Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for September 05, 2016

Toni says you’re so sweet, Brad.

I’ll take “He finally got the message” for $600, Alex.

(Brad:) “Wow, that was great, Toni! But, you still didn’t answer me…..”-Still…a peck in Pitts, produces pep that won’t quit….

Announcing Basket Case’s new domain name – webcomicsinterviews.com (thanks to Alien Admin at Human Cull for the suggestion). And, thanks to everyone here for the warm greetings last week.Next question – Where do you get your comic entertainment from?

“Kiss And (Hope You Can)Tell”“Take Your Peck”“You’ve Got A Lotta Lip!”“Sealed With A Kiss” (♬)“Lips Like Sugar” (♬)“It’s In Her Kiss” (♬)“Glossing Over It”“A Tablespoon Of Sugar, Helps The Message Go Down…” (♬)

“On The Same Page”“All Assured,That’s Gonna Be Assured”“Light In The Dark”“Smashmouth” (♪♬)“The Balm, Before The Storm”“The Plant Is Working Overtime”

or“Terms Of Ensmearment”

I have to say that I agree with those who find it odd that Brad is Mr. Wedding Planner when this doesn’t conform to the way he’s lived the rest of his life.As we saw very recently, he didn’t even recognize the word “doilies” when TJ used it, and thought it had something to do with dolls:

A "Beautiful but ‘Affordable’ Wedding?!!?

Brad, there IS No Such Animal!!!

This is one of the most absolutely wonderful strips so far! Very romantic!

Yesterday it became obvious that Seismic mistakenly figured that Brad had created the list. I have to wonder how many others who have never been involved in the planning of weddings have made thst mistake? When a wedding is done through a wedding mill like Cottage 4 2 the lists come from the wedding planners there, and there is a lot of hand-holding/advice. People add some of their own touches. There are also less complicated planning lists available for free online, and planning help for hire between those two extremes, as well. I never figured anyone would think that Brad generated the checklist. It would just have been a hand-out that covered the topics for the meeting, and created by the wedding planner.

I suspect I’m an outlier, here. I pretty much only follow Luann these days. I used to follow For Better or For Worse, until Lynn retired.I used to browse 9 Chickweed Lane, until I got bored. I think McEldowney is too in love with his graphic “technique”, and his stories tend to drag on, and on, and on.

Once upon a time, though, I was very into Doonesbury, and before that, Pogo, Gordo and others.

I’ve recently turned over a collection of about 1600 Marvel Superheroes comics from the 1970s to a magazine dealer, and am in the process of generating a nice little income stream from my 12-cent purchases of the X-Men, Avengers, Thor, Spider-Man and that lot.

My childhood heroes included folks like Walt Kelly, Jack Kirby, Jim Steranko, Wendy and Richard Pini, Garry Trudeau — and, of course, Sparky Himself, the incomparable Charles Schulz.

Oh, and I shouldn’t leave out Berke Breathed, Gus Arriola, Ditko, Buscema, Romita, Barry Smith, Paul Conrad, R. Crumb and a host of others.

Bill Scott and Jay Ward…

Finally, a happy cartoon.

A truly nice way to end a conversation.

Jay, i have to admit that i was pretty startled to learn that some people had not realized that such planning lists come from the planners rather than from the couple, but on the other hand, realizing where that confusion arose makes it pretty obvious why those individuals wrote what they did. Maybe now the arc will make more sense to them. Any time any of us miss a key component and try to fit in something ourselves that does not fit, then trouble happens. I know someone will say that list source should have been made obvious, but as happened w me it likely just never crossed the creators’ minds that not all woukd know about the lists from wedding planners.

I’m still mad about Saturday’s strip ngl

emotions all sorted … and now the hugs etc.

Mr Evans how do I know this strip isn’t a dream

Sweet, but silly. It’s like repairing the engine on a old muscle car. It’s not that complicated if you just pay attention to the details. Make sure you know where all the nuts and bolts go, Brad!

Mordy, i STILL suspect that cost will wind up moving the wedding and reception to Toni’s first venue mentioned: the Fuse.

I kind of liked the city court quickie marriage, oh well.Customarily I believe the bride’s family pays for the wedding. Clearly, Toni has no help in that regard.

Mr. DeGroot, when Brad says, “Uh, dad, can I talk to you?”, you’d best grab your checkbook and hide.

would love to have first panel drawing without the word balloon framed

Brad always looked for minimum details, check everything not 2, not 3, not 4 but many times ………………………. he takes 2 weeks to fix a brake system, Toni takes 3 or 4 hours max

Well, that was nice.

That list of options was provided by the wedding cottage to show what they offer, but they decided not to have the wedding there, so it isn’t applicable to their current situation.

Again, Brad said “I made a list.”--You can interpret this to mean “I printed out a list” if you choose, but then you are basically writing your own strip. Wouldn’t the wedding planner have given Brad and Toni the list, if it were a list created by the wedding planner? (Just as the Wedding Cottage has their own printed brochure.) I think this is just poor use of a character, to further the plot.(I’m sorry if your’re seeing multiple copies of this post. I’m messing up the typing and keep having to delete and try again.)

I still wish Diane would come back and try to steal Brad from Toni, might make for some interesting strips

If I were ever to get married, it would be 5 mins in front of a Judge, with no one else, but the necessary 2 witnesses :p

Dare you to do better.

The Big Day will be on 9/11/16(11 September 2016)

I never would have thought he was the father figure type.

Toni cuts to the bottom line. No words needed.

Mission Accomplished! Well done!

Toni, you’re entrusting “beautiful” to someone who thinks it’s ok to eat standing up? Just make sure his Mom is involved!

Aye.

This is not Brad. He has been replaced by a Pod Person.Actually, Team Evan does seem to be replacing the strip’s long-standing characterization of Brad with a different characterization. The new model is more nearly Mr. Perfect, probably to help differentiate him from Jonah Daytona (who is progressively being depicted as the worst human being since Joseph Stalin) in order to make the “adoption” story arc practically a foregone conclusion.

I’ll take that as a “yes”…

Cool. I am always amazed by people who can time moving objects so well. I have never had very good depth perception.

And of course Suky (with a “y”, but pronounced like “Sukie”) Tawdry was a principal character in The Threepenny Opera. She’s mentioned in the lyrics of Bobby Darrin’s recording of the show’s most famous song, “Mack the Knife”.

@Kymberleigh

Thank you for not posting an FAQ today, hope you had a great Labor Day weekend! :-)

I guess she can’t think of anything to say.

Uhhh, haven’t you guys forgotten something? You left Shannon alone in the car…and she’s not the kind of kid who’s prone to just sit and wait patiently.

Simon_Jester said,

“Uhhh, haven’t you guys forgotten something? You left Shannon alone in the car…”.Nope.With TJ

Such a beautiful romantic strip, and contrary to a few cynics there is nothing wrong with it. The story of Toni and Brad’s relationship and romance has been developing for years and now its culminating in a wonderful way. Brad has developed to the point he can be depended on to plan a complicated gift for the woman he loves, a strong, but damaged person, who will benefit, and appreciate his love and concern. It;’s a win-win situation for them, and for us readers. I know I am gushing, I am sure to help the story there will be all kinds of twists and turns, but anyone who has been in a normal size wedding, or close to one, knows that. From Best Man, to Maid of Honor, through the Groomsmen (who will they be?) to Maids in Waiting (this can be vicious, trust me) to the family, to friends, to scheduling issues, to endless little details, all for a couple or three hours on a designated date, not by the way including the social mores around it. My only practical question now though is whether the arc will shift tomorrow or will it continue on for the rest of the week.

SukieCrandall said,@DavidHuieGreen“If she is fed up with people who kick others when they are down, then who can blame her?”.You’re probably talking FAQI’m talking Toni.

Ah, much better said, but, please, there is no pouting, but there MIGHT be consideration whether certain destructive or negative individuals simply suck too much of the joy out of the comments section.In all honesty, i am finding too much of the comments annoying today, and that is rare for me. Granted, i have an excuse w personal bereavement and the upcoming funeral, but very few of us know what is happening in the lives of others offlist.So, if something is a joke then winky face it, please, if the wording is nebulous!

Okay, i will take off my reply, but PLEASE realize your “sulking” post could be read in more than one way, and, please, remove it to avoid uninttended harm.

I doubt anyone can drag anyone back; the choice is the individual’s alone. I HOPE that she will come back. I miss her, and i know that others do, too.It’s like trying to find out what coward cost us all the FAQ. Only that person can decide whether or not to fess up.So, none of us can drag anyone else anywhere.

Way to bring it Brad!!

I have an idle question for those with keener memories, sensibilities and eyes than mine. Are Toni and Brad postponing sex until the wedding night? If so, is Toni more experienced than Brad? Told you it was an idle question.

@SukieCrandall (“SUBMIT” is acting wonky):Mordy, i STILL suspect that cost will wind up moving the wedding and reception to Toni’s first venue mentioned: the Fuse.I agree regarding the reception venue, but my jury’s still out as to where the ceremony will take place.

Since people are talking about famous cartoonists here, it should be noted that at the Baltimore Comic-Con last weekend they gave out the annual Harvey awards (one of the big ceremonies in the comics industry, named for Harvey Kurtzman). The Hall of Fame Award was given to Al Jaffee, who is still contributing “Fold-ins” to Mad Magazine at age 95, and to the late Carl Barks (1901-2000), who wrote and drew most of the Donald Duck comic books in the 1950s and created characters such as Scrooge McDuck. The Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award was given to 88 year-old Joe Giella (who for decades was an inker at DC comics), who recently retired as the artist drawing the Mary Worth comic strip. (Hero Initiative is a charity that helps support comics creators, especially elderly ones, who are in financial or medical need.)

Toni is going to make a beautiful bride. I hope they don’t elope in their fireperson uniforms. Artists start planning now. A simple wedding can have a breathtaking bride. I never had a daughter, so I must be living vicariously through this cartoon . With all the troubles in the world, it is nice to see something happy for a change. I hope Toni doesn’t get cold feet. Well, I guess we will have to wait and see what happens – nice light hearted suspense. Good job to both the Evans!

I think this strip is the Evanses way of quieting the critics who think Brad is an insensitive dolt who only wants to tie Toni down and spend too much money in the process.

Leeean in, Toni. Lean in!

So much philosophy and long, deep thoughts about a simple, romantic kiss. For a moment, the world went away. Now don’t you folks go stealing my joy.

Another example of how Brad is the girl in the family.

Best answer ever.

You Go Boy! Brad has shown his true manliness by taking stress off his wife-to-be. Kaa-Ching… I hear deposits being made in Ton’s love tank.

Keep it low key, Brad. Don’t go into a marriage saddled with heavy debt from the wedding. Use your money saved for a stunning honeymoon and many “happily ever afters”.

I sure hope that Toni and Brad have similar ideas as to what constitutes a beautiful wedding since Brad will plan it all w/o consulting her. But my guess is that it will be fine because surely Greg has used up enough strip space on this wedding and plans for it.

Another thing about Gyro, he’s actually bald, that big tuft of hair, is a wig. (Old wives tale about geniuses losing their hair…Einstein disproves that theory!).

I hope that this isn’t another dream.

From 1955 to 1961 he played a lawman from Tombstone…now, sadly, he will have a tombstone.Hugh O’Brian, who starred on TV as the legendary Wyatt Earp, passed away at his home in Beverly Hills today at the age of 91.

What can possibly go wrong???

i guess the Kardashian wedding is still on. hope these two last more than 72 days.

I was just thinking of other comics that I enjoyed on here, and Cul de Sac came to mind. I wondered what happened to Richard Thompson after he quit writing the strip. I just looked him up, and discovered that he died on July 27, 2016, of complications of Parkinson’s Disease. What a loss. I was so sorry to hear it.

I agree that Kory is dramatically talented. I woukd love to see the story of Heckbender in physical book form. Goatsucker is another of my favorites of his characters. Of course, i strongly enjoyed when the mustelids helped the captain, too.Illustrating a book series that made the best seller list is good for his reputation, though. Little kids love the Poptropica series. Having The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York nominated for a major award for an older kids’ book has also been good for him. It is hard to break into the field well enough to be able to not have a day job, too (in Kory’s case teaching). He loves to pursue his own sketches and characters, so that will happen again. Right now he is doing something which ultimately should make that more possible.

“So, is that a “yes”, or do you just like kissing me?"

(Toni playfully punches Brad in the shoulder…)

“Ow!”

Spoiler: The short list comes out…

Keep it low key, Brad. Don’t go into a marriage saddled with heavy debt from the wedding. Use your money saved for a stunning honeymoon and many “happily ever afters”.

Brad has become ess dorky looking over the years