Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for February 26, 2021

Bernice is not quite so belligerent in the last frame.

Is there a good answer to that question, really? ✨

Well, Pointspread, it may be that, deep down, Bernice might actually be a human being, after all.

But no one’s going to believe that, I’m sure.

Bernice, please take note! Instead of looking for the worst in the neat people, try looking for the best in the worst people. You might discover why it is so important to get all the facts…

Well Bernice seems to have summed up the meeting succinctly! 8^ )

Will Tara go the way of Pru? Disappearing into the wilds of southern Utah? Tune in tomorrow… or next week… or ???

I’ve seen Luann’s expression before in a classroom where the substitute teacher forgets what the days lesson is supposed to be for the third time.

Well, as expected, Bernice is feeling foolish. She imagined something worse….like dealing drugs or something. She was honestly worried about Luann. Perhaps she realizes she needs to trust that Luann can make good decisions. THAT remains to be seen. We haven’t heard the whole story about that cousin and exactly why Tara is running away from her. Her story is flimsy and vague.

so Bernice is somewhat satisfied

I know it’s an uphill battle dealing with the negative views here in this arc, Bernice hated, Tara stereotyped, Luann, hopeless and hapless, but this is an example of Bernice’s jumping to conclusions, while worrying about her friend (confused feelings, plus repressed jealousy over Jack), Tara’s tough situation, which might explain why she acts so close to the edge all the time, and Luann caring and taking risks, even telling her bestie that this whole situation was none of Bernice’s business. Now the cat has been belled, what next? You know me the positive, half-full guy. But, as always with this toon, time will tell.

I was expecting Bernice to accuse Tara of lying.

Ehh? Luann

Meanwhile, we haven’t seen anyone shut the back door since it was shown wide open in panel 1 yesterday. Is this an example of the principle of Chekhov’s gun? Or did the writers just show the door open to keep us in suspense about the possibility of someone else coming in? Stay tooned.

Welp, I’ve been gone for nearly three weeks and this is just the perfect arc to come back to. The maturity, the sheer creativity is simply astounding.

Theres been some debate (well, more like Cheap vs everyone) and here’s my two cents. Bernice is absolutely in the wrong here, like, wow this has gone much farther than it should. But also, If I were Luann and I had a friend like this, someone who is nosy and doesn’t let things go….I probably would have just told her about Tara from the beginning or at the very least told her that it wasn’t Jack. Not saying that Bernice’s action are ok, she’s being extremely immature. But if it were me and I know that she likes Jack, I’d tell her that it’s not him just to avoid the nagging.

As for Bernice, this went waaaaaaaaay too far. Until you admit that you like the guy you have absolutely no business being anywhere near this possessive. And even if you do admit it to her, you have no business following her without her knowledge. However I’m glad she’s calmed down. Hopefully she doesn’t cause trouble for Luann or Tara.

You do not see Bernice at a loss of words too often! Good chance the “Snoop” will keep Luann/Tara’s little secret now but kind of a “meh” resolution to this arc if this is how it ends. Perhaps we have someone else showing up tomorrow, is there any chance that Bernice tripped a silent alarm so that either the cops, TJ or Frank & Nancy suddenly show up?

One cool way to end this would be Bernice deciding its time to go back home and tells Tara and Luann that Tara could have her room if it is okay with Nancy and Frank. Perhaps the Fuse could use some part time help and Luann could recommend Bernice to TJ or Nancy. I know this is doubtful speculation but Tara does add a bit of intrigue to the strip as she is polar opposite of Bern (and Luann actually). It would be a shame if she is written off the strip by going to Utah.

If G&K really want to redeem themselves with this story arc, they’ll have Bernice get introspective about whether or not she’s cut out to be a therapist.

About the only person who encouraged her to go in that direction was Miss Phelps, and she’s on that long list of “characters that will never come back.”

Bet you feel stupid now.

Bernice was just ishing.

I think Bernice expected something much worse but what she found was a friend helping out a friend.

Helloooo, Bernice. Going to learn from this? No?

After a nice warm bath of embarrassment, Bernice may actually feel better.

Those moments when nosy people die is so satisfying.

Maybe we’re witnessing an example of “survival of the fittest” and dumping Tara. She really has not been used very much, like Pru, like Piro, like Dez, like the university dorms, like the college life in general.

Bern may suddenly find a door open – at her home or at school. So many interesting potential plots if Tara gets the extra room at the DeGroots. How would Tara and Nancy interact?

I’ll say this for Bernice: She calmed down right away after being given the facts. She even seems halfway to being contrite.

We’ve all seen innumerable videos where the Karen doesn’t back down.

Well, it looks like Tara wasn’t doing anything sinister. She was just accepting Luann’s offer of help. Bernice was just worried for her friends safety. So, Tara heads off to Utah and Luann and Bernice strengthen their friendship.

I find Bernice the sanest of the trio here. Luann is clueless There are – in real life – things horribly wrong with someone sleeping in a situation like this. Think of the legal ramifications if something were to go dramatically wrong. And what does Tara young woman specializing in crappy behavior … well – I wouldn’t put a lot of trust in stashing her in the folks’ business overnight. And sneaking her into the house? Why not level with the folks and give her a place on the couch? this story line is just flat out wrong thinking

I’m in the put Bernice out in the cold and let Tara sleep in Bernice’s bed camp.

I take it “acting stupid” is some sort of criminal activity that might get the home SWATed?

It was at that moment Bernice realized she was not a nice person.

Little pathetic when you think of it. Tara is homeless so sleeps in a storeroom full of chemicals.

Bernice shouldn’t back down. She should then ask if Luann told her parents about it since they own the building and the storage room was not Luann’s to lend out.

In fact, why did Luann even have a key to the building? She doesn’t work there, does she? She has no reason to have a key and she sure as heck shouldn’t be giving it to someone she really barely knows.

And then Bernice should ask if this was really the best idea Luann could come up with. But she probably already knows the answer to that one.

Take your time, Bernice. This is all about YOU, right?

Luann is still holding the toilet brush lol

Luann set up the idea of annoying Bernice by pretending Jack was in her room – something Luann knew would hurt Bernice. Luann lied to her best friend about her activities. She gave a key to her parent’s building to a thief without telling them. And people today are treating Bernice as the ‘bad guy’ in the scenario? Something off here, IMO.

The character of Bernice is quickly becoming nothing more than comic relief. The snoopy Gladys Kravitz from Bewitched. Ralph Furley from Three’s Company.Jack? I like him. I like Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove also

Maybe it’s also about fundamental things like having a place to sleep at night and perhaps Bern is feeling a little guilt that she has a bed and a room courtesy of the DeGroots and now Luann is extending that same helping hand to Tara. The flip side is that it didn’t need to be a secret; when things are kept secret and you don’t know something that’s when the imagination roams wild and the worst is assumed. All of us do that. Tara created a situation where Luann wanted to help and then insisted that she do so in secret.

No, she’s not happy now.

Bernice seems a bit chastened here. Perhaps she should rethink becoming a therapist. She is a conclusion jumper and can’t seem to remain objective while gathering FACTS not conjecture. There is no shame in changing a major.

Bernice is at a loss for words because she was expecting a story that made sense. “But …. you gave the cousin your home … didn’t tell the parole officer … didn’t tell the DeGroots … slept in a busy storeroom instead of Tiffany’s mansion … you know what, whatever!”

Bernice? Human? Don’t be so foolish! lol

Finally Bernice “The Snoop” knows Tara’s problem. And so? Is she satisfied now? Tara is ready to run away from her cousin and I don’t think Bernice will try to stop her (that’s Luann’s duty as a friend). Now, I just hope Tara’s cousin will appear and Bernice and Tara will be forced to understand each other. The way Luann is looking at Bernice in the last panel sounds like a big “Bern. What’s wrong with you?!” and I’m not saying their friendship is dead, but surely this was a huge accident with a lot of damages.

This is a humbling moment for Berniece. And she has the grace to look a bit humiliated and guilty here.

WOW This is really really stupid. I thought having Luann as the one total clown in this comic was ok – just for the stupid comments, pratfalls etc, but now we have Bernice being an idiot as well. I honestly think the writer for this comic strip needs some supervision, maybe a brain transplant or even better yet, an outright firing. There is no continuity. It’s almost as though Greg draws the pictures and then leaves Karen to just randomly fill in words whether they make sense or not. Now they’ll have all the girls go back home, sing kumbaya and Luann will never learn what she did was horribly wrong. Not a good example at all for the young people who read the strip. Maybe Luann could be a teaching tool for parents who want to show their young adults what not to do in life.

Well if Tara had any second thoughts about leaving town for Utah, Bernice just DROVE those “thoughts” right out of Miz Starr’s noggin.

Now that the secret is out, Tara should tell Bernice the rest. That’s she’s leaving town probably never to return. And she should also lie and tell Bernie it’s all “her fault.” It’s past time somebody laid a major guilt trip on her.

It’s too bad Tara’s is leaving.

“IF” she’s leaving. Her character didn’t strike me as one one who would run from anything. Least of all a weird cousin who’s violating parole.

In the end, Tara’s real “problem” was that she hung out with the wrong crowd.

Not that bunch of malcontents at Mooney. I meant Nil, Jack, and Luann. It would have been more fun if Tara had hung out with Tiffany, Les, even Ox.

Tara, (among MANY others) should have a frequent visitor to the Gulag. Her first meeting with Bets would have been memorable to say the least.

It’s a damned shame.

And speaking of the Gulag…….,

Too real for you, Bernice?

“Oh, just tell the snoop.” Great line.

Seems like a win, win for Bernice. No, Tara’s not the bad guy, but Tara’s cousin is. So, now, thinks Bern, what about this cousin can I dig up?

It might even be possible that Bernice has some suggestions that might help. Lot of ‘mights’ but it could happen.

Ann is gone. Now Bernice is the trouble maker in this comic.

Sunday: Frank ponders getting a Security Alarm for The Fuse.

Now that the expected fireworks is over (?) and there has been “some” explanation, Bernice does seem sympathetic to Tara’s situation. You’d think if they put their minds to it, they’d find a solution, hopefully before they are discovered in the storage room!

It was a mistake to tell Bernice about Tara’s situation. Bernice is a real stickler for OTHER people following rules, so nothing good will come of this. Bernice will think she needs to report the cousin to the police.

Like some others, I would like that GnK find a role for Tara. She was one of three most interesting new characters from the college transition. Dez and Bets being the other two.

Perhaps Tara could become a character “from the other side of the tracks.” Like Jessica Rabbit. She’s not “evil” she just appears that way due to circumstances.

Please have every strip be embarrassing Bernice in some way. Thank you.

It seems like everyone who is posting here has FORGOTTEN the really huge error in judgement they had Luann display by handing over the keys to her parents business to Tara. Is that okay somehow now? What makes it okay? The chance of Bernice being ridiculed? For me, Luann’s actions are so completely and totally out of line there are just no words to describe it and anyone who paints her as a hero is just plain crazy. I would like to know what rationalization there possibly is for a teenager giving access to a parents business to anyone. And what about their business partners? This whole story line is so incredibly stupid, contrived and ill-advise it is unbelievable. G&K should be ashamed of the whole thing. All they have done is once again paint a picture of a self absorbed, entitled young adult who contributes absolutely nothing to her family…or the planet.

Sick of this. Looking forward to the next arc.

Don’t be too happy with the misfortunes of others. Even if tempted, lament the conditions which would have justified happiness.

And the plot thins like a bowl cream o wheat with a gallon of non-fat milk.

Somebody hand Bernice a dish of crow, please.

Kwazy Kousin is acting stupid. Keep it vague, keep it vague, keep it vague! Maybe she stole candy. Maybe she’s a serial killer!

I’m still waiting for Tara’s cousin to show up.

Bernice is WAY over the line here and needs a serious intro to the concept of boundaries.

Bernice puts the Butt in BUTTINSKY!

Tara is furious!

Feeling a little foolish-ish?

What time is it? Shouldn’t Bernice and Luann be sleeping? And how do the DeGroots feel about people coming in and out of their house in the middle of the night?

Nosy rosy! Now she is gonna go and tell Luann’s parents and get her in all sorts of trouble.

“Ish…?” Is she referring to herself or the situation?

Bernice cares about Luann in the first place.

I was really hoping Luann would have to use that toilet brush to break them up.

Bernie is working so hard to become a contender along with Shannon and Ann Eiffel for the title of Most Disliked Character in Luann! And she may even win! Much hinges on the outcome of this arc….

Imagine how desperate you’d have to be to camp out in a storage room alone in a closed restaurant. Sounds scary to me. Luann wanted to bring her to the DeGroots’, but Tara would have no part of Bernice. Think how deep that feeling has to be to choose a floor in a storage room over a bed in a safe home. No one denies that Luann had no right to offer The Fuse to Tara. No one here ever gave Luann a pass on that. Bern has been an insufferable snoop and a terrible BFF. Tara’s story was not Luann’s to tell, and Luann does not have to assuage Bern’s insecurities.

“Just tell the SNOOP”. At least Tara is candid about things.

Um, just a reminder for people who have commented that Tara refused to stay at Luann’s house “because of Bernice”. Tara refused because she “didn’t want everybody up in her business.” In other words, she does not like answering to anyone or following any rules. If she wants to live that way, that’s her prerogative, but I don’t feel sorry that she stayed in a storage room, because she preferred it that way.

Yep, that was the right tool for the right time. Mess cleaned up and we’re feeling all better now!