Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for February 22, 2017

Oh, we “Luann” readers beg to differ, Gunther’s mother.

You know things are not going well when the speech balloons turn black.

Well, so much for my mature Gunther comment. Get up and leave Gunth!

A color photo of Mr. Gray’s wardrobe closet would probably look exactly the same as one taken in B&W.

Not a Hawaiian shirt owner, I’m guessing.

I wonder if Les remembers when Gunther clocked him with his book bag.

Interestingly, it’s Les who’s trying to be civil. Gunther is just seriously surly. He’s nothing but unfriendly…

(♪) "No one knows what it’s like…..

to be the bad man…

or even the plaid man…

it is so sad, man… (♪)

Like someone said, when the speech balloons turn black that is pure unadulterated hatred. And Les has the nerve to bring up Rosa, but whose nerve is INFLAMED. Frankly I am such a hoping Luannfan that Rosa please, please, please return, and Gunther grows a pair and finally claims her like he should. I understand why that, of all questions would make Gunther really enraged. His mom is far more controlling than her calm demeanor would betray IMO, and GUnther has more fire underneath that anyone else in this comic. Maybe because of how controlling she is. Also I wonder if Les is honestly just trying to innocently make conversation, or has a evil or just sociopathic motivation. This is getting pretty deep I think. Mr. Gray just loves her I think. This arc will connect with the other arcs in some dramatic way just wait. Maybe we solve the TV question and the mystery of Piro. GE bring back Rosa!!!! Your Gunthie is in serious need.

By the way anyone notice the laser glare out of Mr. Gray’s little black eyes when he stares at the back of Gunther’s mom’s head (what the devil is her name)? while saying that Les needs a friend? Not only that but his eyebrows move, and I think that is meant to show how seriously he feels that. Man the tension in this arc.

@Luann1212: “Frankly I am such a hoping Luannfan that Rosa please, please, please return, and Gunther grows a pair and finally claims her like he should.”

…

Claims her? That is so archaic. Women are not property.

@LUANN1212: I don’t see Mrs. Berger as controlling at all, especially since she encouraged Gunther to go to Peru with Rosa ( a controlling parent wouldn’t do that). And she appreciates freedom to make choices, because she wants to be involved with a grown man despite her son’s obvious opposition. (And why is that not being ‘controlling’ on Gunther’s part? It is.)

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Gunther is the way he is not because his mother is trying to control his life, but because he can’t do it himself. He can’t make up his mind to save his life. Did he want Rosa? Yes, except she didn’t want the exact life he did, so he decided he had to leave her behind. (Plus he had to make sure his mother wasn’t involved with Mr. Gray, which just shows Gunther as controlling.)

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Now he’s fixated on Bernice, because he has a picture in his head of his future, and it includes an intellectual wife. Bernice seems to fit that bill, so he goes after her despite her obvious interest in someone else. And while Bernice is trying to manipulate events in her life so she ends up with Piro, Gunther keeps trying to do that same so he ends up with Bernice.

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Gunther seems much more controlling than his mother…

.And he doesn’t want his mother to make food for him, except when he does (like with this dinner; even though he knew company that he didn’t like was coming, he wanted that pot roast, so here he is.)

Geez, Ma Berger. You’d Sacrifice Your only Son to “Thug Life” here, just so Ypu can make time with Mr Gray/Grey??

Basic Social Skills Lesson #1: Les – Don’t start with the first thing that comes to mind (go with the second)…

“Agent Of Shield”

“A Warm Drink And A Cold Berger”

“The Conservation Of Conversation”

“Keep Your Chat In The Hat”

“Keep Your Socialize To Yourself”

“Agent Double-O Never!!”

“The Name Is Bond…Lamest Bond…”

“No Din At Dinner”

“All That Static, And No Cling”

“Sticking Like Sane Glue”

“Evasive Maneuvers”

“Gunth, Man, You Don’t Have To Put On The Red Light” (♪)

“We Don’t Need No Conversation….” (♪)

or

“We’re Having Chilly, Tonight”

Well, things can only go uphill from here!

I see we’re off to a good start here. Both of them need to be hit over the head with one of those black speech balloons, but filled with lead! If either withdrew into themselves any tighter they would become black holes. Apropos!

Feel the burn.

I’m gonna have to go back and read this from the beginning at some point. I did that for Monty but it only went back 13 years. I assume this goes back further. Oh well, I need to understand some of the things going on to enjoy this more.

Heck, I wanna punch Gunther! Dude, make a small effort for your mom. Is it really too much?

You can almost feel sorry for Les.

Listen, Rusty Berger, your Gunthie is friendly with most people, in a reticent kind of way, but Leslie Knox is not “most people”; he is the nearest thing Gunthie has to a mortal enemy, and with good reason.

I would like to see Rosa again, too, but I do not see that happening as a plot device in this sub-arc.

This festering feud may require parental/avuncular intervention!

Rosa is not coming back, she’s 18 and has found her place… she is likely engaged, or even married by now

Les is starting to push buttons which could lead to Gunther throwing the first punch.

Perhaps the rub for Gunther is that he hasn’t heard from Rosa…

Wasn’t Gunther in love with his sister?(Bernice) and remember that even weasels can surprise us! Les was the idiot first. Now it is Gunther’s turn.

This strip is beginning to feel like chalk on chalkboard! EEEEEeeeee!

yeh, they’re bonding all right …

Les will make a LOT of friends at the State Pen.

Gunthie is being a big baby here. He doesn’t have to be warm and friendly to Les, but a simple ‘I don’t want to talk about Rosa’ would suffice. High school was 2 years ago. People usually grow up a lot from age 18 to 20.

Conflict, conflict, conflict. First it was Luann & Bernice re dating. Then Bernice and Tiffany re Piro. Then Les and Pru re dating. Now Gunther and Les re being chummy.

Whatever happened to the “Funny Papers?”

Now who’s being surly and childish? Come on Gunthie! Do what Momma says and expects of you! And btw, Flash, I agree with you. Momma is clueless.

Guth…Just ask Les how his “Date” with Pru went!

I said it yesterday. I would have simply gone out to eat. No words. Just action. let ‘Momma’ work it out. She won;t take him seriously until he does something that actually gets her attentions.

@MIKEMAPES: I doubt that Gunther has any idea that Les asked Prudence out to dinner (and it turned into something ‘less’ than what Les expected.) Who would tell Gunther about it? He’s not friends with Prudence. And because Gunther doesn’t really know that much about Prudence, I also doubt that he will be the one to tell Les that she won’t be interested in him the way he hopes…

Enough with the “Gunthie”. He’s not 3 yrs old any more.

Gunther’s mom is clueless (ugh) and Gunther needs to get over himself.

Does Mr. Gray every change his posture, move his arms or change his facial expression?

I’d bet Les’ mom was just as clueless. May explain a lot.

“So, are you on parole?”

@SISYPHOS: Other than Mrs. Berger’s hair, where else did you get the idea that her first name might be ‘Rusty’?

Les has no idea how things ended in Peru with Rosa. He is just making polite conversation with Gunther. They don’t have much else to talk about.

“My Gunthie”? She’s exactly what’s wrong with him! Ugh.

Gunthie? Seriously?

I could swear there was a strip once wherein Mr. Gray referred to Gunther’s mother by her first name.

Gunther need an apartment and to get away from mommy dearest

“My Gunthie?” How old do you think he is? And honestly, Les was making a proper conversation. Even though he’s not my favorite person, he doesn’t need to be treated like he’s slime when he was being polite.

And one common thread between the bully and the bullied is … social awkwardness. Les is struggling about a talking point, and Gunther is responding from the ‘I’ve been hurt’ corner in his remembering. At least Les is trying to be civil here, and talk about one of the few things they have in common (Rosa). IF he attempts to olive-branch this further, he might say something like, “Dude, I know I’ve been hard earlier, but I’m tryin’ here. For what it’s worth, the aroma tells me your Mom’s a really good cook!”, or similar.

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But, for right now, they’re both wrapped up into themselves … another commonality.

The whole world is just one big Disney film to her!

No one can be this naive lol.

Eh, Les is just trying to find something to talk about here. I doubt he’s any more eager about this forced socialization than “Gunthie” is, but he’s probably under strict orders from Uncle Al to behave himself, and given his iffy legal status, he has to obey his uncle more than Gunther has to obey his mom.

I thought Gunther was old enough to be in college?

A face to stop a clock……….The Evanses must have had quite a time drawing Gunther’s expression. He refuses to even make eye contact. I have also come to realize that Les’s face which has always seemed to convey anger and slyness is actually his natural face. Here, he is completely expressionless. It is what he looks like. And yes, it is Les who is trying to break the ice and be civil.

While Ma Berger is in the picture and all dressed up & stuff, a barely-relevant comment — If I recall correctly, Ma Berger is probably about the same age as Angelina Jolie. Skeptical? Do the math – Gunthie’s age in Luanniverse years (still 18/19) and she once said she married young and was abandoned soon thereafter.

Come on, Gunthie, grow a pair. Get up and leave, or at least be polite. Isn’t it time you moved OUT of your mother’s house? How old are you, anyway?

It was nice of Leslie to ask.