At some point between Friday and today, Cricket, Crypto, and Diana apparently found time and reason to completely change their outfits. Just why they would want to do that has yet to be revealed.
Now, if your first (or second) reaction is that this story is shaping up to be worthy of a junior high writing contest, we’re on the same page. And it’s a certainty that Cricket Bro didn’t take the time to read Mark Trail’s Sunday nature strip, or he wouldn’t be going into the cave on his own. Well, I take that back.
It will be mildly amusing to see what Crypto Bro and Diana are going to do, or why they even bothered to show up. Without video, Cricket Bro will have nothing to show anybody, unless he has a GoPro attached to his helmet or jacket … Nope. Don’t see one. Perhaps Cricket Bro is just making sport of his brother and they will all head into the cave, after all.
Mark is back in Lost Forest, where nothing was said about Happy, catfishing, or Rusty’s reign as the Raccoon King. Instead, the week started with Mark watching—and visibly reacting to—videos of cave explorers getting into trouble. Cherry was concerned that Mark might be having flashbacks to his own perilous cave adventure, and that was certainly true. However, Mark offered the excuse that watching these cave disaster videos helped keep him ready to provide rescue services in case somebody happened to get stuck in a nearby cave. Well, you can never tell! Let’s see:
There you are, taking a leisurely hike through the woods, enjoying the smells, the sounds of twittering birds, and the quiet rustle of rabbits and deer moving through the trees. It’s a beautiful morning and you could stay here all day … when your reverie is suddenly interrupted by the muffled cries of several people yelling “Help! We’re trapped in a cave and can’t get up!” “Egads!” you exclaim to yourself. “They must be trapped in that nearby cave! Good thing I watched those videos and happened to be wearing my steel lantern hat and carrying a hundred feet of rope looped over my shoulder. It’s time to get to work!”
Speaking of convenient timing, Cherry added that Ranger Shaw just happened to be putting up “CAVE CLOSED!” signs at the hitherto never-before-mentioned Peligroso Cave (located somewhere around Lost Forest), because it is Flood Season. A coincidence, you say? Jules Rivera is just getting started, folks!
While Cherry and Mark were talking about cave disasters, the strip cut to another location where Cricket Bro, brother Crypto Bro, and hired videographer Diana Daggers were hiking, decked out in their corporate yellow cave-exploring attire. To nobody’s surprise, they are at Lost Forest to explore the Peligroso Cave! Of the thousands of caves throughout the country, Cricket Bro just happened to select that cave to explore. And during the flooding season, no less. I sure hope that Cricket Bro pays Mark well for his predictable rescue job when the time comes, because Mark certainly hasn’t been bringing home the bacon for a while.
“Caves are inherently dangerous and not worth risking your life to explore. But here is how to prepare for your visit.” Now that is one clear message! However, I do like Mark’s comment, “You are not an exception.” That could be a daily mantra for all of us. As usual, the pun in the last panel falls flat.
Cherry Trail has studied her TV sitcom history well. Her closing comment yesterday provided us with the required irony for today’s switch to Peligroso Cave and the explorers who are soon to be trapped
Sorry, Diana. Poor Diana Daggers. She seems to have gotten stuck playing backup for one second-rate bozo after another, her early fire having fizzled. Like Cherry, Diana Daggers is another woman in this strip who started out with an aggressive, in-your-face personality, but soon softened up to became just a “go along to get along” supporting cast member. I have written before about Cherry’s path to docility. I’ll put Violet Cheshire here, as well. Given who writes and draws this strip, I’m flummoxed. Tess Tigress seems to have kept her personality largely intact. Go figure. I could be wrong and we’ll wind up seeing Diana take a much stronger part in this story. I hope so, anyway.
For some reason, Cricket Bro (life-long rival of Mark Trail) feels the need to inform his brother, Crypto Bro, and Diana what they are about to do (panel 1), even though they are already outfitted for spelunking and already on site. If this is Rivera’s method for revealing what the plot is about, she could have had Cricket Bro say something less embarrassingly stupid, such as “Hey, fellow web goons! Are we ready to hit Peligroso Cave today!?”
Nobody should be surprised at this surprisingplotline. It wasn’t the Grungey Boys, but I wasn’t too far off the mark. It’s a small world in the Trailverse. However, creating comic strip characters takes a lot of work and if you aren’t hauling in the big bucks, then you go with what you already have.
We used to call Mark Trail “Captain Obvious”, but I think we may have to reassign that nickname to Jules Rivera for a storyline that looks to be as predictable as any episode of Gilligan’s Island. I still hope to be surprised and corrected.
Note: The term “web goons” is apparently popular Internet slang. In this context, it refers to people obsessed with Internet projects, such as web comics and online humor. There is another popular definition for “goon” referring to individual sexual activities, often centered around online fictional images. It’s a fluid term, I reckon.
What a relief. I’m glad Cherry put a stop to Mark’s pity party, so we’ll have no cave rescue adventure to worry about, right. Right!? So where is that blasted call from Bill Ellis, anyway? I want to see Mark sent out on another assignment before he winds up feeling he has to rescue the Grungey Boys for being illiterate and stupid.
Poor whiney Mark. “What if I have to help!?” Well, why would Mark believe that? Is he a member of the Lost Forest Rescue Brigade? Does such a group even exist? Jules Rivera presents a Mark Trail who seems to believe he is the one person capable enough to perform whatever daring feats of discovery, recovery, resuscitation, or rescue are required in any given situation. It must be tough being King of the Lost Forest: “Please stop me before I help again…!”
Anyway, what’s with this Peligroso Cave? And why would a cave in Georgia (presumably) have a Spanish name? Well, it turns out that Spanish conquistadors explored this area looking for gold. Hernando de Soto was the most famous of that greedy lot. They didn’t find gold, but did introduce the peach to the state. I reckon we’re about to have una peligrosa aventura en una cueva! So get your steel caving helmet and LED headlamp ready!
Art Dept. Is Ranger Shaw gesturing hypnotically, as Mandrake the Magician would say, to seal off the entrance? If not, what is he doing? You tell me!
I’m not really sure how watching reality videos about people trapped in caves helps you get ready to save others who are trapped in caves. In reality, it requires years of training, specialized equipment, and great health coverage. But even Mark is entitled to his fantasies.
I reckon we have an honest-to-goodness insider joke in panel 2, where Mark mentions feeling like he was trapped in cave for 6 months. Turns out that the cave adventure Cherry references (which blog originator Dennis Williams called “Arachnid Ho!”) lasted approximately six months; well, actually seven months, including a month-long prolog beginning in December 2015. But Mark did not come into the storyline until January, 2016. Mark, Carina, and Gabe raced into a cave for their safety on Feb 1, 2016. The adventure ended on Jun 25, 2016. Where you want to start counting is a matter of opinion. In a way, then, Mark’s cry in panel 2 echoes sentiments of Trailheads who felt like the cave story was going on forever. Okay, I think I’ve flogged this beast enough.
Anyway, I have no idea what Jules Rivera is referring to in panel 3. What scouts!? Rescuers are not “scouts.” Is Jules Rivera talking about Rusty, now?
I don’t find humor or satisfaction in body shaming, but it sure looks like Cherry could do with a little more physical activity in her day. Maybe some jogging with her sister, Olive? In any event, today’s minor episode is just a drawn-out affair to make the point we did two days ago about Mark’s cave experience in New Mexico.
In fact, Mark was in another adventure involving a cave pursuit, also published during James Allen’s tenure. It was a story of epic length and plotlines, starting with a phony “female hostage situation” in the Rapid City, South Dakota airport (“Ferret, Black-footed Ferret”); Mark being taken prisoner by a bank robber and led on a dangerous escape through the country; a law pursuit through a cave with a grizzly bear who likes candy bars; a deadly storm; fist fights; guns; and more!
So the question I pose is: Will Mark get a call from Bill Ellis this week? Mark has had two non-paying adventures in a row. If Mark wants to be able to pay for another expensive home repair, he better turn up a couple of good-paying gigs soon! Frankly, I don’t know why Mark doesn’t actively pursue assignments like any good independent reporter would, rather than hang around waiting for the phone to ring. That’s no way to build up a national reputation!
Perhaps Mark watches videos like this because they recall the old days when his assignments presented elements of violence and real danger. But the times they are a-changing for ol’ Mark! Danger and violence are largely replaced by farce and jokes, probably because there is too much of that dangerous stuff in the comic strips: Hägar and his gang loot Nordic kingdoms; Camp Swampy conducts war exercises; the Ghost Who Walks still autographs jaws with his signet ring; Popeye kicks butt; and Garfield continues to be published. There’s just too much! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!
Speaking of real danger, maybe it’s time for Cherry to put her foot down and tell Mark to get over his lost years and fix the back of their cabin before it collapses.
I tell ya, Mark Trail’s “Lincoln LogCabin” sure looks like it could use some major league restoration work based on that rear view (remember the steps down to the recycle bin?). And I’m glad to see the old greenhouse once again. It tends to appear and disappear on an irregular basis, probably on the basis of available drawing space.
But what’s this nonsense about a “spooky cave story”? Is Markey reliving his childhood? Mark seems to get excited pretty easily, even watching a hokey “Reality TV” video. You tell me. Is Jules Rivera setting up Mark in panel 3 so she can mock him? Her caption is the kind of question that is often delivered with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
On the other hand, maybe this video triggered a PTSD episode related to Mark’s dramatic cave adventure several years ago (during James Allen’s tenure). Remember? (see “Arachnid Ho!” for the details.) That might explain it better.
Art Dept. If Rivera meant to show that the cabin’s foundation has dangerously settled or is just rotting, we can move on to other observations. If that is not the case, I am shocked at how sloppy the cabin is depicted. I was also struck by the chipmunk in panel 1. Tell me if I am wrong, but my first reaction was that it looks like something James Allen might have drawn. I’m not suggesting that Rivera lifted it! I just mean it reminds me of his work. I could be totally wrong.
