The Mark Trail Thread of Punching Justice and Smug Life Lessons

[Dr. Medulla]

Speedboat, punching, and talking animals. Can an explosion be far behind?

I don't like that there's no ambiguity here. The animal is actually talking.

Or, rather, Mark thinks it is. He's had conversations with frogs and something else already. Less Dr. Doolittle, I think, and more mental illness.

Yeah, he's very clearly disturbed.

I have a feeling we will go down that path eventually. You see Mark was neglected as a child and took solace in the animal friendships he was able to cultivate on the farm. He would talk to them because he had nobody else to talk to and became more withdrawn and eventually the animals started talking back to him.

While I dig that the strip has found its action voice—especially given that she's quite good at illustrating action—that kind of psychological investigation is seriously meh. Back in the 80s, there was a Spider-man writer, J.M. DeMatteis, who turned everything into a psychological story, villains traumatized in their childhood and all that. It was trying to elevate the form, but it reads as corny.

[Dr. Medulla]

The Batman sound effects do amuse.

Did Batman sound effects often include "GRAB!" 'coz that seems weird.

I don't think so, but the riffs off it since have evolved to be that literal.

[Kory]

The Batman sound effects do amuse.

Did Batman sound effects often include "GRAB!" 'coz that seems weird.

[Dr. Medulla]

[revbob]

Yup.

[Dr. Medulla]

Gotta say, the art has become top notch. Not sure what kind of nature-themed stories can be told when Mark is in a federal penitentiary or psychiatric hospital, but that seems where this is heading. Oh Mark, maybe if you'd accepted that magazine award from the talking building all those years ago, your life would have gone in a different direction …

[Dr. Medulla]

Ha! Boat explosion, but with a twist.

[revbob]

Ha! Boat explosion, but with a twist.

Ots no ordinary boat its a fireworks yacht. And the impact of one smaller boat crashing into the larger one has set off the fireworks.

I know there's been some "action" but the story hasn't really progressed in weeks. I want to know if Rusty is a meth addict yet.

[Dr. Medulla]

Ha! Boat explosion, but with a twist.

Ots no ordinary boat its a fireworks yacht. And the impact of one smaller boat crashing into the larger one has set off the fireworks.

I know there's been some "action" but the story hasn't really progressed in weeks. I want to know if Rusty is a meth addict yet.

Thus far the narrative has been really unfocused. Family drama/secrets/dysfunction. Environmental crime/corporate abuse. Mark is insane. The first one is lame soap opera crap better left to Mary Worth. The second could be cool and would move me a lot closer to digging what JR is doing. And the third is also kind of cool, tho it seems like a cul de sac as far as narratives go. But I am curious where this is heading, which counts as some kind of success.

[revbob]

That's quote a body count of boats. There's like 7 boats burning but the fireworks yacht seems somewhat unscathed.

[Dr. Medulla]

That's quote a body count of boats. There's like 7 boats burning but the fireworks yacht seems somewhat unscathed.

Mark's temporary insanity defence seems rock solid, unless the temporary part isn't.

[Dr. Medulla]

It happened so subtly that nobody really noticed how Mark Trail was turned into a strip celebrating white trash.

[revbob]

It happened so subtly that nobody really noticed how Mark Trail was turned into a strip celebrating white trash.

Mark also conveniently left out stealing a boat l, evading the police and causing several boats to burst into flames.

[Dr. Medulla]

It happened so subtly that nobody really noticed how Mark Trail was turned into a strip celebrating white trash.

Mark also conveniently left out stealing a boat l, evading the police and causing several boats to burst into flames.

It's implied? I mean, if you take a swing at your dad, it should be understood that watercraft theft and explosions are involved.

[Spiff]

It happened so subtly that nobody really noticed how Mark Trail was turned into a strip celebrating white trash.

Mark also conveniently left out stealing a boat l, evading the police and causing several boats to burst into flames.

He's saving that for pillow talk, of course.