Mark seems to have an OCD-like fascination for outlandish hats, especially of the “Stetson” variety. He no sooner arrives in some “west of the Mississippi” state, then he pulls some kind of Urban Cowboy headgear from out of thin air, like a magician auditioning for a job a Caesar’s Palace. Well, there is one thing we can all agree upon about Mark: Gravitas is not his strength.

Jules Rivera kept today’s strip simple and focused, so Mark could deliver his cornball wit and sartorial excesses without the interruption of his other traveling companions, Rusty and Cliff. I wonder if Rivera will devote one of this week’s strips to a panoramic view of The Strip, or focus on the downtown hotel/casinos. I expect this week will be devoted to getting these Forest Olympians situated in their hotel so they can conduct any preliminary sightseeing and gambling before the Big Event begins.