Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for May 26, 2021

Oh, heavens to betsy, she kissed him with a little tongue!"

Well, that explains why Nil was petrified afterwards. I’m sure that hasn’t happened to him before.

Luan’s mom always gives good advice, so Bernice is in good hands!

Tell Bernice of your past history of back seat safaris, Nancy.

We promise not to tell Frank.

Ok…

Ok…

Ok…

This girl is nuttier than squirrel droppings. Were her parents the Duggars or something?

WaitAMinute – I’m thinking Bernice is 20 years old! Where’ve you been, Hon…

Nancy, not quite understanding how B has been raised, is waiting for the shocking reveal of unacceptable behavior. And waiting. And waiting…

“There may have been tongue!” shrieked the 20 something college student. For someone who proposed at 15, you are way too scandalized about this.

Nancy preaches abstinence and Luann freaked out because she and Quill were making out. Now Bernice feels ashamed of French kissing a guy on a date. Even though she’s 19ish and completely single. Why is this strip so puritanical? I don’t think there are little kids reading this. Makes me cringe.

Heaven forbid! What will she ever do?

Bernice has had a boyfriend before… did they sit across the room from each other look longingly at each others shoes as to make direct eye contact would too sinfully forward?

Puritanical has nothing to do with it. She’s freaking out because she’s afraid she sent the wrong signal and now she’ll have to deal with his expectations. Nancy gets that.

OK.

“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”

So you kissed him with a little tongue Berenice why are you ashamed and why did you walk away that is natural what you did. You were in the moment and felt the lust and passion.

What the conversation be If Nil had made the unfrequented kiss on Bernice. Always tricky…

Bernice- think that "I kiss him " and I enjoyed it until I realized it was ……

Nancy’s “OK” are actually “So?”

Looking at the kiss on the 21st and the 22nd, she is puckered up for a lip to lip kiss, and I doubt that would allow for a full – on French kiss with tongue. Unless Bernie has one of those little tongues that can dart out for a distance like a snake or a lizard has.

.

You’re OK, Bern, it is just your memory that is clouded…

Egads—a college student that acts like boy cooties and girl cooties are still a thing! And that whole “temptress” thing sounds like something from those old sex-ed movies…from waaaay before she was born!

“I’m still ten years old emotionally!” — Bernice.

Is she freaking out because it’s Nil? Would she be freaking out if it was Jack? She didn’t freak out like this when she kissed Piro.

Bernice is afraid someone will make fun of her by saying “you kissed a boy and you liked it. you have cooties…you have cooties” geez bernice, your not in middle school, grow up.

Nancy has this bewildered look on her face of “ok…i don’t see the issue. so you kissed this boy. it’s not breaking news.”

Bernice probably Frenched kissed with Zane because they did make out quite a bit. She may have forgotten herself. I remember making the same mistake 49 years ago and bringing my tongue back into my mouth. It happened to others I knew. It’s a big, embarrassing oops, but I think the guy understood. Bernice is over-reacting for a 20 year old.

Okay, is she ashamed because she kissed him, or because she’s afraid she gave him the wrong impression (i.e., that she’s interested too)? Or maybe because she was moved by the compliment and gave him a sweet kiss to thank him, and his total nonreaction made her feel like a fool? UHHHH we’ll find out, I hope!

I didn’t see any tongue…..I think she’s embellishing a bit

Was Bernice kicked out of an Amish Community?

“Maybe”? She doesn’t even know for sure? Surely she’s on some serious meds or maybe a Dez Brownie? Looking back at the panel of uncontrolled lust that kiss looks more like something done behind the bus at elementary school rather than college students.

Bernice is a sicker puppy than I ever imagined.

Maybe this explains B’s contempt for Luann. Not just because Luann hasn’t picked a major, or isn’t studying all the time, but because B suspects Luann has ‘sinned’ with Jack…

okay, Bernice, and what sort of womanly counsel do you want?

No matter what Bernice says, Nancy will probably be like: “Been there, done that, Girl!”

Looks like Zane and she never kissed? Was she only crushing and fantasizing about him? All one sided?

And that’s abnormal how??? :/

“Aaaaaaaaagggghhh cooties cooties cooties cooties cooties cooties aaaaaauuuuggghhh!!!!”

“There may have been tongue!” Started off as a single ant and by the end of the story becomes a tarantula.

Finally, French kissing! I was about ready to sue other “French” things that contain no tongue, like French vanilla ice cream, French fries, French dressing, and so on. Not a bit of tongue in any of them!!! False advertising I say, lock ’em up!!!

You can really see how much Nancy is scandalized by Bernice’s amoral behavior! Seriously, Nancy is slowly realizing how Bernice thinks too much about everything and seems really sad for her. I’m waiting for Nancy’s questions about Nil’s reaction to the kiss and her advices for poor scared Bernice♡.

Even Nancy is unengaged in the arc by the last panel.

Bernice is probably freaking out because she threw herself at Nil with only the barest sign of interest from him. What he said to her wasn’t even overtly romantic. It doesn’t bode well for her ability to keep herself from making dangerous choices when it comes to guys.

There may have been tongue? Isn’t she sure?

The only acceptable response: “get thee to a nunnery”

Some part of the back of my mind is hearing Dana Carvey as the SNL “Church Lady”. The words “naughty parts all engorged and tingling” are in there somewhere.

Might have been tongue? Didn’t think Bernice had it in her… until she had it in— you get it.

She’s making a big deal out of this… and doesn’t seem to understand her mom doesn’t really care.

Uh, Bernice? Did he kiss you back?!?

“And then I hit Nil over the head with a tire iron…”

Quick Bernice! Get to the pharmacy and get Plan B!

so repressed.

TMI !

I’m puzzled. How was Bernice brought up to be this anxious over nothing?

And then… ???

P.S. I told you this was going to be good!

Interesting to see how GnK played this. If they replaced Nancy with an age-contemporary person the “feel” of the whole episode would be different. Less innocent, more salacious. Imagine how it would feel replacing Nancy with Luann, or Tara, or Dez?

A question for long-time Luann fans: Have Bernice’s parents ever been shown? I get what G&K are doing with this arc and, after Nancy is a great character after she removed that Toni-sized stick up her chasm, but I can’t help but wonder why Bernice isn’t having this discussion with her own mother.

Poor Bernice! She is awfully confused and repressed, not being able to rationally come to terms with normal sexual/romantic feelings and judging herself. Wonder if her parents helped creature her issues. Nancy ought to have some wise counsel one hopes. Contrary to too many here I am not being judgmental.

All you people are ignoring the awful reality: she’s surely up the pole.

Most folks seem to be assuming that this is the first time tongue “may have been” involved. Zane, Piro and Gunther have planted one on Bernice over the years and now Nil. So far the Gunther and Nil lip locks (with tongue?) have produced a response. Nil’s was the first that she initiated, as far as I remember. That’s why the “temptress” association of yesterday.

I think Nancy is waiting to hear what happened after the kiss.

As far as “tongue” in the Luann strip. Don’t forget the “shocking” Prop Room In The Dark episode involving Luann and Quill. Folks were speculation about which base Quill advanced to before they called time out! 8^ )

For newbies. Starts here: https://www.gocomics.com/luann/2015/05/29 and goes thru June second.

“This comic has been brought to you by the year 1951.”

The last scene says it all. “Oh-ok”, so is that all that happened? (really? -yawn). Take two of these and call me in the morning.

Bernice is very lucky to have Nancy right now.

Well now it all makes more sense. Sure, Berniece is not entirely without experience (i.e. Zane). She did sit on his lap and kiss him and Piro kissed her as well. But, that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s French kissed a lot. This may have been her first time of doing that (as opposed to having it done to HER, not always pleasant to a young girl lacking in experience) and this may have been the first first she ever took the imitative and maybe the first time she ever enjoyed it. This may have been Nil’s first kiss of ANY kind, which is why he was so dumbstruck. This is why she feels like a temptress. Apparently Berniece has grown up in a very strict and sexually repressed household, which is a shame but happens far more often than you might think. No wonder she is the way she is! I’m glad she’s getting a different perspective from Nancy. As for her remarks about getting married out of high school——girls brought up this way often think this is the only way to be intimate.

Will Nancy discuss “protection” with Bernice ? stay tooned !

Don’t be so ashamed, Bernice. It’s okay that you kissed him.

aaaaand, did you like it?

Omg!!! Such drama!!!

Bernice is right to be upset. I would be too. The kiss was a stupid move. Now she has to deal with all the fallout it will cause. An overjoyed Nil will tell Jack, Jack will tell Luann if Bernice or Nancy doesn’t, then all of their friends will hear about it and start congratulating Bernice on their romance. If she goes to Nil to explain it meant nothing more than gratitude for a really nice compliment he will probably understand but nobody else will – especially Luann. I don’t think Bernice is interested in a relationship with Nil.

The plot sickens, I mean thickens

Soooo … When does she have to start sewing a Scarlet ‘A’ on her shirts?! … :)

I don’t think Bernice’s reaction has anything to do with the kiss itself: in her mind she cheated on Jack… One compliment from Nil and she forgot all her fantasies about Jack.

She and Bets are both in similar OMG-how-do-I-deal-with-someone-liking-me? tailspins. I, for one, really appreciate the parallel storylines.

Remember when 13 year old Bernice kissed that 17 year old drug addict with the cool car?

I’m glad Bernice has Nancy to talk to—at the very least, Nancy won’t be making the sorts of unhelpful teasing comments that Luann probably would.

Bernice shows initiative in romance sphere!

The psych major is psyched out. Nancy will help stabilize her. Luann, on the other hand, will further traumatize Bern.

Seems Nancy is perplexed at Bern’s revelations, waiting.This is another Bernice arc that makes you wonder about her home life and parents. Were her parents all business, no play? No affection? High expectations?May be why she spends so much time at the DeGroots. Neutral territory.

Tongue? You slut! LMAO! Just kidding. Does anyone know if this is Bern’s first kiss?

Ah, a bit of tongue but whose, his or hers?

That’s it! Off to the Convent with you young lady!Geez Evan!This story line underwhelming and unrealistic. Most of us here probably had this ‘awakening’ in middle/junior high school.I am hoping you have a big finish here Buddy and not another story line you couldn’t finish. Oh, sorry, I meant “cliffhanger”. Snark!

Oh look, it’s an old man trying to write teenager characters.

Cute.

So “folks” are blaming Miss Phelps and ‘religion’ for Bernice being “Bernice” now?

Seriously?

Some of the wildest “folks” I’ve known were devoutly religious. (In public)

And Miss Phelps often let her hair down and was quite aggressive toward Mr. Fogarty back in the day.

But Okay then.

Let Me add another “crazy theory.”

Maybe the reason why Bernice left so quickly is because she didn’t want to give Nil time to REJECT her impromptu advance.

Look. When it comes to the Strip’s males, the Strip’s females have the upper hand in ALL matters, whether it’s the guy’s career, the guy expressing his love, or breathing. The ladies have the LAST word.

But the minute the guy expresses the merest hint of personal initiative or independence, gal runs as though she just saw a snake.

Except when there’s a crisis.

Then ladies more than welcome the guy’s help.

But when the crisis is over, it’s back to his cage.

Why is it so difficult for people to try to understand her feelings? Her confusion? This could happen at any age, not just teens or college aged folks. Seniors could go through this uncertainty, too, especially widows(ers).Some of these comments are downright nasty. Wonder if they are this hard on the people in their real lives. Accepting people as they are can be difficult, I guess.

8

Very good today…..

1. Bernice is giving an accurate portrayal of what transpired (along with her interpretation).

2. Mrs. DeGroot is listening intently…. AND is showing with her neutral, non-fazed demeanor and expressions…. that everything she is hearing is perfectly NORMAL .

This is going very, very well. Hopefully, Bernice will be able to recognize…. as she further explains to Mrs. DeGroot… that Nancy IS not shocked, not flummoxed, not perturbed, not upset by the story as it is being unfolded to her….. but instead is saying by her thoughts and actions that this is normal…. and POSITIVE.

Bernice needs someone to tell her it’s normal and ok.

So she is a temptress for kissing him…with tongue? Where I come from that qualifies her as an open minded nun.

Always sad when you don’t know what your tongue’s been doing.

I think the consensus opinion is that she’s being a drama queen! Come on! A college girl who gets freaked out by a French kiss??? When was this written? 1950? Get serious and up to date, Greg!

Go ahead and grow up, Bernie. It’s O.K., it’s overdue, and life will suck if you don’t.

I have to give Nancy credit. At least she’s just saying “OK” and not “Yeah? So??”

Funny, Bernice didn’t get bent out of shape like this when she kissed Zane.

Oh my stars, get out the whipping post so you can be freed from your wicked ways …

Horrors! (Insert sarcastic tone.)

“I think I’m pregnant!”

Basket case.

…yours or his?!?

Greatest experience for that guy. You just made his best life experience , so far that is……

Luann – hurry up and get into the kitchen – your missing all the fun stuff!!!

Wow…such a temptress in our midst

Maybe, if Bernice knew that Nil was barfing, she wouldn’t worry so much.

Oh, the shame of it!

Bernice is reserved.

Was Bernice puritanical growing up?

Does anyone remember Zeke? Bernice and Zeke definitely kissed.

Quick brand this woman with an ‘H’ for hussy.

Bern needs to get pounded but good, it would put a little french in perspective. I was lucky enough to practice “Frenching” with 2 Girls in the 6th grade. Thank You Tina & Julie for saving me from the mystery of making out as a Kid.

lucky Nil

Gee, Bernie. First time? How old are you?

This is more embarrassing for us than it is for you, Bad Bernie!

Maybe she thinks she is pregnant now because of the kiss

So, Bragging or Complaining?

I’m a little puzzled by the number of persons who seem to think (or know) that Bern grew up in a sexually repressed strict household. We don’t have that information and there’s no evidence of it. I’d say Bern is a lot bolder than Luann who has never (to my knowledge) spontaneously kissed much less french kissed someone, i.e. of her own accord. I don’t think Bern is repressed. She’s just upset that Nil didn’t respond, at least within the time frame she was expecting, and now she feels embarrassed that she did this; who wouldn’t? Hopefully she’ll get a text from Nil by the end of the week. a delayed response on his part.

Didn’t Bernice have a boyfriend a long time ago. Did they never kiss?