Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for September 27, 2017

Thank you, Gunther, that’s been a big help.

“Telling It Like It Is~!!”

All slobby, food boxes….

Luann’s Bedroom all through high school.

Gunther did not know anything. And the best observer, Dez, is not seen in today’s strip.

Oh Boy, Gunther!

Piece of advice, Son. Don’t have ANY part of Your “Anatomy” across the doorsill, When Tiffany Slams the Door in Your Face…..,

I was going to trash Gunther for not checking in on Tiffany over the summer, but it’s possible Tiffany didn’t want to be found, and they’re not THAT close I suppose. Still, disappointing that he didn’t follow up. Interested to see where this goes.

Where is Crystal these days? Maybe both she and Gunther can help somehow.

Suddenly, Luann and Tiffany achieve a harmonic convergence. Of sorts…

Gunther is so totally the pick of the litter in this strip. Too bad none of the ladies will realize it until after their first divorce.

What can be over analyzed in Today’s strip?

Tiffany’s room looks like Luann’s room of the past.

Food boxes can be evidence of binging or of a long time between cleaning the room.

Gunther is sitting on the couch between Bernice and Luann with hands locked together. Afraid that in merely touching one he’d set off the other.

Dez is off frame.

Sooner or later, the mask has to come off — the walls come crashing down — choose your favourite metaphor. It’s often the “popular” kids who are really the most lonely of them all. They’re fooling everyone else, but they can’t fool themselves.

Wow, I have been raging on Gunther for his passive-aggressiveness and suddenly he is so wise and understanding on Tiffany. It’s good that the friends are trying to figure out what is going on with Tiffany, including Luann; some of you are making her out to be some kind of witch because she made some “shady” and metaphorical comments about Tiffany and/or Gunther. I would love to see if everyone who is so critical follows that standard in real life themselves. Anyway, as usual, I am not on the right track at all, so I am going to hold off on which horse carries the Tiffany rescue day. My head needs to stay on my neck (LOL).

“Drapes drawn.” What is Luann saying?:

1. Tiffany doesn’t want anyone to see her food boxes.

2. Before the weight gain, it was not uncommon for Tiffany to get dressed and undressed for an audience outside her window, who would applaud her killer body and choice of underwear.

3. Luann has an unexpected obsession with window dressing.

4. It’s not the drapes you are thinking about. It’s a different set of drapes.

5. Tiffany has been changed to a light-sensitive vampire and in real life, blood is very fattening.

6. Tiffany prefers natural lighting.

Seems to me that the last time Gunther talked to Tiffany, he was yelling at her about Les. So how does he suddenly realize that she was feeling lonely and sad?

Tiffany is experiencing college like many others, facing a complete different world that is college. She is suddenly the small fish in the ocean. She is feeling insecure, lost, looking for her clique. Meeting new people is hard for some people so it is hard to find a group of friends or a new BFF, of which she is accustomed to. It becomes overwhelming which is one of the top reasons many frosh withdraw within the first year. She went to Moony to find a husband or to get into movies. She hasn’t been lucky in neither.

Gunther had his insightful speech to Tiffany. It’s high time for Tiffany to turn the focus to Gunther. If she could say in a flirting manner, “I think you were jealous of Les.” And Gunther denies it – and Tiffany pursues – “Yes you were!” If there’s going to be a relationship – it needs to start with something like this.

This all could end up going in any of numerous directions. Impossible to predict which at this point.

When Gunther originally returned from Peru with a beard, and Tiff fell for him, I hoped it would work. I thought that she’d help him grow some hair on his chest as well, and be just what he needed to come out of his boyish shell.

But after he fumbled and dropped the ball so many times, I got disgusted with him, and was no longer cheering for him.

In any event, this will all come out however the Evanses have decided for it to come out. Endless possibilities from very good to disastrous.

Is it me or did Gunther get here pretty quick in Luann time?

“That’s 30 minutes away. I’ll be there in 10.”

I must admit my first thought after reading today’s strip, especially the last panel, is that it has an “After School Special” feel to it… I don’t really buy Luann suddenly feeling that much commonality with Tiffany.

Hey – Tiff might get hired as an actress if the film is XXL rated!

Gunther (who might I remind you sweats bubbles out of his head and was caught naked at the library by Luann) called Tiffany “stupid” at one point. From a narrative point of view it would be better for someone else to dispense the advice.

Quick question about life: Why do girls who look awesome without makeup think they need a whole lot of it?

“Meet The Pressure”

“60 Minute-And-Not-So-Very-Minute Details”

“These Are A Few Of My Unfavorite Things” (♬)

“Every Rose Has Its’ Thorn” (♬)

“Subdivisions Multiply” (♩)

“Be Cool, Or Be Cast Out…” (♪)

“The Unsatisfactory Acade-mic Jagger”

“All That Glitters Is Not A Goal”

“The Facts Of Strife”

“How Green Was Her Grass?”

“Picket Fencing: A Touché Subject”

“Ivory Towers Need Work, Too”

“Dynamics Are A Goal’s Best Friend”

“The Worst Of Both Worlds”

or

“Same Difference”

We haven’t seen Luann struggle with ANY of that. Her only major crises has been her romantic problems with Quill.

Well Gunth, if you knew Tiff was lonely (plus having all those other problems) why didn’t you make it a point to check on her a few times during the summer?

See, Lu? this ‘frog’ is not all that bad…..

-

…although he could use a few more “round trips to Peru”, or some sort, ao he could get few more punches of boldness for his “man card”- then, he can upgrade to a new level! …And maybe bring us back a few souveneirs….

-

…Anyway, it’s interesting that he has insights into Tiffany, just like she has had a few insights about him. Maybe now he can understand a little better, and nit get so frustrated during their tutor sessions….

“(♪)…Subdivisions…conform/be cool, or be cast out….(♪)”

A day or so ago someone stated that at one point Bernice was urging Gunther to go out with Tiffany and he said she was too dumb for him, or too stupid, or something. I’m having a hard time imagining that, and have looked for the episode without finding it. Does anyone know when, where? I think I have a clear picture of who Gunther is, strengths and weaknesses. But it’s difficult to mesh my image of him with the alleged incident.

Meanwhile back at the……

Without looking it up, can anyone tell me the color of the couch at the Berger house?

I had to go back to the day Bernice sat alone on that couch to confirm the color.

Two people asked if we are now at Gunther’s house.

The dorm room couch is the same color as a thirty year old Volvo that’s been parked under the Arizona sun all that time.

For a reason.

Another Luann life lesson in panel 3. Most appropriate since her behavior early in this (Tiffany) arc.

“You should have seen her, Gunth.”

The first words Luann speaks to Gunther.

The artwork was drawn a long time ago.

Anyone think the text was recently changed to match what was being said in this forum?

The Berger couch is a light-medium brown, not rust colored like this one. Also it is a “dual hump” couch.

http://www.gocomics.com/luann/2015/2/21

It is good to see Luann shocked into a realization most of us reach in our late teens or early twenties. That could help her grow. She has very much needed that.

SOMEONE hurry up and help so this comic strip can move on to something else. This is starting to whip a dead horse.

I first read Luann’s statement as an “it’s all about me” sort of thing. Now I see that something is dawning on her – Wow, Tiffany is an actual human being and not a makeup doll who needs to parade her sexuality in my face.

The last time we talked? Don’t study too much at Mooney U.

I was looking forward to more Gunther-Tiff! I still think this whole situation is overblown but Gunther checking up on his “study buddy” could deepen their surprisingly mature friendship.

For a bit of history that has been recently mentioned by others:

From Wiz yesterday, begin here:

http://www.gocomics.com/luann/2015/12/2

Now, a little searching of my own…

Gunther saying that Tiff is stupid (in relation to math):

http://www.gocomics.com/luann/2016/2/3

Gunther defends Tiffany’s character to Bernice:

http://www.gocomics.com/luann/2016/6/9

Maybe Gunth can talk Tiff into a plan for both of them, that would do both of them a lot of good: Healthy diet, pumping iron, jogging, a little karate, and hiking on the weekend. Lots of benefits there!

@STACEY MARSHALL: Couple problems with this idea. One is that we have never seen any indication that Gunther himself follows any particular plan to manage his weight or keep his health in good shape. He still eats dinners made by his mother, and we’ve never seen him heading off to jog, or pump iron (at a gym or at home). If he doesn’t have a plan himself, how is he going to talk Tiffany into joining him in healthy eating and working out? Secondly, Gunther is much more likely to try to convince Tiffany to hire him as a fulltime math tutor than to join him in something that he can’t be sure that he would be any good at. He knows he’s good with math, but when he told Tiffany some time ago that he would be a friend to her, she started out expressing gratitude, then asked if he’d join the football team and then said she was kidding. But, in her heart of hearts, she is more interested in the athletic types than in computer geeks, and Gunther knows himself well enough to know he is no athlete…

I don’t think the Evanses are going for a romantic interlude for Tiff and Gunth here. I think they tend to explore one theme at a time. This is all about discovering what’s up with Tiff. And making overtures to a depressed woman (if that is what is going on for her) seems creepy and pointless.

All of what Gunther says is good and true. But in any unhealthy behavior (binge eating or drinking), there are the contributing factors that gradually build up. But then there’s some tipping point where the person finally catapults over to that other side. That evening after dinner at the Bergers and Gunther’s comments to her, I believe, were the tIpping point.

Gunther is not much of a friend at all to Tiffany. He knew she felt lonely and sad last time he talked to her, but he couldn’t be bothered to contact her in the last 3 months.

Tiffany would be better off talking to Les than Gunther. She was happy when she talked to Les, but sad after she talked to Gunther. He is not good for her.

Okay, sophomore and maybe more like 20, but still possibly timely (and time itself will tell):

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/tips-to-avoid-the-freshman-15-which-may-be-a-myth-anyway/2017/09/25/8d368618-9cb3-11e7-8ea1-ed975285475e_story.html?

so is Luann awakening to the realization that all was not as she imagined?

Gunther time:

Two engineering students met on the sidewalk in front of the university. Bill was riding a beautiful new bicycle. Tom asked him where he got the bike.

Bill said, “I was walking along here and met a beautiful girl riding a bike. She stopped, threw off all her clothes, lay on the ground, and said, ‘Take what you want!’”

“Good choice,” said Tom. “The clothes probably wouldn’t have fit.”

When Luann changed her hair: i was looking for something else and came upon this in an arc when Luann went missing.

http://www.gocomics.com/luann/1999/11/01

I’m hoping that Gunther might mention this to his mom who would then be concerned.

This comment comes from the Evans’ Luann FB post, from yesterday: “The last time we saw Tiffany and Gunther, they were more than study buddies: http://www.gocomics.com/luann/2017/06/16

Geez, Louise! How dense is Luann, anyway?! Has she really not noticed anything at all about Tiffany except her physical appearance? Gunther provides a little explication and maybe a bit of propulsion to get this arc moving….

Gunther and Tiff each have more emotional intelligence than Luann and Bern put together. They have, surprisingly, become more compassionate and interesting characters whereas Luann and Bern have become shallow, one-dimensional people more reminiscent of 8-year-olds.

Of all of the suggestions provided by readers in the last week and a half for the change in Tiffany i am leaning toward NG’s suggestion that Tiffany’s father may be ill or possibly has even passed away. Sudden weight gain from bereavement is something we are personally familiar with so it rings very true, and i suspect that a number of people here have encountered sudden weight gain or sudden weight loss with a death or with a serious family illness. Tiffany has long been depicted as caring the most about her father. So, NG’s suggestion makes real sense to me, but it sure will be sad, if so.

Gunther’s plaid shirt was mentioned as a sign or recidivism.

I’ll be the devil’s advocate and say that it can be turned into a good sign.

He was at home. He has a closet full of plaid shirts he only wears at home.

When he got the call, somehow taking the time to change shirts was no longer on his mind.

Let’s see if anyone mentions his shirt.

Gunther looks nice today. He seems composed, at ease, well spoken and just ‘comfortable in his skin’, which isn’t always the case in this strip.

We need Elwood to return to the scene.

If Tiffany needs help and needs a parental consent signature, think of how long this arc could go on if Daddy can’t be quickly found.

What if the G-man chickens out and won’t knock on her door?

What kind of school is called Moony?

Hit it, Mystro..

We’re in the Moony, we’re in the Moony;

We’ve got a lot of what it takes to get it wrong!

We’re in the Moony, it’s Loony Toony,

Bernice the RA will not let us have a bong.

She’ll never see a teacher who can reach her—-no way.

And when we see no TV we can give Tara a quick good bye

We’re in the Moony, come on, get Goony,

Let’s lie to, sigh to, spy to, roaring a song!

Oh, yes we’re in the Moony, you bet we’re in the Moony,

We’ve got a lot of what it takes to get it wrong!