You know you have reached a certain amount of notoriety when you are asked to be a “Guest Jumbler…” Well played, Ms. Rivera!
A Break in the Action!
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Return of the Butterfly…
I swear, Mark would be lost without Rusty! And of course there’s an App for that…
Monarch v. Viceroy… hmmmm. Didn’t know about that one. Note the cross-hatch in the veins on the Viceroy!
Last year I planted some Milkweed (at least that’s what my neighbor is telling me, since I didn’t save the tag…) It didn’t do much last year, but this year grew tall and flowered profusely, much to the delight of Monarchs and other pollinators. It’s amazing how they find their favorite plants, despite being located so randomly…
With all the drought and fires this summer, I am sure that insects will enjoy any port in this “storm.”
No fair! I get to swoop in and wrap up the story line!!
Faithful (and I mean Über-faithful) contributor George has been following this story for weeks… and well, it looks like I arrive as it’s wrapping up before our very eyes… Violet is on a flapjack bender, soaking her sorrows and troubles in griddle-cakes and highly caffeinated beverages, while Cherry is about to come clean…
Nothing like a dose of conscience to ruin a take-down! And it’s super funny how quickly Cherry is associated, without even a moment’s thought or question, with feral hogs…
Can you just here the “ding” that goes along with Jeanette the waitress/proprietor’s wink? I love the reference to flapjacks and coffee, even as Violet, with her chapeau back on, is going to have the worst gluten hangover of her life!! And where are the rest of the customers? Does ‘Planet Pancake’ survive on only the drive-by patronage of the Trails and (with) whomever they happen to be quarreling (with)? Along with offering to help put the round-about back in order, is Cherry going to pick up the tab?
While Hogs run wild…
As we continue to unravel Cherry’s motivation to look up her Brother…
Give us a break, Cherry, you know exactly how to take a stand… You just playin’ with Dirk…
And wait a gosh-darn minute- is that Salvia in the foreground of the second panel? Would that be a tip-off to a more native species of perennial? Or am I getting ahead of our story line here? Looks like Dirk’s beard has been given a touch more relief in the last frame… we can even distinguish the mustache from the rest of it!
Between Bug Bro and the Bearded Lady…
I think I prefer the Bearded Lady… and the threat of Hogs running wild all over Violet’s Gardens!
The only question I have is Transportation! How do Feral Hogs get penned and toted? I am supposing that Dirk the Hog Whisperer has an answer for that one…
And apparently, Extradition! What do we suppose Dirk went IN for? UP the River, so to speak? Prepositions are funny things… One would be IN Jail, but (if IN a canoe) one is ON the river… But then why does one go UP River to go to jail? Does all the Crime-ing and prosecuting happen DOWN-RIVER?
I will say this much about Dirk- He’s a big fella! Check out the difference in stature in panel 3, while panel 4 reminds us once again of the most unnatural and unholy of all beards- looking like one of the beards worn by Ulysses Everett McGill in Oh Brother Where Art Thou?
Is it me, or does Dirk look like a lady himself?
As we make the acquaintance of Cherry <Davis> Trail’s “Big Brother” Dirk, we all have to wonder what on earth did Doc do to create such a large family, only to drive them all (save for the good daughter Cherry) away? How many more of them are there? How is Rusty ever going to draw a family tree when there is a literal Diaspora of Davises?
But I call your attention to the third panel… Dirk really does look like a lady with a fake beard… Maybe that’s just me. Or Maybe what forced “Dirk” to live off the grid is that his only other option was to star in a circus sideshow?
Guessing we will see an exposé on Feral Hogs this Sunday (That is if we already haven’t covered that territory… have we?)
Thanks George for keeping the flame lit, and safe travels back to the hot (and finally steamy) North Country. I swear the only thing that recommends this region is the fact that it will remain arable and livable long after sea levels rise!
Wait a Cotton-Pickin’ Minute…
Oops, can I say that??
We return to the scene where Mark has suddenly, and in a positive way, sucked all the air out of the room…
“Mark Trail’d him?”” Could it be that Cricket Bro is Jealous of Mark? Of course, it all makes sense now, at least to the insecure mind, the one that only sees the world through a “Win-Lose” / “Zero-sum-game” lens… Why all these “lens” references, Dennis? Who knows…
I do think that Mark is in denial, though. His feelings do run deep. Although this is in keeping with the “old” Mark- The Mark where feelings ran as deed as a wading pool…
Good thing that Mark rebelled against his early (broad frickin’ daylight) imposed bed time…
Mark not only talks to animals…
… but to narrators as well…
Took me a minute to get my bearings, campers. We all have voices that we hear, voices that tell us things and suggest right from wrong, voices that are planted in us at an early age. Sometimes that’s good, sometimes that’s not. Mark’s head is a roiling cacophony of memories and characters that have created tremendous self-doubt and loathing! Interesting to watch him break loose of such shackles.
Robby B. is nothing but a bully. We’ve all seen his kind. Insecure to the point of needing therapy himself, he finds joy in bringing others down. Crazy how stress caused Mark’s hair to turn prematurely, uh, blue? And is he in fact wearing a scout uniform in panel 3? Or just the latest version of the pink chamois-cloth shirt he’ll sport for years… until he meets Jules and switches to plaid?
The last reference to $5,000 I recall…
…was the cost of the grill on the Rolls Royce Convertible that Anthony Michael Hall (The <nameless> Geek) was encouraged to use by heartthrob Jake Ryan to drive the overserved prom queen Caroline Mulford home…
And George, regarding that “Reducing Lens,” were you perhaps looking through the wrong end of a telescope?
And yes, Ants are people, too… but what young man, me included, didn’t delight in the discovery of what happens when concentrating the sun’s rays to a point, capable of burning paper, lighting a rocket fuse (Right, Woody?) or even chasing down a stray insect?? Seems Mark’s oversized sense of virtue was developed early, and certainly not from his father, judging by all the mounts in the background…
And penance was paid by forced child labor? And the future Cricket Bro allowed to smirk over his shoulder as he got the best of everything? Including a father who (for right or wrong) stood by him? Oh, the wounds were inflicted early, went deep, and never healed…
Thanks to George for keeping the fires burning! Safe travels!
Monday Extras!!
Thanks again, George K. Atkins, Contributor in Chief… With a bit of time on my hands, I visited Jules’ site and found some extras!
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Next I found a Sunday feature that I don’t think was/ has been published? How did I miss this one? Was it ever published?
But wait, there’s more!! including this lovely reaction to all the hate being heaped upon Jules for “Ruining Mark Trail…”
Or, not to neglect the fact the Jules is checking in on The Daily Trail… Hats off to (CIC) George K. Atkins for pulling a reference out of his, ahem… impressive trove of experiences… only to make a very solid impression with Mark’s new “Daddy…”
OMG I got compared to Carl Hiaasen I can die now everyone
Carl Hiaasen was the only author I read in high school I actually liked. I appreciated that he understood how totally slanted and sideways the world really is.
Originally tweeted by Jules Rivera (@julesrivera) on April 15, 2021.
Mark (once again) taking himself waaaay too seriously…
Mark apparently picked up a pair of blue-tinted shades at LAX… trying to get into the vibe…
CPP? Cricket Protein Powder? Oh Mark, you could take a page out of Cricket-Bro’s playbook, right? I mean, isn’t imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Haven’t all the world’s songs already been written? It’s all about the A-Range-Ment, right!? Don’t go backward thinking about your scarred childhood (already a tired theme…)
Let’s look ahead, shall we? That’s what’s going to save you and this strip!!
Again with the self-deprecation and low self image… Mark, you are standing in the desert with a flannel shirt on! Make your statement! Build your brand!
I sure hope that’s an electric car…
…otherwise it just wouldn’t make sense. I always questioned the efficacy of the electric car, given that the electricity has to come from somewhere, perhaps even fossil fuels? But seeing all those windmills, and personally participating in a solar farm (yes, even at the 45th parallel) gives one a bit of hope. Recently I learned that enough Electric cars plugged into the grid, charging at off hours and staying plugged in can actually be a storage medium and improve grid reliability.
Back to the story and back from a bit of head-cleansing in the Detroit Lakes area… And thanks to George for taking a turn! Well done!!
Scenic Wind Farms of Palm Springs? I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but this farm, located in the San Gorgonio Pass boasts 3,218 units and produces 615 Megawatts. How that compares to Coal I leave to the reader… But this is apparently one of the windiest places on earth, so why not, you know?
An investor?? Oh no, the plot thickens again… Is Happy up to his old tricks already? How could he be plugged into this “Eco-Rap” scene? Is he hipper than Mark? Wouldn’t take much…
Welcome, George!
Welcome to George, the DAILY Trail’s most ardent and faithful follower and now contributor! Had I know it was so easy to add different roles, this would have happened sooner. Yes, there are many demands on my time these days, but that’s a good problem to have! More than that, however, was the desire to take a position on the other side! Thanks George, and well done with your first post… remember, it’s a marathon and not a sprint!!
I will add, however, that this is not the first time we have met up with the Beaver… Witness…
This is getting bad…
My apologies, Campers! My attentions have been elsewhere lately. Might have something to do with the latest incarnation of Mark and friends…
So glad that Mark’s “Terrible Week” ended up so well… and he’s a hero to Rusty! Sampled, otherwise known as stealing… let’s hope Mark sees more green than the green of Reptiliannaire’s suit!
Ralph the Rat Snake. Next…
On to the domestic bliss of the work-a-day, own-a-business life… Cherry receives a missive from the local Homeowners’ Association. If ever there was an assault on private property rights, its initials are HOA…
The “Sunny Sun” Committee? As compared to the “Rainy Rain” or the “Cloudy Cloud?”
Or maybe just read the fine print, Cherry… One might imagine that a permit attached to a plan would have to get submitted to an approving body. But hey, what do I know?? You be you, OK?
OK, so it’s time to compare Old Cherry with New Cherry. Old Cherry would “understand…” “It’s just work, Honey” “Oh I know, it’s what you do, Mark, so you toddle off, and do whatever it is you do…” Today’s Cherry, not so much…
You got a permit for those geese? I’d expect a letter about those marauding, salmonella spreading poop factories before there’d ever be a letter about a palm tree!
Mark fell for Cherry’s dysfunction and anger issues! That’s funny! But then it appears that they are both prone to outburst and struggle!!
Yea, why let Cherry know what is taking you to LA? Why communicate? Leaves much more room unexpected outcomes and misunderstandings! The fruit of the comedic vine, so to speak…
Back tomorrow, Campers, I promise!
Hip Nor Hop…
LA it is! Where fame is measured in milliseconds and reputations are gained and lost even faster!
Rusty has certainly gained a prominent role in the new Trailverse… Let the youth show the way…
Eco Rapper? How about eco-wrapper? Reptiliannaire? That’s difficult to spell. He looks like a deranged Leprechaun. Well, ’tis the season after all. Pi-Day (3.14) followed by St. Patrick’s (3/17) who drove the rats from Ireland…
So, we all gonna be eatin’ Crickets? Thanks all the same, I will stick to hooved, mammalian forms of protein…
Mark! Dive in! The water’s fine. Grab the ring! Own your fame!!
Mark, Congratulations. Or should I say Jules, Congratulations. You successfully navigated the “Either-Or” / “Neither- Nor” trap and came out on top! Ralph even thinks Mark should do it… Why Not, Mark, I mean life takes us into new territory and we always have to be ready!!
A Series of Unfortunate Events…
I guess we can call this LFF- Lost Forest Filler… as Mark runs into one thing after another! But Cherry! Water alone won’t de-stink your man and his best friend! And why is Andy on a leash?! Completely unacceptable!
And now we harken back to the last Old-school Trail we saw in the papers… Mark choosing Andy over fame and glory. Aren’t we hopscotching the time-space continuum a bit here, though??
Oh, darn!! Now to the scene where Mark learns of his true reputation… But hey! Flapjacks!!
Mark, if you think of the rabble as “Villagers” they will always turn on you- sometimes with pitchforks and lit torches!! And now back to Amy Lee? I guess we’d better get used to that. No more Bill Ellis- No more Magazine with a defined pension… Now that Mark is in the permanent gig economy!
LA! Confidential! Ralph the Hog Snake looks nonplussed… But is Mark allowed to cross state lines while he is still a wanted man in Florida??
Back to BikBok…
Looks like Mark has healed from his “Scrapes…” and is continuing to learn from his GenZ son…
Russ?? Not sure I have ever heard Rusty called Russ before… But Mark is still verklempt over the fact that he has zero Social Media presence… even after he lit up southern Florida!
“Old People Complaining about Politics…” HA! Define “old…” What? Like 24 years old or something? Probably. First foreshadowing into what the Sunday Lesson will be about, by the way…
Mark now realizing that he has been banging his head against the proverbial tree trunk (like the Pileated Woodpecker in the fourth panel) trying to get something going, and now he realizes that “BikBok” is his ticket to something akin to fame…
But before we get tooooo far, let’s get cozy with the “Land Shrimp…”
I know the world eats crickets (and other bugs) and I would probably join in if prepared properly… skewered, grilled and full of BBQ sauce! yum, yum!
Wait a gosh darn second! Another Fox reference? That was the ‘Teen Girl Sparkle’ Lady’s spirit animal, and here it is again…
We’ll stop here, but stay tuned as more misfortune befalls Mark… Fairly slapstick, I fear… Less dramatic than the past, more physical humor! To each his or her own, I guess…
Teaching Dad a Lesson…
Already scraping the barrel for content in the Sunday Lessons, I see… We have seen Frogs and Toads at regular intervals… The difference has never been a mystery to me. Bumpy vs. Smooth skin… Am I right?
And now we get to delve into the teenage mind… The old Rusty, stuck perpetually as a pre-teen, was only starting to lock himself in his room to look at on-line comics… But the new Rusty is predictably and constantly engrossed in his online life and presence…
<sigh…> We can almost see Mark’s exasperation as he tries to connect with his son, share with him what he finds fascinating… good luck!! Mark, you are no competition when it comes to Social Media!
Oh, the ennui. It drips from the frames… as Rusty only pretends to be paying slight attention!
Yeah, Mark, Why DON’T you get on BIKBOK?? Finding an audience has never been easier! Or is it? “Like for part 2…” blah, blah, blah… although I have to admit that Tik Tok has introduced me to some awesome recipes and woodworking hacks, not to mention the Cast Iron Cookware dude…
Weakly Trail
Wrapping up a few loose ends, like Cherry’s mom…
Rusty’s School assignments…
and whether Mark is now among “Florida’s most wanted…”
Not to mention that Strong Black Coffee still solves most problems, although now served out of a Mr. Coffee carafe, into substantial mugs, not the old style Commercial Bunn Globe into cups and saucers…
Ronan Farrow? The spawn of Woody and Mia, who outed Harvey Weinstein? I fear that’s a reference, and a bridge, a bit too far… But Mark sure looks like he is back in the saddle, complete with branded merch…
Hog Wild!!
I guess we know where that phrase came from!!
That, and El Chapo’s Hippo Collection!
But we are finally home! Let’s see, we started on this new odyssey October 13th… and it’s now March 2nd, a new year, and that makes it an even 140 days! Yikes!! That’s James Allen territory, but at least not in line with the cave adventure…
Good Dog Daddy! That picture of Andy in panel 3 is, well, a little off-putting! At least he returns to St. Bernard in panel 4. Let’s hope Mark can get a shave and a shower, and heal a bit. The Article! An Article must be written!! And with the magic of the comics page, we skip over that toil, and behold:
Words heal, campers. Confession is good for the soul. Never too late to redeem oneself!
The Daily Trail 