Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for April 05, 2021

Good one, indeed.

Are you in the mood to wear your dinner rather than eat it?

Something tells me Frank is going to regret his words.

oh, how we wish ’twere true

First thought that came to mind….

The walls are very very thin.

Rut-ro

Frank, you just made a big mistake…

Meanwhile, somewhere else, Tiffany’s Table for Two continues to be organized. Gunther is cutting out material. Now, who is this mysterious man that is making his way into the strip?

“Some noobs started calling me barbed wire, barbeque, and Barbie doll. I think we should start servicing alcohol, instead of that darn fruit juice.”

We want deets.

I guess it was a good marriage while it lasted.

Famous LAST words.

Uh-oh. Wrong response, Frank.

And Luann sinks deeper and deeper into the background, looking for that “meaningful” life she will never find.

I wonder what she means by “hit on”: does this mean he complimented her, asked her out(before realizing she’s married), made a cheesy pick-up line—-or he pinched her butt.

Frank, she’s saying you need to be more charming. Surprise her with flowers, take her on a date. Make her feel beautiful and sexy. Dare i say it: make love to your wife frank.

Will she yell out his name later tonight?

Yes Frank, she thought the charming man was a good one indeed.

I hope that couch is comfortable, Frank!

For those of you who are married, the last thing you want to do is laugh at your wife or hubby no matter the subject!

You’ve still got it, Frank just doesn’t remember it…

He said the wrooong thing.

She works in a bar. She would get hit on nightly. First one that she thought about taking him up on? Or Is this a back way of telling him she is cheating and was out?

Time to up your game Frank

…….aw hell……. (heads for the bomb shelter)

Charming or uncharming, doesn’t that come with the territory?

My guest appearance in the flashback over the next days is going to be killer.

It has been suggested that Mord is posting at Arcamax as “William Wagstaff”. I just checked and 1) Wagstaff does not post every day and 2) when posting, they are mostly short one liners, very un-Mordy-like, 3) the Avatar is not his (he used the same one at Arcamax as here before Arcamax went to FB for comments) and, as I recall, Mord said he wouldn’t join FB as did many others. Besides, when some of us posted at Arcamax and quit when they switched to FB, we were posting here at the same time with same comments. When one reads the comments, one can develop a feel for the commenter’s style and Mord’s was unique. Plus he was a “Premium” member here (at least on March 31 – last time I saw one of his comments).

So, hopefully, he is well and will be back here soon.

Dear God, don’t let that “charmer” be Tiffany’s dad, he is on the rebound…

There are still embers in the hearth.

Frank really put his foot in his mouth this time! Looking forward to a new character to spice things up and make Frank take his wife less for granted.

Oops.

Frank do want to eat outside with Puddles.

April fools was 4 days ago.

Hubby, you’re sleeping on the couch tonite.

Hopefully, it’s not Tom Farrell.

Some guys really dig a woman who wears a bowtie. Better make sure she does not start wearing bunny ears with the tie, even though yesterday was Easter, it is usually not related to Easter.

Oh, and after that last comment, Frank – better make sure you know where your suitcases are at.

OH. MY. GOD. Frank deserves to sleep on the couch? What the hell is wrong with you people?

Frank has no sense of self-preservation.

My wife and I had a nice Easter. We spent most of the afternoon digging out about 300 square feet of sod with shovels. My wife really loves the new shovel I gave her for Christmas. I do have to keep telling her, “Hey, stay away from the wheelbarrow, you know you don’t know anything about machinery.” It is for her own safety, after all.

I did tell her that later in the evening, I was going to take her out to some place really expensive. We went to the Chevron station.

Get used to that couch, Frank.

Ok, Frank may end up on the couch tonight. I suspect that Nancy will make sure that he understands that she should not be taken for granted as the week progresses. It will be interesting if she receives a bouquet of flowers or another romantic gesture to thicken the plot a bit. You can bet it will be someone very like younger and more fit than our man Frank as G&K might want to give Frank a nice mid life crisis and send him to the gym and Hairclub for Men…..

Frank, you better believe it. She’s hot. Way out of your league.

Well, looking closely at her left hand, I’m not seeing a wedding ring nor an engagement ring. So is she passing herself off as single? Is she flirting with the male customers to get bigger tips and get them to spend more money on booze (where most eating places make their money)?

This is one of the things that really irritates me about the strip since Karen started writing it. A plot would start and build for a couple weeks and as we expect some kind of climax the story shifts to something completely unrelated and it will be weeks before we get back to the initial plot which has been mostly resolved off stage. We’ve been jerked around then hung out to dry. You could call it “cartoon interruptious.”

I’m surprised it didn’t happen any faster. But that was probably the first man Nancy found fascinating among the many who hit on her. Let’s hope Frank takes it well and doesn’t act stupid. I don’t want to see him hid among the Kafe kablooie’s costumers with a raincoat and hat to watch over his wife.

That’s a comment a husband shouldn’t take lightly.Just as a wife wouldn’t take a similar comment from her husband lightly at all.

Frank has been married too long to remember the thrill of the chase. He needs to put the newspaper and have a private conversation with Nancy.

Nancy still remembers when Frank had a physique. He had long hair and …

I feel fairly confident that is not the desired response.

She’s a bartender surrounded by drunk men much of the time. I’m surprised that it took this long for it to happen.

The way Nancy looks, I think would make several visits to her bar.

Back to Nancy and Frank- ho hum. The old double standard of a woman getting her husband jealous , god forbid if Frank pulled the same thing. Course , Frank taking his wife for granted is just him showing his usual ignorance.

You’re okay as long she’s willing to tell you when it happens. When it happens and she doesn’t tell you – you’re in trouble.

Ladies, in a similar situation would you lead him on or give a polite cold shoulder?

And how do you know if it’s just polite conversation instead of hitting on?

Some dude’s moving in on your girl, Frank. Time to man-up.

A better response is, Who do I have to go punch out?

so we’re dropping the betts pirate meal?

Someone is being neglected…and in some time, that someone may be Frank.

Hopefully this will be more interesting than the “Bets wants Gunther just so costumes” arc.

Not the right response, Frank.

“Ha ha, good one, hon”? Sometimes people give a wrong answer, and it can sometimes get them in trouble, but this has to be some kind of record.

Once again the question arises: What time of day is it? The bartender, (and owner!) is home early enough that her family’s still going about its day. Assuming it’s at least the late evening, it’s an odd time for Frank to be reading the paper.

Tiffany’s Dad?

WRONG ANSWER, Frank

Not smart Frank

“I just came home to get changed before meeting him for dinner and drinks”

yeah intoxication will do that some times.

I would think that happens nightly with her, mom’s hot !

Has Tara recovered from her injuries? Is she still going to Utah?

Who says he didn’t? She is still attractive. No reason why not.

WRONG RESPONSE!

Was it les?

And now for something different! 8^ (

Issues left on the table: 1) The pending TTFT and conflict between Bets’ and Tiff’s idea. 2) Conflict between Bets and Gunther re study vs costume creation. 3) Conflict between Gunther and Les re being called out on conflict #2. 4) Will TJ, Ox and Les succumb to Tiffs need for support personnel re TTFT.

She ain’t joking.

Frank is handling this all wrong. Good Grief that is the worst response! Nancy wants him to be a little bit jealous and flatter her and let her know he’s proud of her and loves her.

He’s gonna wish he’d never said THAT

“You know you’ve got it and it makes you feel good!” – Miss Janis Joplin

Uh oh . . . he’s been married long enough to know that was not the correct response.

WRONG answer -

I thought the interesting thing that happened would be that she learned that one of her employees is poaching the rest of the staff so that she can set up her own dining business.

He is very very stupid

P4: “…and I accepted.”

Better not take for granted the good you have, Frank. I would guess this isn’t the first time this has happened to Nancy.

is it Tiffany’s Dad??? I think it’s her Dad.

Famous last words! And her reply is “Hold my beer!” Beer, bartender, get it?

Nancy is pretty. They draw her differently from the other characters in the family, who are all kind of thin lipped. She is honest with him about something that happened at work and he thinks it’s a joke. Being taken for granted is never any fun.

Well. I thought all was well when we last left the DeGroot Sr. household. Harmony abounded. Luann, Bernice and Tara were all chum buddies; if somewhat cramped for space, perhaps.

Frank opens with a somewhat dismissive comment about Nancy being just a barmaid. I mean he could have referred to her position as boss-lady. Nancy responds with a mild tweak of Frank’s nose with an interesting thing. “A charming man hit on me.” She said with a dreamy look in her eyes. I’ll bet she blushed. 8^ )

I believe this is the second time Nancy has tweaked Frank’s nose with reports of flirtatious activity outside of their “matrimonial construct.” See: https://www.gocomics.com/luann/2020/04/25

Last April I wondered what to payoff to the strip story line Nancy’s return to work would be. Among other things, I suggested this possibility; “Nancy glams up; causes dissension at home…? Nancy acquires an admirer and is mildly flirty.”

So here we go. We’ll have to wait to find out what Nancy’s motivation is for the reveal.

I recently canceled my newspaper. But I plan to follow Luann on the net. It’s worth it. Thanks much.

Indeed, she has a sleepy eyed smile on her face!

Shades of Mr. Grey?

Time warp. And when the dust settles: Gunther has knocked up Bets and they have eloped to Wyoming, Tara and Bernice have moved in together and joined the local LGBTQ power crowd, Ox and Tiffany have discovered the joy of true love, and Luann picks up the newspaper that Frank has dropped and realizes that some comic strip called “Luann” has ended. Luann hears music from The Twilight Zone, and fades to black.

uh oh

UH-oh!

If this is the beginning of a week long arc it seems like one of two things will happen. Either Frank will have to make it up to Nancy for laughing at the idea that anyone would hit on her or the charming man will figure into the story some how. Has Anne E. got another brother, perhaps a swindler who hasn’t turned a new leaf?

And then the fight started…

And she still has the smile hours later……

Wow! Frank is really dumb! A woman like Nancy would get hit on all the time while tending bar. But now Nancy is telling Frank she found one who is charming. And the dummy says he doesn’t believe her?

Uh-oh!

But what happened to the $300.00 meal ticket? I say bring back Rosa.

Earth to Frank, you missed an opportunity to complement your wife and perhaps get a little TLC in return.

As a fan of Nancy’s, I’m interested to see where this goes.

Buzzzz. Sorry. The correct answer is: Need have been crazy not to. value what you have.

When he eats those words they’re going to taste like shoe leather.

Of course, in an arc from December of 1999, we get to see Nancy’s reaction to Frank being picked up by a Playboy bunny (Miss May) for a party at Hugh Hefner’s. It is a dream sequence that Frank has, but still…

.

https://www.gocomics.com/luann/1999/12/29

https://www.gocomics.com/luann/1999/12/30

.

The next arc after that one is interesting as well – Frank is looking in a mirror and is dealing with all the changes in his body now that he is getting old. He tells Nancy that he is going to go to a gym and get all his old muscles back, and Nancy has visions of him with a big chest, hard abs, and buns of steel.

Good for you! Everyone’s ego needs a little boost now and then.

Time for Frank to give Nancy flowers, chocolates, and promises he doesn’t intend to keep.

Uh, Frank…I’m pretty sure she’s not kidding.

You have just stepped in it… a “just a little jealous” reaction is the way to go here.

Oops, Frank. Should have kept reading your paper.

Wrong answer…

Lol! Maybe Frank will want to take over bartending duties! Or think they need a bouncer! ;-)

Whoa Nellie!!

5

Intriguing but confusing as well:

1. Is this really a new arc, or is it somehow relevant to Tiff/Bets/“Gun”? [Opinion: It sure as hell feels like a new arc.]

2. If this is a new arc, the Tiff/Bets/“Gun” arc was awfully damn abruptly stopped. Greg hasn’t seemed to a) stop so very suddenly, and while there have been/are unresolved stories….and b) the story of Tiff/Bets/“Gun” feels too embryonic to even be considered “unresolved”.

3. Since there appears to be a “charming man” who hit on Nancy….. I want to assure everyone it was not me. :)

4. So, will this “charming fellow” be a new character? Or at least a “once seen” character? Or will we never get any inkling of this fellow (“inkling” meant a little bit as a double meaning…. original and “pun”.)?

5. Frank’s laughter wasn’t the most kind response…. but neither does it warrant the “couch” or the “doghouse” IMO.

6. I am envisioning a sort of congenial, “Sebastian Cabot” type of character. :)

Hoo boy!! This was one of the first things that i thought of when Nancy started working at the Fuse and i know i threw it out there. Questions: are we going to see this person or is this just going to be a week of Frank reacting (or not …). Frank may laugh now but his wife looks quite nice at her age and could easily attract a single divorcee. Now for the long shot: i wonder if Tom Farrell would hang out at the bar at the Fuse (late at night) now that he is free. Could he be the charming man?

The sleepy town of Pitts is like a small town in built in a TV land during the late 1950’s, no neighborhood gossip and has no poor neighborhoods.

I’d hit on her too if she was real.

Oh, Frank. You are dead meat, my friend. * Also, as usual, no resolution to previous storylines. I should have known…

cue the dark ambient music with discordant overtones

Ooo, someone is gonna be sleeping on the couch for that comment.

It’s common for a marriage to fall apart after 25 or 30 years, once all the kids are out of high school.

Guess who is sleeping on the Couch tonight?

And, hanging around the Fuze being Jealous Joey tomorrow night.

Oooooooooo…. winces

That was callous, Frank. Father and son were both out of their leagues when it came to attracting their spouses. Brad knows what he has. Frank better remember, and fast.

I think Nancy was not joking. Frank may be in for something of a shock—competition!

(At least, that would make for a fun arc.)

Ouch dude.. not a bright move.

He’d have to be charming to have any hope of beating the competition,