Stone Soup by Jan Eliot for December 24, 2014

“Val, you’re under arrest-and I’m your jailer!” – Phil.;-D

Will she or won’t she BLOW IT???Do it Val. Take a chance.

O.M.GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Oh, the suspense is killing Phil (and the “Stone Soup” readers)!

Argh, now we have to wait 24 hours for the answer! Almost 1am at my house now.

Dear Jan, I sincerely hope that you are not planning to do a Bill Watterson on us. A happily ever after (goodbye) for New Years.

Check out Holly with her hands folded, “please say yes” and the girls watching from behind the Christmas tree. I agree with some readers that before I click on Stone Soup I take a deep breath. I also wake up about 2am and fire up the iPad. Merry Christmas everyone!

Oh please oh please oh please!

Just say no!

Yes, Yes, YES !!!!!!

I wonder if Phil and the girls have Skyped Evie about this?

The girls probably just got to know. Since it’s just yesterday’s trip. And Phil should know better to think he will truly be alone with Val at a moment like this. xD

Fun fact, in the early days Phil wasn’t actually black, though I don’t know if that was the colorist’s decision or if his background was changed by Jan after some character development. Back then some color guidelines seem to have been missing because sometimes Evie was drawn as a blonde during the week (1998/11/21 in the archive) and as grey in the Sunday strip the next day. That’s why I think it could be either/or.

But anyway, I was rereading the strips of their first meeting (still in b/w) and was then very surprised to see Phil in his very first color strip (1998/11/25).

Are people actually saying negative stuff about this couple because of race? Admittedly, I don’t read the comments that diligently, but I never noticed anything of the sort.

The word your looking for is YES!.\\//_

PS.As far as race is concerned, there is only one race, the Human Race..\\//_

Is that a look of fear?

Please say yes, please say yes!

If Jan has her say no, that will just be annoying. So she had better say yes.

C’mon, Val, say yes!

He kneeds to ask her before he chickens out. Pardon the fowl language.

What’s the password for Netflix?

Woohoo! Say yes!

Petunia ended this way, too. The office hunk who terrified her for years suddenly confessed his love and married her, and that was the end of the strip.

Of course, it could be just a friendship ring. If so, I hope he can outrun two girls.

In Preteena,the syndicate didn’t want Teena and Gordo together too much. She got even by having them get married at the last comic. And there are still people who will make an issue of it. The Cheerios Ad for one.

I didn’t even realize that Phil was anything other than a male policeman who was a part of the Stone Soup Family. I can’t wait for tomorrow either. Hilarious. Christmas Day and I’m looking forward to a comic strip. :~) ooooopsss my age is showing….

Uh Oh… Somepne asked this on Twitter: @stonesoupcomics I’m following the series with dread. Will you be retiring once Val is married off? You’ve been wrapping up storylines…

This is Jan answer: @TychaBrahe The strip has always had forward movement. It’s hard to keep the characters in one place. Don’t dread! Enjoy…

Now i do hope the answer is no :(

Say yes and don’t end the strip.

please notice who engineered this stunt — the kids,,,,,,,,,,,

Isn’t Phil a cop? Hope Jan doesn’t have him die in the line of duty just when they are getting together. Have Val continue to be the tragic character with a dead husband and dead fiance…..

@realistic, Re “did either ever say I love you?” – they may be doing a lot of communicating when we aren’t snooping.

I’ve got tears in my eyes…what an awesome Christmas present!! Go for it Val!!

Screw the potential burnt roast. This will be a night for celebration – go out to diner (and be sure to bring the girls, you’re marrying them, too!)

Ooh, he’s gonna pop the question!

I guess “alone” is code for “hide behind the tree, but not too well.”

It’s time?!

25 yrs ago today, my guy got on one knee and proposed. I reacted like Val, with nervousness. Understandable.

Bad timing for a proposal. Wait until she is not wearing an apron and in the middle of doing something.

My god he’s down on one knee.

You’re messin’ with our heads big time, Jan-o! But it’s really keeping us on our toes!

Here is the first time that they talk about marriage: http://www.gocomics.com/stonesoup/1999/04/09

If race were no issue, we’d see just as much propaganda for black women to date white men – but we don’t.