While I feel bad for her (it’s heartbreaking to see her crying like this), Toni should realize that Brad needs some time to cool off and process what’s happened before she tries talking to him again. Right now, she’s only making things worse by trying to patch things up.
He’s acting like a jerk. You communicate your feelings, not punish people in relationships. He’s knowingly hurting her, while she accidentally angered him. Lousy story line- makes one lose respect for the characters.
I have to say, Brad is right this time. Since Brad said he could handle things, going around him, even to stand up for him, was disrespectful and even patronizing. I hope they get through this, but they need to have a serious discussion first.
Brad was right to tell Toni to wait until he cools off before talking. He could say something he could regret later otherwise. Women remember this stuff.
Think about getting today’s comic on t-shirts and mugs. I don’t know about you but can you imagine reaching for your morning coffee in a mug of Toni’s misery and shame? D:
Wow… I’m in pretty much exactly this situation right now. My girlfriend of 3 years just told me that she wasn’t feeling the love anymore, and that she wants some “time apart.” I’m still in the denial phase. Cross your fingers for me. Dunno why I’m baring my soul on a comics forum board… guess that’s what happens when you haven’t been able to get to sleep even at almost 4 in the morning, you’ve just gotten a bolt out of the blue, and a comic strip just struck a chord. But still, I don’t know any of you. But anyways. Writing this is preferable to thinking too much right now. I hope all of you out there are in better situations than Brad and I.
About today’s strip, Brad is pretty foolish but I never thought he could be so cold. He has the right to be mad at her but saying that was pretty rude, Toni never even got to explain. Granted her explanation might not do her much good since she deliberately disobeyed him and that was what made him mad in the first place, BUT she could at least have gotten to say why she did it.
Thanks mojitobaby. I think I did ok on the French exam. Hope you did well in Spanish, debiera haberle ayudado como ya hablo el idioma. Cuidate mucho, le deseo lo mejor.
There remains an undercurrent of irony in that an experienced firefighter is forced to cling to a job at Weenie World to survive. It speaks volumes for what is wrong with the nation’s economy.
This story is taking a bad turn. Bad should be able to see that his friends have done him a favor. What would be his future selling hot dogs? What would be his future with a voracious manager, who way playing him? There comes a time to man up and get a reality check. Come on Greg, don’t lead us down a childish, immature storyline.
Self-loathing has driven Brad to strike out against the one who loves him most. He needs to cool off, start thinking rationally, apologize to Toni and beg her forgiveness, and direct his anger where it should be directed.
This seems to take a storyline full circle. If you remember, Brad tried to warn Toni of Dirk and she got very angry. She too wasn’t able to see the truth in Brad’s warnings and actions. Now it’s Brad’s turn to deal with someone seeing what is really happening when he’s not able or willing. In Brad’s defence, Brad might know what Anne is/was but needed ther job because it’s his mom and dad who will suffer most he he has to give up the renting of the house.
Now would be a good time for the Fire Dept. to call him up and offer him back the job that he really wants to have. Then Weenie World will look really small and insignificant to him. The thing is, after making Toni feel rotten the last few days over a small job, she might not be around to celebrate with him going back to the Fire Department.
More possible drama – Toni feels rotten. She packs up and leaves town that night to go live somewhere else. Brad gets called back into the Fire Dept., but it’s to fill in Toni’s empty spot. How do you feel now Brad?
Don’t be too sure about that. Brad’s still neglecting to take a few things into account.
He’s probably the first person Toni’s really loved, and the men in her life so far haven’t been either reliable, stable or trustworthy. She may feel so guilty and worthless abot his being fired that she leaves as kher suggested (what a great plot wrinkle!) or she may see this as Brad’s turning on her when she was trying to fight for their relationship, and that he’s just another guy who can’t be trusted to put her before pleasing his boss.
I don’t see this being smoothed over quite so easily.
One thing everyone is ignoring so far is TJ’s role in all these shananigans. He needs to fess up and tell Brad that it was his idea. If he does that, it would go far to mending the wounds Brad has towards Toni. But does TJ have the gumption to admit his faults?
Good move, Brad. The one thing we can always count on is that you will always be stupid. Do you have the whole story? Do you wonder why TJ and Toni were discussing what took place on the phone? No – that’s to much thinking for a weenie like you. Now you can throw away the one good thing you had and become the blob on the couch again.
TJ – start like this: “Hey, Buddy. You know how I come up with these great ideas that, for reasons I can’t quite figure out, seem to explode like napalm all over everybody?”
Many times in life I wish I had waited to talk until I had calmed down. I believe when Brad has a little time himself, he will then be able to listen to Toni’s explanation. They totally love each other – it won’t end over this. They’ll get through it and get stronger. Brad is showing unexpected maturity to hold off talking until his anger subsides.
NOW “they” are starting this “first” crap HERE! …. What is it? People have nothing BETTER to do except to wait until a ‘toon’ is posted so they can say “first” ???..Take 2-bits and get a life!
Wonder if he’ll go back to Ann and beg for his job back, saying he put Toni in her place. If he does Toni should kick him to the curb no matter what Ann does.
This relationship between Toni and Brad is so good for him. He should have never ended up with such a beautiful woman…he’s mad, but he’s only on a power trip because she messed up and hes in control..won’t last long though because we all know Brad is not that smart and Toni is not the dumb..
I think that Brad is showing some intelligence right here. He knows he is mad enough to say or do something he will regret, thus he is ’not ready to talk" to her just yet. Showing actual maturity.
Of course, Greg will now move on to one of the other plot lines and leave this one hanging for a while I bet.
Greg didn’t bring Effiel back just for this, I believe that Brad will talk her into giving hi another chance, may even tell her he and toni are not speaking, and then Effiel will do what she does best and Brad will see everyone was right. This could help strengthen their relationship;
Well, I’m new to this and I find it interesting that most of the comments seem to be posted by people around my age (I’m guessing). Anyway, I’ve been with my husband for 30 years and all I can say on the subject is that NOBODY disrespects your spouse. This woman disrespected both of them. I know that Brad needs a minute to cool off, but they should be okay.
I want Brad to talk with Toni again. I don’t want them to break up. But I also understand being so angry that yah, you shouldn’t talk right now. Allow some cool down time.
What amazes me though is how many people are invested in one way or another in this cartoon relationship. A nerve has been struck.
Brad’s a dork. This little Miss Manager God Rule the World person was doing nothing less than pushing him around and using him. If he didn’t have the cahones to stand up for himself, Toni did the right thing by standing up for her man.
I didn’t start reading comments until a couple of weeks ago (didn’t even realize they were there). I wondered at myself for being so interested in a comic strip about teenagers. Still kind of do. 4shadow, good luck but keep in mind — is this a sudden thing or has it been brewing? If you are young, you might go through this a few times before you find “the one.” She can have her space, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be exploring other possibilities yourself. It’s so easy to just curl up into yourself, but right now, when it hurts is when you need to get out there and not let that black cloud hang over you.
A propos of nothing, I gotta say I’ve never liked the way Brad’s nose is drawn in full face view. He looks so much more cartoon-y than the rest of the characters. The nose looks pig-like to me! Just sayin’.
Brad will realize that she is right and will feel ashamed that he didn’t fight for himself, so…… he goes to Burger King and socks Ann Eifel in the jaw and goes to jail. And the end of that storyline is here.
Brad is no different than Ann. He is now in a position of power and using it against Toni. Actually, he worse than Ann because she did it to toy with Brad, he doing it to hurt Toni. If he was actually a better person he would want to see Toni’s side of the story.
In my experience even if you explain to a woman that you need time to process your anger they still jump to the conclusion that its all over. Brad can not win. Lets move on.
Of COURSE Brad is being smart not to talk to her yet. He’s not punishing her, he’s giving himself the chance to get to a place where they can have a real discussion about what happened.
Of course, I suspect there’s another reason for all this that none of the “people” within those panel borders could ever be aware of. Greg had to do SOMETHING to derail and delay the progression of Brad and Toni’s relationship, because sooner or later he’d HAVE to address the issue of the two of them being ready for sex — and on the comics pages, that dog won’t hunt.
I suspect that in this particular comic, that issue will be finessed by a wedding, should the arc continue to one of its logical conclusions – and left to the imagination. While there are plenty of strips out there that deal with the realities of life, graphically and frankly, Luann and Company seem to have a bubble of respectability around them. Case in point – a character like Tiffany, in real life, has probably hopped in the sack with every first-string football player on the varsity squad, but the strip just doesn’t go there; that said, Greg has never been afraid to deal with controversial issues involving just about every other aspect of life. Luann remains consistently PG-rated, which is one of the things I find so refreshing about it.
The question is why does Toni keep picking losers? She is obviously better off with Dirk out of her life. If Brad doesn’t grow up soon she’ll be better off without him.
Brad is collecting his thoughts after his best and most trusted friends have manipulated his life without his consent nor knowledge. His petty job is no longer the issue. I would be ropeable.But this is mature behaviour. He hasn’t done anything rash yet.
He saved her life for crying out loud! Don’t any of you remember that?
Brad saved her life AND he proposed, How has he treated her any way other than the right way? So maybe he is acting less than stellar – he’ll cool off. Better to stay quiet than say something to be regretted later.
Maybe Toni will finally realize that she’s ready to commit.
Poor Toni! She finally shows that she truly loves him by not just stating that he’s not worth the trouble, and what does Brad do? He ignores her. Brad is turning into a real Dirk…jerk.
He’ll calm down after a while. He’s just angry that he lost his job, and believes she’s the cause of it. I think he’s better off not working at Weenie World under that starts-with-a-b-rhymes-with-ditch. In a way, TJ is at fault here. He convinced her to stand up to Eiffel, but Toni’s the one who took it a bit too far.
If it was me, I would have stood up to her, but not threaten her like Toni did. If she continued to act like a you-know-what, I would have gone home, e-mailed or called the Weenie World corporate office, filed a complaint, and get her butt fired.
Oh, I’m not pissed off, just incredulous at all the selective memories at work. Since reasoned and almost diagrammed posts by imbaldeagle and others have plainly failed to convince those with a faulty memory chip, sometimes other literary devices such as hyperbole, sarcasm and irony do the trick. Anger isn’t always attached to those, any more than it is to the more reasoned approach.
In future I’ll be sure not have someone save my life, because I’d hate having to sacrifice my freedom, my dignity and my self-respect to pay t hem back.
Break them up for half a year, let them meet again, by chance, and see if they can pick up where they left off. Meanwhile, Toni can meet other guys, and Brad can go from Weenie World to hawking vacuum cleaners. (Been there, done that myself.)
Brad DeGroot, HOW DARE YOU! It’s not really Toni’s fault, it was T.J. who was the one who talked her into a verbal showdown with Ann Effel. So, in short, blame T.J., not Toni.
I forsee Brad’s mother stepping in and telling him stop being an idiot. Love means saying and hearing you’re sorry all the frikkin time. Forgiving and being forgiven is all part of true love.
It’s not dumb of Brad to want some time to think things over. Better to do that, than blow up again. Now, if he were to give her the silent treatment altogether, that’d be immature.
When is TJ going to learn to mind his own business? When are Brad and Toni going to learn to trust their own judgement, rather than turning to TJ for advice?
I hope Brad will talk to his mom about all this. She’s usually sensible.
listening and complaining about Belinda “first post” is like seeing a banana peel and complaining about it all the way to work without picking it up and putting that peel in the trash
“I’m not ready to talk to you, Toni,” is not “acting like a jerk.”Toni should have given Brad a chance to work things out at his work. Toni could decide whether she wants to stay with Brad instead of running to interfere with Brad’s work.
Once again people: Toni DID NOT to to WW to have it out with Ann over Ann’s treatment of Brad. She went to tell Ann that Ann had no right to try and ban anyone from coming to WW. Ann immediately began talking to Toni in a very insulting, condesencing manner, and even chucked her under the chin like you would a child. I think Toni showed admirable restraint—-if someone did that to me, espeically someone I didn’t like, I’d have belted them right then and there. Ann would have fired Brad no matter what. For whatever reason, she wants complete and total control over Brad, and she knows she won’t get it as long as Toni’s in the picture. Master manipulater that she is, she knew if she fired Brad he’d be childish enough to blame it all on Toni, and she could split them up that way.Here’s what should happen:1. Brad should find out about TJ’s involvement, move out of the house in a fit of anger, crawl back to Ann and kiss her ahhh….FEET, and beg for his job back. After a sufficent amount of groveling, Ann agrees to rehire him, and also sets him up in his own apartment so she can have complete control over him 24/7. Since none of Brad’s family or friends can go to Weenie World anymore because Ann won’t allow it, Ann, Brad, and WW sink into obscurity and are never mentioned in the strip again.2. Toni should realize that she wasn’t really that much in love with Brad—-her feelings were a mixture of gratitude because he saved her from injury, guilt because he was injured himself in the process, and a little bit of the Florence NIghtengale effect. That’s when nurses “fall in love” with their patients. (She DID help nurse Brad after he was hurt.) She meets and marries a great guy, maybe a doctor at the hospital ER.33. TJ buys the house he’s living in from Brad’s parents at twice what it’s worth, and gives it to Toni and her new husband as a wedding gift.How’s that for a “happy ending?” :D :D :P ;D
And after all this discussion, tomorrow we go over to the Sunday Alternate Luannverse Strip, where Frank and Nancy will be talking about something unrelated, and Monday will have Luann and the Feather and their not-romance for the next two weeks, while people here keep stewing. Oh yes, Evans knows what he’s doing:)
I love “300”, and duty, honor and self reliance are wonderful qualities, but they’re not only limited to men. But they’re not so admirable when a man achieves them by persuading his girl to toss herself under the bus to placate an abusive harpy boss so he can benefit.
That’s not “self-reliance”, that’s getting someone else to sell themselves out for you. And “honor” doesn’t rely on that kind of arm twisting. It’s like screwing to promote virginity – it defeats the whole purpose.
I get that you think Toni emasculated him by going behind his back, or over his head, or circumvented any other part of his anatomy, to deal with Ann, and to some extent that’s true. Unfortunately, if she stood up for herslf with Ann because Brad wouldn’t, Brad was involved by default.
But if Brad had refused to be emasculated by Ann at the outset, instead of asking Toni to not only accept Ann’s owning his cojones, but to help him hand them over to her – would we be discussing this? As for the female “wrong perspective” – try “different”.
Because at this point Brad didn’t have a helluva lot to lose in the emasculation dept – he gave it all away, willingly, all by himself for a “promotion” to work the drive-thru.
When you decide to take it out on your girl for pulling the final trigger by working extra hard to convince yourself you’ve been “handling” things like a man all the way down the line and she’s the one who undercut you, or admit that you’ve been putting in a spotty performance on the man-front is one of those acid tests.
I don’t buy it. It was a job at a fast food joint, with a boss who was obviously corrupt. And he’s mad at his beautiful girlfriend? Not believable.
He has the skills for a 40K a year job, yet he’s dwelling on a 8 dollar an hour job? If he wants a job, why doesn’t he apply at every city fire department in the greater metropolitan area? That’s what firefighters do, anyway.
I feel for Brad. I’m sure he really didn’t like the job, but, as he said, he needed it. Bill collectors aren’t understanding. And I feel for Toni, she wanted to show herself and Brad that she cared enough to help. Somehow, I think this will all work out.
Oh man! The sign of a good comic strip is when you get pulled into it. I saw the last panel and said out loud ‘Aww poor Toni’ very paternally. Just when you think Luann is all snug and funny teenagers…I salute you Mr Evans
Brad is hurt, angry, and confused. He’s just been fired. He probably doesn’t want to talk with anyone right now. At least Brad won’t get seduced by Anne, which is what I was afraid might happen. Maybe this situation will convince Toni she’s ready to marry Brad.
These kids are freaking out over nothing. A little phone call to corporate would solve this problem in a jiffy. Fast food restaurant managers do not threaten guests, demean employees, and they definitely do not send them to fetch their dry cleaning. Eiffel abused her power. They should complain about it.
I normally like the Brad, Toni, and TJ story line, but Brad is being teribly immature. Grow up dude. There are other jobs more appropriate for his skill set then working at a fast food joint, get over it!
Okay, I just finished reading the rest of the comments here…and there seems to be quite a bit of flaming going on.
I would suggest that everyone involved mosey on over and take a look at the Pibgorn Strip. Notice that there is no ‘Comments’ section. There used to be, and it was even busier than this one…but Go Comics removed it, and now no responses to Pibgorn are allowed.
What a selfish twit! He was warned by Luann long ago about Eiffel; he allowed Toni to be insulted by her so he could keep his job. Where’s his loyalty to Toni!?
So we’re supposed to believe that Brad values his job at WeenieWorld more than he values the woman he spent years trying to win? I mean, he’s still wearing his WW uniform.
“it was wrong of Toni to treat him like a helpless child by circumventing his desires in the matter.”
That I actually agree with – what she should have done was told him that enough was enough, and that she wasn’t going to take Ann’s banning her or Brad’s choosing to let her be disrespected any more. She should have been open, then if he pulled that “I told you not to” line she should have walked away and not looked back.
I think that her trying to solve her (and their) issue without directly involving him is proof of how much she loves (or loved…) him, as is her remorse now, but at this point you have to wonder if he’s really worth it!
I tend to agree with Dave not Mojito baby on this one (and I am female). A couple of points:Brad is naive about women.We should take the job situation in Pittsville as Greg scripted it—there are no decent jobs right now(remember we did see Brad searching.) That includes towns within driving distance. Brad at least knew this job, and would have had hopes that management would still know him.Brad already had to move back home once (after the fire). It was very important to him not to sponge off Mom and Dad again.Ann was clever in whom she allowed to see her behavior. Brad feels “picked on” and insecure. He may think Toni’s banning is no longer a problem (Ann offered a “free meal”; he was naive enough to take it as real.) He has never seen any other interaction between Ann and Toni. Toni hasn’t really seen much other than Ann’s treatment of her. TJ knew about Brad’s concerns—he wanted Toni to somehow confront Ann so Brad’s job would be secure. (!!!)Ann’s treatment of Toni and Toni’s reaction is still unknown both by Brad and TJ.The one way in which Brad is smart is in waiting to talk to Toni until he calms down.
While Toni should have waited for Brad to handle it, Brad did NOT handle it. He allowed his girlfriend to be insulted, banned, and generally humiliated by his boss. He knew how she felt about the situation. And sucking it up and dealing with it would have been fine. If he had been single. But Ann Eiffel behaved unprofessionally. He should have stuck up for Toni. Now she needs to give him space, absolutely. In fact, give him enough space Pluto feels sociable.
I don’t have time to read 220 comments so I hope I’m not repeating what someone else has already said, but I sure hope that BEYOTCH Ann Eiffel doesn’t win! I hope Brad will get over his anger with Toni and they finally get married!
I think Brad is right to cool off before talking with Toni. She went around him; though his intentions were good, he was fired as a result. She didn’t even give him a chance to stand up for himself. That was a bigger insult.
Listen to me EShadow: DON’T let her know she’s hurt you. Ignore her and move on to someone else, even if it’s a casual affair and pretend you’re over her. A woman can stand almost anything, except being ignored..
The only consolation for this, is that Ann Eiffel doesn’t know about this situation. If she did, all she would have to do is re-hire Brad and the relationship would be over forever.I still say that Bernice needs to tell everyone about her experience with Eiffel.
I can’t figure out why Brad’s in such a snit. I once worked for the TSA (akin to Weenie World, managers and all) and I quit after 7 months, feeling very good about it.
I wonder if Toni realizes that the reason Brad is so angry with her is because TJ bailed on taking any responsibilities for her actions. TJ thinks there is a difference between confronting someone verbally and threatening them verbally. He thinks this because it keeps him from feeling he has any need to explain to Brad that this was not Toni’s idea. Better start talking weasel boy. If Toni tells Brad – and she will tell Brad – before you do, you’re toast.
My wife, my soul mate, having died last year, I have lately found some solace in following the relationship of Toni and Brad. Today’s strip brought tears to my eyes; I hope it all turns out well.
Am I the only person who thinks that T.J. is not a real friend, he’s more of a deus ex machina to add complication to Brad’s life. He’s a standard two-faced weasel like Eddie Haskel; obsequious to the parents but always scheming to throw his friends under the bus. He doesn’t see his actions for what they are.
Look. He is hurting Toni, and he knows it. That’s why he’s doing it. At that point in time he figures that’s what she deserves…It actually feels satisfying to him. Notice I didn’t say feels good. What he is doing is what people usually do. Is it nice? No. Is it normal? Yes. I guess it’s time to say something about the realism of this strip. It’s something….
It took me about a solid bloody hour to read yesterday and today’s posts and that’s not a complaint. I read Comics Curmudgeon and that’s about the time I have to put in to reading that, too. Obviously I skipped over a few (“1st”? Are we back to that idiocy again?) but I’d rather read some good posts discussing some solid issues than a whole bunch of lame comments that are nothing more than 25 variants of “uh oh!” “meow!” and “go get her!”
I bet it hasn’t occured to any of the doomsayers who seem to want to keep the comment count at 25 or less, because ideas frighten them, that high site traffic is good for the strip and good for Greg, as well as for the syndicate. If you think that sites close successful forums that generate controversy and attract traffic because if that, you’re far too panicky to be on driving on teh interwebs.
OK – Now that I got through all 280 posts, with some skipping, I think the subject has been well covered and some side issues have been addressed as well. HOWEVER, I may have to take the authority away from Sideshow Starlet (who’s under some mistaken understanding of her importance) and eliminate mojitobaby as Watcher. (AND I know all about your Mr. Dewey connection – you’re not as all powerful as you think).You know there is a reason for my name and image – BE AFRAID – BE VERY AFRAID..As an aside, I think Brad and Toni are acting very normally as is reflected by most of the posts. The course of true love does not always run smoothly (or something like that). So look for a happy resolution within the next moon.
Sheriff, I’m Virginia as you know and I just read all the comments so will retire late again. I enjoyed reading many of old friends Otto and BaldEagle as well as some who I don’t know personally- Old Wolf and MojitoBaby as well as Dry. Thanks for weighing in.
@ Flashman- I believe trolls look for strips with many comments; I read 30 here and a dozen elsewhere and I remember when the ads with links proliferated (sp?) they seldom bothered where there were no other posts.
Flashman has it down pretty good. Traffic is not the problem. Administrative oversight, or the lack of it, including impotence, led to comics.com headaches. And a few of us here know that the enforcers watching THIS show are a different breed. Snarkiness is not a crime, it’s the spice of forum life – they know when that line is crossed. If you want to test them, go ahead. They know a Bruce Willis trick or two.
Remember guys, when you start fretting about forum closings and tell people not to post or nanny them that they’re being too argumentative, the trolls win. Also, as the Sheriff said, admin here isn’t stupid, there are Watchers on the Wall you don’t know about.
We all know what’s really going to happen on Monday, don’t we? Brad will whine and cry to his parents about what happened, and they’ll decide that he’s too immature to live on his own and order him to move back home, kick TJ out for good measure and forbid him from seeing Toni Daytona ever again, which means he’ll move back to his old room while Luann will be forced to move back to her old room, which means she’ll whine and cry to Delta and Bernice, who will tell her to shut up, grow up and move on. Then Luann, just to spite Delta and Bernice, will hit up on Quill yet again, which will lead to Tiffany stealing Quill from Luann once again, and she’ll once again whine and cry to Delta and Bernice who will tell her for the umpteenth time to shut up, grow up and move on.
End result—Brad will be permanently tied to the apron strings because he’s too much of a man-child to live on his own and Luann will suffer for it because she’s too selfish and immature in everyone else’s eyes to be a girlfriend to anyone other than that loser geek nerd Gunther and Tiffany does what she wants to steal the winners like Aaron Hill and Quill.
Luann can end this vicious cycle of angst by finally telling off everyone, giving Tiffany the smackdown she truly deserves, running away to Hawaii, reuniting with Aaron Hill and running away with him to Mexico so they can get married and have a bazillion kids and live happily ever after.
It is God’s holy will that Luann and Aaron Hill be together forever, and if Tiffany stands in their way, God will strike her down with a thunderbolt hurled by His righteous right hand!
LUANN AND AARON HILL WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER FOREVER!
After 35 years of marriage, I can reliably say that waiting until you cool down before talking is the ONLY way to deal with a major fight. It gives you time not only to reconsider saying the nasty thing you would immediately blurt out otherwise, but also gives you enough time to consider WHY the other person might have done the stupid thing that honked you off in the first place. Right now, Brad is doing the smart thing—just hope Toni does the smart thing and lets him cool down first.
WOW! I got my 8 hours of sleep, woke to a colorful sunrise and then refreshed to see what transpired while I slept. Thanks, Starlet for the complement – and seeing that many of you still remember the abuse that many of us suffered. I don’t remember either Mighty Mouse or Starlet ever posted (under those names) at cdotc – but my memory is not so great. I try to ignore the trolls, but personal attack is annoying as well as against the rules. I love using my photo as an avatar. This one may be a few years old, but I still take a good one as long as focus is not sharp ;-P
Hi Rockabore, Your comment about Saturday’s strip was on the nose! Brad’s “foolishness” will probably cost him the only womanthat had any love for nim. And you are absolutely right about him not hearing her side of the story.
That move there could possibly destroy the trust she had in him. Now, even though this is just a comic strip, Brad (and guys like him) end up regretting their mistake(s) sometime in the future, going after every woman to recapture the moments they had with the "Toni Daytonas, and only to find constant disappointments…
What would be interesting to happen now would be Brad finally cools off enough to have a talk with Toni. So he decides to drive over to her place. Meanwhile…this is just the time for Dirk to decide to drop in on Toni unannounced an. She, of course, tells Dirk to get lost and throws him out. As he’s leaving, is just the moment when Brad pulls up in front of her place just in time to see Toni standing at the door and see’s Dirk leaving with that big smug grin he always has on his face. Brad, always having been insecure about Toni & Dirk anyway, of course misinterprets what he sees and thinks Toni’s been seeing Dirk again and drives off.
Brad needs a good punch in the shoulder … a bucket of cold water on the head … and his nose snapped by someone’s finger … I would say a slap in the face, but that’s too personal. And Toni may feel bad, but she did the right thing. If Brad doesn’t see it, then Brad is an idiot.
just reminds me so much of the way she cut him off in the beginning…but hoping TJ will have the guts to reveal what a mess he made of things before it gets too late. Toni needs to report Ann, too, but Brad’s comments might stop her in her tracks.
I’m telling you this is setting up Ann Eiffel to date Brad, which will add the drama the writers of this strip love to bring into play. Ann will do it because she likes to control Brad but also because she wants to irritate Toni…. and it will work…. then you’d see Dirk come back and Toni will be talking with him and Brad will see that which will add more drama…
whoa, reading the comments I see I have missed two very important passages in Brad and Toni’s lives. 1) WHEN DID HE PROPOSE? 2) When did she offer to let him move in with her (and why on earth didn’t he do it)
It’s a job, and at the time Brad needed it. Toni should’ve been “supportive”. Eiffel wouldn’t have gotten between them if Brad and Toni were actually in LOVE. One of them would’ve gotten enough evidence to demand her and fire her once and for all. If the situation were the other way around Toni would be right and Brad an idiot.
FatTonyBalducci over 12 years ago
Toni is the best thing to ever happen to that dufus
bikenboatn over 12 years ago
Gee. She really does love him. And feels terrible about what she did. At least Brad didn’t say “never”. So there is still hope they’ll reconcile.
legaleagle48 over 12 years ago
While I feel bad for her (it’s heartbreaking to see her crying like this), Toni should realize that Brad needs some time to cool off and process what’s happened before she tries talking to him again. Right now, she’s only making things worse by trying to patch things up.
auramac over 12 years ago
He’s acting like a jerk. You communicate your feelings, not punish people in relationships. He’s knowingly hurting her, while she accidentally angered him. Lousy story line- makes one lose respect for the characters.
wlbaz over 12 years ago
Hoo boy…this is not good. :(
solarrhino over 12 years ago
I have to say, Brad is right this time. Since Brad said he could handle things, going around him, even to stand up for him, was disrespectful and even patronizing. I hope they get through this, but they need to have a serious discussion first.
cjswan232482 over 12 years ago
Brad was right to tell Toni to wait until he cools off before talking. He could say something he could regret later otherwise. Women remember this stuff.
Rockabore over 12 years ago
Think about getting today’s comic on t-shirts and mugs. I don’t know about you but can you imagine reaching for your morning coffee in a mug of Toni’s misery and shame? D:
4shadow over 12 years ago
Wow… I’m in pretty much exactly this situation right now. My girlfriend of 3 years just told me that she wasn’t feeling the love anymore, and that she wants some “time apart.” I’m still in the denial phase. Cross your fingers for me. Dunno why I’m baring my soul on a comics forum board… guess that’s what happens when you haven’t been able to get to sleep even at almost 4 in the morning, you’ve just gotten a bolt out of the blue, and a comic strip just struck a chord. But still, I don’t know any of you. But anyways. Writing this is preferable to thinking too much right now. I hope all of you out there are in better situations than Brad and I.
Rockabore over 12 years ago
Also, Brad has the cold, cruel look of a James Bond villain. I mean change the dialogue and you’d think he was one.
Rockabore over 12 years ago
About today’s strip, Brad is pretty foolish but I never thought he could be so cold. He has the right to be mad at her but saying that was pretty rude, Toni never even got to explain. Granted her explanation might not do her much good since she deliberately disobeyed him and that was what made him mad in the first place, BUT she could at least have gotten to say why she did it.
4shadow over 12 years ago
Thanks mojitobaby. I think I did ok on the French exam. Hope you did well in Spanish, debiera haberle ayudado como ya hablo el idioma. Cuidate mucho, le deseo lo mejor.
BlitzMcD over 12 years ago
There remains an undercurrent of irony in that an experienced firefighter is forced to cling to a job at Weenie World to survive. It speaks volumes for what is wrong with the nation’s economy.
Talker123 over 12 years ago
This story is taking a bad turn. Bad should be able to see that his friends have done him a favor. What would be his future selling hot dogs? What would be his future with a voracious manager, who way playing him? There comes a time to man up and get a reality check. Come on Greg, don’t lead us down a childish, immature storyline.
4shadow over 12 years ago
Oh right, que pena! Strange, but I actually feel better now.
Sisyphos over 12 years ago
Self-loathing has driven Brad to strike out against the one who loves him most. He needs to cool off, start thinking rationally, apologize to Toni and beg her forgiveness, and direct his anger where it should be directed.
RBLawyer over 12 years ago
This seems to take a storyline full circle. If you remember, Brad tried to warn Toni of Dirk and she got very angry. She too wasn’t able to see the truth in Brad’s warnings and actions. Now it’s Brad’s turn to deal with someone seeing what is really happening when he’s not able or willing. In Brad’s defence, Brad might know what Anne is/was but needed ther job because it’s his mom and dad who will suffer most he he has to give up the renting of the house.
4shadow over 12 years ago
hahahahaha….ha….ha…. uh-oh. :-)
kher over 12 years ago
Now would be a good time for the Fire Dept. to call him up and offer him back the job that he really wants to have. Then Weenie World will look really small and insignificant to him. The thing is, after making Toni feel rotten the last few days over a small job, she might not be around to celebrate with him going back to the Fire Department.
More possible drama – Toni feels rotten. She packs up and leaves town that night to go live somewhere else. Brad gets called back into the Fire Dept., but it’s to fill in Toni’s empty spot. How do you feel now Brad?
firedome over 12 years ago
wow…this is about as close to reality as far as relationships go as i’ve ever seen in this strip. chalk one up for greg!
mojitobaby over 12 years ago
Watch out, she gets really pissy when you don’t appreciate her rapier wit.
mojitobaby over 12 years ago
Don’t be too sure about that. Brad’s still neglecting to take a few things into account.
He’s probably the first person Toni’s really loved, and the men in her life so far haven’t been either reliable, stable or trustworthy. She may feel so guilty and worthless abot his being fired that she leaves as kher suggested (what a great plot wrinkle!) or she may see this as Brad’s turning on her when she was trying to fight for their relationship, and that he’s just another guy who can’t be trusted to put her before pleasing his boss.
I don’t see this being smoothed over quite so easily.
ShagsCA over 12 years ago
Time for Toni to be a photographer — Take Brad into a darkroom and see what develops!
Hyperjoe24 Premium Member over 12 years ago
One thing everyone is ignoring so far is TJ’s role in all these shananigans. He needs to fess up and tell Brad that it was his idea. If he does that, it would go far to mending the wounds Brad has towards Toni. But does TJ have the gumption to admit his faults?
JerryTheK over 12 years ago
I still see Brad getting his job back at the F.D.
Chas60 over 12 years ago
He’s mad at you Toni, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still love you.
muskratdottir over 12 years ago
Brad should at least give Toni a chance to explain herself. Then he needs to tell his roommate to BUTT OUT.
DockoftheBay over 12 years ago
Time will cool Brad off and i think that Toni will be there waiting with open arms based on her reaction in today’s strip.
Zarisa over 12 years ago
I totaly wanna buy a Mug of this Strip!
Zarisa over 12 years ago
Only cause i’ll be the ONLY one with it.
Chuck373 over 12 years ago
Good move, Brad. The one thing we can always count on is that you will always be stupid. Do you have the whole story? Do you wonder why TJ and Toni were discussing what took place on the phone? No – that’s to much thinking for a weenie like you. Now you can throw away the one good thing you had and become the blob on the couch again.
Chuck373 over 12 years ago
TJ – start like this: “Hey, Buddy. You know how I come up with these great ideas that, for reasons I can’t quite figure out, seem to explode like napalm all over everybody?”
princecharmeing over 12 years ago
really?? all this over a fast food job,,, must be the only fast food job in town,, huh from hero to zero faster then you can shake a winnie at
nfergnospam over 12 years ago
Many times in life I wish I had waited to talk until I had calmed down. I believe when Brad has a little time himself, he will then be able to listen to Toni’s explanation. They totally love each other – it won’t end over this. They’ll get through it and get stronger. Brad is showing unexpected maturity to hold off talking until his anger subsides.
sarge112751 over 12 years ago
NOW “they” are starting this “first” crap HERE! …. What is it? People have nothing BETTER to do except to wait until a ‘toon’ is posted so they can say “first” ???..Take 2-bits and get a life!
sarge112751 over 12 years ago
(GOOD ANSWER !!) – SECOND choice is; “What do people with NO LIFE say?”
natureboyfig4 Premium Member over 12 years ago
Wonder if he’ll go back to Ann and beg for his job back, saying he put Toni in her place. If he does Toni should kick him to the curb no matter what Ann does.
kenwarnerfordictator over 12 years ago
Mitchell Sternbach has a point. Brad is punishing Toni. Holy Dirk, Batman!
bagbalm over 12 years ago
Toni messed up his timing. He was due to close the store with the witch the next night and was planning to lock her in the freezer. No way now…
leubanks78 over 12 years ago
This relationship between Toni and Brad is so good for him. He should have never ended up with such a beautiful woman…he’s mad, but he’s only on a power trip because she messed up and hes in control..won’t last long though because we all know Brad is not that smart and Toni is not the dumb..
draksig over 12 years ago
I think that Brad is showing some intelligence right here. He knows he is mad enough to say or do something he will regret, thus he is ’not ready to talk" to her just yet. Showing actual maturity.
Of course, Greg will now move on to one of the other plot lines and leave this one hanging for a while I bet.
Capricorn11 over 12 years ago
OK Brad get over it…talk to Toni and see what she has to say before to much time passes and the chance to talk is gone?
draksig over 12 years ago
Greg didn’t bring Effiel back just for this, I believe that Brad will talk her into giving hi another chance, may even tell her he and toni are not speaking, and then Effiel will do what she does best and Brad will see everyone was right. This could help strengthen their relationship;
SideshowStarlet over 12 years ago
Morning, all. Toni’s probably thinking “I should have stayed in bed today.”
Vegasgirl over 12 years ago
Well, I’m new to this and I find it interesting that most of the comments seem to be posted by people around my age (I’m guessing). Anyway, I’ve been with my husband for 30 years and all I can say on the subject is that NOBODY disrespects your spouse. This woman disrespected both of them. I know that Brad needs a minute to cool off, but they should be okay.
AnonymousUser over 12 years ago
At their conflict is civlized. Fighting in relationships can make it stronger as long as rules are followed and boundaries are not crossed.
Darsan54 Premium Member over 12 years ago
I want Brad to talk with Toni again. I don’t want them to break up. But I also understand being so angry that yah, you shouldn’t talk right now. Allow some cool down time.
What amazes me though is how many people are invested in one way or another in this cartoon relationship. A nerve has been struck.
sprint11 over 12 years ago
Oooh! Make up sex!
px eliezer over 12 years ago
Brad’s face is drawn differently now. He’s lost the “little boy” look and now looks like a man again. I think this is very much on purpose.
phurface over 12 years ago
Brad’s a dork. This little Miss Manager God Rule the World person was doing nothing less than pushing him around and using him. If he didn’t have the cahones to stand up for himself, Toni did the right thing by standing up for her man.
Vegasgirl over 12 years ago
I didn’t start reading comments until a couple of weeks ago (didn’t even realize they were there). I wondered at myself for being so interested in a comic strip about teenagers. Still kind of do. 4shadow, good luck but keep in mind — is this a sudden thing or has it been brewing? If you are young, you might go through this a few times before you find “the one.” She can have her space, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be exploring other possibilities yourself. It’s so easy to just curl up into yourself, but right now, when it hurts is when you need to get out there and not let that black cloud hang over you.
ShadowBeast Premium Member over 12 years ago
I really hope Toni doesn’t try to crawl back to weenieworld to beg for Brad’s job back from that psychopath.
serion over 12 years ago
A propos of nothing, I gotta say I’ve never liked the way Brad’s nose is drawn in full face view. He looks so much more cartoon-y than the rest of the characters. The nose looks pig-like to me! Just sayin’.
hokiebird6552 over 12 years ago
Brad will realize that she is right and will feel ashamed that he didn’t fight for himself, so…… he goes to Burger King and socks Ann Eifel in the jaw and goes to jail. And the end of that storyline is here.
thewoodman1 over 12 years ago
it’s a comic…
Nicolesdiamond over 12 years ago
Brad is obviously angry. I think at least he is handling in correctly. Calm down, don’t say anything rash. It’s better to talk later.
Mongo over 12 years ago
Never let the emotional take over the practical side fo a relationship.
Brad knows how Toni feels for him, and he knows how he feels for her.
I suspect now, Toni will get Luann and Bernice involved because of what happened in the past.
aanavia3 over 12 years ago
Brad is no different than Ann. He is now in a position of power and using it against Toni. Actually, he worse than Ann because she did it to toy with Brad, he doing it to hurt Toni. If he was actually a better person he would want to see Toni’s side of the story.
wicky over 12 years ago
Tears Toni? have you not screwed his life up enough?
DayoftheDead over 12 years ago
In my experience even if you explain to a woman that you need time to process your anger they still jump to the conclusion that its all over. Brad can not win. Lets move on.
DayoftheDead over 12 years ago
Greg must read this…he changed the “Click” to a “Dit”
tcreole over 12 years ago
Of COURSE Brad is being smart not to talk to her yet. He’s not punishing her, he’s giving himself the chance to get to a place where they can have a real discussion about what happened.
Of course, I suspect there’s another reason for all this that none of the “people” within those panel borders could ever be aware of. Greg had to do SOMETHING to derail and delay the progression of Brad and Toni’s relationship, because sooner or later he’d HAVE to address the issue of the two of them being ready for sex — and on the comics pages, that dog won’t hunt.
The Old Wolf over 12 years ago
I suspect that in this particular comic, that issue will be finessed by a wedding, should the arc continue to one of its logical conclusions – and left to the imagination. While there are plenty of strips out there that deal with the realities of life, graphically and frankly, Luann and Company seem to have a bubble of respectability around them. Case in point – a character like Tiffany, in real life, has probably hopped in the sack with every first-string football player on the varsity squad, but the strip just doesn’t go there; that said, Greg has never been afraid to deal with controversial issues involving just about every other aspect of life. Luann remains consistently PG-rated, which is one of the things I find so refreshing about it.
exvaxman over 12 years ago
I hope that Greg puts them back together – This is a bad thing.
crouton76 over 12 years ago
Works at WeenieWorld but has a smartphone with a $50/month data plan…
srchief78 over 12 years ago
all shes gotta do is give him just a quick flash of leg and he be back
joe375 over 12 years ago
I love the comic strip.
aedra6 over 12 years ago
Are comics supposed to make you cry? Jeese fix it!!
lsherris over 12 years ago
The question is why does Toni keep picking losers? She is obviously better off with Dirk out of her life. If Brad doesn’t grow up soon she’ll be better off without him.
LouAnna Alahem over 12 years ago
Brad, stop being such a d***.
Ottodesu over 12 years ago
Brad is collecting his thoughts after his best and most trusted friends have manipulated his life without his consent nor knowledge. His petty job is no longer the issue. I would be ropeable.But this is mature behaviour. He hasn’t done anything rash yet.
anniet53 over 12 years ago
Has everyone forgot that TJ started all this? I like TJ but he did get Toni worked up.
LiviaBay over 12 years ago
Geez!! I’m feeling the chill coming off Brad!!Poor Toni!!
w2lj over 12 years ago
He saved her life for crying out loud! Don’t any of you remember that?
Brad saved her life AND he proposed, How has he treated her any way other than the right way? So maybe he is acting less than stellar – he’ll cool off. Better to stay quiet than say something to be regretted later.
Maybe Toni will finally realize that she’s ready to commit.
trspence over 12 years ago
I see where this is going. But I better not be a spoiler here.
dre7861 over 12 years ago
This was a comic strip that was very sad!
Dragongirl2319 over 12 years ago
Not this again.
froglunch over 12 years ago
Oh my goodness. My heart is breaking for both Brad and Toni. I hope this only brings them closer together in the end!
Dragongirl2319 over 12 years ago
Poor Toni! She finally shows that she truly loves him by not just stating that he’s not worth the trouble, and what does Brad do? He ignores her. Brad is turning into a real Dirk…jerk.
PatrickRsGhost over 12 years ago
He’ll calm down after a while. He’s just angry that he lost his job, and believes she’s the cause of it. I think he’s better off not working at Weenie World under that starts-with-a-b-rhymes-with-ditch. In a way, TJ is at fault here. He convinced her to stand up to Eiffel, but Toni’s the one who took it a bit too far.
If it was me, I would have stood up to her, but not threaten her like Toni did. If she continued to act like a you-know-what, I would have gone home, e-mailed or called the Weenie World corporate office, filed a complaint, and get her butt fired.
Dragongirl2319 over 12 years ago
…And GET out of that STUPID costume Brad. Halloween’s over.
John Allen over 12 years ago
My life is so much happier when Brad and Toni are together.
mojitobaby over 12 years ago
Oh, I’m not pissed off, just incredulous at all the selective memories at work. Since reasoned and almost diagrammed posts by imbaldeagle and others have plainly failed to convince those with a faulty memory chip, sometimes other literary devices such as hyperbole, sarcasm and irony do the trick. Anger isn’t always attached to those, any more than it is to the more reasoned approach.
In future I’ll be sure not have someone save my life, because I’d hate having to sacrifice my freedom, my dignity and my self-respect to pay t hem back.
brownswan over 12 years ago
Break them up for half a year, let them meet again, by chance, and see if they can pick up where they left off. Meanwhile, Toni can meet other guys, and Brad can go from Weenie World to hawking vacuum cleaners. (Been there, done that myself.)
been there over 12 years ago
When its over both will stronger and closer.
DougSmith over 12 years ago
all psychobabble aside, cheers to greg evans for stretching his envelope with this truly engaging storyline… luann remains my favorite of all strips
clarke3060 Premium Member over 12 years ago
Maybe Dirk is still available? What-the-H. Parts is parts.
Callie Ray over 12 years ago
Brad DeGroot, HOW DARE YOU! It’s not really Toni’s fault, it was T.J. who was the one who talked her into a verbal showdown with Ann Effel. So, in short, blame T.J., not Toni.
Belinda Banana Ana over 12 years ago
Turn to page 394
Guy Bona over 12 years ago
It’s TJ’s fault, not Toni’s. Eventually, Brad will have to hear both of them out and why.
Darsan54 Premium Member over 12 years ago
I forsee Brad’s mother stepping in and telling him stop being an idiot. Love means saying and hearing you’re sorry all the frikkin time. Forgiving and being forgiven is all part of true love.
avshopping over 12 years ago
She needs to let him fight his own battles. I hope he’ll tell her that.
srhightower over 12 years ago
Don’t be a doofus Brad. You never had it so good.
avshopping over 12 years ago
It’s not dumb of Brad to want some time to think things over. Better to do that, than blow up again. Now, if he were to give her the silent treatment altogether, that’d be immature.
When is TJ going to learn to mind his own business? When are Brad and Toni going to learn to trust their own judgement, rather than turning to TJ for advice?
I hope Brad will talk to his mom about all this. She’s usually sensible.
Wallaby over 12 years ago
Brad is a loser. Always has been, always will be.
wiselad over 12 years ago
listening and complaining about Belinda “first post” is like seeing a banana peel and complaining about it all the way to work without picking it up and putting that peel in the trash
flangben over 12 years ago
“I’m not ready to talk to you, Toni,” is not “acting like a jerk.”Toni should have given Brad a chance to work things out at his work. Toni could decide whether she wants to stay with Brad instead of running to interfere with Brad’s work.
Will-B over 12 years ago
DRAMA DRAMA
FigwitsMom over 12 years ago
Once again people: Toni DID NOT to to WW to have it out with Ann over Ann’s treatment of Brad. She went to tell Ann that Ann had no right to try and ban anyone from coming to WW. Ann immediately began talking to Toni in a very insulting, condesencing manner, and even chucked her under the chin like you would a child. I think Toni showed admirable restraint—-if someone did that to me, espeically someone I didn’t like, I’d have belted them right then and there. Ann would have fired Brad no matter what. For whatever reason, she wants complete and total control over Brad, and she knows she won’t get it as long as Toni’s in the picture. Master manipulater that she is, she knew if she fired Brad he’d be childish enough to blame it all on Toni, and she could split them up that way.Here’s what should happen:1. Brad should find out about TJ’s involvement, move out of the house in a fit of anger, crawl back to Ann and kiss her ahhh….FEET, and beg for his job back. After a sufficent amount of groveling, Ann agrees to rehire him, and also sets him up in his own apartment so she can have complete control over him 24/7. Since none of Brad’s family or friends can go to Weenie World anymore because Ann won’t allow it, Ann, Brad, and WW sink into obscurity and are never mentioned in the strip again.2. Toni should realize that she wasn’t really that much in love with Brad—-her feelings were a mixture of gratitude because he saved her from injury, guilt because he was injured himself in the process, and a little bit of the Florence NIghtengale effect. That’s when nurses “fall in love” with their patients. (She DID help nurse Brad after he was hurt.) She meets and marries a great guy, maybe a doctor at the hospital ER.33. TJ buys the house he’s living in from Brad’s parents at twice what it’s worth, and gives it to Toni and her new husband as a wedding gift.How’s that for a “happy ending?” :D :D :P ;D
:D :D :P ;DBill the Butcher over 12 years ago
And after all this discussion, tomorrow we go over to the Sunday Alternate Luannverse Strip, where Frank and Nancy will be talking about something unrelated, and Monday will have Luann and the Feather and their not-romance for the next two weeks, while people here keep stewing. Oh yes, Evans knows what he’s doing:)
mojitobaby over 12 years ago
Wait, who persuaded us to be female? ;D
I love “300”, and duty, honor and self reliance are wonderful qualities, but they’re not only limited to men. But they’re not so admirable when a man achieves them by persuading his girl to toss herself under the bus to placate an abusive harpy boss so he can benefit.
That’s not “self-reliance”, that’s getting someone else to sell themselves out for you. And “honor” doesn’t rely on that kind of arm twisting. It’s like screwing to promote virginity – it defeats the whole purpose.
I get that you think Toni emasculated him by going behind his back, or over his head, or circumvented any other part of his anatomy, to deal with Ann, and to some extent that’s true. Unfortunately, if she stood up for herslf with Ann because Brad wouldn’t, Brad was involved by default.
But if Brad had refused to be emasculated by Ann at the outset, instead of asking Toni to not only accept Ann’s owning his cojones, but to help him hand them over to her – would we be discussing this? As for the female “wrong perspective” – try “different”.
Because at this point Brad didn’t have a helluva lot to lose in the emasculation dept – he gave it all away, willingly, all by himself for a “promotion” to work the drive-thru.
When you decide to take it out on your girl for pulling the final trigger by working extra hard to convince yourself you’ve been “handling” things like a man all the way down the line and she’s the one who undercut you, or admit that you’ve been putting in a spotty performance on the man-front is one of those acid tests.
And by “you” I mean “Brad”.
SFitzowen over 12 years ago
I don’t buy it. It was a job at a fast food joint, with a boss who was obviously corrupt. And he’s mad at his beautiful girlfriend? Not believable.
He has the skills for a 40K a year job, yet he’s dwelling on a 8 dollar an hour job? If he wants a job, why doesn’t he apply at every city fire department in the greater metropolitan area? That’s what firefighters do, anyway.
Dconskjk over 12 years ago
I feel for Brad. I’m sure he really didn’t like the job, but, as he said, he needed it. Bill collectors aren’t understanding. And I feel for Toni, she wanted to show herself and Brad that she cared enough to help. Somehow, I think this will all work out.
rogerfromwrexham over 12 years ago
Oh man! The sign of a good comic strip is when you get pulled into it. I saw the last panel and said out loud ‘Aww poor Toni’ very paternally. Just when you think Luann is all snug and funny teenagers…I salute you Mr Evans
mojitobaby over 12 years ago
You know, that’s a lot better than “1st”. This may be a humbling day for poor frontrunner Belinda.
Snoopy_Fan over 12 years ago
Brad is hurt, angry, and confused. He’s just been fired. He probably doesn’t want to talk with anyone right now. At least Brad won’t get seduced by Anne, which is what I was afraid might happen. Maybe this situation will convince Toni she’s ready to marry Brad.
mirabai305 over 12 years ago
These kids are freaking out over nothing. A little phone call to corporate would solve this problem in a jiffy. Fast food restaurant managers do not threaten guests, demean employees, and they definitely do not send them to fetch their dry cleaning. Eiffel abused her power. They should complain about it.
Simon_Jester over 12 years ago
There’s two thing Brad needs to know before he talks to Toni
Number one, that TJ put her up to it, Number two, that Toni’s threat was a reaction to Anne touching her face..
Gracey James Premium Member over 12 years ago
I normally like the Brad, Toni, and TJ story line, but Brad is being teribly immature. Grow up dude. There are other jobs more appropriate for his skill set then working at a fast food joint, get over it!
Gracey James Premium Member over 12 years ago
I agree totally.
joevecchi over 12 years ago
What is he thinking? Oh, he’s not.
george over 12 years ago
Brad displays a more mature manner of handling a situation than any character in this strip has ever displayed.
Simon_Jester over 12 years ago
Okay, I just finished reading the rest of the comments here…and there seems to be quite a bit of flaming going on.
I would suggest that everyone involved mosey on over and take a look at the Pibgorn Strip. Notice that there is no ‘Comments’ section. There used to be, and it was even busier than this one…but Go Comics removed it, and now no responses to Pibgorn are allowed.
I’ll give you one guess WHY.
SpicyNacho Premium Member over 12 years ago
Brad has always been dumber than a box of rocks, even more so around Toni.
sharicat over 12 years ago
What a selfish twit! He was warned by Luann long ago about Eiffel; he allowed Toni to be insulted by her so he could keep his job. Where’s his loyalty to Toni!?
DavidLawrence351 over 12 years ago
I have to agree. He loves his job more than her. This could go both ways.
greenbird over 12 years ago
So we’re supposed to believe that Brad values his job at WeenieWorld more than he values the woman he spent years trying to win? I mean, he’s still wearing his WW uniform.
Lame.
billwilliam20 over 12 years ago
Why cant Brad and Toni have a nice relationship I would like to see him do well at this.
jmo328 over 12 years ago
Better to not talk yet than say something he’ll regret later.
mojitobaby over 12 years ago
“it was wrong of Toni to treat him like a helpless child by circumventing his desires in the matter.”
That I actually agree with – what she should have done was told him that enough was enough, and that she wasn’t going to take Ann’s banning her or Brad’s choosing to let her be disrespected any more. She should have been open, then if he pulled that “I told you not to” line she should have walked away and not looked back.
I think that her trying to solve her (and their) issue without directly involving him is proof of how much she loves (or loved…) him, as is her remorse now, but at this point you have to wonder if he’s really worth it!
mojitobaby over 12 years ago
Gee, ya think? Saaayyyy…have you been reading this strip all along when no one was looking?
bronzeskater over 12 years ago
I tend to agree with Dave not Mojito baby on this one (and I am female). A couple of points:Brad is naive about women.We should take the job situation in Pittsville as Greg scripted it—there are no decent jobs right now(remember we did see Brad searching.) That includes towns within driving distance. Brad at least knew this job, and would have had hopes that management would still know him.Brad already had to move back home once (after the fire). It was very important to him not to sponge off Mom and Dad again.Ann was clever in whom she allowed to see her behavior. Brad feels “picked on” and insecure. He may think Toni’s banning is no longer a problem (Ann offered a “free meal”; he was naive enough to take it as real.) He has never seen any other interaction between Ann and Toni. Toni hasn’t really seen much other than Ann’s treatment of her. TJ knew about Brad’s concerns—he wanted Toni to somehow confront Ann so Brad’s job would be secure. (!!!)Ann’s treatment of Toni and Toni’s reaction is still unknown both by Brad and TJ.The one way in which Brad is smart is in waiting to talk to Toni until he calms down.
doverdan over 12 years ago
TJ usually has a plan.This is not typical of him.
werlecar over 12 years ago
Yeah can’t believe he liked his job there that much.. Tj’s gone, do you think he went to WW or off to console Toni?
allen winchester over 12 years ago
where is Mary Worth when you need her?
Belinda Banana Ana over 12 years ago
Turn to page 394 “moron”
Belinda Banana Ana over 12 years ago
Hey this is fun.
212th!!!!!!!! :D
sleeepy2 over 12 years ago
Brad’s pimp hand is strong!
Hobbes Premium Member over 12 years ago
Oops — sorry. I wandered into the wrong comic strip…….
madamicat over 12 years ago
While Toni should have waited for Brad to handle it, Brad did NOT handle it. He allowed his girlfriend to be insulted, banned, and generally humiliated by his boss. He knew how she felt about the situation. And sucking it up and dealing with it would have been fine. If he had been single. But Ann Eiffel behaved unprofessionally. He should have stuck up for Toni. Now she needs to give him space, absolutely. In fact, give him enough space Pluto feels sociable.
pnorman1 over 12 years ago
Woo Hoo, I’m the first to be the 205th to comment. Now life is magical again.
jppjr over 12 years ago
Somehow, I think Brad will soon be back at the FD…with Toni
Dry and Dusty Premium Member over 12 years ago
I don’t have time to read 220 comments so I hope I’m not repeating what someone else has already said, but I sure hope that BEYOTCH Ann Eiffel doesn’t win! I hope Brad will get over his anger with Toni and they finally get married!
Dry and Dusty Premium Member over 12 years ago
And I hope TJ, as much as I like him, will mind his own freakin’ business from now on.
wicky over 12 years ago
Lose the broad Brad, Toni is bad news.
StoicLion1973 over 12 years ago
I think Brad is right to cool off before talking with Toni. She went around him; though his intentions were good, he was fired as a result. She didn’t even give him a chance to stand up for himself. That was a bigger insult.
jebjayman over 12 years ago
Listen to me EShadow: DON’T let her know she’s hurt you. Ignore her and move on to someone else, even if it’s a casual affair and pretend you’re over her. A woman can stand almost anything, except being ignored..
Tinyman over 12 years ago
:’(
Dragoncat over 12 years ago
The only consolation for this, is that Ann Eiffel doesn’t know about this situation. If she did, all she would have to do is re-hire Brad and the relationship would be over forever.I still say that Bernice needs to tell everyone about her experience with Eiffel.
Chocoloop over 12 years ago
TJ needs to come correct and explain his role in all this…
ftroha over 12 years ago
I can’t figure out why Brad’s in such a snit. I once worked for the TSA (akin to Weenie World, managers and all) and I quit after 7 months, feeling very good about it.
rebecca.l.burson over 12 years ago
He did to her what she did to him, when she hung up on him. She gets a taste of her own medicine.
MapleSyrup over 12 years ago
Yay Brad! He’s showing some backbone! Nothing worse for the relationship than going all wussy on Toni.
She’s “far too good” for him, and the only way he’s going to keep the relationship going is if he shows he can set — and keep — boundaries.
Dry and Dusty Premium Member over 12 years ago
Yep, we have another Pibgorn started here! LOL!
Linda Solomon over 12 years ago
I cant stand seeing Tony cry. Brad get over yourself and get over to Tony’s house and make nice!
Monday will be a new story arc and we will be left hanging like a witch in a tree left over from halloween. This sux!!!
mmike5466 over 12 years ago
hey I’ve been gone for awhile why did Brad quit being a fireman
Chuck373 over 12 years ago
I wonder if Toni realizes that the reason Brad is so angry with her is because TJ bailed on taking any responsibilities for her actions. TJ thinks there is a difference between confronting someone verbally and threatening them verbally. He thinks this because it keeps him from feeling he has any need to explain to Brad that this was not Toni’s idea. Better start talking weasel boy. If Toni tells Brad – and she will tell Brad – before you do, you’re toast.
Laputan over 12 years ago
My wife, my soul mate, having died last year, I have lately found some solace in following the relationship of Toni and Brad. Today’s strip brought tears to my eyes; I hope it all turns out well.
kennfong Premium Member over 12 years ago
Am I the only person who thinks that T.J. is not a real friend, he’s more of a deus ex machina to add complication to Brad’s life. He’s a standard two-faced weasel like Eddie Haskel; obsequious to the parents but always scheming to throw his friends under the bus. He doesn’t see his actions for what they are.
imbaldeagle over 12 years ago
Wow – I’ve been on the road all day & haven’t had time to read the comments – so I’ll say nothin’ more now except 254 comments! Again WOW!
Varnes over 12 years ago
Look. He is hurting Toni, and he knows it. That’s why he’s doing it. At that point in time he figures that’s what she deserves…It actually feels satisfying to him. Notice I didn’t say feels good. What he is doing is what people usually do. Is it nice? No. Is it normal? Yes. I guess it’s time to say something about the realism of this strip. It’s something….
flashman.ace over 12 years ago
It took me about a solid bloody hour to read yesterday and today’s posts and that’s not a complaint. I read Comics Curmudgeon and that’s about the time I have to put in to reading that, too. Obviously I skipped over a few (“1st”? Are we back to that idiocy again?) but I’d rather read some good posts discussing some solid issues than a whole bunch of lame comments that are nothing more than 25 variants of “uh oh!” “meow!” and “go get her!”
I bet it hasn’t occured to any of the doomsayers who seem to want to keep the comment count at 25 or less, because ideas frighten them, that high site traffic is good for the strip and good for Greg, as well as for the syndicate. If you think that sites close successful forums that generate controversy and attract traffic because if that, you’re far too panicky to be on driving on teh interwebs.
Snoopy_Fan over 12 years ago
Didn’t Brad go behind Toni’s back once to confront Dirk?
RetFor over 12 years ago
i love all the people discussing this as if they were real people…
Sheriff Mordecai Premium Member over 12 years ago
@D Levy – JJ thinks they are real.
Mighty_Mouse over 12 years ago
Well, that’s a new first. Or low.
Sheriff Mordecai Premium Member over 12 years ago
@Mighty Mouse — Yes, Virginia, there is a JJ. And it is as real as the troll who lives under Clip Clop Bridge.
Sheriff Mordecai Premium Member over 12 years ago
West Virgina, East Virginia. Parts of both.
flashman.ace over 12 years ago
Talk about stinking, you reek of overripe jealousy.
imbaldeagle over 12 years ago
OK – Now that I got through all 280 posts, with some skipping, I think the subject has been well covered and some side issues have been addressed as well. HOWEVER, I may have to take the authority away from Sideshow Starlet (who’s under some mistaken understanding of her importance) and eliminate mojitobaby as Watcher. (AND I know all about your Mr. Dewey connection – you’re not as all powerful as you think).You know there is a reason for my name and image – BE AFRAID – BE VERY AFRAID..As an aside, I think Brad and Toni are acting very normally as is reflected by most of the posts. The course of true love does not always run smoothly (or something like that). So look for a happy resolution within the next moon.
arson549 over 12 years ago
Man this strip is popular!!!
Mighty_Mouse over 12 years ago
Countdown: 3
Mighty_Mouse over 12 years ago
2
Mighty_Mouse over 12 years ago
1
Mighty_Mouse over 12 years ago
300 posts! Am I the first to say that?
vldazzle over 12 years ago
Sheriff, I’m Virginia as you know and I just read all the comments so will retire late again. I enjoyed reading many of old friends Otto and BaldEagle as well as some who I don’t know personally- Old Wolf and MojitoBaby as well as Dry. Thanks for weighing in.
@ Flashman- I believe trolls look for strips with many comments; I read 30 here and a dozen elsewhere and I remember when the ads with links proliferated (sp?) they seldom bothered where there were no other posts.
sgtmatt2378 Premium Member over 12 years ago
Brad should be re-called from layoff and that would be a good end to this thread!
lindz.coop Premium Member over 12 years ago
Maybe Brad should be mad at the b*tch who has been making a fool of him and harassing his girlfriend. God forbid anyone should stand up for themself.
Sheriff Mordecai Premium Member over 12 years ago
Flashman has it down pretty good. Traffic is not the problem. Administrative oversight, or the lack of it, including impotence, led to comics.com headaches. And a few of us here know that the enforcers watching THIS show are a different breed. Snarkiness is not a crime, it’s the spice of forum life – they know when that line is crossed. If you want to test them, go ahead. They know a Bruce Willis trick or two.
flashman.ace over 12 years ago
Remember guys, when you start fretting about forum closings and tell people not to post or nanny them that they’re being too argumentative, the trolls win. Also, as the Sheriff said, admin here isn’t stupid, there are Watchers on the Wall you don’t know about.
docforbin over 12 years ago
We all know what’s really going to happen on Monday, don’t we? Brad will whine and cry to his parents about what happened, and they’ll decide that he’s too immature to live on his own and order him to move back home, kick TJ out for good measure and forbid him from seeing Toni Daytona ever again, which means he’ll move back to his old room while Luann will be forced to move back to her old room, which means she’ll whine and cry to Delta and Bernice, who will tell her to shut up, grow up and move on. Then Luann, just to spite Delta and Bernice, will hit up on Quill yet again, which will lead to Tiffany stealing Quill from Luann once again, and she’ll once again whine and cry to Delta and Bernice who will tell her for the umpteenth time to shut up, grow up and move on.
End result—Brad will be permanently tied to the apron strings because he’s too much of a man-child to live on his own and Luann will suffer for it because she’s too selfish and immature in everyone else’s eyes to be a girlfriend to anyone other than that loser geek nerd Gunther and Tiffany does what she wants to steal the winners like Aaron Hill and Quill.
Luann can end this vicious cycle of angst by finally telling off everyone, giving Tiffany the smackdown she truly deserves, running away to Hawaii, reuniting with Aaron Hill and running away with him to Mexico so they can get married and have a bazillion kids and live happily ever after.
It is God’s holy will that Luann and Aaron Hill be together forever, and if Tiffany stands in their way, God will strike her down with a thunderbolt hurled by His righteous right hand!
LUANN AND AARON HILL WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER FOREVER!
maxmike over 12 years ago
After 35 years of marriage, I can reliably say that waiting until you cool down before talking is the ONLY way to deal with a major fight. It gives you time not only to reconsider saying the nasty thing you would immediately blurt out otherwise, but also gives you enough time to consider WHY the other person might have done the stupid thing that honked you off in the first place. Right now, Brad is doing the smart thing—just hope Toni does the smart thing and lets him cool down first.
awevans over 12 years ago
Reminds me of “The Gift of the Magi”. Brad wants a job to keep Toni. Toni feels Brad can do better then WW.
clarkins over 12 years ago
I thought this was a comic strip.. to be funnny… not a sope opera review
vldazzle over 12 years ago
WOW! I got my 8 hours of sleep, woke to a colorful sunrise and then refreshed to see what transpired while I slept. Thanks, Starlet for the complement – and seeing that many of you still remember the abuse that many of us suffered. I don’t remember either Mighty Mouse or Starlet ever posted (under those names) at cdotc – but my memory is not so great. I try to ignore the trolls, but personal attack is annoying as well as against the rules. I love using my photo as an avatar. This one may be a few years old, but I still take a good one as long as focus is not sharp ;-P
manabouttown over 12 years ago
Hi Rockabore, Your comment about Saturday’s strip was on the nose! Brad’s “foolishness” will probably cost him the only womanthat had any love for nim. And you are absolutely right about him not hearing her side of the story.
That move there could possibly destroy the trust she had in him. Now, even though this is just a comic strip, Brad (and guys like him) end up regretting their mistake(s) sometime in the future, going after every woman to recapture the moments they had with the "Toni Daytonas, and only to find constant disappointments…Number_6 over 12 years ago
What would be interesting to happen now would be Brad finally cools off enough to have a talk with Toni. So he decides to drive over to her place. Meanwhile…this is just the time for Dirk to decide to drop in on Toni unannounced an. She, of course, tells Dirk to get lost and throws him out. As he’s leaving, is just the moment when Brad pulls up in front of her place just in time to see Toni standing at the door and see’s Dirk leaving with that big smug grin he always has on his face. Brad, always having been insecure about Toni & Dirk anyway, of course misinterprets what he sees and thinks Toni’s been seeing Dirk again and drives off.
rugratz2222 over 12 years ago
Brad needs a good punch in the shoulder … a bucket of cold water on the head … and his nose snapped by someone’s finger … I would say a slap in the face, but that’s too personal. And Toni may feel bad, but she did the right thing. If Brad doesn’t see it, then Brad is an idiot.
Hammerhead451 over 12 years ago
I think that is what brad will eventually come to understand when he forgives her.
keokuk over 12 years ago
just reminds me so much of the way she cut him off in the beginning…but hoping TJ will have the guts to reveal what a mess he made of things before it gets too late. Toni needs to report Ann, too, but Brad’s comments might stop her in her tracks.
DarkHorseSki over 12 years ago
I’m telling you this is setting up Ann Eiffel to date Brad, which will add the drama the writers of this strip love to bring into play. Ann will do it because she likes to control Brad but also because she wants to irritate Toni…. and it will work…. then you’d see Dirk come back and Toni will be talking with him and Brad will see that which will add more drama…
nfergnospam over 12 years ago
whoa, reading the comments I see I have missed two very important passages in Brad and Toni’s lives. 1) WHEN DID HE PROPOSE? 2) When did she offer to let him move in with her (and why on earth didn’t he do it)
lbrande Premium Member over 12 years ago
Time for a sex harrasment & hostile work envronment lawsuit
JOJOHUN1211 over 12 years ago
It’s a job, and at the time Brad needed it. Toni should’ve been “supportive”. Eiffel wouldn’t have gotten between them if Brad and Toni were actually in LOVE. One of them would’ve gotten enough evidence to demand her and fire her once and for all. If the situation were the other way around Toni would be right and Brad an idiot.
nyder over 12 years ago
This strip is so lame, like a hot blonde would go out with that geek, let alone one that works at weenie world,
Glaceonfan over 4 years ago
Poor Toni