Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for August 15, 2013

“Straight Spin”…..

Frame the last panel and put it on a Hallmark card.

WONDERFUL strip today!

Sooooooo, Brad?

I’ll ASK Again: Are You and Toni going with Traditional Wedding Vows?

You Know, the “Love, Honor and O-Kay” Bit????

Why does Bwad feel the need to BS a six year old?

Maybe it is just the excitement of the moment.

@most of youCan’t you guys recognize teasing?

It’s natural that Shannon would want to believe that her “aunt” isn’t going to marry a loser. Kids are sweet, the way they want things to be good and special. She probably won’t threaten B-Wad’s fragile ego until she’s eleven or so, when she’s his intellectual equal.

“Bwad”…. the Spinners game… from Twisted Minds…. " look to us for Games People Play "…= the Barbie Spin Dictionary… for the aspiring Little Barbie Doctor… “Hey…she cant be wrong”….=BS&T Toys’ new Stock Yo Yo pendant, and Big Wheel Spinster bike… “What goes up, must come down…”

Maybe Mommy and Daddy can explain it to you.

Of course the problem will be when Shannon tells all that to Toni… ^Yeah, that could seem like some moments there to go “Gulp!”… Someone better tell Brad to go and “hide the family jewels”…. =Maybe Shannon will put a positive “spin” on this, herself, and then Toni would be a little forbearing afterwards….=Or I wonder, if maybe she will take it all in stride anyway, seeing later the effects of Brad’s interaction with Shannon… I think that Toni of all people may notice the changes in her life the most, and how all of a sudden, many of the things she once was missing are now seeming to come together a little more smoothly, including Shannon’s wonderful esteem of Brad…..

Seems Shannon is musically gifted…. she seems to really have a way with heartstrings….. such a tender moment…. aww! (Okay…. think football…. think football…. do not cry… Lol!)

I don’t see Brad as having to feel ashamed about who asked whom in this situation… but similar to what I was thinking would happen yesterday, he wasn’t prepared to have her ask this particular question, or was hoping to not have to answer such questions….=It seems more that he wanted to make sure that he wasn’t destroying her perceptions and her esteem of him, and at the same time, understanding (or also appreciating) her intelligence and ability to reason on things…=And it seems that she really does see something good in him… almost similar to how Toni sees something good in him, as well….

Yeah, “this much is true”….

Glad to see Brad being a little more cheerful and affectionate towards Shannon…she’s beginning to come around . You can tell she feels more secure now than previously.

It’s obviously hereditary.

All together, now…….AWWWWW…..

That was a better use of my … format. I could understand your remarks a lot better this time. Way to go!^Now you know that was not your…. format… unless you are saying that the less words someone uses, the more you are able to understand… you do realize that that would be like saying you weren’t ready for “big boy” books yet…. but since you have written lengthy novels in a language that only you can understand… oh, yeah, that’s right… I forgot… weeee uuuuuse Eeeeenglish here…. not “Dooooonnnnnnyyyyyleeeesssse”……

and that many posts makes my head spin. ^Is that why you deleted all those posts you had up at the top at first?…..

Sweet! Shannon is happy with Brad; Toni is happy with Brad; and Brad is happy with Brad! We’re all happy! Let’s have a wedding!

I may be in the minority here, but I think Shannon has always been able to pronounce her Rs, she just called Brad “Bwad” to tease him all along. One lollipop to anyone who can show me an example of her having that speech impediment anywhere other than when using his name.

Which is weally neither here nor there. I think this is a milestone in “his” and Shannon’s relationship, and bodes well for his ability to handle her presence in the marriage. Brad will make an awesome step-dad, I just hope Toni can accommodate his ability to set limits on her niece. I also suspect there’s at least one more arc ahead involving Fishbait.

And I suspect Shannon will still refer to him on occasion as “Bwad” when she’s dealing with bras, boys and braces of her own.

Do we know if Toni is the older or younger sister?

Awww this is a GOOD one, today :-)

Transition of a brat sibling to responsible adult.Great character development.

Transition of a brat sibling to responsible adult.Great character development.

Please do not over think this people.“Bwad” is Shannon’s affectionate name for Brad.Brad’s exaggerations are a game he plays with Shannon and she is mature enough and smart enough to recognize them as such. This type of game encourages their bonding and is very common.

Brad should let Shannon known that he did propose last year, but then he turned it into a big April Fool’s joke. You know, to impress her with his good judgement and maturity.

Awwwww :)

can i get a big “D’awwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!”

I recommend “unchained melody”.. My all time most romantic song.

Gag. Lets move on please.

Yahhh…. This one’s a keeper. I concur that “Bwad” is not BSing Shannon. That’s just good matured banter between the two, and very good for bonding them. I would only caution Brad not to overdo it in the “boasting” dept.., as Shannon could, quite innocently, make something backfire on him by spinning it back to Toni.

And, in the “obey” dept., to get “Episocpal” on your “derriere,” ;-), in the 1789 “rite,” (got it “right” this time ;-P), the “wilt thou have” question is worded exaclty the same for both genders, with the only differences being the gender specific words themselves…

"{Name}, Wilt thou have this (Man/Woman) to thy wedded (Husband/Wife), to live together after God’s ordinace in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love (him/her), comfort (him/her), honour and keep (him/her) in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto (him/her), so long as ye both shall live?"

DiNozzo?That you?

Yep Bwad has two new girls who love him, his future wife, and her niece, which I hope they adopt.

Remind me, where are Shannon’s parents? I know she’s Toni’s cousin, but for all intents and purposes she’s basically Toni’s daughter in the strip.

Enough of the mushy stuff. It’s time we get back to “Ann-Eyfull” What’s she been up to?

Concerning the name “Bwad”. I always thought she first said his name that way to mock the loving relationship her Aunt Toni had for this guy who was unknown to her. Just as people do when a friend tells them of a new relationship and they tease that friend by over emphasizing the starry way they pronounce the new beau’s name.Today she is no longer mocking the loving relationship but is saying it in her own loving way.

As bratty as Shannon is, it’s moments like this that make me love that kid!

Okay this is my favorite. Since I have been following Luann

First nice thing she’s ever said to him.

Aw, Brad will be a great dad and Shannon loves him already. Never mind she already has a dad – an absent dad. Wonder if Jonah will ask Toni and Brad to adopt Shannon?

Shannon’s a little brat but she can be cute whne she wants to be! : )

All I know is that, Brad will be in deep doo-doo when Shannon spills the beans about Brad’s other girlfriends…it may be a sweet moment now, but Toni may not be amused when she gets home…Let’s hope for the best.

@JanBic

“Bwad” is Shannon’s affectionate name for Brad.Brad’s exaggerations are a game he plays with Shannon and she is mature enough and smart enough to recognize them as such. This type of game encourages their bonding and is very common.^^Well said, Greg really does write from life; or course it’s a cartoon, so , the scenarios are often a mite exaggerated, but, the heart of Luann is taken from reality

Aren’t you kind of jumping way ahead of the arc here? Let’s get Brad and Toni married first, and then see if they adopt Shannon AND decide to have their own baby. You are probably way ahead of Evans on this.

I still don’t get why you think the proposal was humiliating, or why Evans is saying that it was. If someone loves another person and that person wants to marry them, it’s not humiliating – even if the person proposing talks about a former lover. You either want to be with someone or you don’t. ???? Please explain your thoughts to those of us who just don’t see where you’re coming from.

Absolutely need Barry here….

That is so cute — Shannon is turning out to be such a little darling. I just love this comic strip!

a beautiful story going on here, that will only get better.

Don’t leave us in suspense. Tell us what the musician said.

Is this the little girl so many of us demonized less than a year ago?*Guess there’s hope for all of us!

Yes, this strip is definitely a keeper.

You know, I forgot that there is another song that is appropriate in different aspects (the course over time in the relationship of Brad/Toni; Shannon and Brad as they wait for Toni, as well): “I’ll Stay” by Funkadelic….=“I’ll stay though friends they ridicule You know for her there is no substitute Talk I can endure (I must endure)“But that’s alright”, mother says, “Son”

Know my reward When she returns (Whoo whoo) She’ll still come home, woah Keeps me hanging on I’ll stay"

Concerning “Bwad” versus “Brad”. I think this comic strip takes place in New York. When my wife moved from New York to the West, she introduced herself as “Mawy” versus “Mary”. Most of her classmates commented on her New York accent. Over time, she lost the accent.

Sweet!

“. . . PAs they used to give every night at 10 PM… the one proposed for here was: “It’s (and I’d say whatever time it was)… do you know that this is a comic strip?…. since then, awareness has gone through the roof!”

By the way, your post from yesterday was hilarious! Please keep up the good work with those awareness announcements.

Loved Levy’s first comment too.

Just thought I’d throw those in here since I didn’t get a chance yesterday.

I definitely get what you mean, but “humiliating” may be too strong a word. The proposal was definitely done awkwardly and left Brad feeling dissatisfied and uncomfortable.

I was trying to think of a better word, but haven’t come up with one. Yet.

“SHANNON,” by HENRY GROSS!^Now I woooooould agree, but if you knew the lyrics to that song, I feel it’s a safe proposition to say that it miiiight not fit, here…

This is the info on it (from Songfacts.com): “Shannon” was a song written about the passing of Beach Boy Carl Wilson’s Irish Setter of the same name. The song went gold and became a worldwide hit. The second single, “Springtime Mama,” sold just short of gold. This was Gross’ first album and first hit on the new Lifesong Record label.

By the time I get here, most of the daily posters have commented on the comments and so on, etc. Very interesting to read, however (and I read all of them). I look forward to getting to “Luann” on my list of Comics…it’s my favorite one. Today’s comic is truly a “Hall**** Moment.” I wonder if Shannon thinks of Brad as being a future “Uncle” as Toni is her “Aunt”…just a thought. However, I would like to see Shannon being permanently adopted by Toni and Brad soon after their wedding, and the termination of her bio father’s parental rights (who knows where her bio mother is). This so Shannon Finally has both a Mother and a Father that love her and put her needs first (she has a lot of baggage that needs to be tended to as they settle down to be a “Real Family”)…(not that a single-parent can’t have a “Real” Family)… ;)

I need Brad to be the one to suggest to Toni that they take on Shannon permanently.

Close enough to be her natural dad…^Curiously enough, this has happened… well, I’m sure it’s happened somewhere before, but I mean I have had that experience.. I was introduced to someone who is now a friend of mine…. at the time, having been newly introduced, I had no indication previously of their family ties…I innocently remarked that he looks just like his father, but then he informed me that it was actually his stepfather…. it’s funny… some look alike, or some act alike, some even express theirselves alike…

“God Bless the Child” by Blood, Sweat and Tears? (I’m sure there were others who have done this song, but BS&T’s version is the one I’m familiar with.) ^BS&T are definitely noted for their cover of this!=Incidentally, the tune was originally performed by Billie Holliday…. the interesting thing about this, is that she co-wrote the tune with someone named Arthur Herzog, Jr.

You’ll remember that Brad wanted to discuss marriage with Toni a long time ago and she repeatedly brushed it off – not ready yet. So when she did tell him she wanted to marry him, it was just her letting him know that it was OK now. Not really humiliating, just being a gentleman and waiting for his lady love to come on board.

No need to reply to any of the grown-ups posts because they all make sense.

However, people like Jonah have a hard time recognizing their responsibilites, but no difficulty at all knowing their rights….. ^I agree that this is so, and unfortunately it is similar in the case of some mothers trying to “stick it to fathers of their children when the two split up” (not talking about the cases of the truly deadbeat dads, but the ones who did do right by their kids, only to have the mothers only use the kids to squeeze more money for their… “lifestyles”)… in that instance, those parents who use the children in legal proceedings and constant battles also want the legal benefits, but really don’t want the legal responsibilities..=But back to Jonah…. it would be a heinous time for him to “suddenly pop back up”, to do so… but to be honest, there could be a wrinkle to that, as well: The " attempt from a rehabilitated parent" dilemma… if all of a sudden Jonah wanted to have her with him, and somehow got a meager place, the challenge would then be how Shannon would feel, vs. the efforts of B&T vs. Jonah.. but it could work out differently from this.. but there is that potential for J or B&T to want to contest such.. but I think that Jonah is in “the parts of the strip that don’t get as much light” for a reason… the only way that this wont be an issue, too, is if all of this time, Jonah was getting his “ducks lined in a row”…… or if he totally gives up his rights, and chooses to remain in the “other parts of the strip”, where they wont be coming back, again…

Or maybe all of the cast offs get a “free trip” to Hawaii, where they get to tour a volcano, first-hand….

Almost forgot…. It’s (whatever your timepieces say) o’clock…. do you know that this is just a strip?……

You mean Father is the Child…^The first album was named “Child Is Father to the Man”…. but they did do a cover of “God Bless the Child”, which JPW was saying…

Is that 77 Sunset Strip?^So that’s the street they live on…

If you remember she always stood up for Dirk over Brad Toni seldom stood up for Dirk – see here. Or maybe this confrontation

I’m making this oddly structured phrase mean your delusions are for naught : = Ain’t no way!… ain’t no way! …..

You know what is funny? One thing that no one has tried to say in a while… how “unrealistic” the couch looks, or the fact that some details in the layout of the scenes are all wrong…(XD)

Actually, these days, the word “obey” is left out of the vows, I think they use another, less objectionable word.

I believe it is usually “love, honor, and cherish.” That’s what I’ve heard in the last 40 some years at weddings I’ve attended, including my own.

I agree with Sara that emotionally, Brad needs to be the one to initiate the conversation with Toni about solidifying their legal position with Shannon. I also think TORAD_07 has a very good point about Toni needing to be the party to take the initiative in the legal process.

And I continue to think there will be at least one, possibly more arcs involving Fishbait. He’ll either be trying to prove to his latest sweetie that he really is all grown up now, or maybe work some kind of government-aid hustle, or some damn thing.

Like . ., I’ve met more than a few people who are quick to ditch their responsibilities, but even quicker to demand their rights.

Who cares whether Shannon resembles Brad or not?? She doesn’t look anything like her aunt, Toni. Many couples adopt children of different races from themselves. Are you prejudicial? A racist? One of those in adoption agencies that discourage cross-race adoptions or foster homes?

Sad that at her age Shannon already was under this conception of gender roles…

That’s sweet, Shannon isn’t just a hyper active 6 year old

Awwwwww