In the first frame that isn’t a bookcase, Janis is pretty clearly ticked about something. Arlo’s trying to charm her into moving past whatever the issue was — and misses the mark.
For the record: the strip reflects Matthew’s account of the empty tomb story. Matthew 28:1-10, in which there’s an earthquake, the stone rolls away, two women (Mary, and the other Mary) appear, and a solitary angel perches atop the rolled-away stone.
So, this series was written during a time when “Annie’s” subscribers were dwindling and the end of the strip was in sight.. An old institution was entering its final days, the victim of changing time and demographics. I’m seeing parallels between “Annie” and the Broadcast Ranch.
Only those of us of a certain age will pick up on the T.S. Eliot reference. Oh, and Bewitched, too. :)