I know there are over 3000 species of spiders. I’m not sure what this one is, but I’m glad that, for once, the “animal of the day” isn’t staring or smirking at us. That can’t be said for Cherry, who seems to have taken on the cynical smugness of Garfield.
So, a week is over and we’re off to a rousing mundane start (oh, I can be cynical, as well). But we’ll have to wait. Unless Rivera has changed up her priorities, it means that we return to Mark on Monday, as he gets involved in Rusty’s revenge school science project.
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!”
Okay, I get it: Cherry wants her own “Sunday Nature Chat”, like Mark. There’s only one Sunday a week and it belongs to Mark, so Cherry must have decided to create her own version by spending almost the entire week discussing the benefits of composting. Too bad Cherry goes on like a kid delivering her science project in school. No wonder Jeanette was fading fast. Luckily, Cherry finally got the point in panel 4. If this story doesn’t pick up soon, lots of eyes are going to start glazing over.
Whoa, some of these faces look like somebody was playing around with a police identikit and wasn’t too careful about matching up the features. Although I thought composting was fairly well known, apparently most of the inhabitants of Lost Forest are not aware. So it looks like we’re going to have a composting morality tale, after all.
How will Cherry encourage more (if any) composting by the denizens of Lost Forest? Maybe the citizens can meet at the local landfill and grab a bunch of organic matter to start their compositing at home. That would help lighten the landfill load, as Cherry put it. But more importantly, it could help reduce the manufacture of methane gas caused by the landfill.
I’m almost certain we’ll see Honest Ernest show up again, possibly as the owner of the local trash collection business, who will resent having citizens save their organic trash, thus robbing him of business.
So, Cherry wants to score some free chum for her composter, eh? But why does she think composting is “a little weird”? It’s been around for about as long as humans have been farming. And, along with recycling, it’s commonplace these days. I hope this isn’t Cherry’s latest crusade <yawn!>.
From the first, I had high hopes for Cherry’s promotion in the Trailverse to “alternate story protagonist.” Her increased facetime is a significant addition to the Mark Trail strip. In the past, Cherry has (literally) fought for the protection and promotion of honey bees, pressured people to stop using harmful chemicals on lawns, warned against the environmental effects of the overuse of concrete pavement, and even gone to bat for bats.
But it seems her stories continue to get sillier and less meaningful. This is ironic, given Rivera’s own socio-political leanings. But Cherry’s last “adventure” was chasing a cat. Ah well, let’s hope something interesting happens in this story.
[edited] Special Order!?! That brings back memories:
Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce Special orders don’t upset us All we ask is that you let us serve it your way
Well, the moving finger points, and having pointed, moves on. Or something like that. That pointing finger has been a popular motif in the Trailverse. Sometimes the forearm looks like it’s actually attached to the intended person.
Anyway, Planet Pancake has once again shape-shifted into a smaller venue. No matter, as it serves its purpose as a point of reference. The name of the business is certainly catchy, as is the sign’s design.
But food scraps? Is Cherry referring to what we would otherwise call “the garbage”, or perhaps, “organic recycle”? I think the Planet Pancake Space Cake Special sounds more appealing. Mounds of syrupy half-eaten pancakes, greasy bacon, and crappy sausage links don’t sound like any kind of meal that even a four-legged animal would want. I admit, I’m stumped where this story is going. So far, so good!
Otherwise, it might be pot luck night at the Trail cabin once again.
The Daily Trail 