Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for May 14, 2019

Well, there are other fish in the sea… just hopefully not on that dating app.

Uh huh. Yeah…

Odd. ✨

It’s hard to say what that means in the context of comic strip logic. In real life, it would mean the guy has been offended in some way and is making a quick, but polite, exit before he can be offended any more.

Doug got up and left. Aw, that’s too bad, Lu.

And it’s really too bad that “Doug” didn’t have the intestinal fortitude of Bets, who toughed it out despite “interference,” of which YOU Lu, were a PART of.

But all is not lost. There are three guys from which to choose, right there in the Fuse, Luann.

Ox, TJ, and Jack (Although you might want to rethink Jack, since he pretty much let you down here).

Actually there’s a fourth guy Les, who thought You were HOT Luann, and did nothing at all to ruin your date. And he’s a hard worker. In fact he’s about the ONLY one actually WORKING at the Fuse. You might want to stop by the kitchen and say “hello” to him after you get through cussing all your “friends,” out. ;)

Such helpful suggestions, Tiffany! And so kind of you to offer them!

That’s funny! Luann should take a lesson: when a date is not working out you can just leave, you do not need a bodyguard.

You can’t blame men this time, how about your friends who did everything to sabotage your date.

I knew he wouldn’t work out because…….we never got to see him. ;-)

I like the concept. Neutral territory, realize it’s not going to work, say good night and wish each other a good life. In this case Jack is handy, so go out and check that “friend with benefits” option. By the way, please note that Tiffany looks ready for some action.

I would really like to see Luann tell whoever she’s annoyed at, just how annoyed she is. Really I would.

Apparently Luann did not signal. For a change, Tiffany read her correctly – how annoying.

Frames 2 & 3 show Tiffany’s acting ability. But Luann’s not going for it. Tiffany’s comment in frame 2 rates (you know which finger).

I think Luann DID signal, and yet she’s flabbergasted that Doug just got up and left. Figure it out, Luann: he’s a lot more honest, practical, and mature than you were.

That’s what I said yesterday. Luann is annoyed at Tiff, but Tiff called it right. Time to pay for Gunther, Lu. Bets was annoyed at you. Good thing she didn’t walk away.

TJ is too much “family” in Luann’s mind. Not sure she would think date material. I think Les is slowly becoming human, but still not sure on that one. Heck, why not throw a visiting Aaron Hill into the mix.

As the selection in this crowd, I would put Les at worst the of the slighting better.

Bring back Quill, please!

You ever see those lunch date apps, where people can, in a planned event, meet lots of people within a specified period of time at a “lunch”? That is what Doug might have represented. Like I said he is merely a prop. Gunther and Bets are a thing, but Doug is there merely as part of Luann’s erstwhile romantic story, or lack thereof, and incidentally some of the rest of the cast of characters, including Tiffanys’ constant misplaced put downs. One thing looking at this color comic, I’m no expert, but I think Luann is a natural, golden blonde (no wonder I think there is fire under that buff chest of Jack) while Tiffany is a bottle blonde. Just my impression.

Tiff sure seems to be alright with the outcome of what happened.

Luann is not the brightest bulb in the strip. You would think that after the incident with Gunther and Bets, she would have had the common sense to meet in public elsewhere. It could have been with all those clowns hovering around and Luann continuously sending signals being read by Doug as its time to “hit the road Doug” (couldn’t say “hit the road Jack” as he was one of those hovering).

Why doesn’t Luann just tell Tiffany to shove off? They aren’t in high school any more and she doesn’t have to tolerate her if she doesn’t want to.

Luann is in one of those situations with an “angel” (Jack) and a “devil” (Tiffany) on her shoulders. I hope they can help her at be able to process the facts. Is so annoying when someone go away without say you why!

Considering there is NOTHING on the table suggests the man couldn’t get anything to eat as they were all at another table kibitzing.

The odd thing is, he kept looking toward the fourth wall… almost like he was expecting to be seen by someone…

Seems to have been the anti-Gunther date.

And Tiff is probably right in Panel 2. At least she’s trying to show a little camaraderie in Panel 3.

Speaking of Tiff, which happens a lot, haven’t seen Teafanny come to her defense for awhile.

Thinking back… Luann certainly dressed differently for this date than she did in her recent foray into Gunther’s pad. Her manner of dress showed much more interest in impressing Gunther than Dougie.

Greg keeps dangling the Luann-Gunther thing out there often. And speaking of “friend zoned.” Look at the difference Greg presents Luann when appearing with Jack as opposed to with Gunther. Interesting… at least to me.

Doug leaving may not have anything to do with the gang and their commentary. It sounds like he just wasn’t interested from the get go. For that matter Luann didn’t seem to charmed by Doug at the beginning either. Plus, she kept dropping that napkin! Now she seems to be acting all hurt and disappointed. Maybe she’s just upset she didn’t get to jump ship first.

Maybe Tiff set this whole Doug thing up to get back at Luann for what she did to Gunther. If that’s the case good job Tiff!

she’s shocked at being rejected

Do you think he was put off by the table of jackles howling and jeering at their date?

Nah! That would take too much planning on Tiffany’s part. She’s not a planner and a schemer or she would have had the best of Anne Awful by now.

Tiffany is speaking for herself.

Tiff is a great character ! So much drama !

There are a few different possibilities, as to why Doug suddenly bailed. The “your friends are too close by” thing has already been elaborated, here, and I allowed for the legit possibility of a true emergency, yesterday.

Doug could be a player, and have had another Date Pic date lined up following the meet-up with Lu. Then again, if there is no sex, is that really being a player? To me, that kind of analytical approach would be a more Gunther-like approach to meeting and dating people. If Doug is a player, he might already have a girlfriend “in the bag,” so to speak, and be searching for a side-chick or replacement. Then again, is it really being a player, if there is no sex? I have asked that rhetorical question twice in this paragraph for a good reason; I already know the answer. 8 of every 10 single women that I have asked that question of have responded with a no, largely because they are engaged in precisely the same kind of approach to meeting, dating and relationships. Unlike more ancient times, when the moral code was much clearer and more rigidly defined, we don’t really have much of a moral code, when it comes to dating, anymore. Perhaps the only universally agreed-upon moral tenet currently in effect is “don’t knowingly spread STDs.” Even that one still has a few violators.

Doug is likely a disposable character; a foil used to develop the other members of the cast, as we have seen. Tiff seems to be in retrograde motion, these days, but is no-longer the kind of 10-ish hottie who can get away with it to a greater degree.

boom

4

So, is Luann actually annoyed more at DOUG or more at TIFFANY at the moment? :)

1. If Luann meant to drop her napkin to be “rescued” by Jack, then she should not really care much if Doug bailed…. even though it is a bit bruising to her ego.

2. If Luann becomes annoyed at the “gang” all gawking at her….. ha…. she has no right to be…. given how she was an integral part of the “gang” that nearly derailed Gunther and Bets.

3. Might Doug have suddenly bailed because of his recognizing someone (perhaps of the “gang”) who knew/knows a “secret” of sorts about Doug that he did not want reveled? An unlikely scenario, but it would be interesting.

4. This is perhaps most likely to just be an arc where Luann gets upset about her experience… nothing more.

He could tell he wasn’t good enough for her.

(Only a few of us are and, naturally, we’re taken.)

Maybe it was that awful blouse.

Glad the creator of Luann is choosing to show healthy self esteem in MOST of his female characters.

Doug bailed because he became unsure of Luann’s mental stability reflected by the mountain of napkins building up on the floor by Luann’s side of the table. Concluding she must be a psycho of some sort, he figured it was a good idea to vacate before she ran out of napkins.

.

Oh, Tiff … cleanup by table 17…

Tiffany, the original Lust Trust. Please do not ever allow Bernice to influence her regarding make overs, or even makeup.

It could be that Doug dropped a hint – like his roommate was gone this weekend – and Luann didn’t jump through the hoop.

R.I.P. Tim Conway at 85. He was just piped on board for the long cruise on the ’ol 73.

I LOVE the way Tiff played it here.

tomorrow: Doug returns!

Ox, Jack and Tiffany scared off Doug.

Is there really this much drama about dating among people this age, or is this just exaggerated for the strip? She’s, what, 19? 20? Dates and boyfriends/girlfriends come and go. Don’t sweat it, and don’t be in a rush to get into a relationship. There’s time.

Some clues might be had from the conversation between Doug and Luann if we can find that out. Doug may have sensed there was no chemistry. I think the take home message will be the ‘two way street’ aspect of a date. Luann made an elaborate scheme for how she would get away if things didn’t work out (like it was all about her experience), but never considered that Doug might have the same concerns.

Tif, try doing something unusual, like work. Sorry for the four letter word.

It was getting late, he might have had to get home to his wife…

Yea, men. Men and certain immutably obtuse girl friends….

Unfortunately we will get the story entirely from Luann’s perspective which could be unfair to Doug whom we will never see or hear from, unless there is a flashback.

Doug: Got to give him a hand, in fact that’s all he is is a hand, and a footloose hand at that, like Thing on the Addams Family. I hope that the hand gave Luann’s lookouts a finger as it was leaving. You know, Tiff is the manicurist, he should have stuck around.

Last panel would make a cool poster or t-shirt or whatev.