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

“Whatev,” says Jack. Oh, good grief. Why did Luann get acquainted with him and Nil anyway (aside from being art classmates)?

For some a means of fitness and adrenaline production.

Is that the hint of a flicker between Nil & Bernice ??

Jack has all the makings of a stalker. He just doesn’t take “No” for an answer. Luann needs to ditch any contact with him in a hurry.

For the older crowd here on the board, some new definitions for texting:

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BFF = Best friend fell

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BTW = Bring the wheelchair

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LMDO = Laughing my dentures out

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FWIW = Forgot where I was

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ROFLACGU = Rolling on floor laughing and can’t get up

Emo’s scarf is getting larger and longer. Perhaps that is a visual indicator that he is starting to like Bernice.

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If everyone recalls, it is the same thing Greg did with the heart on Mrs. Berger’s apron when Quill came to the breakfast table with no shirt on. I’d post the strip, but the visual aid department here is not operating within previously established parameters.

Jack needs the old “Soda over the head” rejection trick… He might actually get the message, that way!

Nil seems to be fairly level headed (although, Jack’s head is ACTUALLY level! ). :p I think he’d be a much better match for Bern, than creepy old star head!

like Nil the best of all four.

Bernice may have found her match. The anti-Pirostrikes.

Jack is a pest, but Luann is not outright telling him to go away. This is how teenagers and young adults get to know each other, just kind of barge in with a friendly manner. Luann’s first impression of Jack may not be exciting,but she seems to be contemplating whether to tell him off or just be polite but firm. Nil and Bernice are just ‘spectators’ and conversing rather than sit there in awkward silence. I am interested in seeing how this plays out. I have a feeling there is a lot more to Nil than is being portrayed at present. I am not speculating on what COULD happen, just interpreting how I see them communicating now.

After looking at all the heated comments from yesterday, and continuing today, I have a couple of observations.

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First, a majority, if not all, of the apparently female commenters were hesitant to conclude that Jack is stalking or is dangerous. Most such comments ranged from considering his actions as college student banter to admitting that he can be a tad uncouth.

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Second, while most of the male commenters were just mildly critical of Jack, a few were preaching about how he’s stalking and is easily dangerous.

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It’s interesting that while all acknowledge that dangerous types and destructive behavior exist, more females than males tend to give Jack (and Nil) the benefit of the doubt. It seems to me that there’s some kind of over-compensation going on. As if some males don’t want to appear insensitive to women’s concerns, and therefore get on the stalking and harassment bandwagons a bit too easily.

I don’t think Greg E. is through messing with Bernice, Gunther and Tiffany, yet. I really wonder if he actually knows how they will all turn out. This is a weird into setup to “the wedding.”

The point of rock climbing? Being awesome!

Hey,at least they’re doing SOMETHING,other than sitting around listening to Luann blather about “Power Women”.

The specific purpose of rock climbing is to get to the top of the rock. Obviously.

 “Why am I even doing this?” is another question entirely.

Yeah, well let us remember what Brad looked like when first he met Toni…

Love Jack’s attitude on dating …just casual hanging out. No angst, no worries about long term entanglement. A healthy attitude for that age.

Bernice and Nil, the Snark Couple.

“I Got a BETTER Idea, Guys. Why Don’t You Two go out back and stand next to the DUMPSTER while Luann and I Throw Rocks at Your Misshapen HEADS?” -— Bernice before being Shooshed by Luann

Ugh, go away, Jack. Stay, Nil. Bernice is showing a glimmer of interest. Take her mind off Piro who is not interested in her. It is just me but I really dislike people like Jack, the type who push themselves into your life and tries to engage you into things when you haven’t indicated any interest beyond a simple acquaintance. If Jack is really interested in Luann beyond just “scoring a date,” sit and talk to her, get to know her rather as a person, be just friends than trying to score a date.

These 4 are a great combo. Love Jack’s straightforward approach. Love Luann’s reaction to not being able to control Jack. He’s no Gunther!Love Nil and Bernice’s narration of events as they unfold.

Those two guys may be just what those two girls need.

Twelve of the most unlikely couples ..evah

I’m sensing the formation of a blackhole of depression between Nil and Bern.

I don’t think that Jack is drawn to be a stalker. As some other commentators mentioned yesterday the strip spent quite a bit of Luannverse time going through a true stalker and abuser scenario with Dirk, when Toni was introduced in the strip. Dirk was visually drawn to be dangerous, angry, controlling, and was following Toni around, including assaulting and beating Brad at one point. It got pretty intense. I think, if my memory serves, authorities were actually involved, and a Luannverse court ordered Dirk to undergo anger management. It was the most intense arc in the history of the strip, although this strip has had some pretty intense story lines. The Toni/DIrk stalking abuse story was far and away the most intense. Jack on the other hand is persistent, and very informal to put it mildly, very tactile, clearly likes Luann, and the very fact that he is Nil/Emo are such good friends, and I believe they are tells me a lot. Jack could be hanging with the jocks, but who is his buddy? The total nerd Goth guy. In a way he and Nil/Emo reflect Luann and Bernice. Luann as the happy go lucky knucklehead, although I respect her too much to just leave it at that, she is a superior and normal young woman, and she has the strip, and its general optimistic perspective as the reflection of her world, She is the ultimate protagonist, but the story goes on with her and around her. Bernice, her bff, is snarky, smarter by half than she really thinks she is, very judgmental about people, and lets her assumptions get in the way of human relations, including having decent romantic relationships. I think they both are developing though, as we do in real life. Jack is a happy go lucky goofball, but I think there is a lot more to him than what we have seen so far. NilEmo is shy, and different, but smarter by hafl than he thinks he is really, and finds being with a total opposite to hang out with something very affirming in a weird way. Doubt if there will be romanc

LIke you do on text where you need to do 2/2 my last sentence to my screed is that I doubt if Jack and Nil/Emo and Luann and Bernice will develop romantic relationships, more a friendship that happens in college. This is a good chance for Luann to make clear boundaries, and I think Jack would respect them, and Nil/Emo? I think this is a case where two of a kind will not likely become romantic partners. GE likes opposites more anyway. My thoughts are probably as accurate as trying to figure out the damn polls for the upcoming Presidential but this is an interesting muse anyway.(I ran into the word limit)

Puzzlewhiz, no, l Don,t think jock has Asperger,s. His social skills are too high for that. He just doesn’t pick up on subtles very well

Creepy AF

Ooo… sounds fun, Jack! Can I come?

I’m with Bernice. heh heh

“ack is showing he is a great organizer Could be part of a parks and rec summer program”

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FB – You’re on to something. Remember how Bern reluctantly got involved in Dez’s rainy drum circle and then got credit for it from the dean? Might happen again— a team of rock climbers have fun, and Bern gets unearned credit for organizing Jack’s adventure.

Thinking about possibilities for his future: what if Jack’s aim is to become a combo art teacher and gym teacher for a grade school? How many schools would appreciate that? (Answer: very likely many since it would increase the curriculum in two ways on just one teacher’s salary)

That’s exactly what Elaine Benes’ mimbo liked to do for fun

The biggest fact is that the two scarfs match in design. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Only vary some in length and shade. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This means something lies ahead. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And likely to touch on Piro in some way.

Bernice and Nil-Emo are practically burning up today’s strip (within their parameters)! I think something might be afoot. Piro had better look out, or be forgotten (or at at least set aside).

It appears to me that Luann has not yet decided how to react to Jack-Jocko. He is not a bad egg; just very blunt and plain-spoken. If Lu had anther guy to turn to, she’d probably reject him out of hand. But since she is “between beaus” he may just have a chance, at least for a while….

I’ll stick with the Three Stooges comparison I made yesterday regarding Luann / Emo-Nil / Jock-Jack. If they do go rock climbing, the slapstick will follow!

(All they’ll need now is a ladder…) :)

What if the specific purpose is to get to know one another better? Then Bernice’s definition must be satisfied.

it will be interesting to learn more about Nil as it seems that he and Bern are beginning to Click. I wonder what Nil plans to study for a major.

Jack might not be a stalker, but since all of his advances have been rejected and he doesn’t take the hint, Luann might have a problem. She can always count on Ox to be her “boyfriend” to discourage any further intrusions from Jack. Bernice & Nil…..that is just such a sad pairing. They should be volunteers in a sleep study.

Imagine: Luann and Bernice are about to leave. Bernie rolls down her window and calls out to Nil, “I like your scarf, too!” As they are pulling out Nils calls toward the car, “Thanks, my friend, Piro, lent it to me.”

Alternatively, his friend, Hair, might be the lender.

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I hope you got a laugh.

Try him out Bernice; I already like him.

sounds kind of fun to me—I guess just me

I doubt that the Evanses are going to go for a harassment/stalking storyline involving Jack. Keep in mind that Luann was initially pleased by the fact that he was asking her out (see the 6/22/16 and 10/29/16 strips).

And if Luann wants Jack to get away from her, Bernice is certainly not picking up on that. Instead, her reaction is to suggest that the activity that Jack wants to do on a date is stupid, even though there are lots of people who enjoy rock climbing.

It’s also unfortunate that Jack and Nil are literally the only fellow students at the junior college that Luann has ever been shown talking to. She’s been taking classes with them for almost two years in real time (and almost a year and a half in strip time) and yet she didn’t seem to know their names until this week.

These two are kind of growing on me. I hope they get a bigger role in the strip :-)

“It’s a prearranged meeting for a specific purpose.”

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That is the dorkiest thing ever for a young adult to say. As if everyone doesn’t know what a date is lol.

Truncated Spoiler Alert: A point is made.