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Two for the price of none

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June 11. Where to begin? From the start we have seen Violet Cheshire presented as a parody of southern society, a person whose personality and actions conflict with her attire. Vain, shallow, and mercurial she may be, image is very important to her.

So how are we to read this portrayal of Violet double-handing a bucket of fried chicken as if she is practicing for an upcoming eating contest? And are we to believe that Violet is either forgetful or the reincarnation of Mrs. Malaprop? Miss-speaking is not the same as forgetting!

June 12. Speaking of vain, that robin once again showed up to show off her feathery décolletage. Meanwhile, Cherry applies the gentle art of sarcasm in panel 2 as she goes with the idea that Violet is suddenly forgetful. Thus, Cherry repeats her original sales pitch. We may have to endure this presentation and its resolution for the remainder of the week.  

Is this a good story telling technique? Rivera could have dispensed with today’s panels and simply noted that Cherry had to repeat her presentation. But repeating her composting spiel in detail is just hitting readers over the head with what’s been said, more than once. Rivera could have dispensed with this sermonizing and instead showed Cherry actually building a compost pile as Violet looks on. And still forgetting their deal!

You can keep a secret, right?

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My snarky comment about Cherry’s discussion resembling a student presentation in yesterday’s strip encouraged regular reader Downpuppy to again promote his hypothesis that Mark Trail is transforming into a strip directed towards children, or at least written at that level. That is a real possibility. I originally thought that the idea of “attracting a younger audience,” as was once claimed by Rivera, referred to newer readers under 60, for example. But I think Downpuppy refers to pre-adolescent children. On the other hand, a lot of children in that age range already like adventure and action stories with a lot more danger and a lot more action.

As for today’s installment, the idea that Violet Cheshire would send Cherry to a convention for collecting organic trash for composting is silly (but I do think panel 3 with its burnt-orange background and spot-on narration box is an effective flashback). Since when did Violet become a conservationist, anyway? What would make more sense for this story is for Violet to offer an award (or free trip) to whichever person or family in the community does the most composting over the summer. Yeah, it still sounds boring, but it would at least make more sense. Just think of the intrigue and drama between the contestants!

In any event, it’s not going to go that way. In fact, like Mark’s adventure of the wild horses that had little to do with wild horses, I think composting will also be a sidebar. Instead, this story may be another morality play about keeping confidences, rumors, and Cherry’s continued regression from spirited, self-confident, problem-solving female to TV sitcom, blabby-mouthed bore.

Airhead Jeanette (well, that’s how she is presented here, so don’t blame me!) will almost certainly be spreading the word about those secret tax credits around Lost Forest faster than Rusty can consume a plate of flapjacks! Woohoo, boys and girls! What will happen next? Will Violet get visited by the Income Tax Boogey Man? Tune in again tomorrow for another thrilling chapter of “Lost. Forest. Adventure. Theater!”