Stone Soup by Jan Eliot for January 02, 2015

Phil…all I can say is beware: you are dealing with a 13-year-old! ;)

Val’s husband died from an unspecified illness years ago. He never appeared on the strip.

Apprentice Phil meets the journeyman teen Holly!This is just the beginning…give it time. It will work out! Now…Let us pray!

Right about now Mom takes Holly aside and corrects any misconceptions Holly must have…… Been there, seen it done. Almost couldn’t keep a straight face later on during the abject apology I was given.

My daughter used the “My other daddy” when she wanted something from her dad, it worked until I told him to stop giving in to her. She tried that on her stepdad it didn’t work, he just told her to go ahead and get it from her dad.

This might be a very long engagement.

Hang in there, Phil.

Holly, better be careful or Phil is going to think this over..Would be good if she messes it up for the family.

You still have time Phil, run!

Reality is starting to set in.

I think it’s hilarious! Way to go, Holly!

Holly you pushed for Phil to marry your mom now you will blow it and scare Phil off. He is getting nervous around you.

I am glad Holly is showing her true self early on… :)

Phil doesn’t look good.

I’ve dealt with those 13-year-old’s “jokes” many times (I teach at a middle school). Make it clear — not funny. Funny would have been setting the table by putting the plates upside down or the silverware pointing the wrong way.

Don’t screw it up for your Mom and Phil, Holly. That was just mean.

The kids actually like Phil, that is very rare for a step-parent.He will get along fine with them.

Holly HAS no ‘real’ dad. He’s no longer living. So, they all better shape up to reality. Phil will be ‘it’ and the girls will be fine once they accept this. Val will guide them all, hopefully.

“Luke….I’m not your father. No, really— It’s actually that storm trooper over there.”

I’ve been reading older comics from this strip. Whatever happened to Val’s coworkers? She used to visit her hairdresser, which was always humorous. Since her marriage, Evie has disappeared, along with her family interactions. This strip seems to have become the Val, Holly & Alix strip. Frankly, Holly is disrespectful and quite tiresome and unfunny on a daily basis.

It looks to me like Holy realizes her latest performance has flopped and is about to close. Her body language tells me she’s trying to claim it was funny. On the other hand, I don’t think Phil should have been so taken aback by her "joke","He has seen her dark side, and they get along anyway. But if Ms. Eliot wants to send the plot in that direction, I don’t mind. It IS her comic, after all. And a verygood one!

he is not Dad and never will be. They have to set some rules before he starts telling them what to do or she will despise him before they even get married. 13 year olds are very sensitive about stuff like that.

unfortunately that little ploy works for a lot of spoiled brats in the real world, saw one persons 4 marriages be ruined because she picked her kids side rather than the new husbands.

phil just walk away. you don’t need this

This would have been a good time to talk to Holly about some manners. It is not good to be mean spirited, then say it was a joke. Val should be supporting Phil, not looking the other way while Holly is free to say hurtful things to him. Can you tell I’m a stepmom with lots of experience in this area?