Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for June 12, 2018

So Gray is still in a grey area today.

He has offered no comment on Les impersonating a policeman.

But Al Gray says, “These are the victims of Ann’s Lingerie scam. Isn’t that over?”

So he already knows the details?

He know that the lingerie were fake. He knows that Ann was the person in charge of the scam.

Already? And he never told the police?

I’m getting confused. We now have an adult acting exactly like the kids?

If he already knows the details, why didn’t he contact the police. Al Gray can be subject to accessory after the fact by not reporting a known scam. Just like Les. Just like Tiffany. Just like Luann. Just like Dez.

And Al Gray knows it was a scam, and did not call the deGroots?

And the deGroots did not call TJ?

And nobody told Pru? Anything?

~~~

Getting mighty difficult to believe that this arc will end in satisfaction for the majority, acceptance for the minority, and justice handed out to the guilty.

Leslie sure isn’t getting much help.

@#!* me, I didn’t think about that.

Yet again, having access to wealth absolves you of all sins.

Really, Mr. Gray? What do you know about Tom Farrell? Did you investigate him? Does he have a history of covering up for his women? Is an easy prey for women like Ann? Is that why you said this to Les?

Great Idea, Al! Just be sure YOU are doing the talking and not Les.

Hoo Boy, Folks! Looks this THIS may be over Real Quick! Before the week is out even. Rich Folk just LOOOOOOOVE Their Money, and unless Tom Farrell is a bigger Fool than we thought, he’ll get RID of Ann FAST after he learns what she’s been up to.

Unless Tom has already married her. Then she walks away with half his stuff…..,:(

Has anyone informed the DeGroots yet that a major crime was committed at the Fuse? II’m looking at you, Luann, as well as at Les and Mr. Gray.) It might be nice to let Frank and Nancy know something about all this, before the cops show up with warrants and assume the Fuse owners are accomplices in the fraud.

It seems he knows his sister well.

The best-laid schemes of mice and men…

And to think when we first hear of Ann going to do something at the Fuse, I thought she could be caught merely by parking in the handicap space.

Gee how simple that would have been.

Too many people are overly excited about the bunco con that Ann did at the Fuse. There are 73 possible cases, but what she did is sell fake brands, a crime for which the local laws might not cover, and which the federal’s (there are federal laws on this) might administratively prosecute. Not likely jail time, because she sold fake product. It’s been a while but I can cite my own personal experience as a criminal lawyer for 20 years in a past life. It’s fraud, but its as much a civil case as anything. HOWEVER, Uncle Al did a huge favor for Les, because if Les had misrepresented himself as law enforcement to get his mother, that is a crime, and depending on the jurisdiction, it could be a misdemeanor, or given the 73 counts it could be upgraded to felonies. Also if the amounts are taken into account. No this is all about the parents, and I really believe that Uncle Al will help bring an end to Ann, his sister agonizing his nephew, and his friend, Tiffany. Leave it up to Al to save Les, and possibly Tiffany. Or get them both to accept that Ann and Tom are destined together. Or not. But get off the big crime thing, because while it a gnarly fraud, it is hardly a major crime.

Time for an idiotic and nonsensical scheme to get revenge on Ann Eiffel that will take months maybe even a year. Where’s TJ when you need him?

Well, I have to agree you all have a point, but I am still hung up on why the phone call to Simone wasn’t followed up on. Did Simone hear it all, record it all? Hasn’t come after Ann? Dead end?

If a complaint of a property crime is made to police without presenting proof, the person filing the complaint can be subject to prosecution for false complaints, and might even be charged in civil court with slander. Tiffany told three people that they had been defrauded, but Tiffany is the only one who has the actual proof. Without visible evidence (and the fake big-name lingerie is only proof if an expert who can identify the real thing is present; the fake stuff alone is not proof), for Dez, Tara or Luann to go to the police or Luann’s parents is just called ‘hearsay’, and it isn’t enough. I was hoping that since Al Gray actually said something about the lingerie scam, that meant he actually has some proof and could do something about it…

Hahahahaha… looks like Les didn’t think this plan through thankfully his uncle Al was there to tell him that

Les wants revenge but tiffany wants to let it go. She knows how rich her dad is. Obviously rich enough to pay each of the 73 victims enough to satisfy them. Les needs to let this go because he cannot win it, all he will do is lose.

Uncle Al is not much help.

Les wants payback for all that lost money but he seems to be running into running blocks at every turn.

Uncle Al has been around. He’s owned nightclubs – so he’s seen a lot of #%^!

I think someone yesterday mentioned that Mr. Gray might have been supplying Evil Ann with the fake clothing. That might lend itself to him saying that he thought it was over, basically, leave it alone…

So let me get this straight: Al, a known investor in the Fuse, knew about this scam already and never bothered reporting it to the authorities? Even worse, he assumes the whole thing is settled just because she is no longer actively scamming people? Case Closed despite all the people who are still unaware that they’ve been scammed and therefore may still find out and go seeking restitution? This guy must’ve attended the Barry Zuckerkorn School of Law.

The undertow in this arc is that neither Les nor Tiffany gave a damn that something illegal was done. Their actions were driven by the need for personal revenge. Fortunately such campaigns often fail.

Uncle Al and Ann have a strained relationship – but I don’t think he hates her. Ann was a single Mom and had to work. In such cases – the kids often wind up with relatives. Yeah – some Moms do better – in this tough world, they are to be commended.

If Leslie is going at it alone we know it won’t work. “So you gonna have to keep paying mum, you bum!”

Ann appears to be invulnerable. Let’s move the strip in another direction. I hate to see evil go unpunished!

Doesn’t Mr. Gray have “connections” that could resolve this?

And that’s why Mr Gray is my favorite character in comic land. He knows the angles and gets things done. Too bad Greg Evans, Luann’s creator, can’t think like that.

Why would Tiffany’s dad pay Ann’s debts? He probably did not get rich by paying off his GF’s bills.

Okay Uncle Al…. Just what do you really know about Ann Eiffel’s scam and when did you learn of it?

Time to involve the police. What is wrong with all these characters??

Turn the information over to the lingerie company and let them handle it. Of course Ann will probably just insist that she had NO IDEA the stuff was fake and blame her distributor.

Les on the other hand is facing possible charges for impersonating a cop.

Calling the cops won’t do anything, the cops aren’t going to come and check to see if underwear is fake. The real hole in the plot is that nobody has told Frank and Nancy.

And even if Tom Farrell will do the paying, the 73 people should still be told. They deserve their money back. And just because Tom CAN pay it doesn’t mean he WANTS to.

Suspension of disbelief is a device used for the purposes of humor. It can work well in visual humor. A character MIGHT be able to run through a wall so fast that they left a perfectly silhouette-shaped hole in the wall. As a plot device it is a lot trickier and is easily overdone.

This Eiffel/Tiffany/Les arc has exceeded the bounds of “suspension of disbelief.” Almost none of the commenters are able to swallow what’s going on with out gagging.

Mrs. Fogerty being a marginally competent counselor yet providing Tiffany a major personal breakthrough? OK. That MIGHT happen in Luannverse. But the rest of these shenanigans and flaws by so many characters without any humorous result??? BAH!

In spite of *SHERIFFMORDECAI*’s comments on GnK’s storytelling competence, I don’t see it.

This arc has turned into a complicated and confused situation. Too difficult to follow with enjoyment.

As an aside, so far, Gunther has managed to avoid becoming sucked into this swamp. I hope that continues.

@TIARELLACLARK – We haven’t heard from you for about 4 days. You all OK?

Meanwhile back at the ……….

Time for the cartoon to do some damage control before it gets bogged down in legal complexities. That would not have much potential for humor. Lighten up. Let TJ invest in a hot air balloon and drift off.

Well, as predicted, Al is not fond of Les’ plan to go after Ann. It’s almost as if he’s known all along what Ann was doing or, at least, what she’s capable of doing. Hopefully, we’ll see what his solution is. As for notifying Frank & Nancy (and for any associated liability to the Fuse), all they did was rent the Fuse to a customer. Any such liability would be limited to whatever the law provides for and for which the rental agreement does not (i.e. the agreement should say things like, “Lessee agrees to indemnify the Fuse from any legal or financial liability for any illegal acts committed by the lessee on the property and assumes any such liabilities themselves”). I hope they (Frank/Nancy) were smart enough to put that language into the agreement. Otherwise, it would depend on what liabilities the law says applies to the property owner for illegal acts committed on the property.

Maybe rich boyfriend will pick up the tab. Maybe he won’t. Either way he will know my beloved Tiffany was telling the truth.

So Ann may not dare go to him.

I think Mr Gray has a better plan………….

Does anyone have a “Comics to English Swear Word Dictionary” ?

Al Gray is wise. And notwithstanding the beliefs of many commenters: (1) It is unrealistic to believe that Ann can be successfully prosecuted for selling counterfeit goods. (2) It is realistic to believe that those who were bilked might get their money back. (3) Revenge is a poor motive for action and usually comes back to bite the instigator, not to mention stunting our emotional and spiritual growth.

4

Confusing today.

1. It appears from the way today is written that Uncle Al already knows of the scam and has done nothing to resolve it up to this point.

2. Yet, it could perhaps be that we are seeing the end of the conversation where Les has revealed the scam to Uncle Al, and his (Al’s) first statement simply reflects his repeating what Les just told him.

So, we really do not know which of the above two is accurate. But, if Al knew beforehand… and did nothing… that does not bode well.

If Al just found out and thinks the “rich boyfriend” will bail Ann out and therefore there is not much for him (Al) to do…. that also does not bode well.

(sigh) Too damn confusing for today.

Yeah, this is highly illuminating. Until now, mostly for not knowing until fairly recently that Gray is Eiffel’s brother, we had no idea what Gray thought of his worthless sister and whether he knew about her unethical and illegal dealings. This indicates he is fully familiar with and cynical about her.

Their appearances suggest a substantial age difference between Eiffel and Gray, but Knox’s age—probably eighteen to twenty—indicates Eiffel is older than she looks.

Unless Mr Grey intends to help Les, I think Les might end up trying to break up Tiff’s father with his mother and try to force Tiff to join him. If police were to get involved, wouldn’t Les get in trouble as well since he was working for Ann?

Okay Gentle Readers. Al’s in the place and He’s on the Case! What do you say Wrap Up this EPIC Ann Eiffel Saga, this week shall We?

It starts when:

1) Al tells Tom the truth, the whole truth and noting but the truth.

2) Tom believes Al and Tom gets mad.

3) Tom tells Ann to get lost.

4) Tom reconciles with Tiff and takes her to Paris this Summer.

5) Tiffany returns to college the next semester, her old svelte self. Just in time to have Les (who’s hasn’t been all that attracted to her of late) and Gunther ( who cares about Tiffany but has also been ignoring her of late) FIGHT over her.

Easy Peasy, Right?

Frankly, I hope it’s not that “easy,” because I’d like to see Ann stick around as a permanent member of cast.

I hope the next time We hear from Ann or Tom, they tell the World that “They” are married.

I hope Les with all his all consuming Anger and Hate, HAS to deal with that.

Mainly Because I Really, Really, REALLY, want to see Les’ enormous head EXPLODE.

How devoted is Tom to Anne? Because he could probably put a high-priced “working girl” on exclusive retainer for less money than dealing with all her legal bills & compensation. Hope I don’t offend people with this comment.

I’m glad some of you aren’t Governors or Presidents. We’d have to build twice as many jails.

cop in the ’toon:

https://www.gocomics.com/luann/2012/09/13

All of this makes me look forward to the next crazy thing, as revealed…tomorrow?

Methinks Uncle Al has a better idea.

Al is handing the list back to Les and suggests that Ann’s BF will pay the customers back. Al is going to let Les call the customers and impersonate a cop!! Al has to know that is illegal and Les will get in trouble.

Al has obviously caught wind of the Ann’s scam lingerie parties but was smart enough to realize that there was nothing he could or should have done, since he had no direct evidence of the wrong doing; and what Ann was doing amounts to no more than petty fraud, or infringing on Souffle’s copyright. Moreover, Al was actually saving Les by NOT reporting it. Les has been a long term accomplice with his Mom, collecting portions of her profit. He didn’t know anything until Tiffany informed him which is relatively recent; Ann had been doing these parties for a long time. If Ann got caught in some legal snare over it she would know that Les helped to expose her and she would drag him down into it with her.

One can imagine a nation wide announcement that the defrauded company would like to know the names of all the marks who were also defrauded so they could show them what their product was really like. Cheap knockoffs would hurt their brand. There is no reason to assume Ann only had the one party location.

@SDOG: But she did involve Les as the ‘doorman’ to keep out anyone not on the list (who might have been an industry spy). So it’s not the she ‘trusted’ Les, but she is willing and able to use someone else as a confederate if necessary to her plan…

I don’t care if Anne was a bad mother, Les is a scum bag

Who wants to bet Mr. Farrell will take it out of Tiffany’s trust fund? I mean, why use his own money, right?

Don’t do it, Tom Farrell! Hang down your head, Tom Farrell!

Oh, @#!☆. Les’s revenge seems to have gone flat….

HEADS UP,

KENHENSE

August 1, 2014

I won’t tell the resource I used to find it because I think they currently restrict it.

https://www.gocomics.com/luann/2014/8/1

You can find some Weenie World strips 2 years before that in mid to late August of 2012 and work forward and backward.

I’m guessing that if the lingerie accomplished its true purpose, the women who bought it won’t care all that much if it’s the genuine article, since it is ending up crumpled up on the floor after 5-10 minutes anyway.

Okay, okay, I’ve behaved long enough. Now let’s get back to art class and the naked models. Tiff, I believe you are next.