Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for December 10, 2024

Phil is the guy she likes and wants to impress. She figures if she gets a lot of people to donate blood.. she’ll come off looking good.

Frank is right.. keep your kidney. Will we ever find out in what way Bernice is different?

If I remember correctly, people who donate kidneys tend to live considerably shorter lives afterwards, so it seems better for Luann to help via blood donations and charity organisation work instead, if she is truly committed.

I get the parents are concerned that Luann isn’t giving this scenario much thought (and to be fair, it’s not like Luann usually gives anything that much thought anyway), but wow, way to lay on the reproachfulness on your daughter there Frank. Seems like Bernice is now becoming one of those types of girls who seemed to be interested in anyone male . . . but we still have no answers for her rather vague comment from yesterday.

No, Bernice, the question is: why aren’t you like other girls?

Please donate blood if you can. My Dad started during WWII and continued until health issues made him ineligible. He was a rare type. I started when I was eighteen and continued until my health made me quit.

Yay Bernice! That is the right question. Who is that guy? Could he be Greg’s first gay character!? Or, not?!

Kidney’s, like lungs and hearts should be donated after you die

Yes, Bernice has asked the question that all of America is dying to know (okay, bad pun): who is Phil?

And Bernice hits the stud, I mean nail on the head!

Frank, most blood and organ donations come from total strangers. I was on the stem-cell registry for 14 years before they found a patient for whom I was a match. Just because Luann is blood kin doesn’t mean she’d be a match. BTW, it looks like Bernice is about to invade Luann’s man-territory again—just like she did with Jack!

Kudos to Bernice!

Phil us in Luann…..

Good one, Bernice! Lunn has been yakking about Phil this and that to parents who never heard of him until just now. Surprised Nancy hadn’t stopped her and asked who Phil was. OR did she already know from Thanksgiving dinner with Mrs Horner? Perhaps just Bernice doesn’t know…but still surprising considering she’s the bff and is supposed to know everything about Luann. Seems Luann has been doing more thinking than talking lately.

Again, I doubt Mrs Horner said she WOULDN’T let her donate kidneys. I am SURE she knows she is ineligible for kidney replacement due to her advanced age, if they DID have that conversation, Mrs Horne would have clarified that she’s too old and thanked her for her thoughtfulness. Possibly Luann was too busy spinning that she didn’t catch the “too old” part. OR didn’t GREG or KAREN know the facts? I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t research.

AHA! Bern actually difects us to a possible plot…

I feel that in an effort to make this a compelling storyline yet simple enough ti fit into a three panel comic with a gag every day, Greg and Karen are really blotched the moral and ethical considerations here. It’s not that Mrs. Horner would refuse Luann’s kidney; it;s that she’s too old to be on the donor list. Also that there is not much one can do for someone 94 years old except to be a good friend to them. And Luann is already that, As for donating a kidney to a complete stranger. I don’t think any one would agree to that. Being a donor after death is one think but just giving away a kidney means a life time of Luann being careful about what she does. It’s the kind of sacrifice that I think would horrify Mrs. Horner. As for these coupons for blood donations, ther’s something creepy about it. First there’s the bribery aspect to it. Then there’s also the “why aren’t you doing chores around the house?” And, of course, as others have wondered, is Luann going to donate blood as well? The arc would do well to pivot away from Mrs. Horner and focus on Phil.

Thank you. I love a day when I learn something.

Bernice is right, as always. Ok, almost.

Luann DeGroot’s allegiance to Mrs. Horner is amazing?

This is just not believable. Luann could not possibly be considering donating a kidney to a 94-year-old woman no matter how much she likes her. G&K are engaging in shallow sentiment. Luann is now clearly the least interesting or developed character.

Careful there Luann. Bernice jus baked in some truth serum in to those waffles she’s about to dump on your dish then ask the question again

Love how Nancy’s giving Frank the stink eye

Bernice preparing for a manhunt.

The real question is, why so many waffles? Everyone has one (or the remains of one) on their plate except Bernice, to whom Luann gave two yesterday. There are at least three on the plate in the middle of the table. Bernice is taking four more out of the waffle iron. Are they expecting someone else to join them for breakfast?

I thought at first that Frank was concerned about the long-term health of his daughter but apparently he really is trying to reserve her as a possible kidney donor for himself…

Take my word, Luann-as a kidney donor myself, you have a LOT to think about, and not just the things you mentioned.

I think a better question is how much longer are YOU going to stay at the DeGroots, Bernice? ;-)

I’m still stuck on what a crummy idea idea it is to withhold Christmas gifts unless the fam gives blood. It’s not really a gift at that point, it’s an obligation. Especially if the “gift” is stuff Luann’s supposed to already be doing anyway, like cleaning

Phil is a potential new flame for Luann.

And Bernice wins the conversation!

Never. Read. The. Comments.

Reminds me of Homer about to give a kidney to his father: he thought they grow back. A man of science should inform Luann that she has only a limited number of kidneys. She can only give 5 or 6, after that it’s over.

Based on her offer from yesterday, Luann has found a way to give blood and it doesn’t have to be hers. Smart!

MORE waffles, Bernice?

I’m thinking Luann is being a little misleading, making it seem like Phil is the one encouraging her, out of the blue, to do all these things, i.e. give blood and then think about giving a kidney to an eligible person. He did no such thing and now Frank and Nancy (knowing that Luann isn’t the most decisive person and that she can be a bit gullible) may start to wonder who is this guy influencing our daughter in this way.

Any healthy 19-year-old who wants to just give away one of their kidneys to no one in particular must be a real nitwit…

I think it’s excellent that Luann is shown to be compassionate, in spite of all the carping, but also the Phil arc seems alive. As for Bernice, her whole family history needs way more Luannnverse coverage

Luann needs a brain. You don’t waste a kidney on someone 90 years old. (Unless it’s a billionaire who wants to dismantle Social Security..)

Frank and Nancy focused on the donating a kidney part of Luann’s “talk.” Bernice Zoomed on on the root, surprisingly.

Wow, lack of support and unexpected greed here!

I guess this settles the question of if Luann already gave blood or not. And yet no further answer on what made Bernice not the same as other girls.

Phil is LuAnn’s latest infatuation of which nothing will come of it becasue she is too indecisive and dingy. I never understood how she kept Quill around so long.

Wait, are we not getting an explanation of Bernice’s “not like other girls” comment from yesterday??

1. Frank is being selfish. What if he and Luann are not compatible, but he still needs a kidney donation from someone?2. Given that those are her 3rd and 4th waffles of this meal, I’d say Bernice had/has an eating disorder. Or a hyperactive metabolism that allows her to eat a ton without gaining weight.

Go Bernice!

Interesting to see that Bernice has continued to be the one who makes breakfast for everyone. But to see immediately Phil as a romantic interest for Luann is over the top. She reads way too many romance novels. I like Frank and Nancy’s reaction, but if Luann makes that decision they won’t be able to stop her.

Can Luann be even more stupid on a daily basis??? I’m glad Bernice has spotted the root of this evil. Maybe she’ll go and slap Phil into next week.

Yes, indeed….

Oh FFS Frank, that’s your big concern?!? Well, we can see where Luann inherited her self-centeredness from.

I’ve decided that Phil is the head of an illegal organ donor crime ring.

Way to stay focused, Bernice.

Luann clearly has issues with impulse control

I doubt that Luann has ever given anything a lot of thought. It would be a terrible idea for her to give up one kidney at her young age. A much better idea would be for her to sign up to be an organ donor after death and encourage others to do the same.

Luann has been considering a kidney donation, but she’s still waffling.

Her cup will be Phil at some point

Frank’s comment reminded me of my mom. From childhood she often told me that her kidneys were bad and that at some point I might be required to give her one of mine. I always told her I would do so. Even after I was grown and married and she and I had became estranged I told my husband I had promised her from childhood that I would give her a kidney if she asked and if I was a viable match. Fortunately, the matter never came up. My mother died many years later from other issues. But giving a kidney is a real commitment that Luann should not take lightly.

Totally digging Frank’s response. Got new respect for the old dude.

And you’ll notice he didn’t say “what if your MOTHER or I do?” Love it.

At least Luann’s thinking, if you can’t be altruistic and an idealist at this age, it’ll never happen later. She’s not perfect or experienced, but having compassion is never a bad thing. Good for you kid ! ;-)

Meanwhile. Shannon is pulling the beard off her fourth department store Santa in two days

Well Frank, if you ever need a kidney, you also have a son you know. Although just because they’re your children, doesn’t mean they’ll be a viable match.

Works great until years later your other kidney fails. And for most people, you WILL experience some level of kidney failure if you live long enough.

Of course. Isn’t the reason we have kids is for spare parts?

’Who’s Phil?’

‘Whaddya mean you’re not like the other girls?’

‘In th same Christmas spirit of trading, we can trade answers..’

After I read many of the commenter questions in yesterday’s strip (Monday, December 9), I asked Greg for clarification on the meaning of “I’m not like the other girls,” uttered by Bernice.

The line Greg originally penned was, “I don’t weigh enough,” referring to the fact that 110 lbs. is the minimum weight to donate blood.

For some reason, the intended words got lost in the Matrix, and there is no clear explanation why. Agent Smith has not answered me.Hope this helps all you stinky humans.

It requires a lot of serious thought.

New boyfriend for Bernice?

Shut up, Frank! You haven’t shelled out a penny for Luann since she was out of diapers and now you want one of her KIDNEYS?

I thought she was just waffling.

More waffles!!!

If I was Luann, I wouldn’t give my kidney to Frank. He’s been nothing but a garbage dad to her.

Don’t donate your kidney, certainly don’t give it to a random person

“Why do you think I fathered children in the first place?!”

Phil is the guy who a CNA OR Nurse who works at the Sleepy Creek Retirement Residence.

Bit of a nasty look on ole’ sourpuss Bernie’s face in that last panel when she’s demanding “Who’s Phil?”

None of your business, oh Queen of Nosey.

Cool arc, nice to bring this up and talk about saving each other.

bernice hits it on the nail!