Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for May 09, 2015

No, Gunther, don’t misinterpret what Tiffany is saying.

And there it is. She’s attracted to Gunther, and likes his company. And Gunther (as usual) couldn’t see the forest, with all of those trees in the way. To him, this welcomeness was quite unexpected… – First, it’s homework. Next, it will be a malt and two straws…then, the really fun part: Gunther will administer a combined multiple choice and written essay test based on the alternate name for the group of “Noble Gases”. Of course, Tiffany will put: “Duh!…. Barnes!….Next question!”

He’s doomed

Gunther really needs to romance Tiffany!“oh, uh, um”.“oh well”.

She may not know she is attracted but is all the same. This time is real so her reactions are out of character. Gunther may not get much done on the notes during the shower,

Calm down Gunther. She said “I’ll take a shower, then we’ll get busy!”, not “We’ll take a shower, then I’ll get busy!”

And the mud did not “totally work”. At best, it provided a limited amount of temporary relief. She will be suffering ill effects from the welts for a long time yet.

Yes! It’s about time Tiff showed a little maturity. I’m glad her character is evolving, even if only a little. Baby steps.

“Homework doesn’t make any sense. Once she takes a shower she will be in too much pain to do anything. …”^I’m actually not on the schedule for today… but I’ll go ahead and address ths:

She said the mud totally worked . That would imply that she’s able enough (even with “residual marks”), and that she feels okay enough…even with maybe minor irritation…– (Bonus:) You said: “By the way, how does today prove she’s attracted to him?”^She’s just feeling grateful, here. But… there is an “implying” here of “will they? won’t they? (in terms of starting to have feelings for each other)” as part of the usual “Saturday Cliffhanger”…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4qzPbcFiA

Reposting a previously published comic does not make those characters any more real than today’s comic strip.

Fictional characters are for entertainment purposes.

“What is this strange emotion I am feeling?”

It’s called gratitude. You probably aren’t used to it, but it can be most fufiling.

I think that Tiffany is a virgin.

You’re wild imagination is reading too much into the comments here.It’s a comic and the characters are not real.There will be no “suffering” whatsoever.Once again, Those characters are not real.

We’ve seen a bit of Tiffany’s background, know that she has parents not completely engaged and concerned about her as Luann’s seem to be. Much of her action, I think, is that she just wants to fit in, be important somehow, or be noticed. She seems to me, though, to be not as ‘objectional’ as she was in high school.

Chill, Gunth, she didn’t invite you to partake inn the shower.

Tiff and Gunther…a combination I did not see coming. But, they can work. He can influence her to work hard for her own sake (like today) and she can show him new experiences (not those kind of experiences).

“The Grateful Dread”“Strange… New Worlds…”“The Power Of Gold” (♫)“Hearts Are Better Than Solitaire”“The Spider And The Fly”“Give Me Just A Little More Time…” (♫)“The Homework Is Working…”“Signal Transmitted…Message Received?” (♫)“Strange Changes…Goin’ On” (♫)“Behind The Wall”“She Ain’t So Bad”“A Grattitude Problem”or“Be A Deer And Mind The Headlights, Please”

From the two strips that are posted above, we see that being “smeared with goop” is Evans’s version of the symbolism in those old movies where love scenes would culminate with a train entering the tunnel and sky rockets being launched. The difference is that in the Evans-verse, all it really symbolizes is someone’s actually being smeared with goop.

Yes and if you think Gunther is having trouble talking now, wait ’til that happens!

I get the feeling that the severity of fire-ant stings are one more thing Evans doesn’t know all that much about, or simply chooses to ignore.

Like someone in my family says… “If I get cut, will you be the one who bleeds? If I go blind, will you see my darkness?”…. – I’ve even said, myself, there could be some intermittent pain and discomfort. But compared to what she initially portrayed, that “ointment” must have decreased said pain, dramatically . So the reasonable thing to conclude is that when Tiffany said “It totally worked!” that she doesn’t mean that she suddenly has “Wolverine-like healing powers”. It most likely means that to her, it’s now as manageable and as minor as possible, and even enough for her to have changed her mood (no longer a “frowny face”)!

What a terrible moment to jump to another arc

You don’t have to have/keep the mud on for the soothing to stay….

At least enough for Tiffany’s comfort… not yours, mine, or anyone elses…

Repeat to yourself, “It’s just a show, you should really just relax….”

Don’t congratulate yourself for over-analyzing someone else’s work.Some of us enjoy his story without further analyzing to determine his level of success.If Luann wasn’t a success, the comments section would be empty.

“Is it too much to ask for a story with plausibility? "^And in all of this, you totally skipped over the part that Mr. Evans has given her the chance to show that “she isn’t so bad, after all!” (as you have called out for), to all of us readers.. or is it to you that that part is also “just another story without plausibility”?

this feels so ……………………… 3s company LOL

Gunther’s super-power was learning how to drive, over the Internet.

Same old shy Gunther. Not sure there’s any hope for him.

Okay, so she rubbed some cortisone on her legs after she got out of the shower.Let’s just get on with the story, please?

“Tiffany Has An Epiphany”

Love it, hahahahaha :D

I’ve been bitten by fire ants. My reaction wasn’t that bad. Don’t assume that everyone will react the same way.

Don’t worry, Tiffany is still this strip’s Designated Villainess, and the Evans duo will humiliate her, just as usual.

This is…

I was going to say, maybe after Tiffany showers she will apply some Calamine lotion or have Gunther help her.Also : @ ReallyBad2, I have been attacked by fire ants and my reaction was nothing like yours. Maybe you are allergic or hyper-sensitive to their venom. Yes I know they are a menace, here where I live we also burn their mounds.

It seems like some fans here want to go on ad naseum about how this strip makes sense by explaining over and over that it makes sense, again and again and again. Because when someone has to do this day in and day out, wow, this sure is a good storyline! And, er, the number of comments do not prove that “Luann” is succeeding, since so many of these comments are unconvincing arguments for how this all makes sense.

The number of bites has nothing to do with it. I’ve seen people with blisters from one bite. I’m just not one of them. The most I get is a welt like a mosquito bite. Burns and itches, but cortisone makes it manageable. *Now, if you want to call me a liar, please do so, and we can end this conversation real quick. I was actually on your side, but it’s gotten obvious that you wan to win at any cost.

Why does everyone say he needs to romance Tiffany? He’s not looking to romance anyone. Maybe he can just be a student for awhile….

Gunther is feeling a sudden attack of residual shyness. but Tiffany’s offer is straightforward and without devious metatext.. Go for it, Gunther. Maybe you two will get to be close friends….

For some reason I am glad that she is not quite as shallow (at least for today) as she has been depicted up till now.

Don’t do it, Gunther!

Is Tiffany growing up? Time will tell.

Just like Gunther has been changing the airhead is doing the same thing. She might start growing up, educating herself, and become attracted to intelligent guys like Gunther.

Old Gunther in the last panel lol.

Hooray! Tiffany, I knew you ’d come through in the end!

Oh Yeah Gunther. You’re gonna get “Busy” alright.

You’re Gonna Get “BUSY” Writing Ms Tease’s Field Notes After Which You’ll be “BUSY” Vacuuming Dried Mud off the Floor of Her Car.

And When You’re DONE, SHE Will be “BUSY” Treating YOU like a Doormat AGAIN And Showing YOU the Door, AS-USUAL.

Oh, Waitress? COFFEE, Please! Deja Vu Has Entered This Strip, Once AGAIN.

Most interesting! Maybe there is change coming. But I do think Gunther may have “overinterpreted” Tiff’s comment (by Greg’s design, it would seem). Hopefully, we’ll see more change from both of them. Could it possibly be that Tiff is the one that break’s Gunther’s apprehension with women? We’ll see… but I suspect not next week. I think they’ll move on to a different arc.

I hoped they brushed the ants off before applying the mud. It appears they didn’t. The ants should have still been biting her until they got them off.

With all the comments about Gunther’s inexperience, I can’t help but wonder about Tiffany. So far she has been a real flirt but AI wonder if that is all she is?

I like Tiffany realizing she has been selfish in the past. And wanting to change that behavior shows growth. I think college is really helping her to grow.

I’m astounded! Tiffany actually rose above her usual selfishness! Who says miracles don’t happen!

gettin’ busy in the dorm room! Go Gunther!!

Gunther is making an assumption she wants to bang, does that make him a pig?

The bites are nothing, the stings are what can kill you. Formic acid injected into you.

*Fire ants don’t bite without stinging; they don’t sting without biting. I was just using “bite” as shorthand.

It’s pronounced, “k,” Gunther – “K!!!”

Better go for it Gunther,GO FOR IT,BOY!

The proper answer, Gunther, is “Sounds great!”

She’s A Maneater – Hall And Oates

WOW!

OH BOY, OH BOY!

Recognizing your flaws can be the first step towards fixing them — or capitalizing on them..Either way, I’m rooting for my beloved Tiffany.

Now Gunther knows what the mouse feels like when he hears the sound of the trap being sprung after he grabbed the cheese. Snap!

That’s very interesting!

RUN Gunther, RUN!!!!!!

good for tiff. I am surprised she wants to help do the homework good for he she not all that self centered

In terms of what has been shown, Gunther’s done much more with Rosa than we’ve ever seen Tiffany do with any male.

Why do I have a feeling that Rosa will make a surprise visit to Gunther and Tiff is making her moves on Gunther.

It might be possible that Mr Evans was a fan of The Arsenio Hall Show. I know I was! Let’s…get…biz-eeee!

Anybody that thinks we are not led to anticipate something sexual must just be mad at the world. However maybe the closest we’ll get is that Gunther will have to apply some ointment to Tiffany’s legs when they start to hurt again. If that happens – Evans – Please show us some sign that this experience at least shakes Gunther up a lot.

It is obvious that you just want to be the loudest voice in the room. Have fun.

@TechTalkGuy. . . You said this strip doesn’t show suffering.-————————————————————.Lots of suffering when Brad was injured catching Toni. Also Luann under the bridge, Dirk after the wreck, Nancy under the bookcase, etc.

Who knows, uncertain, compliant men (boys?) might just be Tiffany’s type ? Enjoy.

“My room…?” “shower…?” “get busy?…” coed college dorm? We’ll see how far from (or near to) today’s reality Greg Evans is going to go!

For quite a while Gunther and Rosa toured museums and the like in Lima. He might have learned many Peruvian facts that way as well.

Yes,Rick, but the result may be only compassion and mutual understanding. Not passion.

Gunther looks like a deer in the headlights in that last panel!

Maybe he will find his special purpose?

Remember that, unlike everyone else in the dorm, Tiffany doesn’t have a roommate. At least, not yet.

I’m sure many people read into that one :/ She is trying to be nice!

HOW nice do we mean

How nice 10 toe up 10 toe down

Just to make sure I understand this right, Tiffany inviting Gunther to her dorm means she wants to sleep with him/whore. Yet the build up to Luann and Quill having alone time in the prop room was being called youthful love playing with each other?

I was going to try to explain it, but with the statement now in question (posed by “Flowergirl”), it would make more sense to let TTG handle that part. “Atomiv” also tried to make an accord with you, about that subject. And since I have already said all that could be said, above, and what I did say still doesn’t seem satisfactory, then there is probably nothing else that I could say further, on the subject. This is why I retracted the “….in order to understand the whole thing…” post.

Really Bad 2. My IPhone doesn’t let me reply directly. I don’t think Evans’ sexual innuendos are just for the purpose of a punch line. Your comments about Tiffany show me that you really care about these characters. One of the reasons the Luann strip is so popular is that Luann, Tiffany, Crystal, etc can be sexy. Nobody’s going to Hell for noticing that. I note that For Better or For Worse and Chickweed eventually put some of their characters in bed together. This may or may not ever happen in Luann. But we do see that Luann is majorly in love – good for her. Tiffany and Gunthet could really use something like this. An odd match for sure – however I thonk that T & G are a better match than L & G. And I would be sorry to see Tiffany winding up with a good looking but shallow guy.

The truth is, the reason many people tune in to sitcoms and animated shows is because then they get to see the actions and reactions of people, in ways that you don’t get to see in real life. Michael Scott of the Office and Alex P. Keaton of Family ties are but two examples of people whose behavior and statements would get them in very deep trouble or worse. – Speed Racer always got to help solve some crimes and take out the bad guys that Inspector Detector was looking for, and instead of chastising him for “impersonating a police officer”, he just got congratulated. -And for that matter, I used to say to my television (in lieu of to the Racer Family): "Don’t you guys see? That really does prove your suspicions that Racer X is your brother/son Rex. They never listened. – How could “The Away Team” suddenly become paralyzed, and then fall prisoner by the press of some button on an alien’s wrist gauntlet, and then all of a sudden Kirk and co. find a way to overpower them? For that matter, why do the Wondertwins (Zan and Jayna) always have him turn into only water, and she any animal.. and nothing else ? – If Brewster is so dense, why do people still let him serve on the “R.U. Sirius”? – Why does Garfield talk? No cat talks! - Point is, the reason we watch those shows, the reason we read the comics, is because whether depicting “modern day life” or some “fictional time and place in the universe”, is because it’s entertainment. There has to be a small “suspension of disbelief” somewhere. Or at least a willingness to realize that the fictional world has “strange characteristics”, which makes it different from the real world. That has been the basis of what some have tired to express. – For something such as “Did Gunther’s dad die, or did he just run out?” that’s good discussion, and is something that could be “tossed back and forth”. With the exception of trying to establish precedent and patterns, a lot can be “up in the air”, and could go either way- that is, until the author/artist makes a story that establishes differently. But to focus on if “the ketchup just happens to run out at 3.5 seconds slower than it should in real life”? That’s where all of the issues start… and can, at times, be inconsistent with why many people turn to works of fiction (even those based on the “life” of a teenage girl), in the first place…to get a laugh… or even to forget about the real troubles in the world.. at least for a little while….

What ever happened to Luann? I thought this srrip was about her.

There really is hope for Tiffany. This could be the start of a very beneficial friendship, if Gunther will stop worrying about himself and let nature take it’s course. You help Tiffany, Tiffany helps you. You don’t have to fall in love with every girl that you meet.

I would assume Tiffany has some OTC antihistamine or painkilling meds in her room she can use. Or they could stop at CVS on the way home.

At first Tiff was just fine with using Gunther yet again, i.e. he writes up the lab notes; then on realization that Gunther wanted no part of her (at that point), she had to change her tune (in order to continue using him). I think Evans may want to create some character growth in both. Still, I don’t want to see Tiffany and Gunther as an ‘item’. If Gunther goes up to Tiffany’s room, he might run into Dez and Bernice; they are in the same dorm. It would be nice if the arc will continued in that direction.

GO! DUMMY! SHUT UP AND GO!

I was going to try and remember that it was your birthday after you mentioned it the other day, but I completely forgot till now. Happy birthday!!! And congrats on the team’s win!

—

By the way, remember last year when we were talking about bd’s and I finally concluded that I was older than you? Well, it seems confusion was running rampant in my poor brain, because it wasn’t until later on that year that I realized I was only 56 and would be turning 57 in December. For the life of me, I don’t know how I imagined myself to be older than I really am, lol. So now I am really 57 and since my birthday is in December, I really am younger than you, hahaha! :D

So am I the only one noticing that Tiffany seems to be developing as a person in this story line?

I’ll write it down now, to remind myself in 2115.

Well, really, no one would know the difference even now, lol :P

Ginger Grant and The Professor – the backstory…

Its a comic strip. Get over it. You don’t have to pick every little detail apart. He was talking w/Quill previously about how he needs someone new to make his life interesting, because he’s boring. Tiffany will be that person, apparently. She’s showing a little growth, that’s nice. The fire ants are just a plot device. They’re unimportant.

please,give it a rest.

It’s still just a comic strip. Quit being a hate reader, and you’ll enjoy it more. If the only reason you read or watch something is to pick it apart, you’ll always be disappointed.

Hoh, boy…. – (using Wikipedia:) “It has been wondered by many readers if Garfield can actually be understood by the human characters around him. Sometimes, it seems like Jon can hear him. However, it is mentioned in more than one strip that Jon cannot understand Garfield.45 However, in the feature film Garfield Gets Real and its sequels, Garfield and the other animals save for Odie are able to talk to, and be understood by, Jon and the other humans. In the 1 April 1997 strip,46 Garfield, still with thought balloons, can be understood by Jon.” – And actually, I wasn’t referring to whom he could speak with. Just the fact that he is a talking cat (which was made so in subsequent films, TV shows, etc.)….

When Dirk and Brad had their altercation, was that slapstick farce? Oh yeah, Dirk only hit him in the face with a cream pie, Sorry, I forgot. And when Toni fell off the ladder and Brad got crushed, was that slapstick farce? At first, I didn’t think so, but then it was clear that it was, once Toni stood over brad’s broken body and said, “Nyuck, nyuck!!!”

Don’t do it, Gunther! Tiff’s species eats the male after mating!

“…There are a lot of slapstick comics in the funny papers. Luann isn’t one of them. It has jokes, but it gets serious too, and it exists in a universe where the laws of physics still apply…."^See several posts above (including by me)…– And as someone just pointed out: Knute cleaning in the ladies’ room, getting assaulted by Les Knox, with “roving cameras”, etc. Not to mention your favorite “Ox in H.S.?” All things you had complained about. And all examples of not real world scenarios. – And while we’re on the subject, if this is a “real world” comic (with real world physics and such) as you are now saying, how come you are complaining that it’s “ not real enough” ????

(Movies are not cannon:) Again, Hoh, boy…Yeah, okay…. tell that to the ones with the rights to license the movies and the strip…. – And again, the point I made wasn’t whom he was talking to, but just the fact that the cat used words that are understood by other cats, other species, etc….the fact that it’s a cat that walks on two legs, performs human activities…

No, I mean you’re calling this a “real world strip”. To call it this, means it’s plausible. But you complain that it’s not.

Your words: “Luann lives in a real world with a supposedly realistic take on teenagers. " – So either way, you’ll never be satisfied….

“Luann” is supposed to be based in realism, as a humorous look at the life of a real teen. It’s not meant to be “Star Wars” or “Bugs Bunny”, which can get away with whatever they want to. What we are complaining about is that “Luann” is in fact often completely unrealistic, which specifically is contrary to the strip’s intended purpose.

“Is that anything like Kardashian tortures? ;o)”

Kardashian tortures are worse.

Yeah, but I’m speaking of “only water” as in ice is water, steam is water, etc. all “water”. Not speaking of it literally, as " only water " as in “just a bucket of water”, or “a glass of water”, etc….

LOL!

Is that anything like Kardashian tortures? ;o)^LOL, depends which side of the family reunion table you’re on…

Again, I’m not complaining that it’s occasionally somewhat unrealistic; I’m complaining that it’s occasionally completely unrealistic.

Anyway, it’s almost time for the Mother’s Day strip. We shall have to see whether the “fire ant” aftermath is even addressed at all next week, or whether we shall jump to plans for the Brad / Toni wedding. (Their inability to find a wedding venue, and their inevitable decision to hold the ceremony at the fire station, is certainly a stretch from realism, but since it can be dismissed simply as evidence that Brad is a nitwit, it requires no suspension of disbelief.)

-Things will get so sweet, we may have another ant attack!-Interesting idea, but I was never under the impression that ‘sweetness’ attracted fire ants. And one hopes that a fire ant mount doesn’t show up inside a house…

Yep, I’m reading the beginning of a porno.

One day, she’ll look back on this moment and realize how those words sounded.

“OH! UM… WELL, I… UM”

Now, now you know Tiffany is oblivious in her own way. I don’t think we’ve ever seen her get “serious.”