Well, I’m excited to see how this night hunting turns out; that is, whether Rivera knows much about it. I don’t. In general, most states restrict night hunting to going after predators, but not game. So, if they are hog hunting, there shouldn’t be an issue. OTOH, if Tess is actually hunting Mark Trail, that could be a problem! King Features Syndicate owns the strip, so I don’t think they are going to let Mark suffer a “Dick Cheney” incident. On the other hand, such an “accident” could provide a convenient, if fortuitous, reason for killing off the strip, as well.

Today’s script sounds like a setup plot of a B-Movie, where the intended guest (victim) has an inkling of impending disaster, but feels unable to do anything about it; like leaving the table, packing up, and getting away. And like those movies, Tess and Jess are extravagantly generous and open with their intended victim. And that’s like those old James Bond movies, where the villains are all very (if disingenuously) polite, well-dressed, and focused.

Still, Mark has his interviews and has sketched out his story. Job done! Nothing is keeping him there, except for the opportunity to exclaim “GOLLLLLY!” and chow down on a tableful of pork dishes. Okay, I can’t blame him for that part.

But we should at least expect some consistency with Mark’s dining habits. In panel 1, he eats with his left hand, with a drinking glass to his left. In panel 4, he eats with his right hand and has a different drinking glass on his right. Maybe this inconsistency is due to Mark’s nervousness?  Could also be why he forgot to first cut up that big chunk of meat he’s preparing to shove down his throat. Ah-ha! Maybe that’s the trick: Make Mark feel so nervous he tries to eat too much at once and chokes to death while Tess and Jess pretend to call the paramedics. Or not. But doesn’t everybody like a conspiracy!?

Art Dept. Yes, I know that the dinner table contents look like cartoon clipart pasted into the panel. Maybe it’s only inspired by clipart, or an adaptation of clipart. But let’s be fair here. Allen and his predecessors certainly took advantage of repeating/copying poses and faces, even using clipart for animals, cars, etc. Cartoonists have done this since comic strips began. It’s an accepted practice.