Art Dept. Okay, I think we have to call foul on the wall, specifically the logs on the right side of the door. If we can see the ends of the logs on the left side of the door (which makes sense, as our frame of reference is to the right of the door), there is no way we should see the ends of the logs on the right-hand side. Jules Rivera should know this. Also, Cherry’s speech balloon in panel 1 looks detached only because Jules Rivera (or a staff artist) colored over the balloon’s tail.

Rivera’s Cherry displays a kind of independence that was not normally present in the days before Rivera took over. With that kind of trust, I’m not sure why Mark needed to be vague about his travel (panel 2), though it will certainly be spelled out tomorrow. Perhaps it was necessary in order to give Cherry the spotlight for her friendly dig in panel 3. Mark get the jab; but shouldn’t he look a bit more bothered and concerned? Anyway, I hope tomorrow is enough time for explanations, and Mark will get out of town the day after.

Now, this story—as we understand it so far—can rightfully be criticized for having nothing really to do with the environment, animals, or water pollution. The same can always be said for numerous stories before Rivera came on. We could argue that this adds more depth and complexity to Mark’s character. But we haven’t see a lot of real conservation-oriented stories lately; so it would be great if Mark put his family life aside for a while and tackle something on which his fame and reputation actually depend. After all, this is not Mary Worth!