Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for February 13, 2024

I foresee a sea change in the interaction of these three.

A frown is a smile when you’re upside down . . . but something tells me that in their attempts to turn his frown upside down, their smiles will turn into frowns.

But he’s NOT smiling…

Ladies, make sure to check the room before you start talking about a person who about 2 feet behind Tara.

Look behind you. He ain’t happy,:girls. You’re both delusional.

uh-oh. Luann picked the wrong target for humor. Piro is inlove with Bernice, so don’t make fun of Bernice? Luann. And Tara: maybe your cousin doesn’t want yyou to write about him.

Mr Moody returns. Perhaps he had trouble with the assignment. Hmm, maybe he needs a muse!

He ain’t smilin’.

Looks like the self-satisfied twins are about to have their bubbles burst.

He needs therapy

Some Piro-technics on the horizon!

Does Walter “Piro” Starr have an actual place? When Piro was attending Moony University, he was homeless?

Good toon today. If someone has a big internal glitch, it’s unlikely that someone else can pull them out of it. But if the unhappy camper decides to lift his head out of the sand, maybe close friends can provide a warm environment to facilitate the process.

C’mon Greg and Karen! Give Luann some lips already! Geeze!

Piro looks like a friend of mine did after leavin th free clinic

Looks like Piro might have just run into Bernice and another one of her attempts to “analyze and fix” him, though she should be over at Mooney U, not at the community college… Obviously something is troubling the young lad, hopefully the ladies do not make matters worse.

First impression. Piro has Jack the Ripper somewhere in his ancestry.

What a duo. They really are proud of themselves aren’t they? So caught up in thinking how great THEY are.

Winter fashion. 3 people, 2 dickies and a scarf. Time for “show and tell”, who’s got what?

Forget it, girls—he’s a lost cause!!

Just don’t be surprised when he goes on a killing spree.

Did something happen, Piro?

Not really smart to talk about guys behind their backs, girls.

Looks like Piro isn’t happy with either of them.

Wow, I can’t believe corny jokes and thrill seeking didn’t fix whatever deep familial problems the Starr family has

Piro seems none too cheerful today. Any guesses why? Is he jut showing his generally somber, low-key personality, or has something in particular got him down? Could some problem have arisen with his current living quarters (whatever those have been)? Could he have heard troubling news from or about one of his many siblings? Is he having trouble with one of his other classes? …

Something tells me Piro is going to crush their spirits.

“I over heard somebody mention my name, are you talkin’ about me?” as their smiles dissipate.

Uh-oh…

Luann I can understand hoping Prio is interested in her, Tara, his cousin, though it’s disturbing that she’s arguing with Luann about who Prio likes better.

Uh oh.

Luann and Tara finally agree that the important thing is that Piro is happy. Unfortunately, this is not an easy goal to achieve. I’m afraid that the “First test” assignment might have reminded Piro something very unpleasant. If Luann and Tara want to help him, I’m afraid they’ll have to do a lot of work.

The one thing that would kick this arc into high high would be if Piro is frowning because he’s been trying without success to “impress” this gal.

And that gal turns out to be Crystal. ;-)

Speaking of the ’Ray of Sunshine".

Piro would be just as happy to be left alone and out of your machinations ladies.

Oh joy, more angst.

why is tara competing with another girl for the attention of her cousin?

Maybe Piro is just a miserable cur. Some people just are, you know.

Sure, this seems really healthy (eye roll)

If I had a ringworm like that on the side of my head, I’d be unhappy too.

Being fairly new on this site – who’s Piro?

It’s said that what men want is not beauty, but peace

It’s said that what men want is not beauty, but peace. If you can get both – result!!

.. and here’s “Mister Sunshine” now!

Love this cartoon, been following for ages, they do great work

There is no romantic contest between Tara and Luann over Piro, that is just a conclusion that says more about one’s personal contextual perspective than what the toon arc is about. My personal context is supported by this arc, they both want to try to get Piro to be less depressed because they care for him, but in different ways—Tara because she knows the trauma in their family (her cousin, possibly his older sister if one thinks, who almost killed Tara with that car assault) and Lu who has a nascent romantic interest with this mysterious, but romantically interesting character. Besides in this strip opposites attract, hence Knute and Crystal, for example. But, like the Superbowl, his year, watch out for trick plays.

From the look on Piro’s face, they have their work cut out for them! Will they be so buy talking, they forget to listen?

I don’t think Piro’s gonna smiling anytime soon, or at all.

So sad …

“My mana done told me, son…” W.C. Handy, I think.

Luann’s (the character’s) “humor” has never made me laugh, so I’m voting thrill-seeking is the key. (Or was)

ugh… what’s wrong with Piro? :\

The Guy’s got Serious “Issues”

So why does Tara have so much skin in this game? She and Luann are competing over cousin…it’s not like she’s going to date him.

trainwreck impending

Some folks have a need for therapy and meds.

If we’re to believe Luann and Tara, the important thing here is to establish which of them gets credit for Piro’s ‘happiness’.

You two are a bunch of Piro maniacs! Uh oh! Looks you two are going to have do your mania on him soon!

trouble is both girls are only treating the superficial …

The Piro storylines are even less compelling than the Sedgewick storylines at Monty.

LOL! The only thing missing is a thundercloud hovering over Piro’s head. What a gem! Just the kind of guy that any girl would love to date! Let the cousin take care of the “family problem” Luann, it’s nothing you need in your life

Maybe he just needs a good multi-vitamin? Or some vitamin D? Or B12?

If he’s clinically depressed, then the smiles are a facade…

He IS smiling…..

Mood enhancer: Piro is dragging in his own shadow.

If I had a nickel for every time Luann competed with a girl for the attention of a boy who was that other girl’s blood relative, I’d have two nickels. Which is not a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.

This doesn’t bode well for a happy Valentine’s Day for any of them.

Just ride him. That’ll make him happy.

Getting more than a little sick of the brooding angst.

I have to admire how well he hides his happiness.

That is just Piro’s normal face. Most people do not go around with a big grin for no reason.

Look out, ladies! There is a psycho killer behind you!!

Chill out, Piro! TWO hot girls want to keep you happy. TWO!

I believe they need to leave Piro alone.

tomorrow: which girl places foot-in-mouth first????

Oh, oh.

Piro is feeling rather “dour and sour” at the moment. My WISH for the remainder of this week would be for us to LEARN MORE about Piro and his background and his past and current emotional state.

Unfortunately, I do not think this is the direction Greg and Karen will proceed this week. Keeping Piro “mysterious” is probably a good thing for long-term stability of his character. But, if we were to learn some new facets of his past/present….. it would be nice for us readers.

However, I suspect the focus will be on Luann and Tara trying to “out-compete” each other in “fixing” Piro’s mood. I predict, though, that NEITHER Luann nor Tara will actually ASK Piro what is wrong, nor will either ask them if he would like to talk about it. Instead, I predict that Luann will attempt rustle Piro out of his mood with her “comedy schtick” and that Tara will try to engage Piro into happiness by suggesting some sort of immediate adrenalin-fueled activity.

He ain’t smiling ladies.

Has anyone noticed that Tara no longer has her pixie cut? She’s growing her hair out into a short bob. I wonder how long she will let it grow out? I personally LOVE my pixie cut and will probably never have long hair again. But hair of any length can look good.

There has to be easier relationships …

I can think of something that might put a smile on Piro’s face. It doesn’t involve humor, or, thrill seeking (at least not t he kind his cousin has him doing.) It’s something that Greg and Karen won’t show unmarried couples participating in.

Welllllll…. lowly unworthy Count ❤️ers (we know who you are…)… the Return of Pedro the Pedo. He’s a swine. BUT… here we have ❤️Eiffelettes Sexy❤️ Luann and Tantalizing❤️Tara woofin’ about “Doing Something Right” and “Let’s Not Stop” and “Keeping the Boy (aka Shoog Daddy) Happy”. The Mind Boggles at the thought, boy howdy. Eat your ❤️s out, lowly unworthies (we know who you are…). Yep, sounds like Sexy❤️ Luann and Tantalizing❤️Tara are getting ready to… to… to…. wait for it… to… pack up the micro mini little black cocktail dress and itsy bitsy teenie weenie thong bikini and hook up with… Darling Ann❤️Eiffel for a road trip Shoog Daddy Safari, boy howdy! Can’t wait! Just in time for Valentine❤️Day, too! Woo hoo!! With that, lowly unworthies… outta here. The night is nigh upon us. TTFN, lowly unworthies. Time to go. TTFN and Count OUT! No wonder we all ❤️ Darling Ann❤️Eiffel and… Our Modest, Humble and Stunningly Good Looking… ❤️Count!

He’s right behind us, isn’t he.

Young, handsome and broody, Piro. That’s the way the girls like ’em.

Piro looks a bit sullen here. The week is young yet, maybe they’ll cheer him up some by Saturday?

The writing assignment was my first? Maybe Piro had a dark recollection of major disappointment?

the quintessential happy camper

Eh, you can’t really “make” someone be cheerful. Happy comes from within. If they can cheer him up with humor and thrills for a little while, well that’s good. But that boy is too wrapped up in his own young head to stay cheerful. That or he needs a good antidepressant.

Smile….though your heart is aching…

Smile…though your heart is breaking……

Whenever Piro is around, the ladies have to sleep with one eye open.