in Mark’s Hawaiian Islands volcano disaster (“Honey and Darling“) in 2016?
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Cherry the temptress.
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Cherry the temptress.
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Cherry the temptress.
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I got it! I got it! I got it! :)
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Sorry. Don’t know why it posted 3 times.
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And I thought you were just being overly exhuberant about Cherry! :)
I’ll remove your two duplicate comments and what follows in this thread.
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