Once again, Mark follows the Trail less used. What the hell is Mark talking about, anyway!? Is he trying to mislead Sid Stump about Jeb’s discovery? This is like one of those high school movies with the bully and his posse pushing around a weak and timid freshman. Mark is the upper class quiet guy who’s had enough and steps in to put the bully in his place.
Okay, that’s how it’s set up, which means that’s not how it will work out. But exactly how are they going to stop Mark and Jeb from leaving? Did Stump have the foresight to embed digitally enabled land minds around the forest? Will Mark do anything other than bluster about doing the right thing and shoving his integrity in Sid Stump’s face? Maybe they’ll just threaten each other to death.
A third straight week for Mark. Poor Cherry, we last saw her in the flooded rooms of the Sunny Soleil Society with Violet Cheshire, around April 22nd. I reckon we’ll spend yet another week in the woods.
So: How to explain today’s situation? Doesn’t “surrounded” mean trapped on all sides? Perhaps the phrase “confronted by” is more apt. Anyway, the enemy has invaded.
And why is Sid stump dressed like some combat-ready karate kid? Why are those three wearing bandoliers; are they expecting to fight off federal agents? And are those really guns in their hands? They sure look odd to me. Maybe these tech-weenies just came from a paintball session.
Given who showed up, Mark looks unduly worried. If he can’t take care of all three of those walking nerf balls, he should turn in his useless “fists o’ justice” or pass them on to Cherry.
The story took a few more turns the past week. Journalist Jebediah Jeter continued to explain to Mark his presence in the forest, due to threats from malevolent tech guru Sid Stump. Jeb said that “heknew too much,” so Jeb exiled him to the forest to be killed by a bear. But what did Jeb know too much of? Either that Sid Stump is using A.I. to flood the world with misinformation to create worldwide havoc, or that the A.I. scheme is really a scam and Stump’s realsecret plan is to con rich people into investing money into the project. We learned that Stump was aware all along of the dangerous geology in the area and was selling the camp as an experience with the thrill of danger. At this point, I’m not sure where the STEM concept fits in, except as some kind of public “cover.” Maybe a phony public cover story makes a good proof of concept for his A.I. misinformation plan!
I presume the incentive for investors to support Stump’s A.I. scam—or scheme—would be finding ways to capitalize on the instability generated by the misinformation: Taking advantage of the stock market or seeking political gain, perhaps?
But Jeb is now stuck in the forest, unable to leave, but protected by the bear that was supposed to kill him. Apparently, Jeb never thought about simply walking through the woods to get away or walking out with his Bear bodyguard by his side.
Mark did offer to give Jeb a ride down the hill. Unfortunately, Mark’s ignorance of how light functions at night created a new crisis. Sid Stump and the two NFT Bros were able to track them down because Mark kept his flashlight on while pointing it upward, like a spotlight. Stump was kind enough to give credit to Mark for helping make their discovery possible. And that’s how we ended the week with a classic “cliff hanger.”
Another really good title panel! Box turtles were plentiful where I grew up. As little kids, we sometimes fed them wet dog food. They looked cool, and we sometimes kept them as pets for a while, but I remember they were too much of a nuisance to take care of, especially when you are around 8. They weren’t dangerous and they usually closed up when we approached. We also had snapping turtles in the area, sometimes big ones. Now, those dudes really were dangerous! We fed them sticks that they would bite down on, then we tried to raise them up by lifting the stick. They’d ultimately let go, dropping down into the swampy area where they live, with a big splash. We’d haul our little butts out of there real fast. Yeah, we were a bunch of very young, stupid kids, laughing at the excitement and our fear.
Well, I said questioned the foolishness of Mark shining his flashlight directly up in the air. Who the hell does that, anyway? And zooming in on panel 4, we can see the two jerky NFT Bros form Sid Stump’s posse. But what the hell can they do, anyway? Do they carry guns, knives, or other weapons of destruction? Don’t see anything, so far.
So, maybe Jeb is a wuss, but Mark isn’t a runner. Besides, we should expect to see Protector Bear lumbering to the rescue…when the story resumes after a brief turn to Cherry.
Okay, the potential AI menace seems to be getting lots of press these days, as it is in the Trailverse. How did this wind up in Mark’s wheelhouse? I mean, Jeb is a journalist, right? It’s his story and his concern. Mark’s story is the bear. But things have gotten all twisted around. Now, the bear(s) has somehow taken on the task of protecting Jeb, instead of just killing him. Maybe the bear is on patrol at this moment. But just how the bear decided (or is even able) to become a bodyguard is not clear. Maybe that is what accounts for the bear’s incursions into the tech retreat.
Mark is clearly not going to run out on Jeb, and I fear that we might see a repeat of the car chase scenes from the Palm Springs adventure, as Mark and Jeb barrel down the hill in Mark’s speedy station wagon, chased by Sid Stump in a BMW M760i xDrive sedan, or equivalent. Gawd, I’m starting to think maybe going after redneck poachers isn’t so bad a storyline, after all. Well, Rivera could jazz it up by proposing professional poaching gangs, rather than backwoods hillbillies, as used to be the norm in this strip.
The Tech Bros sure missed the boat for a money grab with their phony NFT scam a while back. Now, it seems they (and the others) are being groomed to support Sid Stump’s AI scam. I can appreciate the ironic justice. So AI is the new geek toy in town; not that it is actually new, of course. Even I wrote basic AI programs over 30 years ago. But the technology is a lot more advanced; advanced enough to start fleecing suckers and suckering innocent people. Misinformationis going to be the coin of the realm once the election season really gets moving. And I reckon the cash will come in from those who benefit from the chaos and fraudulent voting claims.
In any event, once again (i.e. Cricket Bro in Palm Springs and Cricket Bro in Portland) Mark is in a situation involving computer tech, which has little to do with nature or his regular skill set. It’s like an old LP with a scratch that forces the stylus to catch and keep repeating the same bit of music. Of course, the bear is just a plot diversion, mere window dressing.
This is at least the third story where digital hanky-panky is taking place, and Mark is no computer nerd. Is he just going to hammer Sid Stump into the ground and call it good? I’ll note that Jules Rivera has so far ignored my sage advice about giving Mark a tech-weenie sidekick to at least give stories like this one a semblance of practicality. Since Rivera likes to retread characters, I think Diana Daggers appears to have some qualifications.
It seems Mark’s role here is going to be similar to the one in the Cricket Bro/Palm Springs adventure, where he assisted Aparna (?) to steal back her original app code while he kept staff busy with his mediocre boxing skills. I’d love to be wrong.
I stand corrected and applaud Rivera for adding some additional depth to this story. The issue is not so much the capability of AI as it is the capability of Stump to scam the campers. This could have been a sweet turnabout on the Data Bros. and their attempted scam, except for the fact that they—like the others—apparently have no money and hope to squeeze a spare million out of Stump. It’s quite funny in a way: everybody is secretly there for the same reason.
On the other hand, this explanation seems to contradict Jeb’s original statement that the issue was Sid’s secret plans to fill the world with misinformation. Of course, I think we all know Sid was grossly behind the times on that idea.
However, I’m also not clear on the geological issue expressed. Okay, the cliffs are unstable. So Stump attracted his marks with the challenge to brave dangerous terrain? Cricket Bro and Faux Professor Bee Sharp didn’t sound like they were aware of that challenge when they went over the side. Is Mark signaling for a rescue chopper?
Sorry, Jules, but you let the proverbial bear out of the bag last week. We already know why Jeter is stuck in the woods. That wuss of a reporter apparently doesn’t have the brains or stamina to simply walk out. On the other hand, optimistic Mark thinks that he, himself, is safe, not realizing that fraternizing with “the enemy” will not earn him bonus points with the management.
Meanwhile, the bear hunts for commenter Daniel’s picnic baskets.
Rivera must really like her “image” balloons, as she seems to be using them more often. But do we really need to be reminded of what a bear looks like? It doesn’t look very protective, anyway.
Also, I think today is a wasted “rehash” day. We learned why Jeb has been in the woods in Saturday’s strip, just two days ago. Even an old fart like me can recall things that far back. Something tells me that Tuesday may not get us much farther along with the plot. Just a hunch.
Tune in next time for “Bears are fine once you get used to the smell“, or “Yogi found his new Boo-Boo“
What’s been going on this past week? Mark conducted a nighttime hunt for the lost reporter in the woods alongside the STEM retreat. In a short time, Mark stumbled onto the reporter, one Jebediah Jeter, who popped out of the bushes. Seems Jeter was thrown into the woods by Sid Stump to be killed by a bear (!!) for discovering his secret plan to use AI (Artificial Intelligence, in case you came in late) to take over the world, or something like that. But Jeb and the bear somehow befriended each other. Jeb can’t leave the woods without Sid coming after him. What to do? We’re waiting on Mark’s response, which could appear as early as Monday.
I was a little disappointed in the story development, as I had thought there would be a chance for a more dramatic plot development. Well, maybe it is, a bit. Jeb is yet another weirdo; a bewhiskered reporter dressed more flamboyantly than necessary, running around the woods like Grizzly Adams. Jeb wants Mark (and us) to believe that Sid Stump is willing to kill him to prevent exposing the fact that AI can be used to create destructive amounts of fake information. The notion that other people are not already aware of this fact about AI seems farfetched, even within the Trailverse. Still, it’s a topical item in the news these days, and that’s something. At least Mark isn’t once again trying to expose fraudulent fishing at a bass tournament, so let’s see how this story develops.
I still don’t like Mark’s new beard. It just does not look right. Jules, return the stubble, please!
Hmmm. AI is a timely enough plot device here, but I think, for all of his self-assumed brilliance, Sid is behind the curve. Everybody in the real world knows AI is being used to generate fake news, fake student papers, and fake conspiracies. But, maybe in the Trailverse the inhabitants are still getting used to no longer being stuck in the 1950s. It’s a lot to process in a short time!
As for Jeb’s little plight, bunk! Now that Mark knows, he’s also a marked man. Here’s a suggestion, Jeb: Take the back way out.
Sheesh! Making friends with a brown bear. “Gentle Jeb”, is it? Yeah, I know. GentleBen was the bear in that 1960’s kid’s TV show, but I won’t pass up an obvious reference. I’ll pass on Grizzly Adams. Oh dear, I feel like I’m being pulled to the Dark Snark by forces beyond my control. I’m doing my best to look at this dispassionately. Really, I am.
So, there is an effort here to move the story along by explaining the reporter’s disappearance and the motives behind it. But every panel today is a source of ambiguity: First, has everyone really been looking for this flake? Jeb’s own testimony in panel 3 seems to contradict Mark’s platitude. Second, what truth was Jebediah looking for? Clearly, he was not ready for the truth, and I don’t think that was covered in Mark’s briefing for this assignment. Third, who are the “they”: Sid and some of the guests or Sid and some staff that we haven’t seen yet? Fourth … well, you fill that one in, if you wish.
So it looks like Mark’s assignment just took another left turn, which might wind up reprising the “sneak into the office to get the goods” dodge he pulled while in Palm Springs investigating Cricket Bro’s operation.
Ow! Stabbed in the back again! Rivera tries to get cute by having Mark respond to the narration box in panel 1, as if it actually is his own thought. Actually, that is kind of clever, but not here, not now.
The big stab comes as Rivera pulls the rug out from under her suspenseful buildup and returns to her comfort zone of farce. Farce has its place and I enjoy it, but once in a while I’d like to see some actual drama play out here, without oddball jacks-in-the-box popping up or suffering Rivera’s inexplicable reliance on retreading the same opponents, over and over, like the 1960s Batman TV show and its rotating list of villains. Okay, so Jebediah Jeter is a “new” member of the troupe. Journalist? He looks more like “Jebediah Jeter, Professional Hobo.” And he has to portray another joker familiar with Mark and his work. Small world.
So what the hell has Jeter been doing, wandering around the woods for the past several Trailverse days or more? After all, he went missing before Mark was even called to take on this assignment.
Good, this adventure is turning into a classic mystery. And our shipping tycoon finally floats back to the surface for a moment. Mark conducts his search with a bright flashlight, so I suppose that stealth is not a priority for his investigation. Just as well, since he’s also been talking (or “thinking”) out loud to himself. Rivera has not gone with the traditional thought balloon. As we know, Rivera already relegated the thought balloon to its new role of showing a “reference image” for what is being discussed. While this function has merit, it does mean “thoughts” become another problem to portray in a comic strip. Should a dialog balloon also function as a thought balloon? We are left with this weird vision of Mark talking to himself, a situation sometimes diagnosed as a symptom of a mental illness.
Granted, Rivera needs to reveal additional information for the sake of the story. Maybe, for once, this would have been better handled by using narration boxes rather than dialog balloons. They would not be obtrusive but would help maintain the air of secrecy and silence that a night-time investigation normally requires. And they would make Mark look less weird.
Normally, when characters talk to themselves, the artist uses a thought balloon, not a dialog balloon, as we see here. If this was a 1940s film noir—think Double Indemnity, where Fred MacMurray confesses his participation in a murder told in flashback—Mark would here be reflecting back on how he broke the case of an attacking bear and uncovered a sinister plot. But, this is not a flashback. So who is Mark talking to?
Based on Mark’s research, the obvious next question is Sowhy are these losers here? And how will this trip salvage their crumbling careers? Riffing again on film noir, maybe that narcissistic rich boy who owns the resort invited them here so one person has a chance to gain favor and funding by fulfilling some really difficult task or puzzle. Of course, this type of story usually involves one of the hopefuls getting rid of the competition to better the odds. Can anybody say “booby-trapped cliff”?
Now if this turns out to be the way this story is going to develop, it could be an exciting adventure!
Nothing says “diving deeper” better than climbing a hill!
Okay. Today’s installment makes less sense to me. First, how can Mark be staying late when last we saw, he was home with Cherry? Did I oversleep for a week? Second, who said this was a resort for the rich? It is supposed to be a retreat for STEM professionals. That could mean teachers, too. Third, when and how did Mark check into the financials of the residents? Fourth, Mark’s “faces” balloon in panel 2 fails to display the shipping owner and his assistant, who were present when Mark first showed up. Don’t they count, or did they check out immediately after Mark arrived? Fifth, why is Mark searching through the hills at night if the issue is financial? Does he expect to find a hidden workshop printing counterfeit thousand-dollar bills?
Any answers or explanations, other than Rivera must have been cuckoo or stoned?
I won’t have much to say this week because I have a head cold and I’ve messed up one of my oral discussion projects in my Italian class. Mama mia! Che schifo!
This week should have featured Cherry and her concrete adventure. We got to it, but not until Thursday. The strips for Monday-Wednesday were devoted to Mark and Cherry trying to share an intimate moment sitting out a nighttime storm. Normally, such lovey-dovey events appear after completed adventures. In fact, it originally seemed that Cherry’s concrete driveway story was done and buried under the concrete when Violet Cheshire went ahead with plans to lay a concrete driveway, using the services of Honest Ernest. Of course.
After the nighttime storm, Cherry showed up at the Sunny Soleil Society the next morning with Violet, only to discover pools of water on the floor inside the house. Somehow, water also got onto Violet’s work desk! Is there a leaky roof, too? Well, Violet acted as if she had no idea that there could be bad consequences to a concrete driveway, in spite of Cherry’s earlier warnings. Cherry volunteered to help clean up, issuing an odd warning about the (very remote) possibility of spadefoot tadpoles showing up, presumably to lay eggs in the pools of water. Somehow, this flooding disaster was supposed to have made Violet more sensitive to Nature, the Earth (e.g., Earth Day), and Conservation.
Okay, the Saturday strip was not a lead-in to today’s discussion, as I guessed. Fool me once, shame on me… fool me uh … won’t get fooled again!
So, we have another topical subject, still in the news. Rivera provided another great custom title panel. From what little I read in a Scientific American discussion, rather than one giant blob (or “mat”) of Sargassum, it is more like a lot of separate chunks floating together. That distinction may not matter much when we are dealing with some 5,000 miles of moving seaweed. This might not be the best time to take a vacation to the Southeast, Caribbean, or Gulf coasts. The NY Times reported the seaweed contains arsenic, so it should not be used as fertilizer or in animal feed, as some entrepreneurs are wondering.
Finally, why is Mark’s figure outlined in white in the central panel? Is this some kind of “flashback”? I don’t think so; rather, it was probably done to ensure Mark’s image did not get obscured by the Sargassum background. I don’t think it was necessary, given she didn’t do it with the other images. Perhaps we are looking at an example of digital copy-and-paste.
Why did Cherry back down when Violet questioned her about the driveway? Cherry certainly did not lack backbone when she confronted Violet before the concrete was laid. But, spadefoot tadpoles, Cherry!? Adult spadefoot toads would have to make their way into the house, lay their eggs in the puddles, then move out. And it takes a few days just for the eggs to hatch, so what’s the emergency? They will get mopped up when the floor is cleaned. Maybe Cherry is just trying to put a scare into Violet.
I’m going to go out on a limb and prematurely give Rivera credit for having Violet’s comment in panel 4 set up what I think is a clever segue into Sunday’s nature lesson. We’ll see if that limb I’m on gets cut, sending me down into a puddle of embarrassment.
Yes, dear readers. April 21st is the traditional (modern) date for the mythical founding of Rome. Having noted that, my prediction about how this flooding incident would be characterized by Cherry is hardly inspired. But Cherry was wrong. The storm did not cause the damage. It was the incompetence of Honest Ernest for not properly angling the driveway to funnel water away from the building. I’m betting he didn’t partition the driveway concrete pouring, either. But none of this explains the water on top of Violet’s desk.
Blimey, who knew Violet was British? As for the water, I’m sure we’ll hear something from Cherry about how the concrete driveway must have been involved. No doubt there is a way that sneaky concrete also caused water to form on Violet’s desk.
As an aside, the Sunny Soleil Society is supposed to be supporting the interests of a local HOA, which is how Cherry first got involved with them. So, since Cherry appears to be under contract to the Society, why wouldn’t they have Cherry provide landscaping and gardening services to homeowners served by the HOA, rather than have her work only on the Society’s grounds? Where’s the money in that?!
Anyway, I’d think Rivera could generate more story ideas through the interactions of Cherry, the Society, and various (quirky) homeowners. Got that, Jules? You can’t keep milking the old Society Cow forever. Dodd didn’t make Mark catch the same poachers, over and over.
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