Here we go again! Mark had to help Dad (Happy Trail) out before, when he got conned in an NFT scam run by the Crypto Bros out in Oregon. Now, Happy may be getting scammed by an online romance crook. Is it time to put Happy’s money into a supervised trust and appoint a guardian? That could be done, but it would also be the end of the story. So, nope! And Mark is not going to tell Niecy “Dad’s an adult and it’s his money to do with as he wants. If it makes him feel good to give away all of the money he intended to leave me, then the hell with him!”
On a serious note, Internet scams are a recurring issue for senior citizens who may not be that discriminating or knowledgeable about emails scams, fake websites, popups, and other online hazards. Hell, you don’t have to be a senior citizen to be taken in by online crooks and pranksters. We all like to think we’re too wise and too smart to fall for that stuff. It’s a vanity that online crooks exploit.
Anyway, it’s a good thing that Niecy is contacting Mark to update him on the situation down there; though it’s going to be a nearly impossible job if Niecy or Happy expect Mark to recover the funds already transferred. There are practical things they should do right away if this is an online racket. But we’ll just have to wait and see where this story goes.
And “where it goes” is the most important concern for us: how Jules Rivera treats this issue. Will it remain a major plot device for the story or will it be cast aside as the story shifts in another direction?
The Daily Trail 
Maybe it will be the long-awaited (by whom?) crossover with Mary Worth! It’ll be interesting to compare Jules Rivera’s art to June Brigman’s. And find out if that guy escaped from the compound in Southeast Asia.
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I’m certain you won’t find much comparison with the artwork, though there is always the faint possibility for storyline mirroring. I saw a comment on CK about the connection with a Mary Worth story, though I do not follow that strip regularly enough to make the connection or offer insights. I have to say that borrowing and adapting storylines is nothing new, even in comic strips. Heck, Jack Elrod and his staff are known to have recycled earlier Mark Trail stories! This was revealed by noted Mark Tail historian Mark Carlson-Ghost:
(https://www.markcarlson-ghost.com/index.php/2020/11/21/mark-trail-confidential/)
Search for “Maddening! Mark Trail’s Recycled Tales (1979-2004)“
Long-time commenter, Downpuppy, has been posting his own commentary on Mary Worth for a long time. He is on BlueSky: downpuppy.bsky.social. Perhaps Downpuppy will find time to check in here, now and then, and keep us aprised of any ongoing relationships to the Mary Worth storyline!
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