Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for September 24, 2013

“You Want Fries To Go With That Job?”or“The Want Ads”

E-gad, the Girl is SERIOUS about wanting a “job”.

Well considering that this is the VAST Luanniverse, that means Lu will be working at Weenie World, or Old Smiley’s Ptomaine Truck, or some joint managed by Ann Eiffel.

I know that Luann can be annoying—and unrealistic, as we see here—but Bernice’s sarcasm and cynicism is becoming really unattractive. That explains the sign falling off and if Ms. Phelps heard her, I wouldn’t blame her one bit if she got on her case.

Ned P. Tezzim and Sons, Inc. …. “Still keeping the business in the family… that’s who we are!…” – Office Dream… “Specializing in both dating and employment placement services- Sometimes both at the same time… find your dream job and your dream companion with our specialized matching technolgy…” – and by:Stepford Industries… “The only company with a generous 6 million dollar budget!”… “If you can dream it, we can build it… don’t worry, we have the technology!”…

Here’s an article from earlier this week about how Greg and Karen Evans write “Luann” as a team and about Greg’s plans to retire and hand it off, sometime.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Sep/22/luann-comic-strip-all-in-family/

Well, MJ, according to the article that “Seis” posted about, we can “blame” Karen for the “Boomerang Effect”…

An Iam classic…

She can always say that she has a bad knee and get a lawyer to get her $15-$25,000 on disability insurance. Apparently it’s a good enough deal for the government that they never go to court about it or check up on you and the lawyer just goes in an files the papers and always wins 100% of the time. So you get free cash…

So far I don’t see much of a difference between Miss Phelps and Bernice

…when it comes to Luann

Here are two key excerpts from the article:

One recent plot development that Karen had a hand in was the return of Quill, Luann’s exchange student boyfriend. Greg said he’d sent Quill back to Australia last year because he (and some readers) were bored with the character. But Quill’s departure upset a multitude of fans who comment daily about the strip on Facebook and

gocomics.com. Karen said she liked the idea of Quill’s comeback because the relationship is a milestone for Luann.

“Luann has always been dramatic and overemotional about boys,” Karen said. “Because she’s a high school senior now, we feel like it’s time for her to start growing up and maturing, and having her first stable boyfriend is an important part of that process.” – Where he used to map stories out just a few weeks in advance, Evans said he and Karen are now doing story projections as far as a year ahead. They won’t divulge any future plot twists, though he said readers should prepare for “some drama and trauma” with Brad and Toni’s wedding. He also said they have to figure out how to transition the strip after Luann graduates from high school and heads for college.

“That might be an opportunity for us to retire some characters and introduce some new characters,” he said.

I miss Quill :(

And I thought someone else might pick that part out, as well- which you did! As you’ve said, there was more than one interesting angle to that piece of information, and there was a lot of interesting things to note in the whole article… – Thanks again, to Seismic!

It’s also funny to see how Greg, too, saw the “Q-ster” as being a little boring, but he did acknowledge that there are those out there who didn’t see it that way, hence his return this year….

It would make sense for Quill to stay in Oz and become one of the “retired” characters, so that Luann can start dating some of her new acquaintances at Pitt Community College. The cast has been much too stale, focusing on so few students from Pitt HS. Split them up by sending some of them off to college in other states, or to the Army, or to prison, or something. (I very much wish TJ would be “retired” from the strip, too!)

While I agree with Bernice, the sarcasm wasn’t appropriate for a wanna-be counselor. Maybe she could have explained to Luann that the chances of that happening were very slim, and to narrow down her wish list to a couple items? Like part-time, no experience necessary, and doesn’t pay you in gum.

Flexible hours are important when you are in school too. Maybe Luann WILL be paid in gum.

I tried that number, inquiring for someone I knew, but it redirected to someone in Buffallo, somewhere… somebody named Jenny picked up, and got very agitated!.. - The other number must’ve been the hiring manager, who pulled over, just as I was calling…. they must not be riding a smart vehicle, or they have strange company cars, because I heard the computerized voice in the car say: "The door is a jar …

So….“.drama and trauma”, for Bradand Toni’s wedding, huh? I’m sorry to hear that. I hope for them that it willgo well. I wish them the best….. and Ihope that means the absence of Dirk.

Do high school counselors nowadays give this this kind of assistance? When I was in high school (a loooong time ago) they only advised you on what classes to take — and didn’t do a very good job of that.

I hope the loss of the boomerang means that Evans killed Karen’s idea to make Quill the star of Luann.If they do the college years I hope Evans does my idea on hazing and the Frat and a student dying or almost dying from Alcohol and then the parents forming a group against hazing. He gets dumped in the middle of nowhere from the trunk of the car and they leave him and you don’t know if he is dead or not.Maybe woods, maybe desert. And then Nancy becomes part of an anti-hazing group. We need Evans to get another Reuben. I’m also waiting for Tiff to go after the richest Frat boys and you will see that she has talents and can work it and is not as dumb as you think. I love the call me humor with her- she always makes me laugh and gives me the impure thoughts too- sorry God… Maybe she can compete with Luann for a guy… She won’t get kicked out at 3 in the morning by the poor frat guy who has to clean up all the beer bottles after the party…

Man after Karen is trying to make Quill the star I’m real kind of sorry that I emailed Evans to say if he can’t keep stuff straight or needs help he should get an assistant to keep dates straight and stuff. MJ would nail that historian position for him. I don’t remember if I mentioned Karen could do it or not at this point but man Quill is boring- let’s kill him please!

Chuston:That’s Evan’s deal like Older like Younger. Frank-Brad and so on. Albeit Brad now seems to be moving away from Frank mode but we shall see…

Levy:Lookit, Mordy said joint…

That’s it Tiff and Luann are going to compete at the food truck and Tiff will do the bikini deal with roller skates or whatever and they will fight for tips. Tiff has a whole 9+ years to go before she can be in college so guys are going to be able to hit on her for a while TJ racks in the cash over her and keeps smiling…

Miss DeGroot could use more practical advice and less icy sarcasm, Ms. Halper. That her preferences are totally unrealistic and unattainable makes little difference. Did somebody say WeenieWorld?

Thanks for the article. Quill was the most interesting character on this strip. It was a relief to have his character who could see everyone for who they were. Now we are back to Bernice who, in spite of her recent comeuppance at the gas station, is still a snotty brat.

OK, is anyone else tired of the conseling bit?

NOOOOOOOOOOOO

Maybe it’s me, but it does seem like Lu is “playing along” with the concept of Bernice as a GC… ie. that they’re not talking “as friends” but as GC<—> Client. Whether she (Lu) is patronizing Bernice or not, remains to be seen. Like I said yesterday, a “battle of wits…”

And yes, very interesting article seismic-2. Thanks! ;-) I am a little concerned about the “some drama and trauma” in re: Brad & Toni’s wedding. I do hope that nothing derails their wedding/marriage. The both deserve some happiness.

I’d add to that a Tiffany who’s made some life changes of some sort, but if she stayed the same, jt could help, because given her current attitude, it would easily and instantly add a way to depict the way that some kids treat their post HS/college situations. She could either provide instant “folly” to show what not to do, or it could be her learning life lessons, and maybe an impetus for her to change… especially considering that someone has to be the “foil”, or at least play the “balancing out” part, much like Moriarty did for “Holmes”, and like the Dwight/Jim/Andy Bernard/Angela/Pam combos on the office, where the differing personalities play off of each other for interesting effects. Maybe add Delta, but hopefully a sort of return to some of her previous ways, or at least let her go off to a nearby something, that way she’d be in and out, only as needed….or maybe just for sentimentality’s sake, the ol’ trio….

Funny stuff! Have to say, most of the newspapers in my neck of the woods in Florida carry few want ads anymore. That’s part of the reason why it’s rough on laid off workersand homeless vets who are looking for jobs, that our libraries here are now shut on Fridays; a lot of jobs are posted on line these days, so you need access to a computer.

Given how cynical Bernice has been in her treatment of Luann recently, I’m surprised that she didn’t suggest “prostitute” as a job that fits Luann’s employment requirements.

Let’s get back to Toni and get her in a bikini before it gets too cold! Enough of this mumbo, jumbo!

While I hope we don’t stress Evans with all our demands I like that we are now discussing the future of the strip. Seis: I think the school is more likely to be Sun U- albeit she may transfer there later. TJ could bring the food truck to campus- I understand that can be a goldmine of money or it was at my school apparently. I think he is a great character for drama and Evans needs to use him more in that manner. While Brad’s engagement means that TJ won’t set up Brad in conflicts with Girls or some variation of that one- which would force the arc- maybe he will be less than a side character commenting from the truck and have new adventures with the business.

Z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-….boooorrriiinnnggg.

Where’s the hug?

For anyone interested in the actual characteristics of the job of a school counselor (at least in Florida), the Sarasota Herald Tribune had a good article that can still be found on line: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20121225/article/121229817?template=printart

The idea of Luann seeing less of Bernice and Delta in the future, and becoming BFFs with Toni instead, is an interesting one in light of the article that indicates it is planned for Brad and Toni to go through some rough times in their relationship. What would happen to the Luann-Toni relationship in such a case?

It just amazes me how many bloggers miss the irony of this particular strip. Luann and Bernice have always been kind of ironic with each other in various circumstances over the years, in fact that is a real part of Bernice’s personality. I also think that is true for Bernice’s other friend, Delta. At least Luann has the ability to be ironic about her prospects for a job now that she lost her library job, if this was Tiffany the irony would totally fly right by her. Sorry for saying this, but I can’t resist: there might just be a lot of Tiffany think here

I’m still hoping that this arc will involve Luann finally realizing that Bern now looks at her as a shallow person, not worthy of Bern’s friendship. Maybe Bern will lecture her about how she really isn’t qualified for any of the jobs on the computer list they’re looking through, or Bern will ask her if she wouldn’t rather just talk about boys. And Luann will say ‘Never mind. I’ll just do a Google search for ‘part time jobs in Pitt’ and will leave and not look back.

Go to the oil fields in the Dakotas

I hear Fort McMurray is always hiring.

You could be President. They don’t require experience. Only problem is that you are too young.

Why do I see Bernice, in the not too distant future, running an escort service ?

Stereotypical.And total baloney.

That’s the point, though… she cant get into any kind of trouble, but as some have mentioned earlier, one also can’t get themselves “personally” involved. She can have fun with her friend, but it’s like when we have clients who are friends and family and such on our jobs. One must be able to balance both as long as it’s in the capacity of “doing business”….

“Retire all the characters…” What about Delta, I think she is one of the most interesting characters, certainly better than a lot of those who have circulated in and out of this comic strip. JMO ;)

Return to Weenie World.

“Having a job with books herself at Borderline, perhaps Bernice can put in a good word for Luann…” Wouldn’t that show favoritism? Like the concept, however… ;)

If anything, this arc sure has a lot of us (including different posters) talking…that’s what makes this site interesting and is also why I read about 90% of these posts… ;)

I just got the post on Facebook from Luann’s page. Greg explains in the artice discussed earlier, that Karen isn’t really writing anything, just brainstorming, along with his wife, what to write. He says that he is still the author and writer. Yet the article he references (and that Seismic linked to, says that she is co-writing. – Here is what he put up on the Facebook page: =

There has been some misunderstanding about my daughter’s new role in LUANN. Karen isn’t writing or even co-writing the strip. I’m still doing the writing (and drawing). What Karen is helping with is planning and plotting WHAT to write. She (and my wife) help brainstorm story lines and the long-range arc of the various sagas. Here’s a recent article that explains it in more detail: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Sep/22/luann-comic-strip-all-in-family/

Why do I see Bernice, in the not too distant future, running an escort service ?

Uh, because she knows a lot about Ford automobiles? ;-D^^My car is a 1999 Escort Wagon, great little car and better looking that the Focus that replaced it in the Ford Line-up