Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for April 26, 2024

Tiff and Bets… it’s time to call it a day. Luann doesn’t need your help.

Yikes @ Tiffany in the 3rd panel!… she looks like she’s about to blow a fuse.

So do they try BATUBS on someone else or go back to the drawing board?

Tiff and Bets…It’s time to call it a day!!

I say bravo to Luann!

She doesn’t need your help. NOBODY needs your help!

Love the cat-face smile on Luann in the last panel.

She’s all screwed up and has been since Quill left her, and does anyone remember her colored friend Delta? If Greg brought them back, Lu’s life might have better meaning.

They need to try out their ‘plan’ on a certain sk ank of a cheerleader.

How about on Monday we return to the Fuse where Luann and Tara are writing a novel. Any novel, it doesn’t matter. Maybe one of that round-robins where Tara writers chapter one and Luann writers chapter two and Tara carries on with chapter three. And arguing over the direction each chapter should take.

I don’t think Luann is messing up at all, but I would like to see her trying out some of those ideas.

Good job, Luann!

Luann is unfazed by these two with their grand plan. Loving this arc!

Tiff looks absolutely creepy in the last frame. Betcha she next bails out of this stupid project!

Clearly it doesn’t bother Luann that she doesn’t know what she wants and doesn’t care that her friends are far ahead of her. I know some people like her in real life. They drift from job to job for a long time and reach 30 before they decide what they want to do for a career. Some start college late and some just go to trade school or CC to get AA. If she’s gonna drift along, I think Nancy and Frank will eventually realize that and tell her she has to move out and be self supporting and grow up if she still doesn’t know what she wants to major in at a certain point such as 20 or 21 years old. Being pushed out of her nest will force her to grow up and become more responsible and accountable.

Note to Tiff’s potential suitors: Remember Tiff’s face in that last picture. You miyght just see it a lot more often after you’re married. Like ever day..

Also, for Bets an Tiff: Give up on BATUBS and go for SHOWERS instead. In my mind I cn see the water beadin up on the Mrs.’ beautiful tanned skin right now as it runs in rivulets down her.. uh, I better quit right there

Ooh! Age stamp! 19! She was 13 when the strip first appeared in newspapers. Almost 40 years ago. When there were still newspapers. I wish that was a joke.

So in another four decades or so, our time, she’ll be 24. Living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Possibly dating a zombie.

Honestly, when time passes that slowly, branding is not such an imperative.

Ironic. Society doesn’t have room for a contented person.

Zzzzzz…

I’m reading some meta elements in this particular arc. On the one side are Tiff and Bets who represent the readers who observe how Luann has become a bland, almost invisible character. On the other side is Luann herself, representing Greg and Karen who were resistant at first toward the observations but who over time are conceding that maybe those observations could have merit,

Maybe Luann doesn’t need rebranding as much as Tiff and Bets think she does.

You mean to say that this was all a waste? Who could have ever called that outcome? Besides everyone.

I mean, kudos for Luann for realizing this and all; but Bets and Tiff … uh, maybe you two should take a look in the mirror. They both started this arc out by wanting to force this “we’re smart and capable entrepreneurs” and made “Batubs” (still the worst name for a brand possible) as an attempt to show how talented they are… only for it to show that they can’t even dummy up a “we turned her into a success story” narrative with someone as easily led as Luann. (Sorry, Lu, but it’s true. No one stays friends with someone who squashes your confidence the way Bernice does without being at least a little easily influenced).

There is something else just stuck! UM, this arc. Please please and PLEASE!

“There is no Dana, only Zuul”.

Hopefully the Evans’ go back to the drawing board. New arc please!

As I said before.

NOBODY would be “complaining” if BATUB tried this stuff on one of the guys.

Or BERNICE. ;-)

Okay.

I think it’s pretty clear now.

Luann has been jerking BATUBS’ chain the whole time.

Point, Luann.

Ladies? Take the passing grade from Doc Fabbi and make yourselves satisfied.

And next time, pick one of guys.

Or better still, BERNICE.

“Physician, heal thyself…”

You know it’s bad when Tiffany bares her teeth.

OK, so their business model is to prowl on people who are insecure and give them a facade to hide behind. That always turns out well.

Luann’s middle panel confirms what I have been saying about their age and the annoying situations they put themselves in. As older readers, it’s exhausting to see this when we have already been through our successes and failures and our peers. On that level, G&K have done a great job writing for these life complexities and transforming the strip. I will die on this hill.

“Dangit, Luann, WE are supposed to be giving you the answers! You’re not supposed to be coming up with them yourself!”

Maybe you should just leave Luann alone. She’s onto your little scheme.

Well, DUH! I believe Luann made it clear she does not want to be part of your lame business!

Next one in line.

Bets’ brief speech was enough to fill Luann with hope and make her see her uncertain situation, which once seemed to stress her, as a positive one. So, what will she do? Continue to go to community college, looking around without a goal? Will she ever enroll in an university? What major will her choose? Luann’s future remains a mystery. But maybe… maybe it’s better this way. I hope that Luann’s happiness can survive future discussions with her parents and Bernice. Maybe Jack will help her find a goal, like she helped him find his. I kinda feel sad for Bets and Tiffany.

Luann is more self aware than she’s given credit for; I’m glad she’s not allowing these two to “use” her. Tiff and Bets are discovering that not everyone will fit themself into their neat little marketing scheme. I think this is actually a great step forward for Luann.

This arc is beyond boring

If it is about 6am / 7am now the rest of the family should be getting up. If they are all just sophomores then they are likely taking lower division core classes and may not even have a declared major. Bets may even be in her third semester if she spent the Fall Semester on the road.

In fact, Luann took Tiff’s positive analogy of her situation and ran with it. Bets and Tiff may have some good ideas that just need some re-working; maybe they need to re-brand their branding scheme.

I dunno…Luanns in college. Trying different things at age 19 is how a lot of (mostly the women) ended up with rise & grind to pay off student loan debt as their “brand” in their 30s. If Luann actually sees herself as full of potential and likes trying new things she should get a full time job. ANY boss we could be happy to take advantage of her current brand. Should also point out Bets & tiff are also full of potential and trying new things. Their just being more financially astute about how they use their potential.

Luann is nineteen. I remember when she was thirteen and older than me. I am now 49.

This reminds me of an old Twilight Zone episode.

OH NO! The person who never asked for your help turns out to not need your help! gasp! Who could have imagined!

Hey Business Majors, did you two know there is this thing called market research and testing? Y’all could very easily post a call for candidates on a campus forum or notice board and pull in people who actually want this service.

Way to go, Luann. You just burst their bubble.

maybe this would be better in the llongo tongue

Ha ha ha Luann beat them at their own game.

They should be happy that they actually helped Luann feel better about herself through this entire mess, if they really cared about their “clients”. Save the video, write a synopsis, take the grade and move on.

Here Luann is 19 years old….an adventurous age…….

I’d like to t hink from Panel 2 that Luann is purposely gaslighting these two.

Tomorrow, she starts waving a prop sword and says she wants to be the next Joan of Arc

Luann is only 19? She only got 6 years older in 39 years?

Man am I happy this arc is winding down.

Luann’s little self-satisfied smirk in the third panel is really off-putting. She knows that the reason she’s being interviewed is to help with their business, so why is she so pleased about sabotaging their attempts? Is this some kind of revenge thing for her, or is she too dumb to realize that she’s doing more harm than good? And if this is about honest feedback (because let’s face it, their idea is dumb) why not just flat-out say so instead of wasting everyone’s (including the readers’) time?

Ha! Go Luann! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Time to put this one to rest.

This explains allot of the arbitrary rage I have experienced in my life.

Is this a comment attacking the comic editors or the fans for wanting the strip to be different.

Go luann. Just be you.

If you want her to perform as you wish then give her a script and pay her.

I am EXTREMELY relieved that (thus far) Luann is NOT falling prey to the schemes of “Batubs”. Even though this arc has definitely NOT been a favorite of mine….. I can at least say the steadfastness of Luann in not being manipulated is an excellent outcome.

So….. other thoughts:

1. If Luann does not acquiesce to the will of “Batubs” to change, what does this ultimately mean for Bets and Tiff’s assignment?!? Perhaps they will chuck the idea and/or fail to turn it in and both get an “F”?

2. Strangely…. even though I found this are NOT to my liking…. I have to say I think this has been the strongest character “development” shown in Luann in a fairly long time. For a while now, she has been more of the “foil” upon which other characters interacted and the other characters tended to be the “star”. But here, while initially Bets and Stef were the “focus”, it eventually morphed into being Luann taking a stand to say she likes herself as she is… and she has been the “star” of the arc.

3. What would be a nice next arc…. presuming (hoping) this one concludes on Saturday?

Why should anyone else love me if I don’t love ME? It’s a good thing I DO love me.

Looking at it semi-subjectively: what’s not to love??

Luann is 19!

They’re better off trying to convince Stef to be a better person. Now that is a real challenge.

It took 28 years to finish high school and it looks like it will take that long to finish college.

Give it up, Gals. Time to go look for another sucker for your project. Les seems ripe for reinvention. Actually, he’s the only one. Gunther , Bernice and Dez all seem happy and focused on who and what they want to be. In their own way so do Kip and Stef. When you think about it, only these two “business stars” seem unsure of their branding. Maybe try and help each other out with that?

Declare success and move on!

She sees herself as a Screaming Hawt Sexy❤️Luann Darling Ann❤️Eiffel ❤️Eiffelette sitting at the bar in a cocktail lounge Members Only casino in Monaco… little black micro mini cocktail dress so tight it looks like it was spray painted on cocktail teasing a drooling uber rich Shoog Daddy… Yep, right smart pert near, boy howdy! AND Bets the Bae and Tuff❤️Tiff can see themselves the same way!!! And don’t even get Your Hero, The❤️Count, Handsome All American Patriot Extraordinaire started on Stunning❤️Staff and Delicious Tawny Tattooed❤️Toni, cowabunga, boy howdy! See? A Happy Ending ;9… No wonder we ALL ❤️ Ann❤️Eiffel AND Our Be❤️ed Count… Eat your ❤️s out, lowly unworthies… TTFN and Let’s Be Safe Out there… How ’bout that NFL Draft? ❤️ it!! TTFN… oops, already said that. :). Count…OUT!

How is BATUBS pronounced? B A Tub? Bat Tubs? Could be used in the old Batman series. Same Bat Tub, same Bat Tub channel. Bat UBS, as in U BS too much? BAT UBS might be a great fertilizer. There is a gardening product called Rocket Fuel, which is primarily Bat manure. I remember the old linguistic joke: A B C D Goldfish? L M N O goldfish. O S A R B, C M swimmin’? Before you react, think about how so many people great each other these days: SUP? Maybe that is what this is about. Also, how many people these days really have a brand, other than the former guy President? Elon Musk, which sounds like a men’s cologne, rebranded his multi-billion dollar purchase to “X”, which means incorrect on a test paper.

Whatever happened to the class assignment that was due the next day?

Time to pack it up. You picked the wrong person.

She cares what people think, that’s her first problem

Oh this scam is still happening?

Luann’s musings about her indecison as to her future being the right thing to have right now being a good thing is exactly not what Betts, and, Tiff want to hear.

At least Luann got a cute new way of wearing her hair out of this! I hope she keeps it.

Love Luann’s face in panel 3!!

I think that Karen is making a good point to a part of the readership with the current series of comic strips.

Your company is called Batubs. She can’t do anything to improve your company now.

This storyline is SO boring! I can’t wait until the Evans’ move on to something else!

Go Luann!!! I hope Sallymargaret is reading this. It should be putting a smile on her face—-just as it is mine! Luann is just fine as she is. But those of us who love her would like to see her making some new and better friends. Jack is a good friend but she’s needs other good people around her to help her grow and to encourage her.

Is Luann aware that she is messing with their heads? That smile looks suspicious.

I used to date young women because of their potential. “Potential”, unrealized, isn’t enough.

No! Find something to be passionate about and put everything you’ve got into that! Maybe you’ll ricochet into something else in the end, but if you just meander around uncertainly, trying a little of this and a little of that, you’re likely to end up being a nothing in nowheresville.

The lesson is, she doesn’t need you or your phony branding. End this series, it’s boring and annoying.

So Luann was too “after”. So somebody less secure with herself storms in and becomes Batubs next victim, umm, guest.

This arc’s “cloud” has a silver lining: no Shannon, no Gunther, no Bernice running her own psychological surveys, now maybe we can get back to Toni and Brad trying to decide if it’s baby time.

I know. They even toss a sentence with a slash in it, calling it an URL, even a back-slash, so now have to post A-slash-B. However, Common’tator posted an URL on RBION here.