Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for February 18, 2021

Alone at last!

Clearly Ben has not kept in shape since he left the military.

All that being out of the Army sure wore Ben out. (Reminds me when I try to go for a jog at my nearby park: get tired out after the first quarter of the first lap. As for a jog along the sidewalk through the same park that leads to my church — which talks me a half hour’s walk — I get tired after the first block.)

Clever of Ben to let Jack and Bernice walk off alone.

“A Natural?”

Jack & Bernice seem to be having fun. Ben, not so much…

@bytebot, I think you maybe right. Ben is just providing an opportunity for Jack and Bernice to hang out together.

Brother Ben?

Now that you’ve (A-HEM) “jump-started” the conversation between Lil Sis and Mr. Jack, You might wanna keep those “jumper cables” handy to use on your heart.

CLEAR!! ;)

Bern an athlete? Surprise, surprise. She is not just a brain athlete. Something in common with Jack. Will she get into fitness now? She is obviously fit if she could keep up with Jack.

Ben can’t hang.

I agree with bytebot…

Al menos Bernice procura cuidar su salud, por lo que no le sería difícil comenzar un régimen de ejercicios. A Ben, en cambio, sí que le urge comenzar a realizar actividad física, y un buen comienzo sería regresar a casa por su propio pie.

That’s an act by Ben to let Bernice and Jack have privacy to talk.

The only thing Bernice heard was “You’re nice and smooth and have really good form” while she was thinking of his glutes.

While my build resembles Ben more than Bern, and I could probably be their grandfather, I would say, for me, the hardest part of doing my five miles a day isn’t the five miles, it’s the other stuff I need to do each day, too.

As such, I classify this as a “fat joke.”

OK, this is Bernice’s chance to open up and ask if it was him, but of course she won’t.

Things are progressing smoothly so far. First the walkin’ and the talkin’. Then the hand holden’. Then the sittin’ on the porch swing. Then applying for social security!

Come on you two! speed it up!

Meanwhile, TJ is calling the police as he discovers the empty building where the Fuse used to be…

Clever guy – that Ben…

Ben might have been in the army, but it sure wasn’t the infantry

Will some couple in this comic strip start dating already. It’s taking forever. So who should be with who?

I wonder if this is the first time someone had praised Bernice for her athletic ability. This looks really interesting…. They might start attending speed walking events together♡. Or maybe Jack will be able to convince her to try doing racewalking and be her personal trainer♡. She could end up at the Olympics!!!

Bad news for Ben. To show that in real life no one is completely bad, or good, the strip usually has the bad characters becoming better and the good characters becoming more obnoxious. I agree that he’s faking it here, showing the nobility he will lose if he stays around town too long.

Awwww, what a nice couple they make. Now that should be a very interesting combo.

Now start grilling Jack about Luann, see how well that goes..

Hmmmmm bernices brother is really laying a great guilt trip on Bernice!!!

Jack , don’t Stop now. Glutes need more work.

Now let’s see if Jack can get romantic! And give Ben an Oscar for his performance.

Jack, RUN! Bern will try to IMPROVE YOU!! I have no doubt about this, she is the ultimate control freak!!

I promise you, Ben, having ben in the Army, would be able to walk the 2 blocks they just did. Unless he has some kind of lung issue, or whatever. I’m 54 out of shape, but after 21 years in the military, can still out walk, out ruck, or out march most people. I’m guessing Ben is lagging on purpose so his sister an be alone with Jack.

Bernice is getting a little fuzzy inside, but Ben is a little out of practice.

I think it’s his plan, match maker

Ben’s pain is Bern’s gain?

Reading the comments again for me before my first comment; I agree with the emerging consensus that Ben who is a little out of shape is deliberately demurring so his sister will be alone, without her complexes getting in the way,, with Jack. He is a good man and big brother. Wise to, wanting to help her learn to be happy. Will Jack and Bern get into romance? Open question still, but intriguing.

I wonder if Bernice will ever appreciate the brilliant way her brother pulled this whole thing off, not just with the fake tiredness ploy but getting them all walking to begin with.

Will be fun to see how she discovers the truth about Luann’s night guest.

Nice setup, Ben!

Ben is faking. He is letting his sister work on getting her guy.

I’d make the ‘Ben Dover’ joke here but . . . yeah I’ll just see myself out.

Just a long, long, long storyline walk?

Maybe Ben wants to leave the two of them alone. I know EYE do!

Ah, he admire her form~its a start

Aw, Ben is giving them alone time. Which Bernice might find a way to botch, even so. “Ahem, did you sleep with my friend? Why do I ask? Because she went to the dog park. Duh.”

Bernice knows how to walk. What a huge compliment. /s

It’s amazing how much misinformation is out there about something as simple as walking. I had a physical therapist tell me I should be walking by hitting the ground with my heel first. Now, in Olympic walking that’s some kind of rule. But that ignores hundreds of thousands of years of evolutionary adaption. The heel was never meant to be a shock absorber; the ball of the foot, arch and calves in combination are one of the best shock absorbers ever devised. Putting a shock on your heel, especially a twisting shock, is a sure path to knee trouble. Shoe companies seem to be responsible for this particular myth so they can sell you a “special” shoe that absorbs shock.

These 2 would make a terrible couple! Bernice can never be herself around Jack. She is herself around Luann, but I doubt Jack would find the real Bernice pleasant to be with.

Bernice still thinks Jack spent the night with Luann. She would not hit on a man who is taken, I hope.

All jokes aside, I do hope Jack and Bernice become a thing. Everyone needs to grow up.

So Jack and Bern are left alone. Bet this story arc ends with them kissing. : )

Probably faking to give Bern a clear shot at Jack.

after the speed walking they’ll have to stretch and that will give Jack more hands-on show and tell opportunities.

Has anyone ever thought that in reality , Jack is gay?

Ok. Hats off to the artist creating these dual story lines. I can see Bern talking to Jack stating she heard something coming from Luann’s room and asking him for his advice. That would quickly size up if it was Jack or not, thus removing her fears while taking Jack into her confidence zone, thus developing her relationship even more. Then you have an ongoing story line of Jack / Bern talking about the strange happenings in Luann’s room as a prelude to the blow up of Luann’s poor choice to help out Terra (I think that’s her name) by sneaking her into the Fuse.

A lot of us gave up the “daily dozen” as soon as we could!

And, he didn’t even mention her Nice, Tight Glutes.

Why do I feel Ben is at least partly faking it?

“Feint Hope”

“Smooth Moves”

“Natural Attraction”

“Walk The Walk, Talk The Talk”

“Form Your Own Opinion”

“Lag Time”

tomorrow: Ben faints.

Nice move, Ben. Bernice is too irritating and insecure to be with mellow Jack. She’d have to be a different person with him and herself with everyone else. It’s a shame Greg didn’t let Jack and Luann develop a relationship. They are at ease with each other.

Go on! Save yourselves! I would only slow you down!

While Jack is oblivious (as usual) and he and Bernie trade compliments, Ben sags to the rear. But is it real, or is it a ploy? Either way, Jack and Bernie seem headed for some “alone together” time….

Ben needs to cut down on the ciggies and beer.

“…just send the coroner.”

Speak of perfect timing for an exit.