Inconsistency is another (unfortunate) quality of this strip, except when it comes to Jules Rivera treating this like a gag-a-day strip. It feels as if we are being force-fed a variety of different “looks” to the strip. The art in today’s episode looks more slapdash. For example, the depiction of faces raises some questions: Why does the jawline sometimes run straight up the side of the face after defining the jaw, like a mask? You can see this clearly on the face of the announcer in panel 1 and in the face of Cliff in panel 2. Also, I’m wondering if Mark let Cliff wear his gold medal in panel 2, since Mark is not wearing his medal; and Cliff was wearing his silver second place medal in panel 1.  NEXT, just who are these people in the background in panel 1, cosplay armed guards!? Autograph hunters? Audience members looking for a port-a-potty?

I have to wonder just what Rivera was thinking as she designed these panels. Her insistence on portraying Mark (especially) as some kind of low rent buffoon is just wrong. The high-school level reactions of Cliff and Mark, along with Mark’s rejoinder in panel 3, could have been given to the Grungey Boys, who are supposed to be the actual rednecks in this strip. And that’s a problem.

The dinner invitation being announced by the bow tie herald implies that this contest is over. But why is the invitation announced in such an obviously mocking and ridiculous manner? Wouldn’t this information have already been given to contestants when they arrived? Does Rivera presume that we should understand this ridiculous presentation as a clue to the event’s mysterious nature? Or should we presume that Rivera is just mocking lumberjack contests? Or do we conclude that Rivera just doesn’t know how these contests work and is content to make stuff up?