Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for December 09, 2023

Remember what I said the other day about Climate Change being all-too real, and how I can’t even remember the last time we had a normal month of December? Well, here we are again . . . we’ve suddenly been smacked with another unseasonably springlike spell, but sure, let’s all just keep saying this is nothing more than a liberal hoax, because why not? And after 2023 having been one of the worst years I’ve ever faced, I suppose having a normal December to at least end the year on a positive note really was too much to ask for.

And that’s a wrap on Luann’s skydiving adventures. So where’s the real BADASS at?.. Frank, you around??

Well, at least Piro apologized.

Stars, let me be frank, Luann did not jump.

No, she’s not a badass writer. She’s a lying writer.

Now that is a good come back, Luann. I wouldn’t put out money and get stood up again. I wouldn’t even do it if it cost nothing. Fool me once, shame on you.

I guess the Evanses want to keep it vague so we think maybe Luann’s playing coy, but why even bother? Her coy act’s definitely falling on deaf ears from the Starr Cousins.

Either way, I doubt that Luann would take Tara up on it since I’m not guessing Luann has that much cash to spare.

Piro’s buying into Luann having a talent for writing is pretty endearing in a dopey way. I mean what she wrote was basic enough that I’d buy it as a secondhand account given the lack of sensory information that most writers would use to embellish the experience. It’s a bit concerning though, at this point, I’m thinking Piro’s SO easily impressed that he’d even think Nil’s “white canvas with isolated body parts” paintings are worth buying. I mean, we know he’s no expert on quality from how he described Bernice as beatific, saintly light of empathy…

Luann is no badass

!Yay Yahoo! for the skydiving video Tape!

Luann has a reputation as a writer!!!!

Will the Starr Cousins follow through???

Maybe Luann Degroot can graduate from Pitts Community College and transfer to Moony University?

Good for you to show this new maturity and confidence, Luann! You learned something about yourself these past several days. Let them have their fun if they follow through. You could just stay home and write another great imaginative essay. Do some research and interview people for your new protagonist in your story. I think these parts of writing is fun and educational.

Did she or didn’t she? Only she and the goat she landed on know for cure.

Disappointed. Kills the story.

Try Luann, skydiving sounds scary, but you might like it!

All’s well that ends. Hopefully we’ll be somewhere else on Monday.

Tara’s face looks like a poodle’s a-nus

Sunday Frank an Nancy go skydiving. Nancy got jealous

I suppose there is growth here. Luann decides she’s done what she needs to do and has no need to go along. She has also seen herself as badass in a way she likes — as a writer. Not the worst outcome.

For all we know…she went up in the plane with her Dad and imagined what it would feel like to be seconds away from stepping out like he did.

I keep hoping to see a secret picture Luann has, of her actually jumping.

I beat this stuff up a lot, but this arc is prime reason why. Once the decision was made to take Luann from being another one off, cartoony cartoon to a more modern look and story arcs, the expectation changed for the reader. Many of us have been reading this comic for many years. And what happened in our lives? We grew and matured. Luann hasn’t very much. There’s been some great story arcs, (Brad & Dirk is a prime example), and are now practically erased like they never happened. Now we just get teased with character development, only for it to become a big nothingburger like this one that just finished. It’s okay to advance the characters ahead a little. That’s what we’ve been waiting for.

Luann, take the jump instructor’s advice. It’s time to get new friends.

When Luann says “break a leg”, I think she actually means it.

This arc was memorable for the story and the art created for it. As much as I would have preferred to see Luann jump for real, it marks an important evolution in her ability to write. A change so big that even Tara, who has been writing with her for months, can’t believe it’s true. She and Piro now believe that Luann jumped and is denying it to spite them. To me, Luann is not the type to lie just for saying she made up a story. I hope the two of them will see the footage with Frank skydiving. Then, they’ll finally understand that Luann is truly a badass writer.

Tara and Piro are such horrible “friends”. I hope Luann has finally realized how selfish and rude the cousins are. Piro making a lame apology after the fact would mean absolutely nothing to me and Tara needs to be knocked off that perch she likes to sit on.

The arc ends with Lu giving the brush-off. To whom/what shall her focus turn?

Wow, so first they ditch her and then insult her writing skills. Nice job guys. Nice.

Okay, so Lu didn’t jump out of the plane.

So what?

Happens all the time in real life.

It happened in Wartime.

“Thrill Seeking” is not for everyone.

Besides, if a body wants “cheap thrills” all they have to do is try to walk across any busy intersection during rush hour.

Or stand too close to some Morons doing ‘donuts’ in muscle cars in some parking lot at 1 am.

And all that is free.

NOW.

Can We please get back to Tiffany, Gunther, and Bets? ;-)

Having backed away from the interesting plot point of Luann doing something unexpected and daring, we safely move back to Luann having crappy friends who don’t think very much of her.

Sunday : Shannon asks Santa for a special Christmas present! =:-O

“Pitts Community College”. For some strange reason it may not seem like a career enhancement to attend a Pit of a college.

Is Tara getting a commission on the bookings of people who actually jump. Her booking could just be a marketing tool.

Tara did it deliberately because she does NOT want Luann and Piro to be close friends. Luann does not need a friends like her. Too sneaky and underhanded.

Is Luann thinking, “even if I had the $200, fool me once,..” or, is she thinking, I escaped one time without breaking anything, why don’t you two go, and, see what happens"?

I thought the $200 was non refundable from last time so they should have lost that money.

sob…. sob….. I’m so proud our little dumb Luann is getting wiser…

oh what a tangled web we weave….

That’s a very low trust factor among friends.

Well, I’m not sure. Frank sounded interested, but being enthusiastic about someone else jumping is not the same as being willing to go yourself. And is he supposed to have dropped Luann off at Jumping Jacks and then stayed in the car until Luann came out complaining? Otherwise how was he even there to take her place? If it had been me interested, I would have gone in with her to look around and watch the plane take off. On the other hand, Luann sounds sincere, and if she had jumped, why would she deny it to the bailing cousins? As for the assignment, if she had jumped, she could have used the experience to write a different imaginative account, rather than a fairly tame touristy tandem jump.

Time for Luann to move to 9 Chickweed Lane? Too much pretend and tease?

Let them believe it if they want.

I am disappointed she did not do it. I thought this was finally going to be the moment when she broke out. Really anti-climatic.

WHY did you do this ? Did you know you had the skydiving community riveted to the story ? The woman who organized the Women’s World Record formation of 201 women in 2009 couldn’t wait to see the next episode every morning. Well there’s no taking it back now, what’s done is done. Sorry Evanses, but you really blew it.

They didn’t cancel, they flaked.

Luann never wanted to go skydiving. I’m glad she did not do something just because of pressure from other people.

It’s actually nice to see a good story line wrapped up with a nice bow on it.

OK, for the authors of this pathetic cop-out . . . that was a world-class cheap shot and you should be ashamed of yourself. You’ve lost me as a reader.

Smart of Luann to not fall for Tara’s act again, but why does she stay friends with them at all?

I don’t like this ambiguity. Is she messing with them for ditching her? Is she not? Where’s Frank?

Piro’s comment in the middle panel is very understandable, but if you are living with someone who has skydived for the first time and is talking passionately about the experience constantly as I expect Frank might then Luann would get the idea to do what she did, i.e. become that person in writing and extrapolate the way she did. That said I’m still not letting her off the hook for this.

With friends like Piro and Tara, Luann doesn’t need enemies!

LOL! “Bless your heart!”

How rude! Piro just directly insulted Luann by stating she couldn’t have written her story without having actually gone sky diving!! I hope Luann has gotten over her crush on him because he’s just a short, scruffy, unkempt neurotic Starr cousin with all the issues that go with that family plus some new ones of his own. I could write a story about sky diving right now and I’ve never done it. Scared to go, getting up the courage, legs shaking entering the plane, heart in throat on take off, awe and fear when the door opens, sheer terror at the jump, exhilarating sense of flying, apprehension nearing the ground, sense of loss at landing. Time for her to kick these two to the curb!

Wait … didn’t Frank say “…ohh $200, you must have gotten the PHOTO PACKAGE…” Maybe we’ll see the pictures of the Luann jump!! (I hope!!)

Just let it be as they wish……..

Somebody please tell me, did she or didn’t she. I won’t be able to sleep at night. When I was young I read the story of"The Lady and the Tiger" and I spent hours at a time trying to figure out which door the lady opened.

It occurs to me that Luann may have unknowingly hit upon the practice of kything: “Kything is a spiritual practice or concept that originated in Celtic spirituality and was popularized by American psychologist and theologian Matthew Fox. It refers to a deep form of connection and communication between individuals, where they are able to transcend physical barriers and establish a profound understanding of one another, often described as telepathic or empathic. Kything involves the sharing of thoughts, emotions, and experiences on a level beyond normal human perception, allowing for a sense of unity and interconnectedness between individuals. It is often associated with spiritual growth, healing, and a heightened awareness of the interconnectedness of all beings.”

I like Luann’s final reply, “Break a leg” Fool me once.. LOL I hope Frank had the time of his life. Honestly, why be offended because what’shername called her a liar, what else can you expect from someone who had to lie to survive?

Nice wrap up. On to the next arc.

She may have interviewed Dad after his drop.

I liked the idea of Luann and the skydiving instructor becoming buds. But I really liked the idea of Luann doing something so daring and using it to write with real passion.

I’ll repeat my comment from yesterday: I’m proud of Luann for not doing the “you jump I jump” to impress friends. Very mature of her.

I’m so disappointed.

G&K – that was a good one.

PS – I loved the artwork from the planes window!

Wisdom is knowing when to say no.

Wise decision, Luann.

Just tell me when and where not to show up.

Unfortunately we may never hear from Frank about his experience. Even though he was the one who jumped because the arc is about Luann and right now she’s a little less interesting than Frank.

This resonates with me. I am writing a “play” – really just a rehash of old childhood wounds and failures and rejections with a friend all in Texts. It is almost 30% put downs and rank outs gone off the chain. A couple of suicides from real life. I really like that term, and the punctuation of Hooded Eyelids in Pride on Lu, two frames. Sweetened by a sidelong glance and a smirk. Badass Writer. Thank you, Dr. Greg, for tapping my creative potential. Thass what I yam. Welp, folks, my free trial is coming to an end. I will continue to read you guys but pay for this? I never paid for it. Har! I am the funniest sad clown and the funniest actually happy, retired, multi-hobby clown on my block. Maybe here too. Bye all! See you in St. Louis! I like the older kids here 18 to 80. Rest of you, get off my lawn.

I’m very disappointed in this ending.

Not sure where this story arc was all about….

Luann, the smug-ass cheater and non-skydiver!

Wouldn’t it be great if Tara and Piro could actually make Luann do a real dive?