Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for August 23, 2016

I thought TJ might find a way to calm her down… not the way I expected, though

Is there a cuter cartoon kid than Shannon, when she smiles?

Have a hero in the wings and shannon swingsMallet and mulletor If i had a hammerPart of me worries about this but another part wonders if it will help relieve her frustrations

I hope Frank has kept up the insurance, since the fire…

Maybe TJ should be wearing a CUP…just in case…

Oh, this is going to be good AND bad at the same time.

I’m thinking it might be less of a problem if she went to the wedding planning meeting!

At least TJ is smart enough to make sure that Shannon has eye protection… mind you, he isn’t wearing any, himself.

Wow Luann strip strikes again!! I never would have thought of this diversion, but TJ is a great and adroit person to distract and sooth Shannon (most little kids like to smash things if they can get away with it and yes I am generalizing and I don’t care, so there) and meanwhile, while the fundamental issue with Jonah is still around, maybe we can transition to the second phase of this arc, which should be the wedding planning meeting, but then one never knows in Luannverse.

Toni says, “Brad. Not now”. A good reply to useless ranting!

Bless TJ! Maybe he gave her his only eye protection.

Every so often TJ shows he has a good heart and can be emotionally generous. Shannon will have fun, but she’ll remember the broken promises.

Shannon smash!

Did the guys buy the house? How do you get to remodel the house of someone else? And oh yeah, permits? Yeah, I know.

Neat. Remember, Shannon felt a connection with TJ once before- she adopted him as her boy friend. TJ understands her.

TJ comes through!

most of the time inside jobs do not need permit………………………. permits would be needed though for making a new bathroom, or rearranging where the plumbing goes, or to convert a garage into a bedroom or to build new units (extend the house, make a garage, build a duplex when house is single unit etc )

I was wondering if TJ was around and why couldn’t they just have him watch her. He gets along with her and is just responsible enough to be trusted with her.

Shannon gets to take out her frustrations. “I get to smash things.”

Smashing things is the most fun. One of my retired Navy shipmates is a fireman, says his job is sometimes just too much fun, he gets to kick down doors and break windows, etc.

It just got from bad to worse!

At least TJ is offering help. That is a good thing. If he gets along with Shannon, Toni might like him better.

Well, TJ saving the day… Whodathunkit? Yeah, TJ better protect himself a bit better. :-)

“Brad, not now” with hand in headache position. A scene that Brad will witness many times after they are married.

Gotta love T.J.

Thank Heavens for TJ! (can you believe we actually said that?)

“SWING Your Hammer, Oh Brave Young Shannon!”“SWING Your Hammer, And STRIKE It Home!”“SWING Your Hammer, Oh Brave Young Shannon!”“Because After All, What’s a Broken Bone?”“SMASH Doors and Windows and Load Bearing Beams!”“SMASH that Grinning Guy in the Kneecaps,’Til He SCREAMS!”“So sally forth, Dear Child, and USE That TOOL!”“And Maybe NEXT Time, They’ll TAKE You to the POOL!

Smashing always trumps splashing…

So who said he can smash anything in that house?

I kinda thought TJ might step in and save the day for Brad and Toni. He’s done it before, and he seems to have a way with keeping Shannon distracted, in a good way. And she loves his pbj’s.

I kind of love that TJ is becoming more responsible. He’s managed two businesses, has become a kick-asagio chef, and is generally growing up. (Please don’t become

perfect solution

I wouldn’t worry. “Smashing things” gets to be work after about 5 minutes.

It takes a village … . Say, are those swim goggles on Shannon?

Brad missed the first lesson of his online anger management class.

it’ll keep her busy for a few minutes

I’m fairly new to all this. Tell me please, where is Shannon’s Mother? Alive? Inebriated? Incarcerated?

Let’s see…….Gets her out of your hair and off her hands so you can get done what you need to…….Could wreak utter destruction far beyond even TJ’s ability to do so or control……..This is like watching Saddam Hussein drive your new car off a cliff.

Just have a second, but is a destruction distraction a frustration ablation? I think so if it involves a lot of physical activity.

Problem solved…I guess?

They should send Shannon off to play with Caulfield at the construction site…

Give a girl a sledgehammer, instant gratification ensues. (at least it works that way for me :)

With Toni’s comment in the first panel, is there a possibility of putting the wedding off until ‘little’ issues are resolved?Also, why does Evans & Co always seem to drop an arc, like Les, only to rivive it much later. We still don’t know about Quill, Gunther and Lord knows, Ann Eiffel ( which for some reason, I think is Shannon’s mother)

It brightens my day to see that the Luann strip is going to feature Shannon in the story. My wish? That this storyline would flow into Toni taking Jonah to court for custody. Shannon deserves better!

Toni’s look is priceless! But yay, (uncle) TJ to the rescue!!

Aye.

We have several friends who are in the animated movie industry. Having files of concepts (characters, settings, etc.) is not in the least unusual. At times a goof happens and one concept is used twice. Other times they are purposely reused as easter eggs. Sometimes the first happens but is called the second. Maybe in comics when we see such reappearances we should just smile and treat them like fun little easter eggs? That way they coukd just become fun.

TJ has always liked Shannon. Shannon has always liked him. Why is everybody so down on TJ?

@Mordock999-Couldn’t get the reply key to work

Congrats on your book. Didn’t know you were a poet.

Anything by your alter ego, Moose?

Please let us know what steps you followed to self publish. Many wanna be writers out here would be happy to follow in your footsteps…

Point TJ. Though, I think that it troubles Toni a bit.

Way to go, TJ. Brad doesn’t need to let Jonah messed things up between him and Toni.

I still have to wonder if Jonah is actually at an audition or if he uses it as an excuse to dump Shannon while he goes off with his buddies or a woman.

Shannon is going to die. Or be seriously injured. I called the firehouse wedding 3 years ago, when this stupid plot started. And I call “something really bad happens to Shannon” as of right now.

I knew TJ was better than many people say he is. He is basically a good person.

Shannon is one of the reasons I’m about to leave Luannville.

in the words of Rick Blaine, “Louie, this could be the start of a beautiful relationship.”

“Girl-agher”“Hammer Out Your Problems”“I’m Gonna Knock You Out!” (♪)“Mamma Sed Knock You Out!” (♬)“Swing! Swing! Swing!” (♬)“Remodel Behavior”“Sudden Impact”“Interior Desecrators”“To Put It, Bluntly….”“A Destructive Distraction”

“Let The Little Girl Dance Smash” (♬)“If She Had A Hammer…” (♬)“The Running Ruining Of The Malleables”“The State Of A Yellow Hammer”“Mallet-’il Pony”“Stop! Hammer Time!” (♪)or“The Immovable Force, And The Irresistible Object”

Toni’s expression in last panel is priceless, never saw her look so horrified.

Perfect way to distract kids! Constructive and educational.

This will be fun.

The level of hostility and vitriol on this site is uncalled for. Is there really any need to be so vindictive on a site where children can be reading? (The correct answer is no). There is no need to call others stupid, ignorant, or worse.

Say what you will about T.J., he’s definitely come through for them today… and with a smile, no less!

TJ has a good heart!

Looks like the new live-in nanny.

@Alice HarrisActually, one theory about Shannon not discussed is that Jonah was a minor, uncredited character from Harry Potter. He waved his magic wand and Shannon appeared in the strip years ago. Sorta spontaneous combustion.^^^^^^^^aside from your obvious sarcasm aimed a t newbie, what crawled up your posterior to an untimely end?

For guy that started out as a flake, TJ cleans up pretty well.

Well, the upside is that someone is there to take care of Shannon. The downside is that no one is there to stop them from destroying the entire house.

TJ to the rescue!

and this is why TJ will live with Brad and Toni, he will be like Zonker, the kids live in babysitter

You are flagged If I was a moderator you would be gone. I checked you posting history All you do is spout REALLY negative MEAN vitriol, not opinions, MEAN spirited and full of obscenities. NOT HERE, IMO, under 18 year olds, even children might read the comments.

Smooth-talking TJ has taken Shannon off Toni and Brad’s hands, which is good. But he has equipped her with a demolition mallet, a smasher-of-things, which is at least ominous if not just plain not good. We shall see what frivolity ensues….

It seems that on many sites people get wound a bit tightly in late summer and early autumn. That also happens around major holidays. This is a common pattern. Late summer and early autumn are common times for ill or elderly family members to worsen or pass. (We are there right now with a family member in hospice, w oxygen and a special bed added to the mix just days ago.). Others have family returning to school or are doing so themselves. So, it is a time of high tension and sometimes resulting lack of sleep for many people. As a result it may be useful for people to double check their posts for rudeness as NG suggested the other day, and for everyone else to cut others some slack.

7I like today’s comic quite a bit! TJ was able to dissipate the situation and help out Toni, Brad & Shannon all at the same time!I must admit, however, I have a little bit of trepidation about what may transpire as Shannon AND TJ both begin demolition/remodeling. :)I stated this yesterday, but perhaps not so completely…. I can understand from Shannon’s upbringing, why she behaves as she does. But, no one is doing Shannon any good by allowing her to continue to have the tantrum or fit behaviors as she was having yesterday. Again, it is understandable that she probably has never been guided to act differently…. but it does not help her if you just let it go on and do not try to correct, or at least divert her behavior. TJ was very adept at finding an alternative focus for Shannon, and this helped her to stop the tantrum/fit behavior. This was a very good thing he did.There is a significant body of education research associated with measures of success in school and later in adult life being associated with how a young child can control and regulate his/her emotions… whether he/she can refrain from tantrums and fit behavior, whether the child can wait their turn etc. And, for a least part of the “controlling oneself” sort of behaviors, a young child can improve with practice and guidance.

I wish to categorically apologize if my sniping responses which if you knew me are mostly dry humor, are offending some of you. I tend to sometimes forget that people cannot read body language or expressions from typed words. So that said, please understand that i am often ‘busting chops’ and not actually so serious. Still if i say something that bothers you tell me. I am not incapable of understanding and Making amends.Thanks

Thank goodness for TJ!

Redecorating is not the same as remodeling, TJ.

Shannon can use her mallet on a Brad.

BTW, IT seems? that Toni’s aunt is Gertrude? http://www.gocomics.com/luann/2010/07/30

Meanwhile, back at the Fuse ranch, Les is raking in the tips, and these tips are not associated with meals.

Greg posted a picture of Shannon today on his Facebook.

Seems like the snipers are after Trilogy, again. Now, don’t go making me scan all the comments just to find out its “much ado about nothing.” And, who cares if Shannon is cute? She’s still a brat.

Shannon is a misguided spirited youngster who has her moments where she shows she cares about others

Everyone’s happiest when using her natural talents.TJ the hero.Shannon, short Shiva, strikes strongly, sending shards skyward.

Correct that early Shannon model you can find in the very early strips, it was run last week or two.

I think that the Evanses structured this plot awkwardly.It seemed like Toni was in a hurry after returning from the fire to get to the wedding planning meeting:Yet instead of showering and changing clothes at the firehouse, and driving directly from there to the wedding planner (with Brad meeting her there), she goes home to shower and change, and then goes to Brad’s before the meeting.I know that Toni “had” to go home so that Jonah could drop Shannon off with her. And she “had” to go to Brad’s so that TJ could volunteer to take care of Shannon. But when she was at the firehouse, she didn’t know that Jonah was going to drop Shannon off, nor that TJ would volunteer to take care of Shannon. So her additional stops don’t make sense.

TJ, you rock!

It is clear that Toni does not like Brad’s overbearing angry rant over Jonah… once again. One almost wonders whether she’s considering how she will deal with this once Brad becomes part of her family. But probably in this case it is more that she has just endured an argument with Jonah and now Brad is adding fuel to that fire and it is more than she can bear, not to mention the notion of a BIG wedding that she really would rather not have much less plan for. But TJ is the savior in all of this. It seems he and Shannon have a unique relationship.

TJ has always been really good with Shannon as I remember.

Spoiler Alert: Someone is reaching their breaking point

Spoiler: a mountain of minutiae

Wow, it looks like TJ is stepping up a bit here….

first case of Listeria without food

TJ to the rescue!

Much better than the pool…

kids love to make messes. here’s Shannon’s chance! and T.J. loves to cook and build. very good! Emeril and Bob Villa in one. BAM!