Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for January 31, 2012

HULK SMASH!!!!

Somebody nailed that one yesterday.

Smart move Gunther! You didn’t lay a finger on him. So there is no way you can be punished. It was just an oopsie on your part. But, both he and Rosa got the message!

backpack warrior!

The Incredible Dork rises to action!!!!

@Barbara UptonOk how about “HULK FHUMP!!!”

I think Rosa is trying her best not to burst into laughter.

is more like a military duffel pack than a backpack, WTG lil Warrior

OY, look at Gunther’s face in the first panel. He done look serious indeed!

Are there bricks in that backpack, Gunth?

Smoooooth, Gunter!

BATTERY!!! Cause for suspension or expulsion.

sorry people, but have to do it……………..we can honestly say that Gunther is an expert in swinging

Nonsense, ShagsCA. It was a simple accident as anyone can see.

Now, if Needlenose tries to take a swing, I’m guessing Gunth will simply let him punch a book-filled backpack and break his hand.

The boy can think tactically. I like it. HOOAH!

Orion

Plus, of course, if he makes ‘official’ noises, Rosa has a very clear sexual assault case. He’d be lucky to settle for sexual harassment.

Orion

Awesome. Plausible deniability.

ROCK ON, Gunther!!! :)

E) None of the above. What is the Greaseball gonna do. He gonna go to the principle and explain in detail what he was doing when Gunther turned and his humongus backpack knocked him over?

What on EARTH is with Mr Knox (that’s his name – and i’m not violating any confidences here, because Evans stated as much on his blog) and Rosa in Panel Two? If we’re to take the normal laws of space into account, Rosa should be spinning like a top, when the Knoxian arm round her shoulder gets pulled round, imparting a torque to her.

Yeah, I do think too much about these things. But not as much as some of the Curmudgeonly people.

They’ve been telling us for years. No means no.

I think Leslie Knox (“Greaseball”) is being set up as a minor new villain. He apparently was modelled after a bully Evans knew in his younger days. Personally, I’m beginning to enjoy this storyline. This enjoyment will last until Evans runs out of steam and resorts to the fairly inevitable cop-out which has marked virtually every arc since 2008.

Good going, Gunther. Didn’t lay a hand on him and if he just HAPPENED to be in the way when you swung around, well, oops, so sorry. LOL. I bet Rosa is laughing inside.

Someone predicted this yesterday. Don’t we know Gunther or what?! Nope, he won’t get disciplined – it couldn’t be proven Gunther did it on purpose…backpack shoves are common the hallways! Smart move, Gunther!

Good Job Gunther

I saw this coming and I should’ve said I saw this coming. Aargh…

My thoughts exactly… this ain’t over yet, ladies and gentlemen…

Well-played, Gunther.

I remember how heavy my son’s backpack was, that was a solid lick on the ‘Maynard G. Krebbs’ character (or is he more like Shaggy from Scooby Doo?)

tomorrow: gunther gets a lesson in dental care for tonsils.

BANG! He looks like a teenage Peanuts reject … way to go Gunth!

For who? The guy trying to molest her?What was Gunther suppose to do? Walk on by?

Try to find a teacher, hopefully in time?This may or may not be over.

As for the bricks comment;Not bricks, books, pretty darn close.

Battery? Maybe, what about sexual Harassment? Stalking? repeated unwanted attention is the definition of stalking.

Hmm. I think it important to note that, from the expression in her eyes (panel 3), Rosa is not stifling a laugh but rather is genuinely shocked at seeing Leslie Knox go down with a woof to Gunther’s entirely accidental backpack fwump. Knox is for sure not innocent, but there seemingly is going to be more to his story than what we have been privy to so far….

If I was doing this storyline, I would include some cartoonish-type dark humor.

quick – help him up two or three times while he is stunned!

Yes, blue humor I don’t like, dark humor I (at times) do.

Gunther may be a bit tongue tied around the girls. But I’m sure his actions are speaking louder than words could ever do to Rosa! I think in the 3rd panel she is in a bit of a state of shock upon seeing Gunther act so forcefully.

Haw, Haw! Gunth, “HIT” ‘ol Needle-Nose so HARD he’s gonna wake up in the middle of Last Tuesday’s Doonesbury Strip in front of a STARTLED Garry Trudeau!

Now let just HOPE that Rosa and the Butterball weren’t rehearsing a scene for the school play….,

Advantage # 316 of being a nerd: lots of heavy text books turn the average backpack into an excellent cardio trainer and makeshift battering ram.

Oh, so well done!

I am really not in favour of violence as a solution, but in High School people are still pups and cubs and physical connection is sometimes the only option for immature people.

Is it me, or does Rosa sort of resemble a Hispanic version of Toni?

Nice shot with the backpack, BTW, Gunth… :)

go Gunther!

and now both Rosa and Gunther get hauled into theoffice for a public display of affection (I know Phelps is the counselor, but who the heck is the principal?)

Rosa now knows that Gunther has her back.

Way to go Gunth! Next, we’ll work on what you say after you knock someone down on purpose.

probably not,

A. It’s a comicB. Luann and Tiff used to fight in the halls ALL the time, just went to the councilor’s office.

she was just playin’ hard to get. See the horrified look on her face because Gunther the bully laid out HER man? She will press charges all right, as witness to the clearly intentional assault on go-tee guy.

Going Gunther.. Make that passive aggression work for you…

Never mess with a dork with 30 pounds of books on his back.

If he tries anything again, girl, kick him in the crotch.

Wasn’t ol Gunth a hero some time back? (rescues Luann from river or somthing) This does reflect his basic character.

Cue the Rocky music

???

What you packin’ there, Gunth?

Gunter to the rescue!!!

Now, swing it off your shoulder and finish him off! (j/k)

Was that beatnik about to grab Rosa’s BOOB? Right there in the hallway?

That’s not for you, beatnik! That’s for my man Gunther!

AMEN

I smell a setup! Everyone knows Gunth likes Rosa but was afraid to act. This was staged to goad him into action.

Is Rose laughing?

hopefully, the greaser’s mom isn’t on the school board….

No comments about Rosa’s safety prom sexual harassment or assault? He apparently touched her against her will, she should press charges.

Good variety of expressions from everyone, and that “FWUMP” is worthy of a Batman cartoon.

There’s not bricks in the backpack, but books. Harder and they leave less bruises. But he did knock the kid into next week didn’t he…

What’s next? (I’m awful at predicting):1) Seeing his prey is not alone, he’ll walk away2) Seeing the protector is Gunth, he’ll slug him.3) He’ll go to the principal or his friends and cause trouble big time.4) Other

Very nice! Even if Guther gets whupped (which I doubt – Greaseball looks to have more grease than guts), mission accomplished!

beware of PAC-MAN….. wocka-wocka-wocka……

Wonder what he would have done if Gunther hadn’t come by?

Greg loves drawing girls like that. Rosa and Brad’s girlfriend look exactly alike, besides the hair color.

I am really anxious to see how Rosa thank’s him!!

Pitts is The School of ____ Knox judging by Leslie’s advances.

D-uh: “Fort?”

Gunther used BUMP. It’s Super Effective!

Yeah!! Gunther’s Maning Up!

I am not ashamed to say, that I have in the past also used my fully loaded backpack to “accidentally” “brush aside” creeps in such a manner. Way to go Gunther!

Weapon of choice. Can you duel with backpacks?

There’s a lot of weight in a nerd backpack.

Still kind of wussy but I’ll give the kid kudos for trying. Used his brains so he wouldn’t be suspended using his fist. Would’a broke a bone anyway.

What the heck is Gunther carrying in his backpack?

That was awesome

Very Nice. Good use of backpack!

Yet, I do see that if Gunther is confronted he will tell the truth about what happened because that is the kind of guy his. But I don’t think his punishment would be severe. Detention or helping with a school fundraiser.

Always use the tools at hand.. Way to go, Gunter!!

HAHA My son (he is very small) told me he did this with his book bag last year to a bully, kid never picked on him again… to funny

Gotta be careful … lady may NOT want the help from you, unless she asks for it. Especially as testosterone boys like confrontation of any kind, ready to pick a fight you may not want. Better to choose calm or quiet methods of defusing the situation, where his ego or pride is not at stake. Lady friend I once had knew submission holds with one hand where she could hold the guy without anyone else knowing to get her point across not to bother her. My hand still hurts when I think about it….

If he goes to the principal, what’s to stop Rosa from telling her side? He can’t call himself the “victim”, here.Besides… What can he do? Sue! Gunther’s “weapon of choice” was a backpack full of everything (and I do mean everything!) Gunther needs for school, according to the school’s agenda.

The last thing he wants is for everyone to hear how he got floored by GUNTHER, of all people.

Gunther doesn’t need a black belt… He’s a PHYSICS major!“When an immovable object meets an unstoppable force…”

There is a history of idiotic decisions made by authorities re someone defending themself or another with justified violence.

The namby pamby squad usually comes up with " Well, you shouldn’t have retaliated. You’re in in the wrong just as much as the person who started it. "

Rock ON G!

My grandkid would have to slap him with his iPad.

Nice move, Gunther!

Forget all the legal crap. This is a cartoon where there can be life without litigation. Humor is the law. Now, Gunther needs to get himself a friend who is built like a gorilla and whose only goal is to graduate so he can join the Marines.I had a friend like that in high school who was referred to as “The Animal.” Gunther’s gorilla can make Needle Nose an offer he can’t refuse.

the number of comments here is amazing. good for you Gunther. more than i could have made myself do when i was your age.

oh-oh Rosa may not like that! She might hate violence and put gunter in the doghouse.

regular “duffel bag”? yes, it looks like a bag, but the military ones(which I specified) are huge, and are able to be put in the back

agree with you about night………. she is trying to contain the laughter of what her hero(Gunther) did

Fully loaded backpacks are considered weapons in open sight……

That is what I was thinking. It would not have surprised me if he would have grabbed her breast. He’s so uncouth!

Hitting someone with a backpack is assault and battery. Fortunately, it was just a simple “mistake” that Gunther immediately apologized for, so there’s little likelihood he’ll get into any trouble for it. Way to think on your feet, Gunth!

Still waters run DEEP. Gunther, you ROCK!

Gunter is double smart, everybody knows “accidents” happen and besides, who would believe Gunter just knocked this dude down? He can’t say anything without humiliating himself in front of the world.

XD,AWESOME SAUCE.

Go, Gunther! Take that bully down!

A more direct approach would have been better. A tap on the shoulder and a punch following the turn-around. And certainly no apology. The principal would understand him defending Rosa against Needlenose’s unwanted advances.

It’s right there on the “greaseball” post.

http://www.thecartooniststudio.com/Blogs/greg/Archives/2012/1/29/AnEthnicSlur/Comments

I’ve seen that look before. .Blow up the last panel. Goatee Boy was hit hard enough to move his eyes from Luann to Peanuts..I’ve seen that look before.

sigh, I knew it was going there. Good thing there’s a guy around, because we women just don’t know how to defend ourselves without men’s help.

Take a GOOD look at that backpack; it should be registered with the PD – as a Lethal Weapon of Chump Destruction!WAY to GO, Gunther!And he didn’t do ANYTHING wrong; he just turned around quick because someone behind him called his name; Right, Rosa?Rosa? Right?

Leslie looks so stupid