Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for January 31, 2019

Leslie is one pain in the buttocks that won’t go away.

He’s got a great future as a movie studio head.

Gunther really needs a place of his own. ✨

A place of his own and anger management classes.

The adventures of Gunther Unger and Leslie Madison. Just move to NYC already, guys!

Wow…pretty racy for a Luann strip!

Les knows exactly how to get to Gunther. And Gunther should chill and ignore the bore.

Wonder what Luann thinks of the whole Odd Couple thing.

Smart money would have been to record that and play it for “Uncle Al”.

.

Of course the Les apologists here will say that is part of Les’ plan to drive women to poor old Gunther…

I think Luann should tell her parents exactly what happened.

Interesting turn of events from Greg’s earlier thinking. From the Nov. 2018 Stars and Celebs interview ( https://starsandcelebs.com/2018/11/interview-greg-evans-creator-of-comic-strip-luann/ ): “GE: Sex, politics and religion are 3 things I can’t address in at strip like LUANN, which is perceived as a “family strip.” … “As for sex, it’s truly the elephant in the room when writing about healthy young adults.” … “I’ve danced around it, hinted at it, made innuendos and double entendres, but I always make sure there’s no concrete evidence that indicates sex occurred. Readers can assume all my characters are either pure as snow OR are romping off-panel.”As for the Les and Tiff and some of the other characters: “GE: Characters who are sane, normal and pure are hard to write for; they’re boring. The fun ones are evil (Leslie Knox, Dirk), wacky (Knute, Goth Guy), obsessive (Bernice, Gunther) or totally clueless and self-absorbed (Tiffany and, sometimes, Luann). So when I can put a clueless with an obsessive or an evil with a wacky, sparks fly. Those are my favorite story lines.”

Hahaha, can’t you see Les is doing this on purpose at this point? He’s like the sibling who knows how to work that last nerve. In another aspect Les also envious of Gunther. Gunther has a loving mother, a healthy circle of friends, is someone everyone trusts and supports. Unfortunately Leslie’s life has been down a different path. Maybe Les is staring into the face of the life he’s wanted and is projecting himself the way he knows how to be noticed.

You got to love Les!!!!

Little hottie Luann has a priceless WTF? expression here. One fun variation would have been for Luann and Tara showing up together to visit Gunther. After Les says his lines, Tara might reply, “Have you had any luck with that, sailor?”

Well that went pretty much as expected. Now as We brace ourselves for the deluge of enviable and predictable “Whiny, Moody Angry, Gunthie boy” comments, a few points:

1) Les only works from 5 to 10? That’s almost ”Tiffany Farrell Hours.” He ain’t making a whole lotta dough workin’ those hours. No wonder he’s pilfering tips. I wonder if Knox had his time cut in half too, like Tiffany did?

2) Luann hasn’t uttered a peep. Either she shrugged off what Les said or as RSH said yesterday, was “flattered by it.” And if that’s the case, Lu’s “stock” just went down 100 points with Me.

3) Despite Les’ crude, boorish comments, he seems to indicate that he has more faith in what Gunther would be doing with Luann than two thirds of the “fans” do! Yeah, Yeah I know. “Les doesn’t believe that, and is just taunting Gunther and pushing his buttons.” Got it.

4) On a positive note, Last year, Tiffany only gave Gunther two hours with HER. This time around, Les is “generously allowing” Gunther five alone Luann, before he comes home and “takes over.” So maybe has changed! Naaaaaaaah.

Waiter? COFFEE and a couple of Danishes! Oh, and a box of bandages for My Favorite Nerd, who stands to be Gravely Wounded BEFORE this Arc is over…..,

I didn’t realize Les Has such a mouth on him.

Good thing Luann didn’t complete Les’ first sentence with an “Ack!” :D

In the meantime, Luann is trying to stifle hysterics. :D

Luann should get a vote.

There is far more unexploited potential in the Brad, Toni and TJ menage.

creepy looking too!!!

Does Les actually get anywhere with those lines he uses? I suspect he’s as dateless at least as much as Gunther-if not more!

When is this all going to finally go nuclear, I wonder?

this is as bad as Ann/Tiffany strips

He put the Les in moLester.

As far as his comments, first EWWW, but I think Les IS purposefully being gross to bug Gunther. Luann does have a WTH look on her face and Gunther isn’t wearing a plaid shirt today.

I do not think that there is any chemistry between Luann and Gunther. However, there could be an “any port in a storm” kind of desperation passion between Gunther and Tiffany.

Still think Gunner is going to tie up with Tiff.

Much potential in today’s strip.

1) Leslie: Extreme example of Leslie reverting to his basic character. Recall the cherry stem event aimed at Tiffany as an example of crudeness toward females. It wasn’t as extreme because his uncle was present. Interesting that Greg didn’t display this behavior when Les was alone with Tiffany; although Les and Tiffany are a natural pair according to the aforementioned interview. BUT Perhaps Greg is signaling that Les has perceived something in Luann’s manner that she is there with a more than platonic interest in Gunthie. I know it a stretch and maybe a personal wish, but…

2) Gunther: Another example of Gunther “manning up” with Les. His “protector of womankind” gene/training trumps his natural shyness and reticence. Is this a new part of his basic character? Will it stick? As mentioned above by maxiesmom2, Gunther is dressed to impress (as is Luann) and not for just a casual “let me show you around the digs.”

3) Luann: Luann is looking at Gunther, not Les. Maybe she’s seeing Gunth in a new, old way. We don’t see her reaction to Les’ crudity. If she makes an offhand comment to Gunther along the lines of why Les would think Gunther isn’t romantic material the “game would be afoot” as a renowned detective oft said.

4) The future: While there’s bound to be some discussion of Les and his behavior, what follows next will probably telegraph where Greg is taking the Gunther-Luann relationship. I predict a Luann internal conflict with her feelings for Gunther and Jack. Why do I think this? Because it is typical of the internal dilemmas in which he places Luann. In fact, I would only be mildly shocked if this meeting evolves into a “shoes under the bed at sunrise,” as telegraphed in the aforementioned Greg interview. What a fine mess that would make of Luann’s relationship with all of her close contemporaries: Jack, Bernice, Tara, Les, Tiffany…. Greg could ride that horse forever!

Well he tried to be his usual old vulgar self but Gunther kept cutting him off at the ——-!Guess the G. Man has learned to be on the offensive regarding Les after what happened with Tiffany. Luann May appreciate Gunther’s actions more than Tiffany did too. I hope they have a nice evening and Gunther doesn’t get obsessed about Les and his boorish behavior.

short shift, only 5 hours?

Scenes I Would Like to See But I Know Will Never Happen:

Tomorrow’s strip. Luann: “THAT’S what you have to live with? Geez Gunth, you need to move out! NOW!!”

A later strip. Jack goes into to Fuze and walks up to Les. Jack: “Hey, I heard you said some very vulgar insulting things to my friend Luann. I DON’T LIKE people who are rude to my friends. Why don’t we step outside and…..discuss it?”

Luann can get even with Les by leaving a sock on the doorknob when she departs. Les seeing that, will have to find another place to stay the night.

I think all the women in this group need to have a intervention with Les and let him know he’s being sexist and women aren’t happy about that. He needs to know it asap.

I know he’s a jerk, but Les knows how to push Gunther’s buttons and is sometimes funny. He is just a normal guy at that age.

RIght now as I am posting later (need to get sleep to keep up with my work load) I am making a concerted effort not to read other posts, and I do intend to response to a select few later, but simply scanning shows how sex really colors things. Man, Les is an evil sex fiend, and Gunther is a repressed and angry mope. While there is some truth to that, that is not the point IMHO. Les is just being Les, not dangerous, he is reforming, slowly I grant, but I understand how his character is drawn. I mean he is living in the same house with the guy he bullied in high school, and hit on Gunther’s putative GF, Rose, which is when Gunther whomped him with that FULL bookbag. They have not killed each other, so that is progress. Gunther is just being Gunther, and I think he is more offended by Les being Les, kind of a lecher, but harmless, around Luann. I think Luann is drawn (I think it is better to look at how the drawing is, rather than projecting what we think the characters should feel, because that is just us feeling, not what the panel was drawn to mean) to show shock at how angry Gunther is here, and I think one can infer that she not that upset with Les and his “rude” comments. I think rude is not the right word by the way, perhaps a bet presumptious, but Les is DRAWN as a throwback really. He was raised in the grifter world if you consider Ann. Anyway, and I know this really engenders some people to project snark at me, but I am sure I am “projecting” what the comic’s fundamental intent is, which is “hilarity ensues.”

Hilarity does ensue! I reread the panels, and while I take not a word back from my first comment, I get the thing about a Threesome. Les is a rogue lets face it. And he knows how to get under Gunther’s skin too. Brilliant drawing and wordplay Greg. Relax guys, there will be no threesome, and these are young adults, college students, or people working, a world that all people grow through. It’s just a more mature Luannverse. I think that ending panel, and the panels leading up to it were some of the funniest I have seen for a long time in Luann. I wonder how Les and Tara would relate.

Vulgar, is right. Ick.

Gunther, sprout some ’nads and get your own place

There is zero hope for Les, pure scoundrel. Ann’s apple did not fall far from the tree.

What is this? “Let’s Be a Jerk Week”?

My college roommate once offered me to join in on a threesome with his girl-of-the-week…never materialized. I think I dodged a bullet there.

Is Les thinking that, if he’s Obnoxious Enough, Gunther will most out and leave him the house, all to himself?

Leslie is offering to be helpful. And to think some thought he was still bad.

(All habits are hard to break.)

She’s in the room, right? And he’s talking about a Luann Sandwich?

Yes, I, too, am shocked that Les would act in a vulgar fashion!

I am so glad Gunther got rid of that stupid stubble look. Now if number two nephew would only do the same.

Les is really sleaze. He knows that Gunther is shy and likes to hit him like that. Surely Luann has understood what a terrible life his friend is doing. I hope she can helps him to find a solution.

4

Unfortunately, the situation is turning badly. Yes, Les is being an annoyance. But…. unfortunately…. Gunther is IMO NOT responding the right way to Les. Instead of getting all annoyed, hurt, and grumpy…. he really would have been far better off laughing it off and taking some sort of reverse jab back at Les…. there are a variety of responses he could have made from the very coarse (not suggested in front of Luann) to sophisticated or absurd, that would have diffused Les’ firepower and would have left Gunther feeling better about the interaction.

What I fear now is that Gunther’s anger about Les’ stupid comments will have Gunther again focus on his anger about Les and not about interacting with Luann in a pleasant, positive manner.

Acting angry and irritable in front of someone you are wanting to a have a pleasant evening with sets the wrong tone at the outset. If I went to a friend’s house to spend the evening and witnessed my friend shouting angrily at his/her room mate. I would be uncomfortable and looking to leave. The evening is now ruined (as I expected) and it is Gunther’s problem.

On a different tack, I’m trying to figure the source of Luann’s wide eyed look in the 1st panel. I’m guessing the pink shirt; and now we will have an angry person in a pink shirt.

I haven’t said this before, but I would rather have Luann and Jack together instead of her and Gunther (as some posters have suggested in the past). Jack seems to be more stable and one without anger issues. In fact, I wouldn’t blame Luann if she did what Tiffany did last time she was there and walked out on both Gunther and Les. They’re both men no woman in her right mind wants to be around.

@impossible_bones6, a 3 some with 2 males & one female, isn’t Gay. not in the least.

Les is such a creep.

What is it with these guys that button their shirts up tot the top button?

Leslie is incorrigible; it’s no wonder even meek and mild Gunny cannot put up with him!

But what about Luann? Has she nothing to say about this?

Les is just winding up Gunther.

Leslie likes Prudence and will be unhappy when he finds she is unhappy with his subprime behavior.

HaHaHa I’m beginning to like Les more.

I think he’s mostly just saying things to get noticed. If people were to take Les up on all his ‘offers’….I think we’d see him back peddling.