If Jules Rivera wants to give Mark Southern manners, she should be consistent! On Monday it’s “Miss Venus”; on Tuesday it’s just “Venus”; and today it’s “Miss Verité. The first example is the most traditional, though it wasn’t used all that much in the corner of Virginia where I grew up. I was brought up to respond to all adults (even relatives) as “Sir”, “Ma’am”, “Mister lastname“, Mrs. lastname,” “Uncle firstname”, or “Aunt firstname”, but never just first names! It’s a habit I still automatically follow, much to the amusement of my wife and friends where I live now, since that didn’t seem to be the tradition here.
Getting back to Mark, we see that it’s time for another post-assignment “Nature Walk”, where I think the proper translation is “Let nature take its course.” Living in a cabin probably doesn’t provide enough privacy, hence the backpack walks. But where is Cherry coming from in panel 1? Is there a hitherto undisclosed separate cabin where Mark writes up his reports? Or did Cherry just get back from another “Nature Walk”?
“Sure, Venus! Since Mark is a nature photojournalist, he’d just love to support even more competition for jobs with Bill Ellis. I’m sure he’ll give you an amazing referral.”
But as a supposed wordsmith, Mark can sometimes be casual with his adjectives. Venus Verité may have come through to help Mark complete his article with her photos, but is that being a lifesaver? No doubt, he is using the term in its metaphorical sense. But it’s a poor pun, all the same.
I might be slow but I don’t know what Mark is talking about with “spreading the word” in panel 2. Does he mean spreading the word about their flash flood, or about flash floods in general? I reckon he doesn’t mean spreading the word about the Hog Hunting Heroines. The less said, the better?
As a side note I dotry to resist being too thorough or detailed in my posts, though the length of my posts argues against that aspiration <sigh!>. That is, I want to leave things you can bring up, if you are inclined. So if you have reactions to any post of mine or see anything in a strip that is worth a word or two, feel free to post a comment! The more you comment, the less I’ll feel inclined to include in my posts. Is that a win-win? One warning: There might be a short delay in your comment getting posted, as we had an issue with trolling a while ago and I had to enable some screening features.
Wow, an epilog, after all. Good. Today’s strip follows the time-honored Mark Tail tradition of an immediate transition back home, while ignoring the details of the aftermath, at least so far. This is only Monday, so we may yet hear more about the fate of Tess, Jess, and the Hog-Hunting Heroines.
I’ve noticed that Jules Rivera has started putting in old-school Southern politeness into Mark and Cherry’s conversation, like the “Miss Venus” statement. Are we supposed to believe that Mark actually sounds like a Georgia Cracker? Seems odd to me. One thing odd is that he doesn’t talk like that to every person he meets.
So it sounds like Mark actually brought along his camera and his phone on a camping trip that he knew was bound to have serious trouble from the storm and possible flood. Mighty careless of Mark.
Art Dept. Rivera must have missed drawing Lost Forest, based on panel 1, where she stuffed in as many things as she could, except Ralph the Rat Snake. In spite of the crowding (or abundance), it’s mostly fine, with nice grass details in the foreground. But I continue to be disappointed at the slapdashery of the trees she inserts. Okay, I’ll admit it! I also think the close-up balloon mirroring Mark inside the cabin is excessive and unnecessary. But aside from all of that ….
It looks like another Mark Trail Adventure has come to a watery end. After leading the wet and anxious hunters up a hill to safety, Mark and the group sat down, soaked and tired, and took stock: Venus Verité was the only person who managed to get dressed and also the only person who managed to have a phone. So she called emergency services. Meanwhile, the rivalry between Mark and Tess continued, as she baited Mark and falsely claimed credit for saving everybody. There were two further events that caused readers here and elsewhere to scratch their heads:
In the first instance, Mark made a phone call to Cherry, but the phone he used didn’t match in color with the phone that Venus had. Seeing that everybody else was in their pajamas or union suit, we have to wonder where it came from, unless the color change was an accident. In the second instance, some anonymous background people started to drift into the panels, apparently being other campers who also foolishly ignored the weather reports. Nobody in Mark’s group seemed terribly put-out, which diluted the seriousness of the incident. Soft endings are typical for Rivera’s stories.
Rivera did not spend time on the larger-scale implications of the flash flood and its effects on the area. While not critical to the story, it might have added some useful information about a serious and sometimes deadly event. Alternatively, it could made a good lead-in for a Sunday strip, but that did not happen today, either. My wife says I just expect too much from life.
Creating a custom title panel for every Sunday page has been a regular feature since Jules Rivera took over. While not every title panel hits a home run, many are inventive, if not at least interesting. and this one is especially effective, while being quite simple. Why? A capybara literally barks out the name of the strip, echoing the animal’s characteristic warning call that Mark explains later in the strip. Some readers might see this as a “Welcome!” sign, whereas others might find it a just-in-time “Warning!” sign.
“What is a capybara and why has the Internet fallen in love with them?” Sounds like one of those phony online ads you see on your email server and places like YouTube. I’m on the Internet more than I want to admit, but I haven’t seen any love being directed to capybaras. Have you?
As more and more strangers mysteriously appear in the background (testifying to the fact that Tess Tigress and the Hog-Hunting Heroines were not the only foolish campers), Rivera wraps up another Mark Trail adventure. We must assume that emergency services will eventually show up and everybody will get back home. Practical issues such as finding or replacing personal belongings, equipment, and ruined SUVs are not the stuff of adventure stories, it seems. Well, this kind of “suddenly, the end!” is typical for Mark Trail stories: Survive a landslide in Nepal one day, eat flapjacks with the family the next day.
What are we to take from this flood disaster story, other than Tess’s narcissism and Mark’s pragmatic defeatism? Well, we got a flash flood story that downplayed any actual serious effects. Nobody was seriously in danger. Nobody died. No crop fields were destroyed. No animals lost their lives. Whatever property was destroyed or lost is simply ignored. Was there a widespread disaster or was it just the campground? That “river” of floodwater behind the group certainly suggests something much, much bigger. But that’s a subject for a different comic strip, perhaps. In short, Jules Rivera did a bit of disservice by treating the flood as just fodder for Mark in yet another contest of wills with the opponent of the month.
But, it’s time to say “Adios, amigos!” to this group of forgettable characters as we are also left wondering what the point was for introducing Venus Verité into the story. Was it just so she could be the person with a working phone? Hard to support, since we saw Mark using a phone that didn’t look like the phone Venus had. Was it to add some uptown spice to a warming tray of country hicks? Or was Venus added to the story because Jules Rivera wanted to pay homage to a friend or idol of hers? Shucks, I don’t know. I’m just asking.
Give the man a break, Cherry! Mark is on assignment. The immediate danger is past and he is safe. You can just move on to your own next job. Speaking of which, I wonder whether Cherry is now a full-time employee of the Sunny Soleil Society or still just an independent contractor. She used to have her own landscaping and gardening business, as you may recall, but that seems to have dried up. That’s a shame, as it shuts down other story options.
Anyway, get off the phone, Mark! I’m sure other campers need to get in touch with their significant others, too! You can see them standing around you, Mark, waiting for you to hang up. And given that there isn’t a source of electricity out there, that battery is likely already low.
Oh, By The Way. No doubt, you have noticed something a bit unusual in panel 4. There seems to be another flood survivor! Is this just an absent-minded flub by Jules Rivera or is she introducing another character into the story at this late date?
Appearing to contradict himself, Mark downplays the seriousness of the situation and the plight of his fellow campers, all while modestly praising his rescue of Tess Tigress: “<Sigh!> It was just another heroic rescue. Nothing unusual.” Mark’s account seems to have gotten altered just a bit in the retelling, based on panel 2. “It was a one-handed rescue while I knelt on the shoreline. Easy peasy.” To be fair, don’t we all downplay serious activity to “spare” our friends and loved ones a lot of worry?
(Wait: Am I saying that Rivera is offering a pertinent critique on (or parody of) the Human Condition that desires to be recognized and appreciated for a personal action, above and beyond, while simultaneously pretending it was a trivial thing that anybody would do? Hmm … that might be too deep for the readers. Better cue the sitcom laugh track for panel 4.)
BTW, where did Mark get that phone? Up until yesterday, only Venue Verité had a phone, and it’s red.
There is a lot to unpack here, which is more than we can say for Mark and his group, since the flood seems to have washed away all of their packs, camping gear, hunting equipment, and transportation. As usual, in times of crisis, everybody asks, WWMD? The ever-optimistic Mark always knows what to do … well, VenusVerité does, in this case. Mark’s big idea is to conquer wet clothing, rather than hunt for lost baggage or vehicles—if they are still present—to see if they will start or have emergency kits. But Mark is certain help will get there soon, as if Emergency Services would give top priority to a group of hunters foolish enough to go camping in the path of a predicted flash flood.
Art Dept. I know what some (or most) of you are thinking: Was Rivera on something when she drew this? Take Panel 1 (please!). Cartoony characters stand around gaping at a landscape that might have come from an LSD trip or a German Expressionist painter. Arms flex in unusual ways. Panels look as if they are in a post-nuclear war wasteland, bereft of flora, fauna, and natural landmarks. But, perhaps the drawings are meant to symbolize the group’s feelings of isolation, despair, and loss. If not the group’s, then ours?
As Jess and Tess cuddle in the background in panel 1, it is comforting to see that Jules Rivera injected some moments of reality in today’s installment. The gang realizes that the flood has taken virtually everything. But once again, Venus Verité was the only one prepared. She came out of her tent already dressed and thought to bring her phone. I would have thought—given the impending disaster that Mark had been going on about—that Mark would have had an emergency “Go!” bag in his tent, at the ready. Why he didn’t or wasn’t better prepared is something yet to be explained.
But for the love of Mike, why does Rivera constantly make Mark seem like a reincarnation of Gomer Pyle? He often acts like a hick or gets befuddled by the modern world, as if he had gone to sleep in 1959 and just woken up. Well, he did just wake up, right? Perhaps a better question for Mark in panel 3 would be “That’s just what I need, Venus! Where did you get it?” To be fair, Venus could simply have said “Oh, I have a working phone right here!” instead of acting all “East Coast Elite.” But I reckon that is how she is supposed to be. In short, the hunters are all hicks, but Venus Verité is urban and urbane.
Art Dept. I wonder when Mark became a middle-aged couch potato (panel 2)? Yuck! I think Rivera should have expanded that “Me too!” dialog balloon (which should have included a comma) to cover Mark’s flabby torso. If we’re going to admit that Mark’s union suit is all soggy and baggy, how come Venus looks like she got off the plane? Oh, right: Urban and urbane.
The flash flood continued this past week and worsened, as Mark finally cajoled the team to move to higher ground. Again. Tess remained a flood denier and it seemed like Shania was just uncertain and angry. At times, the sequence of actions seemed confused. Were they going up? Walking in a circle? Not moving at all? It wasn’t always easy to tell. Jess and Tess were at the tail end of a human chain designed to safely ascend a hill. But once again, the drawings were confusing. You’ll just have to go back and look.
Even though it appeared they were ascending, somehow Tess managed to get swept up in the flood waters. Perhaps it was rising very quickly. But swept away she was, even when she seemed to be floating on top of the water. The moment of truth: WWMD? Well, this is Mark’s strip, of course, so he showed up at the waterline (along with the others), found a large tree branch lying around, and jumped in the water to save Tess. Yet, this week ended with Tess blaming Mark.
Is this the end of the story? Could be. It’s a safe bet that it’s the end of the camping trip, since the team lost everything in the deluge.
Now, I wonder which Bill Ellis magazine this story will appear in? Regular readers know that Jules Rivera used to have Bill Ellis assign a story to one of the several magazines he supervises. Not any longer, it seems. None was mentioned this time around. Still, some of you may appreciate that this is more like the good ol’ days when Mark only interacted with Bill Ellis and his one magazine, Woods & Wildlife. Well, I liked the idea of multiple magazines and editors, as it could have presented an opportunity for different types of assignments and opportunities. Sadly, Rivera never really fleshed out this idea and it gradually disappeared, like so many of Mark’s friends in the past.
Nature webcams can be interesting. We watched the birth and growth of a pair of hummingbirds one summer, up to the point where they literally flew the coop, er, nest, never to return. I suppose I could criticize this public-service announcement by suggesting it would have been handy had Mark listed what the web link was or just explained to those not that web savvy, how to search for it. Other than that, it’s a good Sunday nature subject.
So perhaps we must assume that Mark was trying to think on the run: “Tess is caught in the flood! Quick, pick up that branch. Let’s see…Tell Jess to take this branch of mine to he hold out for me after I collect Tess. No, wait. Too complicated. I’ll jump in with the branch, grab Tess, and have her hold on to it as I swim against the current and drag her out to safety.” Or something like that.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Tess also blamed Mark for the lost and/or ruined equipment, cars, guns, and hog carcasses, and try to sue him for damages. Heck, maybe the trauma will restore her lost memory, as well. This might be a good time for Mark to make an exit, stage right!
“You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of images and text, but of uncertainties. A journey into a changing land whose boundaries are the stuff dreams are made of. That’s the signpost up ahead—your next stop, the Trailverse!” (The spirits ofRod Serling and Raymond Chandler will get me for this mashup.)
Okay, speaking of craziness, I’ll award a gold star to anybody who can explain how “everyone else made it to safety” if everybody else simply came back down the hill to the flood in order to see Tess swept away. Of course, Mark has to rescue her, so there he is in panel 1, walking like an Egyptian. But Tess is floating on top of the water, not in it. Perhaps she happened to land on a branch that is propping her up.
It’s a crazy Twilight Zone world. Mark has conveniently found a branch. Fine, we can go with that. Mark tells Jess to grab the branch while he goes after Tess. Again, the concept is sound. So why is Mark still holding onto the branch in panel 3? And if he is “bounding toward the water to save Tess”, why he is running in a different direction from where Tess is?
The laws of time and space work differently in the Trailverse, perhaps something like a Moebius strip. I hope Venus is getting some good shots for her “Hog Hunting Heroines Horrific Hunt” article. But if Mark spots a giant boat float by with a bunch of animals looking out the side, he’s about to have bigger problems!
Art Dept. No, I don’t know why Mark is looking up in panel 2.
In terms of plot, today’s sequence makes logical sense: For one thing, it appears to be in the correct order, compared to yesterday! There is a flood, people are trapped and trying to escape. Somebody falls into danger. All very standard “disaster movie” fare. No matter how much they walk, they either are not getting far, or that flood is really moving and rising quickly. And from what we know of flash floods, especially in open, dry spaces such as canyons and arroyos, that is a reality.
At the same time, some details undermine the action. For example, panel 3 shows the flood threatening to engulf Tess Tigress, which takes place in panel 4. But the last panel also shows one of the tents, suggesting they have not really made any progress moving up!
Next, the textbox in panel 2 states they are moving “through the surging currents.” I’m confused, but I was under the impression that they were moving away from the surging currents.
Art Dept. That squirrel has got to go! It totally ruins the scene. Although the other layouts are fine, the artwork is really, really sketchy; so much so that in panel 4, the barely-visible head of Venus Verité looks like a painted ball! We’ve been following Jules Rivera’s work long enough to think that she is deliberately drawing expressively, rather than naturalistically. I’m suggesting Rivera’s art—often simplistic, sketchy, even crude—may not be this way from a lack of talent or from lack of trying (eventhough I’ve suggested that from time to time).
Think of a standard song such as Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots are Made for Walking”, sung in a normal pop fashion with easy-to-understand lyrics. Now go listen to the same song interpreted by the band, Megadeath. It’s a completely different vibe. Unless you understood the lyrics, you might not recognize it at all. Clearly, Megadeath’s aim is something other than a straightforward cover of a 1966 pop song. I think that’s what I’m getting at. Okay, so this goofy idea popped into my head. And I could be totally wrong.
I’m not sure Mark’s logic in panel 1 is accurate. Whole chains of people certain can get washed away, depending on the circumstances. But it’s a good group psychological trick to minimize panic. And it is a shame that Jules Rivera again undercuts the drama and value of Mark’s advice by indulging in buffoonery in panels 2 and 3. A flash flood is a dangerous situation, a guaranteed bit of drama and suspense, made to order. So why piss on it?
This confusion is further exacerbated by a contradiction between the dialog and the imagery in the panels. That is, the dialog follows a chronological sequence, but the images definitely do not. Let me demonstrate (ignore the dialog for the moment):
Panel 1: Everybody climbs the hill as their campsite is flooded and washed away. Panels 2 and 3: Jess and Venus stand around, not linked arm-in-arm or climbing, while they joke. Panel 4: The entire crew stands around their campsite at the bottom of the hill.
Now, consider the dialog once again. Logic indicates a more accurate sequence of panels should be P4>P2>P3>P1. We’d have to change the message box in panel 4 to something more applicable: “The group agrees to bug out!” Like so:
I think the revised sequence builds drama with Mark’s warning coming at the end.
Okay, I’m not sure if Tess is levitating a blanket or if the blanket is glued to her back and hands. It’s impressive. For a moment, I thought that shape was the big square tent we saw yesterday, just poorly framed behind “In-Denial” Tess. But there is only sky behind her, and no ground line. You decide!
It’s possible that this crisis could break up the Hog-Hunting Heroines, as Shania and Reba are losing their faith in Tess. And sure, they realized too late that they should have secured the hog carcasses. Tess or Jess should have been aware. I mean, any hunter in the Real World would know not to leave the kill on the ground so predators can snatch or feed on them. This group is just not ready for prime time.
But where the heck isVenus Verité? Is she even awake? Maybe she is half-way up the mountain, taking photos of the disaster.
Art Dept. Before revising this section, I went into detail on problems in panel 3 with regard to Mark’s figure. I think you can all see the problems here. Not sure if it is a technical or a technique issue. But I think it could have worked better with a look-down point of view. This would also have required a two-panel spread to make it work, especially to show the oncoming flood waters Mark is indicating. But that would mean ditching the nice headshot in panel 4. By the way, did the rain wash away Mark’s nose?
ADDENDUM: What a surprise when I opened my newspaper this morning to find that the comics pages are now in full color! And this is the second day of color, but we only discovered it today. My wife was “gobsmacked.” Let me explain: Our newspaper company closed its in-state printer and went with an out-of-state printer for all of its publishing. Maybe that facility has more up-to-date printing services, though I’m pretty sure our newspaper moved away from linotypes and flatbed machines some time ago. Does your newspaper print hardcopy comics pages in color?
I’m going to start off with the most obvious question you all must have: “Does Jess sleep with his hat on?” … Hmm … Okay, maybe that’s not the most obvious question. I’ll rub my big toe and look at a photo of Ringo Starr as I try again to perceive your primary concern:
“What in #(@! is that duck doing in panel 4!?” Well, it ain’t flying! And it doesn’t fit the perspective of the scene in any way. So is it even floating!? The duck doesn’t even seem to recognize it’s raining. In short, I’ve got no good answer. Nothing from history, contemporary culture, or song lyrics comes to mind. Wait, there is something: I’m reminded of Colorforms, a toy first popular in the late 1950s and still around today. Vinyl shapes (e.g. people and objects) are placed and stick onto shiny surfaces with printed scenes. Most of you probably played with them. Some of you may still do that! But the point is, you can literally stick the characters onto the scenes with little or no regard to perspective, location, or common sense.
Well, that’s it. It’s the only thing that comes to mind. I don’t know what was in Rivera’s mind, though.
Next, who is Mark yelling at in panel 1? All the tents and people are behind him! Panic can make you do silly things. And what high ground is Mark referring to? Based on what Mark said earlier (December 19th), they are already camping on high ground! The only higher ground we can see is the big mountain behind them in panel 4. Like the low-volume rain, we have to remember that this is supposed to be drama, not a documentary. So I am probably wrong for trying to make sense of things that are irrelevant.
It was a dramatic week, featuring a raging storm. And then bad weather hit. Am I being deliberately backwards? Nope! The Monday strip began with Mark still trying to coopt Shania and Reba into canceling the camping trip because of the flood threat. But bipolar Tess overheard and began to rage against her companions. Yet, as quickly as Tess’s wrath began, it disappeared. In Tuesday’s strip, Tess was all happiness and charm, likely due to the arrival of the New York photographer and hipster, Venus Verité. Tess’s husband, Jess, must have driven her in and then faded back into the Mark Trail Phantom Zoneof Unneeded Characters for the remainder of the week (At least he has plenty of company there).
Venus is definitely into her work, as she spent most of her time checking the light and mentally framing her shots. Speaking of shots, the Hog-Huntin’ Heroines got in some hunting, but it was omitted from the week’s strips. Maybe the comics syndicate just wanted to move the story along. But we did get to witness some dead hog torsos and more of Tess’s heroic victory poses. When Mark later suggested that they set up camp on high ground in case of flooding, Tess again derided Mark. But Tess relented when Venus agreed with Mark, saying that the elevated position would provide better views for her photography.
Mark has not been camping out much since Jules Rivera took over the strip (N.B.Mark’s camping prowess was a topic of discussion in the Saturday comments section, so check it out). Okay, adventure stories must have adventure, so you can pretty well figure out what happened next. In the middle of the night Mark awoke from his tent in horror to find that it was raining, with raging floodwaters rising towards their campsite! The week ended with Mark running around in his pajamas, shouting the alarm. I wonder if there is even higher ground they can escape to?
Well, we have a more interesting and creative title panel for a change. I didn’t know about the polar bear’s hair and skin, but it reminds me of a similar quality in feathers on such birds as Blue Jays and Hummingbirds. I’m not sure what Mark’s comment in the last panel is all about. Sure, it’s supposed to be Hah!Hah! Funny, But still, “split a soda”!? Well, you could get really environmental and point out that sodas are not all that friendly to the climate, but that’s being pedantic. It’s not the CO2 so much as the entire production process. In any event, what really concerns me is the remark, itself. Why a soda (pop) and why split it with a polar bear? It’s a relationship that makes no sense to me. Mark doesn’t even seem like a soda type of guy. Let’s have lessof Mark’s image in every panel and more space for the Sunday topic!
You know as well as I do that in the pre-Rivera Mark Trail strip, we’d be seeing one or more of the women sneaking up to Mark’s tent and reaching for the zipper … to his tent flap, of course. But the current Mark Trail doesn’t seem to be much of a “chick magnet.” And maybe that’s all for the better. Even the James Bond movies have largely pivoted away from the heroic stud stereotype.
Since the group pitched their tents atop a rise, this has to be one hell of a flood! The dam must have given way. Which dam, you ask? Well, almost every flood disaster story seems to be based on a dam failing because of too much rain, sending watery doom to the sleeping population in the valley.
In fact, what panel 4 depicts isn’t just water rising to the top of the hill; we see waves and breakers, suggesting a surge of water. I reckon we’ll learn more in time.
I’d be surprised if Venus Verité does not try to get some good photos of their impending doom while Mark scurries around ensuring everybody makes it back to the cars. Oh, wait. The cars are down the hill, right? Given that the flood is cresting the summit where they are camping, escaping in the cars doesn’t sound like a viable option. Good thing at least some of them have experience climbing trees.
The question now is whether Rivera spends a third week in a row on this story or we jump back to Lost Forest and the fashion trash. At least here, we got a good cliff-hanger for once!
I reckon that if they didn’t talk so much, we’d have a better view of those storm clouds hiding behind the dialog balloons. At least some are peeking out in panel 4. Higher ground is usually a good strategy to follow in a situation like this, especially with a slight rise to assist in minimizing standing water. But what is this ground they are moving onto? It looks like clay or dirt, with no vegetation at all. Or is it rock? A dirt or clay ground probably would not be the best place to pitch tents in a storm.
Now, what about those kills? Are they being left where they fell? Taking any home for more pork chops? A small detail, perhaps, but leaving them on the earth will almost certainly render them useless for butchering later on. About as useless as Shania and Reba, who don’t seem to contribute very much.
Art Dept. Did you notice how Mark can quickly move from one person and space to another? He’s like The Flash! In panel 3, he’s standing beside Tess Tigress, as she once again derides his cautious attitude. In panel 4, Tess relents, but Mark is already standing beside Venus Verité in the distance. Well, perhaps it is really just Tess who moved away from Mark and Venus, before deciding to go along with the plan. Not the Flash, after all.
What makes a “Prize Hog”? Size? Tenacity? Skin color? Is there such as a thing as a prize feral hog? Well, I’m not sure where today’s installment fits into the story’s chronology. It could be before yesterday’s panels or just after. Makes little difference, perhaps. The story doesn’t really advance, so much as it just fills in a few miscellaneous spots. Mark is busy scribbling notes and not taking pics. Maybe he’s made a deal with Venus Verité to get copies of her photos. Say, I wonder if Shania and Reba actually got a chance to shoot?
Art Dept. Okay, new quiz: What are those red streaks in panel 1? Why are they arranged around the panel borders and presumably pointing to Tess? I have an idea, but would like to hear yours!
Clearly, Jules Rivera is satirizing (or deriding) the shooting, as she deliberately reverses the usual sound effect from Ka Blam to B-Kam. And yes, I’m aware that we could see all of Rivera’s work as satirizing the original strip.
Next, what the heck is Verité doing in panel 3 and panel 4? Shaping her hands into a virtual frame is a longstanding technique for photographers and even artists, but she seems to be holding her frame up in the air, as if she is preparing to photograph the sky. Maybe she is? But it gets even more perplexing in panel 4, where she holds her hands up above her head, like a ballerina who forgot to pose her legs. And once again, Rivera arranges her cast in a line, or lineup (mabe like an old-fashioned police lineup?) , as if they are on stage at the end of a talent show, waiting to hear who won.
The Daily Trail 