Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for March 06, 2018

oh, what a sneaky boy you are, Leslie

That’s all Tiffany had planned? The refund. BAD.

How does everybody get everybody’s phone out of their hands without notice?

1. We knew Ann would try to walk off with the phone, because we discussed that last week.2. Les may have gone straight but he still has his skill set.3. I think those two may end up together when this is over. Les obviously doesn’t care that Tiffany no longer has her high school figure, and she needs someone to love her now that she doesn’t. Sorry, Gunth.

Leslie has a long row to hoe before he is no longer scum in my eyes.

But.

Today, he made me smile. Point, Leslie.

Mommy taught him something!

One good turn deserves another. ✨

How?? And I am mistaken…she did not bring extra phones for recording purposes. Tiffany, how do you intend to convince your dad or the police without evidence? It’s only thanks to Les that you still have the phone with FT to Simone.

Stole it? She grabbed it- at what point did Tiffany think she grabbed it back? At what point did Les?

Thievery runs in the family, evidently.

And don’t think that the statement that they “deserve each other” passed unnoticed by our boy Les.

So much for Tiffany’s grand plan. Good thing Les was there to compensate for her ditziness.

Although there were no drapes over the windows for this third lingerie party, we finally see that there is no grill on the door window, so the back door was being used.

Note: Les is holding Tiffany’s phone with the screen lit up. There may still be hope she had the screen locked, but it wasn’t done as part of a plan.

We now join the race to speed dial Tom Ferrell first. Will Ann win out, or Tiffany?

Panel 1 on March 3 has Les’ right hand in her purse, that’s when he got the phone, ever since then his right hand has been behind him.

More of the Mickey Mouse plans. I am so disappointed with this arc.

More of the Mickey Mouse plans. I am so disappointed with this arc.

Well, now we know what Les took out of Ann’s purse.

Talk about returns on your investment, the friendship is paying off already! It’s a bit of alright.

Wow, her son is a regular Sly Cooper™

And all this stealing went down when?

During the (not shown) group hug?

“Thief who out steals thief.” So far he still has the kind face on him. He’s not turning back.

No we wait to see what Tom Farrell is going to do, And if we get to meet him at last!

No real parent would’ve done that. The snake finally appears in all her ugliness.

Let’s not start making friendship bracelets for these two just yet: keep in mind that Tiffany told the others that she could “control Les.” She isn’t his friend; she’s manipulating him. And on the off chance that she somehow grew to really like him in the short time since she made that statement, what happens if he finds out she said that? Finding out you were used is a pretty quick and painful way to end a friendship. It’s like that guy who thought he was friends with a girl only to discover that she had him listed in her phone as “free food.” Nothing kills any chance at friendship faster than finding out you were considered a means to an end.

Actually, it would make for a really good story arc. Which is why it won’t take place: too deep and mature for this strip. I dare Evans to prove me wrong; it’d make my day to see that subject get tackled.

As we all concentrate on Tiffany holding her phone, suddenly there is a knock at the door…

Well, at least one issue resolved. Tiff has her phone back. She can call her dad, and Les can be a witness for her, at least, to her dad (or Simone, if she was still listening – we’ll see later in the week if the phone was still on during the “discussion” with Ann).

Whether or not they (Les, Tiff, Al Gray, etc. etc.) call the cops remains to be seen. They may not have enough evidence to bring any charges against Ann. At least, she will probably be prevented from selling fake Souffle items, but would still be free to do other things. Thus, she won’t be “put away” as a villain and still available for our pleasure as a villain. :)

I gather, then, the rest of this arc is about where Tiff & Les stand as “Friends” and where Tiff stands with her dad This should be interesting.

Loosers?

Cue the Scott Joplin ragtime music…

I was too sleepy to comment on this, but yea Les! The “cop” back of the phone was slick, and given his mom, and what she has taught him through her background, and her criminal parental neglect, it’s terrific payback. The arc is not quite over, we have 4 days until Saturday, but I think Ann will be leaving the environs of Pittsville, and Luannverse, and most significantly Mr. Farrell. She gets her daddy back, but will he be as distant as usual? But lets get used to it unforgiving haters, Les is a regular in Luannverse, and he shows redemption and change.

So. The phone question is answered. The Tiff/Ann ‘battle for the dad’ arc is still to come. The Les/Tiff/Gunther arc is still to come (or is this just a fan tease). The Al/Erma/Gunther/Les family arc is still to come. The Brad/Toni/Shannon/Jonah/(preggo Toni?) arc is yet to come.

The strip now has a myriad of characters (all archetypes) and hinted-at arcs floating around. I’m beginning to wonder whether Greg is going to pull a Lynn Johnson (as in FBOFW) and lose creative interest in the strip?

Love and larceny.

Well Done Les! Well done.

Luann1212 mentions “pay back” regarding Ann. Pay back was my first thought, too, but it was what Tiffany might “owe” Les. They were real partners in this sting operation and the “thrill of victory” might put them in the mood for a tentative, but intimate celebration. What is the past tense of Gunther?

Nice one Les! Although I’d be more impressed with a lawsuit against Ann and jail time for copyright infringement.

Way to go Les. I think Tiff is going to see you as more.

The most important thing Ann has to do is get out of town.

I hope Tiffany’s call to Dad Tom is productive for her and he will realize he made a big mistake regarding Ann.

We have been diverted. Tif’s father is not who Ann needs to convince. It is the Feds. To do that she must admit she “unknowing” ran a scam and turn State’s Evidence on her supplier. Fake goods is a big buck business, so it is likely her supplier would kill her in a heartbeat for “ratting them out.” That would mean Ann goes into Witness Protection. Would Tif’s father marry and follow her? I doubt it.

Well … so that old show WAS right! “It Takes a THIEF”!!

I like how Eiffel’s helmet hair is out of order for no obvious physical reason.

Ann, being the experienced sleaze that she is, marked every single big bill that went into her cash box.

That’s all she needs to mention Tiffany’s extortion as she cops a plea with the Feds.

Stupid cliche plotline twist:

Les took Ann’s phone by mistake.

wow. calling her own son a loser.

What a mom!

My prediction for tomorrow:

Tiff discovers that the phone is still on, Simone has heard the whole story and informs her that she has alerted the authorities- and her lawyers-

Tiff, in a moment of glee, turns to Les and gives him a BIG hug….which tends to linger, as they look into each other’s eyes….which proceeds to a VERY long, lingering kiss….

Well, so much for the theory of having multiple phones. And it figures Les would have skills in stealing.

Is Ann going to leave all her boxes of merchandise at the Fuse? There were many boxes still there when this confrontation started.

6

So, Ann heads out…. seemingly no police, etc. in pursuit. Technically, Ann did not “steal” Tiffany’s phone… she grabbed it away from her to stop the call to Simone…. but that is a minor point. Les found a way to get the phone back from his mother…. sort of using his “evil powers” to good purpose.

So:

1) I find it INTERESTING that Tiffany is worried about calling her Dad before Ann has a chance to do so.

2) To me, that suggests strongly that Tiffany believes either a) Ann will be more listened to and will have more credence given to her than will Tiffany, or b) at best Tom Ferrell will give them equal credence.

3) For me, this notion that Tom Ferrell would not put his daughter’s ideas/statements ahead of his girlfriend’s….. is very, very sad.

4) The sadness I feel for Tiffany right now through that statement of hers is similar to the type and level of sadness I felt for her character back during the revealing dialogue she had with Gunther about her home life.

I really hope that Greg doesn’t turn Tiffany back into a total “dumb blonde” joke. Don’t you think she deserves more?

Yeah, Ann, like packing and getting out of town!

Tiffany having her phone “stolen” kind of deflates my idea of her being in total control of the situation. Maybe there is no Plan B.

Gotta love Les’s wry smile in the last panel. A job well done! :D

Please, oh PLEASE let Mr. Gray be on the other side of that door (hearing everything) as she slams it behind her.

Knox is impressively cool.

Well, look at that… Les turns out to be the hero. Well done, Les!

Hahaha that was funny!!! The mobile

Who says Leslie doesn’t love his mom? Leslie just saved his mother from the one thing Anne could have at least been arrested for, petty theft.

who’s a loser?

I hope Simone is still on the line. I also hope that Tiffany has a good international phone plan.

Leslie Knox seems to be on the path to redemption.

Now the Tiffster can apprise Tom of the situation before the harpy lands in his nest….

I’m worried that Les may be on the way to outcompeting Gunther for Tiffany’s affections. It seems we are on week 3 of this lingerie saga. There has to closure so we can assess its effect on Tiffany’s Mooney life going forward.

LOVE this! Way to go, Les! Tiff may be his first real friend.

Have phone. Good. Now call up the OK Corral and make reservations for a showdown. See if they will cater coffee and donuts after its over. Hurry, now.

You called your son a loser. Who’s the real loser here, Ann?

It’s good to read a redemption arc for Les. That’s something I like of this comic: characters improve through it and become better persons. TJ, Shannon, Tiffany, Les… They’re better persons than they were when they first appeared, and I hope it continues.