I seem to be following in some footsteps of founder Dennis when he sometimes posted multiple strips at one time, probably for a similar reason to mine:  I got busy and couldn’t get back in time. Today is therefore a twofer.

It is clear from these two and the prior days that Rivera likes to spread one event across a week’s worth of strips. This week, it is the post-rescue analysis. I’m not sure why these workers stuck around in a work environment they knew to be dangerous, unless their personal situations were bleak. But to develop the plot or at least provide a suitable stage for Mark to exercise one of his virtues, these guys had to be innocent victims of the Burn Brothers’ ineptitude and malfeasance.

But why unload on Mark? Happy Trai had been here before and was happy to leave things as they were, rather than force the issue with the Bunko Brothers. Why? And when did Cherry develop her Brooklyn patois (“…minding these guys’ business…”)? Mark’s closing bromide would have sounded better had he conjugated “run” as a gerund, to match “doing”.

Sigh! It seems as if Rivera is going to pad this post-rescue vignette out for the rest of the week. Today, we have the common TV/movie meme of the tough-looking dude with an aggressive approach forcing Mark on the defensive, only to be gob smacked when the Big Lug suddenly professes his undying gratitude for the rescue. And never mind that they didn’t get out earlier, when it was possible.

So, who is next in the appreciation line? Maybe the beavers. But more likely, the Bro Brothers, but they will probably be more upset over the loss of lumber.

Calling Jerry Mathers! So, I avoided the obvious title for today’s post. Mark misspeaks in panel 2, as beavers go after the utility poles, not the power lines. Beavers do move around, so it’s possible the mill was there first. And with a large surrounding forest, it isn’t that likely the beavers would go after treated utility poles instead of normal tree trunks. But it happens. Would be easy enough to wrap fencing around the base of utility poles in places like this to deter beaver logging.

Turns out my fence idea is hardly new and is used to protect regular trees, as well! (https://www.beaverinstitute.org/management/tree-protection/) I wonder if Mark will recommend that strategy to the Scam Brothers, or will he instead berate them for their animal insensitivity? Mark certainly can get a bit self-righteous and over-the-top.

In today’s episode, everything settles back into normal space-time. As a fire militia has finally shown up to put out the fire, Mark and Cherry revert to their standard husband-and-wife/parent roles. This means Mark also regresses to his normal Clueless Mark persona.

Note that this “clueless” aspect of Mark’s personality generally reflects the “clueless dad” character found in family TV shows of the 90’s and beyond, such as “The Simpsons”, “Married with Children”, “Malcolm in the Middle”, and “Everybody loves Raymond”.

As a point of comparison, Vintage Mark Trail found his contemporary parallel in the “Wise Father Figure” of 1950s TV programs, such as “Father Knows Best”, “Leave it to Beaver”, and “Bonanza”. Of course, Vintage Mark Trail has been endlessly ridiculed for his apparent lack of Quality Time with Rusty. I’ll admit to making grand generalizations here, but I’m just looking for possible ambient influences in Rivera’s changes to Mark Trail, such as what she might have seen on TV while growing up.

[slightly edited] Turn off the power and all is right with the world, huh? Did somebody/everybody forget there is a big fire all around them? BTW, did anybody call the forest service? Anyway, as we observe Mark hastily run towards the sudden appearance of Cherry, we also unhappily observe the appearance of hastily drawn art today.

Still, at least Mark took the initiative to face danger in order to save the workers (and his Dad). Behold! This means that Mark completed his first solo hero adventure, as far as I can tell, since Rivera took over. Not a big adventure, but an adventure all the same.

Now how did Cherry get to the mill in the first place, as there was no other vehicle at the Bros’ house? It’s a bit far-fetched to believe that the Bozo Brothers went to get her. They’re probably busy trying to figure out a way to blame Mark for the fire.

Panel 1 presents us with the “Heroic Mark in Radiance” aura, paraphrasing a manga reference (I think) to Dragonball Z, something I noted in prior submissions as far back as April 2021. It ties in nicely with various Pokémon references in the strip that one of our readers has pointed out to us from time to time. Given Rivera’s presumed age and avocation, she would certainly have watched these animations while growing up.

How did all of those “trapped” employees wind up in the clearing by the power station in the first place? Did they follow Mark? Perhaps we must assume all of this stuff is located between the downed powerlines and the flurry of flaming foliage. Whatever the answer, Mark regains some of his former hero status points for his unselfish action and accomplishment (especially compared to the Useless Brothers). Finally, take note, readers: We have our first actual adventure in this story. Let’s hope there is more.

Okay, this is another of Rivera’s digs at the Entitlement Bros and the kind of self-absorbed people they are meant to represent. You can also tell that from his pose and accessorizing. Just how or where Jadsen came up with his own walkie-talkie is one of those things that just occurs out of convenience for the story, like the hardware in the fire tower.

By the way, with the heat that the fire must be generating, don’t you think Mark would have shed that long-sleeve flannel shirt he always wears? I sure hope he has ass-kicking deodorant.

We can’t be sure of the actual topography of this area, and perhaps we shouldn’t be too concerned. Jon Wick gets away with a lot of stuff and we accept it for what it is. Why should this be different? As with any fire, we should assume that it’s going to spread and pop up in different places. After all, this is an adventure story! Still, I can’t help remarking that those are pretty darned tall people in the background.

Mark might have taken one of those employees along; they are certain to know the layout far better than he could. Then Mark could not only locate and turn off the electricity, but for his second act he could rescue the employee on the way back when that person would be sure to suffer a twisted ankle or something worse. A double-hero trophy for Mark! That might have been too much, though. Perhaps Rivera didn’t want to wander into fantasy.

Suddenly this simple wooden fire tower (which had looked empty, save for a few stools) has morphed into a computerized information and communication center sporting a bunch of equipment and other specialized stuff. Except for firefighting equipment, of course.

Pappy Trail hands Mark some personal treasures that he—somehow—just happened to have with him… out here in an Oregonian forest. This is ridiculous, of course, like Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in one of their movies where they decide to put on a musical and build Hollywood-level production sets out of materials that just happen to be in their garage.

Is Mark going to dunk the scarf into the stream (the stream is an escape route, you two idiots!) to use as a fire shield? And what could be more useful in a smoke-filled building than a compass? Almost every daily brings a surprise.

This is the third consecutive daily strip showing the same power line crashing (or smashing) to the ground. Perhaps it just bounced several times. It sure looks pretty flaccid at this point.

Say, who are those people in the background repeating Daddy Trail’s line from Saturday and spouting off like they are in an episode of Mr. Wizard? Must be more of those slothful employees who didn’t leave earlier, when they had the chance. I suppose it would be too much to assume that they could simply walk around the downed power lines or maybe even just walk up the slope.

Finally, how does Dad just happen to have floor plans of the electrical control station stored in a fire tower?

Okay, Trailheads! The heat is on and the time is short! Lives are on the line (perhaps)! Time to call out the Secret Code of Justice: “WWMD?”

Why would Happy Trail take shelter in a wooden tower when he could have just run up a hill? Even the dialog doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense; as in, what the hell is there to work out, Mark!? And the artwork looks incompetent with awkward lines, out-of-scale anatomy, and sketchy figures.

Of course, we’ve seen clumsy drawing from the prior Mark Trail artists, Allen included. Rivera is not unique in this regard. What makes these gaffs stand out is her style, which transitioned over time into something more expressionistic than merely representational. Inconsistencies, such as what we see in panel 4, hit you immediately and painfully.

But the troubling issue for me—as I have pointed out several times—is that Rivera is an accomplished artist. Why transform Mark Trail from her original, refined stylistic approach into this slapdash version?

I think the alternating viewing angles provide some interest to today’s panels. Nevertheless…

Like many readers and complainers, I also wonder where this storyline is heading. It started out as a family vacation in Portland. Vacations are the basis for impromptu Mark Trail adventures (e.g., the Mexican artifact smugglers and the outlandish island volcano incident). This vacation got sidetracked right away by Mark’s concerns over his dad’s business relationship with Cricket Bro and his brother, who also happen to be in Portland. This story arc looked to be as exciting as warm milk, but there was hope that Rusty’s adolescent fascination with locating The Seaside Specter would turn out to be the real adventure this time around (Like father like son, right?).

Not so fast! One disastrous night and Rusty was ready to pack it in. We recently got a tease that Rusty’s adventure might get reignited but hopes like that often fizzle out in The Trailverse. Speaking of igniting, we now have another subplot: A sudden fire at the brothers’ “hidden” lumber mill.

One could charitably suggest that all of this chaos may just be a satire on the messiness of real life. But who cares for that!? Mark Trail is an adventure strip, not a documentary. Adventure stories (at least in comic strips) work best when they have a strong narrative focus.

Ultimately, I hope these rambling scenarios of Mark and the Crypto Bros move to the back and allow room for a more interesting adventure:  Rusty’s Specter search. There isn’t much else to hang your hat on.

Hmmm, at last we see Mark trying to take charge of everything, just like he used to do. But take charge of what? Let’s see if we can make sense of this, shall we?

The last time we saw Happy Trail was in the back seat of Jadsen’s vehicle, on the way to that “Wings of Love” animal rescue center. It was there that everybody first heard about the fire at the mill. This all happened during Cherry and Rusty’s visit to downtown Portland. Apparently, Mark and the Bros drove to the mill fire. And they wasted time with pointless debates.

Now we have Mark dashing down into the valley, apparently to save dad. Dad!?
– Okay, how did Mark know Happy Trail would be down there?
– How did Happy even get there before Mark!?
– Why is Happy in the tower, which happens to have a loudspeaker system? What was this place, a former prison camp?
– Why would the workers still be in a burning mill, anyway? It had to have been burning for at least thirty minutes or more (in Mark Trail Time). Were they waiting for permission to leave? This is more confusing than film adaptations of Raymond Chandler stories.

For some reason, the artwork reminds me of Golden Age comic books from the 1940s and 1950s, especially panel 3. I like that. Maybe it’s the heavy-lined profile of Mark and the zoom-out circle of Happy Trail in the tower. I dunno. You tell me!

What a mess, indeed! According to Smokeybear.com, almost 9 out of 10 forest fires are started by people (idiots and arsonists). Frankly, the entire exchange today is bizarre. We have a fire that either started in the mill or started in the surrounding forest and engulfed the mill. Either way, this does not seem like the best time to talk about the building habits of beavers, much less composing press releases.

And where are all of these lumber mill employees? Clearly, they should have already vacated the premises after they called the Bonehead Bros. And Mark should have figured that out right away!

Wouldn’t the sawmill employees have also already contacted a fire department or the local forestry department to report the fire? Did Cricket Bro? Or Jadsen!? Any legitimate, professional operation would have had protocols in place to prevent or mitigate a fire.

Regarding what Rivera wrote in panel 4, the point is not whether Cricket Bro is a biologist. That’s irrelevant. The point is that he is one half of a pair of stupid “brothers” who might have conspired to have the mill burned down, perhaps for insurance purposes. They need to get money from somewhere. And it could explain their curiously casual attitude about the fire.

When I was a teenager, Ripple was a bottle of really cheap wine (or something called wine). Now, it is a very loud onomatopoeic sound from a nearby stream; a stream populated by dam-building beavers. That realization somehow caused Mark to shout as if he discovered radium. Yesterday, he was shouting to evacuate the mill (presumably), though today, nobody seems in a terrible hurry to do anything. One might get the idea that this trio is out animal spotting rather than dealing with an actual emergency, like a runaway forest fire!

Certainly, this seems like a continuity issue. And what do beavers and beaver dams have to do with starting a fire?

Today’s panels look like the result of another rush job, which is a shame. Curiously, extra care was certainly taken with the art in panel 3.  Long-time reader Mark complained last week that his 10-year old granddaughter could draw as well. Such hyperbolic statements often come from people who just don’t like (or understand) the art they are looking at. I’m not putting Mark in that group, just using his comment to make a point. I have to admit that, if one considers panel 4, especially, Mark’s comment would be on the plus side of the ledger. The composition is crowded and clumsy; the drawing looks inept.

Okay, even I have to admit this is kind of stupid, as if these three came across a raging fire during a hike. Instead they had to presumably drive out to this location. Is the sawmill, itself, on fire? Hard to tell; there is certainly fire behind it. The mill should have burned down by now. Where are the workers? Presumably, not still inside slicing logs. Did anybody on site call the fire department? Interestingly, neither brother seems very perturbed. Could they be behind this fire? If so, why? I do like the incredulous expression on Mark’s face in panel 3, as he provides on-the-spot, timely advice. What was that movie, Dumb and Dumber? That certainly applies to those two idiots.

Moving on:  There are a few comments at CK on whether the porcupine in Sunday’s strip is one of the several New World porcupine species or an Old Word porcupine, possibly from Africa. Well, Rivera’s example does not seem to match the Common Porcupine that is native to Oregon, though she may have seen an Old World porcupine in an Oregon zoo and mistook it for a local one. I don’t know. Porcupines can get up to 3 feet long, almost 4’ with the tail. Anyway, a basket of demerits to Mark for using the wrong porcupine to make his points.

Professor Bee Sharp proves his own bona fides as a windbag. He didn’t even give Rusty much new to work with before he exited, stage left. Meanwhile, we learn there is a “Forest” emergency involving Mark. Clearly (to us) it must be the lumber mill fire.

But is this emergency really shocking? Emergencies involving nature are part of Mark’s bread and butter, right? So what is shocking?  Shocking would be something odd, such as “Mark is in the middle of a rubber band emergency!” or “Mark is in a cake baking emergency on The Great British Bakeoff!”

So, just how are Cherry and Rusty going to hurry back when they took the light rail into town? By the time Cherry and Rusty return, I think the emergency will have burned itself out, unless it spreads to the surrounding forest and starts a huge conflagration that shows up on CNN. If that turns out to be the case, it would be a good time for Mark and Family to scram back to Lost Forest.

How many “stars” can one kid, such as Opie here, meet in one lifetime, without living in Los Angeles? Anyway, it is Earth Day today. Why isn’t Sharp at his event? I reckon that it must have been earlier in the day, since Cherry and Rusty only arrived here after a day of playing tourist in town. It has to be nearing nighttime, which nicely sets up a situation for The Professor to assist Rusty in his Spector Search.

So, I wonder if things will get ugly when Sharp finds out who this woman and child are and who they are staying with.

On the drawing front, you might have complaints, but I think the artwork this week has been a big improvement compared to the slashy, crowded, and sketchy stuff from last week. But it is even starker when the color is removed, which is how newspaper readers see it. I think the artwork would look more polished if Rivera drew the strip with the b&w newspapers in mind. But that doesn’t appear to fit the aesthetic that Rivera has in mind.

For some reason, Cherry thinks that being new in town means finding a graphic novel here must be somehow different than finding one in a bookstore in another city, such as New York, Chicago, or London.

Rivera and the staff at Books With Pictures must know each other well enough, since the owner of the real bookstore is really named Katie. However, I’m pretty sure that Professor B. Sharp (seen here channeling Genie from Peewee’s Playhouse) is not part of the staff. Why he just happens to be here at this particular time is another mystery that looks like an old TV sitcom cliché.

When we last saw this joker (Is he even a real professor? I’m thinking not.), he was fleeing from Cricket Bro’s ridiculous attempt to create NFTs using him and a goat.

Alas, Rivera likes her little ensemble of weirdo-troublemakers and is content to keep recycling them, rather than creating new opponents. But really, how hard is that? There was that shipping magnate and his staff, for example. They had the potential for some really good back-and-forth, but nothing came about it, and they just steamed away.

Yes, Cherry! Hurry up and take Master Rusty into a comic book store so he can buy a few items and maybe feel like this trip isn’t a complete waste. And maybe he’ll stop whining. Cherry once again chimes in with her homespun, tried-and-true wisdom. Ah, and there’s also a plug for comics, as well. I certainly can’t begrudge that sentiment! Viva comics!

With such a carefully drawn building, you know this has to be authentic. And it is:  It is the Books with Pictures comic book store in Portland. And Rivera does a pretty good job of capturing the store and its setting.  We’ll have to see if Rivera also attempts to capture some of the actual staff who work there. I hope so. From what I saw on the store’s website, they could fit right into the cast of supporting characters of this comic strip.

Special note to Rusty:  Kid, from what I can see, you won’t need to worry about getting humiliated over your superhero nerd quotient in this particular comic book store! They cast a much wider net than just dudes in spandex.