Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for January 19, 2019

One way or another, Ann is going down once Tom sees the light.

Seems that Tiff was less ‘Cut Off’ than ‘Cut Down.’ ✨

Time to get a job, Tiff. Then you can get your own damn card.

Well I MUST say I’m a bit disappointed with THIS “development.” Tiffany knuckling under to Ann instead of making a clean break with Tom and the Witch and striking out on her own and showing her dad what she can do. It’s not unexpected mind you. Just disappointing.

And if this is Tiffany’s fate, then it doesn’t bode well for other character’s in the Strip like Gunther and to a lessor extent, Brad and Toni. All to some degree under the heel of a heartless “oppressor.” Ann, Les, even Jonah. All grinding others under their boot heels to suit their own selfish ends.

When and How will all this Oppression end? Or will it ever? Oh Well, there’s always Hope for better next week.

Until then, Sad Times :(

Am I the only one who wants to see something entertaining and apocalyptic happen to EFFIEL?

Is Tiff too old to run away from home?

Tiffany is going to try to figure out if the credit limit on her new card is enough to buy a casket for Ann.

The name of this comic is Luann. So were is Luann beside Sunday!!

Saturday, and I hope this is not the end of Tiffany’s arc. We can’t be left hanging, just to go over and watch Gunther and Leslie doing dishes.

Tiff’s first purchase: A book about dealing with toxic people.

Not very smart of Anne, giving Tiffany a nudge toward independence. She loosened her grip on Tiffany in the name of increasing it.

I hope Tiffany has enough pride to make that shrimp salad her first and last purchase on that credit card. It’s one thing for her father to set a reasonable – or not so reasonable, for that matter – credit limit for her. It’s quite another for him or his surrogate to scrutinize every one of the Tiffany’s purchases. The first course of action shows some trust in Tiffany and a willingness to help her establish and learn about good spending habits. The latter is designed to control and humiliate her.

Question: What is the one factor in all of Ann’s schemes and throwdowns? Answer: power and control. Ann’s goal isn’t necessarily money. That’s and extra factor. She gets off on control over others.

Bad news for the Gulag Twins. Tiffany’s going to snag a sugar daddy richer than daddy daddy and inflict financial karma upon the happy couple.

Probably not. But I bet she could pull it off. ( Let’s see. Is that short Elvis clone still available?)

I’m pleased with Tiffany’s defiance in insisting on paying for her own shrimp salad despite the new limits.

Fear not, fans. Remember, Tiffany may be broke, but she’s not “flat busted.” Sorry, old joke.

Please, Evanses, bring back Crystal! Tiffany needs her now more than ever.

Charles Schulz once said in an interview: “The most important thing in a comic strip is to have characters that people care about.” Too bad some like Ann Eiffel, Jonah and TJ stay on, while others like Delta, Knute and Crystal have been jettisoned.

Well for once it appears I am absolutely right in Luannverse. Ann is a control freak, and she has found rich, and I mean rich, picking with Tom and Tiffany Farrell. The money is good, but being a grifter she always will make money. She wants control, and if you think about it she has tried with nearly all the other main characters in the “verse” at one time or the other, but they have rebuked her everytime, including Les himself. But Tiffany? Tiffany is a poor little rich girl, dependent on Daddy for financial support, so the way to control her is to control Daddy. So that is where it stands for now.

Looks like it’s time for Ann to be brought down off her self-imposed throne. Let’s see what Gunther’s new stepfather can do.

Why is Tiffany just giving in? She needs to leave her Dad and prove that she can do it on her own.

Tiffany should get a job waitressing. In a high end restaurant where friends & business acquaintances of her father will frequent and recognize her. And will be questioning what’s going on if Tom Farrell’s daughter has to wait tables to pay for college.

The first credit card Tiffany’s ever had that had an ankle bracelet attached to it!

Tom is leaving the fox in charge of the henhouse.

Take a big fat cash advance on the card

Tiff should get a job at a restaurant waiting tables were she knows Tom goes to eat.

Speaking as a father of two, I’d have done that to good ol’ Tiff a long long time ago.

I like Tiffany. This is a horrible arc.

Ok, I’m a little tired of the bad guy winning all the time. If I want that, I’ll turn on the news.

That’s why I like "New Amsterdam ". Yes it’s sappy, but it’s nice to see almost everyone do the right thing every week.

I can’t remember what Tiffany is supposed to be studying in college. To this day, Tiff seems to have no interest in anything but fashion, hair, makeup. Something or other needs to happen to prompt Tiffany to move forward in life. It will not please me if Ann winds up in the slammer and Tiffany returns to going on summer cruises with Daddy and having an unlimited budget to spend on primping. So G & K – keep it interesting – we’ll see…

Why do I bother with this strip, all it does lately is irritate me.

Unless you’re a gag-a-day strip, slice-of-life thrives on drama. And with Ann Awful, there’s always drama. As I mentioned elsewhere however, extended drama without satisfying resolution becomes too painful and people tend to go elsewhere. Personally I’m sorry she ever came back from Tokyo. I actually took a hiatus from Luann for quite a while because of her, and I’m kind of ready for another one; I feel somewhat tainted whenever I consider how badly Ann is manipulating everyone around her, ostensibly with no consequences, merely to satisfy her own criminal ego. We have enough of that going on in our country right now in real life to want another dose of it in the “funnies.”

I have no love for Tiffany, but these humiliations have to stop. Now Ann Awful is personally spying on her? What’s next? An implanted chip?

The new card doesn’t actually have a spending limit, just the monitoring app. So Tiff can still spend all she wants, with Ann knowing about it.

How will Ann’s monitoring app be any different from what she does now? Ann knew how much Tiff spent last month on makeup. The credit bill is itemized. Certainly Tiffany could ask to spend time alone with her father to talk about school or something personal. Just don’t suggest the alone time in front of Ann.

I’m just waiting for her comeuppance. This is par for the course. Anytime Ann thinks she has the upper hand, fate deals her a swift kick below the belt. Happened in her past two jobs. Happened with her lingerie scam. It will happen with this. We just gotta be patient.

I’m confused. At the end of the Soufflé arc Tom cut her allowance in half and doubled her therapy sessions. Now we find out she has had an unlimited credit card.

Why do I get the feeling that tomorrow’s strip will have Tiffany cutting Ann’s credit card?

As amusing as the plethora of comments are, (and, believe me, I have had quite a few of them in my head or in the comments section about who is doing what to whom, etc.) the one thing that it all boils down to is…..it’s just a comic. This one, in particular, spurs a bit of drama among us all. Others give a brief ‘vacation’ from the realities of the world. Take them for what they are, single panel laughs, multi-panel groans/amusement (sorry Mr. Pastis, you fit in on both sides of that slash), or a bit of make believe drama (if that’s your choice of reading media), but ultimately they are just comics. ;-)

oh please, pay for the salad then cut up the card and give it back to her.

I don’t eat shrimp, but $25 doesn’t seem like a bad price at all for a shrimp salad, especially at a swamky place like that. Besides, who picked the restaurant? If Ann doesn’t want Tiff to be spending that much $$$, she should have met her at McDonalds.

There is a prepaid card like this. It’s used by parents who want to help their children learn how to manage money wisely. I had wanted to get with another guy and get one for a mutual friend who can’t control her spending sprees. Unfortunately, the other guy didn’t want the added expense as he was already taking care of her rent and utilities. Her SNAP card has helped some, but she still maxes out the card and comes back for help to get her through the month. And that’s even with three food pantry visits each month. She doesn’t have a frugal bone in her body. Tiff is a lot like this woman. They were both the princess of their family.

I’ve always thought that if I were in a situation where I was reliant on other people’s money I’d try to be fairly frugal in my actual expenses but also take out cash I didn’t immediately need in order to build up a nest egg in case my circumstances changed.

In Tiffany’s case, she probably could have built up a sizable reserve.

I believe this is the end of this arc—for now. Tiffany has accepted Ann’s terms on spending since she knows her dad fully supports Ann. I’m sure Ann and Tom have discussed Tiff’s Spending habits and Ann has graciously offered to bring her to heel, which she has just done! So Tom will be even more grateful to Ann for imposing the discipline he feels his daughter needs but which he can’t bring himself to do.

How can she make a break? She’s a leech!

Maybe tiff will just make a clean break from her dad and Ann and learn to live on her own terms. It’s time to become a self sufficient adult. And if she’s willing to let her dad go maybe that will open His eyes to how ann really is

I noticed ANN isn’t curbing any of HER spending. So much for Daddy’s “money problems”! Oh wait I guess Ann is the cause of those.

I hate the depressing Ann the Oppressor arcs. I keep hoping goodness will prevail, but noooooooooo. Let me know when the witch is ….. permanently dispatched. Time for a new, less ominous villain. Meanwhile, Sally Forth is more uplifting than this.

As Tiffany gets up to leave on Monday, she should grab the tablecloth so that when she yanks it, that filet mignon (with gravy, I assume) will end up on Ann’s lap.

As I predicted … Ann’s steak is done “rare” …

This “crush Tiffany” arc is so over the top depressive that one wonder if it has been done before? Let’s see, hmmmm. Tiffany is “Little Orphan Annie” (psychologically). Tom is Daddy Warbucks (in reverse). Ann is either the original Mrs. Warbucks or Miss Treat from the orphanage. Oxford is Punjab (or maybe Jack?). With Les filling in for The Asp. Except no one is coming to Tiff’s rescue.

Cinderella could be a fit. Wonder who could play the Wicked Stepmother? Leapin’ Lizards… that’s a tough one.

Gunther used to be “Annie” and was the model irrepressible, down-trodden figure in the strip. Tiffany seems to have take that spot over in spades. Looking back; her brief “Old Tiffany” brush with Jack and Luann at Kidz Place now seems so surreal. Maybe Gunther could be Sandy. Arf! Nice doggy. Let’s run away to Brazil. NAH! That’s been done too.

Gunther and Tiffany would pair up quite easily. Move to Toontown. Live happily ever after where the sun always shines and Merry Melodies play all day.

Hey! Greg! Let’s wrap this up and move on.

Boringggggggggggggg

Ann is someone that needs to be wiped from the comic. I don´t mind the antagonistic character like Les and such – but injustice as we see from Ann makes my blood boil.

Please stop! Ann needs to get what she deserves soon! The bad guy wins in the real world too much already, I read comics to feel GOOD! Knock that smug witch off her high horse already!

I hope that Tiffany realizes that for Ann every purchase on that card will be excessive. Ann likes the control she has and will exercise it every chance she has. That’s a problem for her because a basic rule for grifters is don’t get greedy. She will overplay her hand and get burned for it.

What makes this sad is that Ann is SOOOO evil, but Tiffany really is spoiled, and needs to learn a few lessons. Jut not from the evil witch.

Ann Eiffel has to go

I’d like to see Tiffany have an epiphany. I’d like to see her decide to use the new “monitoring system” to her advantage. Maybe she’ll opt to get a paying job so she doesn’t have to use the new card for everything. Maybe she’ll open a bank account in her own name – she may have to be frugal in real life and use the CC to buy things she will sell for cash (to raise money for the bank account (minimum balance). Maybe she’ll get a paying job to supliment her $$. Maybe she’ll “play” Ann by becoming a better person and developing a better relationship with her Dad? (I have a feeling part of the problem with Tiffany and her Dad is that they have “nothing in common” to actually talk about that isn’t advirsarial. :( And maybe Tiffany developing some financial skills/Life skills might help.)

The maybe not so obvious parallel here is how the Veronica Lodge character is portrayed in the ongoing Riverdale TV series. In the original Archie comic strip, Veronica is the obscenely rich daddy’s girl, who almost invariably gets what she wants, materially and otherwise. But in the Riverdale TV series, she is at odds with her ex-con father and strikes out on her own, rejecting the trappings of wealth. Not that this strip is necessarily a variation on the Archie series (although in reality, there’s a reason why Archie has been around for nearly 80 years). But if nothing else, as a reflection of the times, it would be nice to see Tiff, Gunther and some of the others in this strip who can’t seem to catch a break finally do so. The precedent began with the Revenge Of The Nerds film series some years ago, although by the time the fourth installment came along, there were many who were converted to the jocks’ cause instead! Time for Tiff, Gunther et al to think outside of the box just a bit.

It’s is very hard for a daddy’s girl or boy to be truly independent until they inherit. Ann may have her own selfish reasons to keep Tiff under a tight control, but if Tiff is smart, she could use this as a springboard for adulthood, although I seriously doubt it.

Tiff should’ve said, “yeah, put that shrimp salad on it,” with gusto!

Anyone else see Ann’s last comment as a criticism of Tiffany’s weight? Ann is out to destroy Tiffany’s mental health and shut her out of her father’s life. Tiffany should buy a new wardrobe, and a one way ticket to Paris along with a year’s lease on a studio apartment with her new card on the same day, shred the card, and go work for Simone.

Ann issued the invitation (order?) and chose the restaurant. She pays for lunch, not her guest. You do not invite someone to lunch and then make them pay or tell them what they can order.

What’s so bad about a young person having to learn financial responsibility? So what if it’s Ann Eiffel doing the teaching. Now, let’s get on to something else.

Gutless.

She could take out her own card and settle it each month by a transfer from the monitored card. If that doesn’t fly then start paying for everything in cash.

Time to cut the apron strings. There is no need for a young, capable adult to be dependent on – and monitored by – a conniving wicked stepmother. Tiff can get a job, pay her own bills, and/or get married and start her own family, and then just maintain a courteous but superficial relationship with her father and his sex toy. That is the best solution, given the fact that Tom is obviously, unfortunately, not interested in having a real relationship with his daughter.

Then don’t ask me to meet you at $30 shrimp salad restraunts, MOM!?!

Tiffany’s dad should be doing this himself. She is his daughter. If he has some problem with her or her spending he should be the one talking to her. I have lost respect for Tom.

What Tiff should have said: “No, put it on HER bill. She’s been digging around in it with her fingers, picking out all the shrimp——I’m certainly not going to eat it NOW!”

As Yankeefan55 said, Tiff should have been reined in on her spending a long time ago. But TOM should have been the one to do it. As someone else said, he probably didn’t want to come across as the “Bad Dad,” so when Ann jumped in and volunteered to help him with his jealous, out of control daughter, he was more than happy to let her handle it. I know all the Tom Farrell haters will disagree with this, but—he was and is a businessman, running one or more companies most likely. Also a single parent with NO EXPERIENCE on how to raise a child. So he gave in to her, and catered to her, and Tiff got used to that. She never thought it would end. She was wrong.

So while I agree Ann should NOT be the one discussing this with Tiff, Tiff does need to be put on a budget. I mean, COME ON! $40.00 for ONE lipstick? SERIOUSLY????

“Nip Her In The Budget!”

“Checks And Balances”

“One Capital Offense”

“She’ll Have To Leave Home, Without It!”

“You Don’t Want To Know What’s In My Wallet!’

“Tiffany Discovers Her Visa Is Revoked”

“One Chip, And You’re All Out Of Dip”

“Just Swipe That Mile Off Your Trace!”

“Never Stand Too Close To A Ledger”

“Chomping At The Debit”

“No One Saves A Penny Like Plastic, Man!”

“The Black Widow Is A Card Shark”

“So, You Take It… To The Limit… One More Time…” (♩)

or

“You Don’t Make Any Cents!”

Tiff is letting Ann win. Ann is probably feeding Daddy Dearest lies doing her best to cut off Tiff so Ann can get all of Daddy’s $$. Tiff may be needy and dumb but Ann is a bitch. And, why in the heck is she the one who will be monitoring Tiff’s new credit card?

I don’t get it….

Could have been worse.

Could have been better.

In this universe,

Ann holds the tether.

Well Tiffany what you did to your family and friends over the years pay back are hell

will this ever end – come on G&K enough of Ann expose her ways to Tom – let Tiff and her Dad work on their relationship and write Ann out of the strip – she is an evil bitch that really doesn’t fit well in this strip

PS if the comics had a dislike button, I’m sure the arcs with bitch Ann in them would have more dislikes than likes

Tiffany was not independent. She was totally depended on money bags daddy. Now the dragon lady is there in the way.

It’s quite interesting to note that this is very similar to the way Ann has treated Les. Perhaps her way of showing affection to “her” children is to subdue them and control them in everything, expecially about money? Poor, sick sad person.

tomorrow: drama as Knute applies for a car loan, Crystal refuses to co-sign.

I wonder if Ann has Tom convinced that if she’s the one dealing with Tiffany’s spending habits, Tom can avoid looking like the bad guy. Some people just can not deal with saying “NO!” to their kids and the kids getting upset with them.

Can Tiffany get cash advances on that card? If she takes out a cash advance, Ann has no way to see what she’s spending money on.

And there are other ways to curb her spending habits than monitoring her on an app. Get her a card with a low credit limit, or a debit card where you only deposit so much in the attached account per month. Let her figure out how to budget. Ann is deliberately doing this in the most humiliating way possible.

I remember a story on Etiquette Hell, where a woman’s mother drove her nuts nagging her about her spending habits while she was in college. Mom got the bank statements at the house, wouldn’t show them to daughter but would call her up to question why she spent this or that or went to store A instead of B. Daughter just started taking out cash at the ATM so her Mom wouldn’t know where she was shopping and she started asking “Why did you this ATM instead of that ATM?” Daughter put up with it until graduation, then promptly closed out her old accounts and opened accounts that had her own name & address on them so Mom had no more access. And Mom was absolutely SHOCKED that daughter didn’t want Mom’s “help” managing her money anymore.

Ya see, Ann expects to inherit when Tom passes, so any funds spent by Tiffany are a reduction of her future inheritance. Quite simple really. ;-}

Why in the world is Tiff’s dad not doing this himself? His daughter is his responsibility. That rag he sent is out of line.

Will no one relieve me of this Annie most awful?!

Sometimes it takes a thoughtful humanitarian assassin….

As much as I dislike Ann Awful, this will be good for Tiff. Sounds a lot like Tough Love to me, even if it’s not meant that way.

Hang on a minute! Didn’t anybody else catch that Tiff is saying NOT to put her shrimp salad on Ann’s bill? That she’d pay for her own?

Wonder if Tiffany’s father’s will has been changed lately.

Hmm… the right thing for Tiffany to do is take Ann’s scissors and cut the new credit card in half, hand the two halves to Ann, and walk out. But it’s hard to tell where this story line is headed.

Is there ever any hope that Ann Eiffel get’s street pizzaed by a bus? (And who would pay the check on the pizza?)

Definitely losing interest in a storyline about a bad guy who never faces consequences.

This ring around a story between Tiffany and Anna is getting really old, for starters its way to predictable, two I honestly don’t know how Tiffany would bend every time to Anna, moreover this isn’t the same character who I grew up reading, and I get it people change, but if your being dragged through the mud each time some hidden instinct of yours will reawaken, and I get it you to want to keep this character because she provides drama or she’s the villain or she’s the character you want fans to hate, however; you’re plot just seems to dull

I though comics where to give you a break from reality. .this one is getting to be a total bummer. If I wanted drama and unhappiness then I would be watching soap operas all day or the news

Why should she only have iced tea when she’s having lunch with you?

Where is the dislike button