Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for May 06, 2015

The Fire Ants are probably crawling around Tiffany, all searching, going: “Hey! Where’s the picnic?” – Or it’s stage one of the “Animal Planet Defense System”… – I guess some would say that Tiffany discovered “YouTube”, because she thought it was a site dedicated to her …

Eyowch!

Ernest P. Worrell can relate to the fire ants… they attacked him in a Sprite soda commercial.

…Fire ants seem appropriate. Wonder if he learned how to make ’em go away while adventuring with Rosa.

I still remember when I was about six years old when fire ants crawled up my pants and bit me in the nether region. I couldn’t get my pants off fast enough; modesty was the last thing on my mind.

Poor Tiffany learns the high cost of beauty.

Fire ants are always angry. They’re tiny little Hulks.

“A Natural Disaster”“An Ant-y Social”“She Didn’t Start The Fire….” (♫)“Safari, So Not Good”“A Bugging Device”“The Seven Minute Itch”“Under My Skin” (♫)“Soon To Be A Fire Fighter”“Sting Operation”or“Dead-Ant… Dead Ant…Dead Ant, Dead Ant, Dead Ant, Dead Ant, Dead Aaaant…..” (♫)

Get her into the water, Gunther…..quick.

She was bored, perhaps getting “antsy”.

I feel badly for Tiffany. For once she’s not going after someone elses guy and she’s trying so hard. Not being mean to anyone either.

Thanks

Tiffany’s crabs are about to make some new friends.

^They’re not anywhere near the ocean.

Probably why he’s been so grumpy, lately. And why he doesn’t shave- probably knows that it’ll be twice the sting, afterwards…

Emergency Gunther, you could also pee on her legs, then get ready to drive that hot little car back to the nearest clinic and hope she doesn’t have an allergic reaction.

Ok, gonna have to get out of those clothes and into the pond!

Here it comes! Tiffany’s gonna have to jump in the pond to get away from the fire ants. Then (most of) what she’s wearing will have to dry out on a tree branch. These memories may – at the very least – help Gunther get over Rosa.

What kind of idiot professor has his students go out and grab animals out of the wild?

From Wikipedia: Solenopsis are stinging ants and most of their common names reflect this, for example, ginger ants and tropical fire ants.

From Wikipedia a photo of lots of red marks on a person’s leg: “A human leg three days after coming in brief contact with a fire ant colony”

“What are GPS coordinates”? says Tiff. Getting lost is in the future methinks..

LMAO…she deserves what she gets!!

Tiff is about to be in a world of hurt. She is also turning out to be a disappointment. I was hoping that a little maturity might come shining through.

Hey Gunth?

After This Babe Is Eaten Alive By Fire Ants Make SURE to Rescue Her Car Keys for the Drive Back Home.

Uh, You DO Know How to Drive a Car, RIGHT??

I can see all sorts of good things about to happen now.

She’s going to have to get that cute little dress off, pretty darned soon. Maybe the rest of her things too, just to shake them all out. Give her a hand there, Gunth…

Fire Ants are the one thing where my “Garden Organically” mantra goes out the door. Chemical warfare all the way.

♫ Ants in your pants, ants in your pants…♪

“And [you] need to dance…” ;-) (James Brown)

OK, so this could turn several different ways. I guess we’ll just have to see.

One question though… why haven’t the ants attempted to attack Gunther? After all, he was kneeling when he picked up the salamander sample! Hmmmmmm……

Are ants climbing up her leg? She’s getting attention from them! She’s also asking attention from the wrong person. Gunth is too respectful to jump her. It would be great to see Tiff finally grow up. but only Gregg and Karen know what will happen. Rosa would be shocked!

Tiffany just comes off as self-centered and desperate (not to mention infantile), resorting to her old tricks. Gunther, is at least doing the work they were sent to do (ecological damage aside – that’s for another discussion). I would have been much more impressed if Tiff had actually been looking up the coordinates like she was supposed to.

Tiff, don’t you DARE to use those shiny green 3-leaf plants to brush the ants off your legs.

Ooh! That Smarts!.\\//_

Our world traveler Gunther may get a view of the world he has never seen.

uh oh, I see a clothing removal and jump in lake moment coming

A bunch of fire ants are about to die of food poisoning.

Soon she’ll be “too hot to trot now baby.” But she will be hopping up and down.

If those are fire ants, then Gunther’s lack of action is ignorant and his comment is stupid. If he knows that those are not fire ants, then his attempt at humor is equally stupid. He is so full of self pity that you can no longer trust or depend on him.

Quick Gunther, start knocking those ants off her legs and rubbing them with some cream that you always carry when you go into the woods.

I think Gunther is going to get to see more of Tiffany then anybody has ever seen.

From The Luann FB page:

“Ever want to know more about the creator and inspiration behind LUANN? Here’s your chance! Thank you to Channel 4 San Diego for this excellent interview and update to the LUANN story.”(Click here to see interview [Greg/Karen] in post at top of page or click here to go directly to the Channel 4 page for interview)

In addition to the Greg/Karen interview, there are old “prototype” strips and other "never seen before gems (including some early family pics, etc.)… and in addition, it is explained just where the name “Luann” came from!

It serves no comedic purpose to have Tiffany attacked. She has no friends and a family that doesn’t care about her.

This is getting really tiresome, RB. You know as well as the rest of us what TIff’s role is. And, no matter how much spin you try to put on it, it won’t change anything. Tiff is there to be a foil/antagonist for Lu and the others. It serves all kinds of comedic purpose to have bad things happen to her. Not “physically hurtful” or “life threatening” things, mind you. After all, she needs to still be there to be a foil/antagonist. But funny/bad. And an attack of fire ants is the perfect payback for the setup of the summer dress and the expectation of Gunther doing all the dirty work. Now, what Greg/Karen do with it remains to be seen. I honestly don’t think they will have Gunther touch Tiff (i.e. wipe the ants off her). But I can definitely see Tiff heading for that pond we saw in the earlier strip….

“Here’s Looking At YouTube” rolls off the tongue pretty well, and just has that “universal fit”….

I’m still thinking back to Tiffany’s red drop top ride!

Sorry to say the story will get dirty.

Luckily, the fire ants are only about half-way up Tiffany’s shin now, so if she heeds Gunther and goes wading in the water quickly, she should be all right. —Except that she might get her sun dress wet. Who knows where that could lead?

“Them” has an iconic shot of a giant ant throwing a human rib cage out of its nest.

As Larry the Cable Guy would say -Now, that’s funny, I don’t care who you are!

By the time fire ants got that far up her legs, she would not need anybody to tell her they were on her. She’d have been hit almost immediately and be freaking out by now. I hate those little @#$%.

Tiff is about to lose her… er… poise.

Think she’ll lose the dress?

It’d be nice if the Evans actually gave Tiffany some depth instead of borderline mentally disabled punching bag.

hopefully tiffany will leave the nest of the fire ants and not scream for gunther to come to her. both of them being attacked will not help at all. so tiffany has the next move if gunther is really going to help her.-- dancing the dance of the fire ants- causes the blood to boil- the panting of the breath - and the heart to beat wildly- as the dancer seeks relief- in grotesque movements- in wild abandonment of senses (and clothes)- consumed only with the ending- of the pent up emotions and movements- that is the dance of the fire ants

Quick Gunther, to the rescue! Snatch her off that fire ant hazard and gather her into the safety of your manly arms. And then, as your eyes meet in that moment of truth, maybe it’ll be the beginning of something beautiful.

Tiffany should be able to feel them crawling up her legs! Tomorrow the screaming panic starts. Will Gunther help her?

She would have felt them biting by the time they got this far up her legs. Baking Soda works well to ease the itch and pain.

I want to clarify a point (which I was going to in a reply to RB, but his post “disappeared…”)…

When I said:

An an attack of fire ants is the perfect payback for the setup of the summer dress and the expectation of Gunther doing all the dirty work.

I meant this only in the context of going out into a non-urban environment (i.e. woods, forest, open stream/water area, etc) and walking around. Anyone that’s been to summer camp or knows anything about camping in the woods, etc. knows that protective clothing is essential (long sleeves, pants, mosquito net, etc.)… Not only for the bugs/critters, but also for poisonous Urushiol plants (Poison Ivy, oak, sumac, etc.)… Tiff knew she was going out to hunt for salamanders. She should have known to dress appropriately for that non-urban environment in which she’d find herself. Maybe Gunther was right… she thought they might be “at the mall…” or something. In NO WAY do I imply that she deserved to be attacked by fire ants (or anyone/anything else) because of her choice of dress, other than in the context stated above. Fire ants attack based on a “perceived threat” or food source, like most other animals and not based on the “provocativeness” of one’s clothing choices. Humans, OTOH, know (or should know) right from wrong, but some choose do do the wrong thing for whatever it offers them. Very bad/wrong choices…

Gunther will be stung by a bee/wasp. He is allergic to such bites, and starts to hyperventilate and get short of breath. Tiffany then goes to the suffering Guther, and starts mouth to mouth resuccitaion, she learned from a photo shoot in her game story movie. Guther relaxes and starts breathing normally. Strips ends with a break to them in a heavy passionate kiss…..(whow this staory arc should progress)

Physically and emotionally humiliate her, give her no friends, no loving family, drive her to the brink of despair of depression…all ok! Just as long as it’s modest!

Boy, you never give up, do you? Always trying to spin things toward your exaggerated agenda! If this incident (even the projected “worse case”) would “drive her to the brink of despair [and] depression,” then there is more that’s wrong with her than meets the eye. And I don’t think she’s anywhere near that point. “Embarrassing…” yes. “Physically and emotionally humiliating?” That’s quite a stretch. The only one out there with her is Gunther! “No friends or loving family?” How is that going to be a factor out in the woods like that? C’Mon!

This is where we pity Tiff..Have we ever seen her cry?

She’s said on numerous occassions she doesn’t have a great home life. We already know from decades of comics that she has no real friends, just people that want to sleep with her.

Uh, “Crystal” wants to sleep with her???

And, besides, what does any of that have to do with the issue at hand? Now, maybe her home life failed her in that she was never taken to the woods to go hiking/camping and never learned how to dress for that environment… but I don’t see evidence of that.

So it’s okay to keep dragging through the mud until she becomes suicidal? Is this the message Evans wants to send to his readers?

Oh, now you’re really stretching it! Suicide? Seriously?

Even so, Greg would not let that happen because Tiffany needs to stay around and be that foil / antagonist for Lu, both now, and in the future.

“Hey everyone! You won’t believe what happened to Tifffany! Be sure to laugh at her when you see her next!”

Then you insult Gunther by saying he’d do that! Gunther knows right form wrong. And Greg knows that if he allowed Gunther to do that, his audience would lose all kinds of respect for Gunther, and for himself. A stupid move, considering how hard he’s had Gunther work recently to build up that respect.

When she comes home injured from fire ant bites and no one there cares, it will matter.

Pleaasse! “When she comes home injured from fire ant bites” she need only apply the appropriate topical ointments, etc. and then it won’t matter! Those bites will go away. LIke I said, if she need that degree of emotional support for a few insect bites, then there is more that’s wrong with her than meets the eye.

Tommorrow is going to be hilarious.

Shush, Gunther. Just let those ants keep going up, and up, and up…

As I’ve already said, there is plenty wrong and it’s extremely evident. Tiffany needs emotional support in the worst way…

OK, have it your way…. I give up. Spin this any way you like….

I’ve heard of checking for ticks, but feeling for fire ants? Don’t think you want to go there yet, G-man.

“How come these comments all come out when Tiffany is involved? " — Now, RB2, you’re a smart person. You answer your own question in the tradition of the self-fulfilling prophecy. In all seriousness and with no snarkiness intended, it’s to get your goat. You’ve chosen to defend the unpopular premise on the Luann debate team, so what comes with it? An avalanche of counterpoints. I have to ask — are you related to the legendary ClydeFrog? His persistent defense of all things TIffany is a very familiar refrain.

And now her legs are really going to match her dress.

“It serves no comedic purpose to have Tiffany attacked”*RB – You’re right— but perhaps Team Evans is using this to build sympathy for Tiff. After all, who of us couldn’t relate to nasty ant bites after inadvertently stepping on a hill? (Though I’ve never been bitten by a fire ant.)

“Gunther says, “Fine but uh the fire ants look angry.”A friend would say, “Fire ants!! Move Tiffany!! There are fire ants all over your legs!!”

You are so right! That is what I thought as soon as I saw Gunther’s reaction. Gunther is like, oh geez, Tiffany’s standing in a fire ant hill, I better let her know they look angry.

“Tiffiny soon realizes she should have washed better up there this AM!!!”

That’s not funny.

It is hard to know what Evans has in mind with this plot arc. Both Tiffany and Gunther seem not to have any friends on campus (though Tiffany has a dorm room and her situation has brought her in contact with Bernice) . It seems accidental that they happen to be in the same biology lab. Here, Gunther is strong and she is the weak follower but I don’t believe Gunther actively chose that scenario. She asked him to be her “study buddy” and the “follower” in him agreed to that but he is not allowing her to get in the way of his better academic abilities. Tiffany does not know how to be a student; she does not want to be a student. She is just hanging on to whatever she can find that excites her fancy.

In this scene, I suspect that she will start screaming pretty soon. The load screams might attract other people in the area (if there are any). It will be interesting to see what comes of this.

Tiffany is vain and self centered, and she should have at least worn boots with her sundress, but I don’t think that’s a reason to find her predicament funny or deserving. After opening up to Gunther in the car she seemed so vulnerable, and she’s so sweet and adorable today, I feel sorry for her.

I’m not liking that first frame at all – it seems to be playing on the “dumb blond” stereotype and, even as a brunette (OK, a former brunette) I’m tired of it. We all know Tiffany’s pretty self-centered, and we now know that she was more concerned about her appearance than learning (or even checking off required tasks) on a field trip, but… I don’t think depicting her as focussing on you-tube kitty videos is true to the character.

What’s stupid about Gunthers reaction? His lack of immediate reaction to a possible medical emergency. It’s like an EMT saying, “Wow, that’s a pretty neat compound fracture, let’s see if you go into shock.” I have dealt with emergencies and noticed that most people don’t move, they just stare in horror.

I wonder if the fire ant attack is going to be a way for Gunther and Tiff to bond as he takes care of her. I think it would have been better the other way around so Gunther could get a chance to improve his opinion of her as she cares for him. Considering how the week started in the car it would be a shame if we didn’t get some character development.

I guess I’m more willing to give Tiffany the benefit of the doubt, and presume that she simply underestimated the whole “hunting salamanders” thing.

Fair enough, but I still say she should have known better, because the professor should have told them what to expect and how to prepare for it. Then again, this is the Luanniverse… ;-)))

I don’t think it was intended as aimed at Gunther’s seduction.

Well, maybe not “romantic” seduction, true…. But perhaps “tutorial seduction?” Seducing him to be her permanent “study buddy?”

Yeah, it’s really pointless to speculate until Greg give us the tell. We’ll see.

Optimist.

we’ll have to Register at Target ….

What? Not at “Tiffany’s” ;-PPPP

Trees, fields, salamanders, ants. Wonderful!

Good job stuffing that salamander into a Baggie, Gunther! I guess the professor told the class to bring those salamanders back dead or alive.

eat a salamander for breakfast

How did he catch a salamander larva without a net?? Wish I had had him as a partner when I took Vertebrate Zoology.

“When she comes home injured from fire ant bites” she need only apply the appropriate topical ointments, etc. and then it won’t matter! "-—————She would be returning to her room at the University, not home. .Dez is not far away and could probably help. Bernice would only make snide remarks.

Crystal does not hate Tiff. No reason to think Toni does, or Knut either. Brad is only a bit standoffish toward her.

" . . Tiffany’s closest friend, Crystal, is constantly insulting her to her face. . . . "-——————————-Just like Bernice insults Luann. .The strip needs final scene punch lines.That’s all either is.

@SactoSylvia“I don’t think depicting her as focussing on you-tube kitty videos is true to the character.”-———————-Tiff clearly likes to see pictures of what she considers “cute” things. .Consider the pictures on her dorm walls.

“…and presume that she simply underestimated the whole “hunting salamanders” thing…”^That’s where I’m at with it- at least in regards to today’s strip, and maybe a couple of others. Today, particularly, just seemed to call out “schadenfreude” and “comic schlemiel and schlimazel”. In small doses, I still think there is going to be some sort of “will they? won’t they?” banter, somewhat like what Greg did for TJ and Tiffany during the “meals from heels” firefighter scam…..

“I thought DW’s posts were more along the line of ‘stream of unconsciousness’^Good one! And to add a “field”, it was mostly one of “bad dreams”. – So combining the two, that’d be one “Field And Stream” I’d not want to subscribe to!!!! – To add my own metaphor for Wallace’s “posts”, it’d be “An overcrowded train, with only two stops, and running on a small round track, arriving at a brick wall”….

Ha ha, anytime!!!

@howtheduckthank you!