Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for January 29, 2018

Now we are talking complications….

Oh, Gunther, been standing there long?

It is good to see that Les cares about the Fuse and the owners and employees.

So I guess no one is going to tell Frank & Nancy…

Gunther is alive and apparently decided he now wants to dress like a middle-aged golf pro.

Ohhhh…was Gunther wanting to see Luann or Les and surprised to see Tiffany out and about at The Fuse…with Les. His ego took a nosedive.

Well, that is totally open to misinterpretation!

I hope Gunther doesn’t over-react to what he’s seeing, and mess up this plan that Les and Tiffany have to stop Ann Awful. I’m also a bit puzzled over why Gunther would be at the Fuse, anyway; doesn’t seem like the kind of place where he would normally go…

Whia. What in tarnation is Gunther doing at The Fuse? He’s NEVER there! Oooh, I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

Uh oh… Something wicked this way comes!

Maybe This will be the push Gunther nears to realize how he actually feels about Tiffany

Uh oh!

I meant “Whoa”.

New Dynamic Duo!

Gunther looks heavier, too.

Ah now all we need is Rosa! But since that is not going to happen the obvious possible complication suggest really wild jags to the jogs this nascent plan is going to take; will Gunther implode the team? Will he actually help? Will Les be loyal to Sheridan St. Louis, or Ann Eiffel, his mom after all? There is $80 involved. And then all the characters, and the Fuse itself. I love his concern; it tells me more and more that his uncle’s hope about how he would be around decent people may be working. Plus there are the other characters who were gyped by the grifter Ann. Oh what a tangled web we weave Greg and Karen. Lets untangle it!!

I said this months ago, but I’ll say it again. It’s Gunther, and not Tiff’s father and Ann, who is the primary cause of her depression and eating binge. Her father dating Ann is a secondary cause.

In June, she was very entertained by Les at Gunther’s house. When Gunther took her home, she told him as much. She had gotten Les’s phone number and fully intended to call him. The only reason she tossed out his number is that Gunther told her that Les is slime, and that she deserves better. But she didn’t seem very happy about it. In any event, this was the last time we saw her in her pre-expansion size.

Then on September 18, Tiff showed up for the first time, 30 pounds overweight and on a binge. Gunther spent time with her and tried to comfort her. But there was no romance, despite some posters hoping for it.

But Ann’s current shenanigans have gotten Tiff roused to get out of her room, help her friends, and sabotage Ann – presumably rescuing her father as well. All this has taken her right back to Les, and she seems energized and happy about this development.

Les and Gunther are each others’ Jungian shadows, but Gunther is the dark one.

Gunther’s not going to approve of Tiff teaming up with Les. Even after he discovers it’s for a good cause. He’ll just figure Les is up to something.

Oh, man, don’t tell me this is going to turn into a cliché “big misunderstanding” storyline.

Well, great timing, I must say! Who should walk in on them but Yawnther. And may think the wrong thing about them.

Lets’s map out the possible relationships. Les and Gunther could become cousins. Les and Tiffany could become step siblings. And Gunther and Tiffany could become lovers. Boy, it’s a small world in the Luaniverse!

“There’s Rye In That Catcher”

“I Spotted A Cheetah”

“Hot Razors In  My Heart” (♬)

“Every Step, You Snake!…” (♪)

“How Can I Sleep, When I See Creeps Yearning?” (♪)

“She Keeps Dancin’, To The Crocodile Rock!” (♪)

“Private Salty Is Banned From The Lonely Hearts Club!” (♩)

“You’re Making Love, Out Of Nothing At All!” (♩)

“Missed Information”

“A Birdie’s Caught In The Racket”

“I Think That Flip Will’s Stunned!”

“To Face A Mole And A Beautiful Mark”

“I Thought I Saw A Pretty Trap!”

or

“Don’t Go Jumping To Optical Conclusions!”

As if we need more drama and conflict in this ’toon. Of course, it could be drama and pathos; seeing as how it’s Gunther.

A few months ago, Gunther and Tiffany were actually foprming friendships with each lther, after so many MS/HS years of Gunther being on the bottom of the social food chain, and Tiffany being a part of “te pretty comittee”.

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Then, over the summer, they cemented a friendship, with Gunther warming Tiffany up to a new point of view, to where she began to see the point of his advice (tossing Les’ number in the trash, out of Gunther’s view).

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Could today be a day that Gunther rashly ‘undoes’ everything, based solely on whatever his eyeballs (and the overall track record of his overly cautious approaches to life) are telling him?

If this were a movie with characters singing some parts, I could see Gunther taking “Waterfalls” by Paul McCartney to new levels:

“(♪) Don’t go chasing waterfals. Please stick to the….laaaaakes!….People who chase waterfals…sometimes can make…mis…..taaaaaakes……(♪)”

Oh Gunther, Gunther. How I have talked thee up.

Please don’t be a dork….

news flash for Gunther: “snooze, you lose”

Shareton St. Louis looks a lot like those pictures in her father’s family Album. You know… the ones of his daughter under her stage persona? Watch Tiffany screw this up like Jar-Jar Binks!

Shareton St. Louis looks a lot like those pictures in her father’s family Album. You know… the ones of his daughter under her stage persona? Watch Tiffany screw this up like Jar-Jar Binks!

Shareton St. Louis looks a lot like those pictures in her father’s family Album. You know… the ones of his daughter under her stage persona? Watch Tiffany screw this up like Jar-Jar Binks!

Uh Oh… misunderstanding(s) are on the way. My gut preferred outcome is that Tiffany is more bonded to Gunther as he helped her out of that initial rough patch of depression, isolation and overeating. I’d like to think theirs is the stronger more long lasting bond than this temporary bond (between Tiff and Les) based on a mutual goal of taking down Ann Eiffel.

Dun dun duuuuunnnnn

Dun dun duuuuunnnnn

Ooooooo, physical contact! She’s flirting.

Gunther may be a good example of “too little, too late”. He doesn’t go for the brass ring until he thinks that he has lost it.

Unless Tiff and Les are talking in a loud voice, Gunther probably can’t even hear what they said. He is 8 or 10 feet from them.

Run, Gunther, and go grab your backpack! Use it to smash into Les as hard and as often as you can, all the while steadfastly maintaining that you’re not doing it! Grin from ear to ear with self-satisfaction at your brave act of heroism, as you keep assuring Les that you aren’t clobbering him with with backpack on purpose! Thrash Les to a pulp, feel so smug about “rescuing” Tiff that you practically swell up with pride, while still protesting your innocence and continuing to deny all responsibility for your actions. What a man!!!

Oh no, here comes insecure Gunther that really truly doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut.

Uh-oh. Here comes an unforeseen complication. Will Gunther blow up Tiff’s scheme by his earnest bumbling and/or jealousy?

And now things get complicated.

When Tiff and Gunther were returning from dinner w/ Mrs. Berger, Mr Gray and Les (months ago) Tiffany told Gunther to be more accepting of his Mom. Gunther then told Tiffany that she could do better (in terms of friends and BFs) than someone like Les. After Gunther left, Tiiffany took the telephone # that Les gave her and tossed it in the garbage. Now Gunther sees her (possibly) disregarding his advice. All he knows is the former sleazy side of Les; he’s not aware that Les changing.

tomorrow: temper tantrum OR calm inquiry?

The right thing for Gunther to do is convince Tiffany to go to the right authorities.

Very interesting developments. Looking forward to seeing it unfold.

Especially interesting Leslie wants to see the innocent go unharmed.

The boy’s growing.

Gee, some 17-18 year-olds figure to do something on their own without consulting or involving parents and other adults ….. how unusual !