I’m visiting my dad down in Virginia for the next two weeks, but I’ll do my best to keep posting. If I miss a day or post late, at least you know why. Otherwise, Happy New Year!

Well, the scam worked. Caroline and Honest Ernest have been humiliated and bamboozled. Cherry believes she found a kink in Violet’s personality that she can manipulate, whereas Violet must certainly know she has found a chink in Cherry’s ethical armor she can twist.

If Caroline and Ernest were not such grasping clods, it would be easy to feel sorry for them. As for the renewed relationship of Cherry and Violet, I’m not seeing anything to be proud of. “Saved budgets“? How about “Ripped off client“? Cherry should understand that, as she was also ripped off by Violet.

Perhaps this is not a symbolic court of law after all, but a court of royal decree, as Violet rules, ex cathedra. But as I thought, there is either some deliberate hanky-panky going on, or Victoria is simply acting like some politicians we know who start on one side, but jump to the other when money or power is on the line. Still, I’m surprised and disappointed that Rivera provided Cherry with morals as ambiguous and flexible as Mark’s. I figured at least one of those two would be a touchstone of integrity. And we’ve seen Mark cross that line more than once, already. Who’s left, Doc Davis!?

But there is something wrong here. What is the actual motivation for Violet’s change? I think Violet quickly got the lay of the land and decided to reshape it to her own benefit by pretending to side with Cherry in order to sucker her into helping scam Caroline and Ernest. If Honest Ernest and Caroline can get stiffed, so can you, Cherry!

Finishing up, bonus points to Rivera for once again adding some variety—compositionally speaking—to the strip by placing the viewer in panel one down at floor level. From this angular, off-center point, the drama between Violet and Caroline is visually enhanced. But in panel two, Caroline and Ernest are reduced to silent chairs (i.e. the drama is over) flanking Violet who sits in the dominant central location to issue her decree. To conclude this royal farce, we hear from the court jester.

Oh, here is Cherry attempting her “Perry Mason” routine to try and scuttle this impromptu investigation. It’s a transparently silly argument to make, given that Cherry is admitting—in front of Violet—to being present, along with Ernest and Caroline. The only way this makes sense is if Cherry knows Violet would just as soon not want to deal with this situation in the first place, or that Violet already secretly approved of Cherry’s rescue plans and is now put into this embarrassing position because Caroline and Ernest are too dense to realize they could have pocketed the fee for doing nothing. But we have already covered that ground. In other words, what does Jules Rivera have up her sleeve?

But aside from the tacky wallpaper and equally tacky antagonists, what struck me immediately today is the hatching on Violet’s dress. Is Rivera experimenting with old-school b/w techniques to model shading and volume? This is not common in her work, where it usually comes off stark and sketchy in b/w newspapers. In truth, many cartoonists avoid shading. Shading can make strips look darker and crowded because of their small size. That means they could be harder to see or read, making them less attractive to editors and readers. This is nothing new, of course. Back in the 1960s, Chester Gould, in his Dick Tracy comic strip, made known his displeasure at shrinking comic strip sizes by having one of his characters periodically draw a comic strip called Sawdust, whose characters were simply dots.

(Sorry for another wordy posting, but I did edit it a lot!)

Traditionally, mainstream comic strips try to avoid being too politically partisan, as strong views can understandably limit circulation and the cartoonist’s paycheck.

There are exceptions to this tradition (such as Doonesbury, Shoe, The Boondocks, and Mallard Fillmore). This strip is shaping up to be another exception, as Rivera is getting more comfortable flexing her Left-leaning muscles. Thus, right-wing tropes continue to come into play, as seen not only in the Sunny Soleil Society, itself, but also in our two self-indulgent “victims”.

On the other hand, I don’t think Rivera is being completely one-sided in her political satire. Certainly, Mark has acted in strident, over-the-top behavior several times, whether it is spouting “environmentalist” platitudes while threatening violence; or destroying property and breaking the law for the sake of conservation or social justice.

As a comic strip devoted to nature conservation, Mark Trail has traditionally focused on issues popular with anglers, hunters, and campers (e.g., poaching, forest fires, animal abuse). Rivera has expanded those issues to include pollution, corporate corruption, and climate change. While the former items have tended to be more popular among those on the Right, the latter issues are usually more associated with those on the Left. One can argue the details, but they are common tropes in our society. And Rivera is clearly looking to expand Mark’s awareness and involvement in these latter issues, as he should be.

Anyway, who painted the once-gray statue?

I reckon we’re supposed to laugh at the naïve, self-defeating complaints of these two gomers who are too stupid to have simply reported “Job done!” and collect their paycheck. Instead, they are incensed that Ernie did not get to spray his poison and watch bees fall by the score. Nasty Cherry took away all the fun! Meanwhile, we see Rivera laying on that “decrepit privileged class” shtick pretty thick, and having these twits sit in big comfy chairs with doily crowns.

How interesting! This time around, Mark’s story got just one week, while Cherry had two weeks before. Now, we’re back to the never-ending saga of Cherry and the Sunny Soleil Society. It’s interesting how Caroline’s face has changed from what originally looked like a stereotypic young Southern Belle to that of a middle-aged crone.

Since Rivera brought it up in panel 4, there is talk on CK that Cherry’s statement might be a reference to the song “I don’t like Mondays”, which was inspired by Brenda Spencer, the teenager who shot up a school in 1979, killing at least two people. This really doesn’t make much sense. A better suggestion is from commenter djed, who points out the orange tabby cat in panel 4, and notes that comic cat Garfield is well-known for his dislike of Mondays. So, this certainly works as a comic strip “in joke” and fits into Rivera’s occasional employment of the gag-a-day strip format.

Is this a highlight reel? Is this what we’ve waited for over the past two weeks? It is disappointedly anti-climactic. Okay, Mark doesn’t exactly hit Ernest, so much as sweep him off his feet. Then, suddenly, we’re in a truck going home, victory in hand. It seems strange that simply getting tripped would be enough to end the confrontation and allow the bees to be moved to safety. Frequent observant reader Daniel pointed out yesterday that Mark did not hold the shovel in the last panel of yesterday’s strip. So why didn’t Mark simply slug Ernest in the grand Trail Tradition? So far, Mark’s beloved and legendary “Fists of Justice” have made a poor showing this past year.

Cherry’s good question notwithstanding, I have a few questions, too:

1) What did Mark do with his car?

2) If Mark is supposed to be the good guy, how come he’s the one skirting the law, time after time?

Submit your answers now! Readers are standing by.

As predicted, trotting out the “climate change” argument to a caricature of a person like Ernie was a waste of time. Blah! Blah! Blah! Yes, it certainly does seem as if Rivera is making the proverbial mountain out of a mole hill, as these two fight over a hive of bees. Not that saving the bees for their own sake or for the sake of their pollinating is trivial. But it does seem to me that trying to fight the ideological war of The Left and The Right over the environment could have been portrayed more realistically without resorting to the extreme memes of each side. Polluting corporations are not the issue here at all, Mark. As for Ernest, sorry but this is not about Capitalism or “the American Way”, either. But this is a comic strip, after all, even one dedicated to nature and the environment. No time or space for nuance.

As for Cherry and the Garden Club, they seem too preoccupied watching for Mark to unleash his FOJ to get their job done. The way you two women natter, Mark is going to have to trade punches for the rest of the night. Finally, what forest are we talking about (we’re in a garden, remember), and explain what “not” refers to, Mark. I don’t think you hold the deed to the Sunny Soleil Society’s land, do you?

[edited] Though the crew is a bit slow on the uptake, they’re moving now, and…wait, they aren’t moving now. They’re wasting more time with pointless observations. Okay, you two, don’t make Mark waste his marksplaining skills while you all stroll back to the bees. It’s already Thursday and time is against you. So, leave snarkin’ to the pros and get going!

For some reason, this week is going by fast. It might be because I have my first semester Italian final oral exam this coming Friday. Sono nervoso! I imagine I’m not the only one nervous; I expect a lot of the actors at this nighttime showdown are wishing they could bee someplace else. Okay! I did a bee pun. I tried to avoid it. I really did.

So, no surprise Ernest is portrayed as a far-right wingnut who thinks a fox is somebody who works for Rupert Murdoch. And did I poke fun at Mark’s histrionics? I was premature. Well, of course there are people like Ernest who see life as simplistic superlatives and ultimatums based on faulty information (something not limited to people on “the right”). Perhaps Mark could have presented a better case to Ernest by not bringing up climate change.

Anyway, I just hope Cherry’s crew is using this distraction to capture the bees!

Okay, still early in the week, but here is what I think could be done to resolve the situation, Mark’s histrionics notwithstanding.
Cherry proposes a win-win scenario to Ernest:  Ernest must order Cherry to get rid of the bees. Ernest then reports to the Sunny Soleil Society that he “got rid of the bees”, keeping him in good standing and allowing him to get paid by the Society, not to mention getting laid by his wife for not ruining her position on the Society’s board. Shucks, sometimes you have to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight, to paraphrase Jack Nicholson.

Eh, so what’s with the vertical lines on the chins of Mark and Ernest?

Side note:  We have another “bad guy” type involved with insects. But like Cricket Bro, Honest Ernest isn’t doing anything illegal that we know of; just being an ignorant prick. The pesticide enhances his odious, redneck persona. Small wonder Cherry and Mark are edging closer to Edward Abbey’s philosophy and behavior. Will Rivera have them cross that line and risk their integrity and liberty?  It’s not likely they’ll stray too…. oh, I forgot:  Mark already crossed that line at least twice. And Cherry did once, as well. Okay, forget I said anything.

Well, all right, then. Rivera held Cherry over for a second week, resolving the conundrum of having Mark in two places at one time. So, as this must be a surprise to regular readers, Rivera must have felt it was necessary to summarize last week in today’s submission. Better job than I did, anyway!

Is Cherry more concerned about what Mark appears to be preparing to do, or is she concerned that he is using her shovel to do it? Sure, Mark comes on a bit strong (as he always has, to tell the truth), but does she think Mark would really physically attack these people? I’m not so sure, either. After all, he attacked his own father, stole private property, wrecked property, fled the police, aided and abetted theft of intellectual property, and strong-armed the CEO of a health food supplement company. Perhaps Cherry does have some real concerns here. There is a way out of this. I’ll go over it tomorrow if they haven’t figured it out by then.

The major character this past week—no, these past two weeks—is Cherry’s garden shovel. Supposedly stolen from her truck by Diana Daggers, it saw duty in Diana’s hands the week before as a cudgel to lay out one of the thugs sent to stop Mark’s investigation. It then made a guest appearance in Mark’s hands last Sunday, celebrating local garden clubs. Now, our intrepid shovel is again asked to prove its metal…er, mettle, as Mark made a dramatic appearance yesterday to aid Cherry and her colleagues.

This past week was supposed to be the Black Rose Garden Club’s rescue of the bees from extermination. However, Honest Ernest and his associates showed up at the last moment to spoil Cherry’s plans. Remember, Ernie may be a jerk, but he is acting in his legal capacity as a hired agent of the Sunny Soleil Society to get rid of the bees. On the other hand, the legal status of Cherry and her squad is a bit murky. And Mark’s dramatic, aggressive appearance at the scene—brandishing the veteran war shovel—suggests a prelude to an act of vigilantism.

This is something we’ve seen before from Mark, but will he use the opportunity this time to forge a peaceful resolution? Or will he attack people in hazmat suits holding cans of poison spray with just a shovel? We’ll find out in three weeks’ time. Until then, let’s move on to Sunday’s nature talk!

Another nicely designed title panel today, one of Rivera’s typical “endangered species of the week” Sunday strips. However, to be accurate, salamanders are not reptiles, but amphibians that may sometimes look like reptiles. It’s a fundamental error that Mark corrects later but is not overly relevant to Rivera’s environmental message. Anyway, how about focusing a bit on why anybody should care about the fate of salamanders. That is, what are some of their benefits from a human point of view? It’s not that the salamander needs to justify its existence, but we humans often react more favorably when we see something in it for us.

Looks like Mark is trotting out his “Buford Pusser” persona, using a shovel instead of a bat; only the perpetrators are not moonshiners or part of the so-called Dixie Mafia, but employees of a company legally doing their job. So Mark’s aggression is kind of a hard thing to square, even if his defense is based on a sympathetic ethic or value system.

Is Mark going to risk serious jail time and civil lawsuits if he actually assaults these people? Mark! You are supposed to be hiding out over in your own storyline. You are confusing everybody with your teleporting from one location to the other, as if you are caught in a Kurt Vonnegut chrono-synclastic infandibulum. I can only imagine what Diana and Cliff are thinking at this point. Wait, if they have any brains, thinking is the last thing they should be doing at this point. In fact, they probably encouraged Mark to spend more time with Cherry!

What a shame and what a paradox:  Mark makes the scene here just as Cherry’s week ends. That means Mark must immediately zip back to the fishing lodge in time for Monday and the start of his own two-week segment. Then he has to get back to this storyline and pick up where he left off. I think! But are Cherry and everybody else supposed to just wait around until Mark returns? And will he reappear in the same state we see him now? Could that infundibulum thingy really be true?! It’s getting real confusing!

Yeah, Ernie’s corn-pone persona dropped pretty fast, once he got down to business. At least, he’s been straightforward about his intentions. Reckon that owl did not slow him down, either, as Ernie and his crew fulfilled the third predictive outcome I made yesterday. Did you guess correctly? Okay, so I waffled; but option#3 was the most likely outcome, because it provides the best option for adding more drama. And here it comes!

So, action fans:  What next? There is just today and Saturday before we return to Mark’s storyline. Something else is bound to occur. Maybe the bees attack Honest Ernie and his gang. Ironic justice. Or we get left with a cliffhanger, the usual “wait for it!” plot device before the story breaks away. Were the bees killed now, it would also kill Cherry’s storyline, for want of anything left for her to do. Therefore, we have to expect something will occur to interrupt the extermination. Agree or disagree? Let me know!

I don’t think it takes a lot of imagination to figure out this must be good ol’ boy Honest Ernest, who apparently has a devious-enough mind to figure out that something might be happening with the bees the night before he arrives to bee-head them (as he joked earlier).

After some research, I found out that owls do, indeed, attack humans on occasion, such as when they think they, or their progeny, are at risk; or sometimes humans are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, this is the wrong place for Ernest, but the right time for Cherry and her gang. Maybe.

I see three ways this story continues:

1. Ernest gets scared off, allowing Cherry to keep working
2. The gals grab their stuff and hide, hoping Ernest leaves soon
3. Ernest spies the gals, anyway, spoiling their plan

Do you see any other possibilities?

Notice any parallels with Mark’s current storyline, such as the undercover work; the danger of getting caught or found out; being pursued; and in both cases, doing things that walk the line of legality? Wait, did I already mention this earlier?

Focus on the job, Cherry! I have to admit that the artwork yesterday was much more interesting than today’s, both in composition and details, where virtually all of the scenes were drawn from a low “dog’s eye view”. Go back and check it out, if you overlooked it. Moving on to today’s strip, I thought it was interesting that the first thing Cherry thought about when a possible intruder was around was a male figure, when virtually all of the antagonists have been women, Honest Ernest excepting.

So how is it Mark finds time to work two jobs: Daytime investigative journalist on the run and hiding out from nefarious goons; and nighttime laborer and bodyguard for Cherry and her sidekicks? When does this guy ever sleep, and how does he jump between hideout and lookout so easily? Can’t this dude ever let anybody else have the spotlight once in a while!?

As far as the plot is concerned, the premise is sound enough:  Save the bees from extermination by relocating them. The method is still ambiguous.  Georgia, at least, seems to have the basic equipment:  White bee handler’s suit with netted hat and a smoker with an attachment, presumably to reach up to the statue. Are the boxes portable hives? Or perhaps just boxes to put the actual hive and bees into?

Anyway, their lack of planning for lookouts has imperiled their plans. They should have watched The Great Escape for tips.

Could it be that Violet was not as naïve as they thought, and so she simply waited for the women to get started so she could catch them in the act? Or is Mark once again butting into Cherry’s affairs?

Unlike Mark and Diana, it appears that the people on this side of Lost Forest recognize the season for what it is and dress for it. So, Dolores is able to easily chase away the always-effete Violet, who must have been fantasizing about dead bees. And shouldn’t Violet have been suspicious of some person who just happened to be passing by at this time of day?

But with a skill that matches former Mark Trail artists, Jules Rivera neatly telescopes the action and omits just how and why Violet disappeared back into the Society’s house. Equally amazing is that The Black Rose Garden Club members simply parked their car in a culvert in front of the house, whereupon the ladies gleefully and baldly got out! They are not even trying to hide themselves. I’m thinking that Mandrake the Magician must have been invoked from his KFS-sponsored comic strip to gesture hypnotically and cause Violet to take a nap. Either that, or she’s dumber than we thought.