# The comic strip Luanne **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 8, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911 "2003-03-08T14:57:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Collaborator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@The\_Collaborator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Collaborator)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/1 "2003-03-08T14:57:06Z")
I haven’t read the comics in awhile, but my hometown paper when I was younger carried Luanne. One plot point I remember is that Luanne was crazy in love with that blonde boy, Aaron, but Tiffany (?) the bitch was always gunning for him. Imagine my shock when I’m at a friend’s house yesterday, I pick up the paper, and LUANNE AND AARON ARE MAKING OUT! I asked me friend, “What’s going on here?” And of course she said, “I have no idea. I don’t read Luanne.” Yeah, whatever. Why would you not read a comic; it takes two seconds. Anyway, can you kids enlightment me? What’s up with Aaron and Luanne? And I gotta give her mad props–Aaron is by far the most sexually appealing male figure on the comics page. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Collaborator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@The\_Collaborator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Collaborator)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/2 "2003-03-08T14:59:23Z")
Never mind that last statement; I just realized that I find the guy from Get Fuzzy to be really hot. ---
**Author:** ![mcms\_cricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@mcms\_cricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcms_cricket)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/3 "2003-03-08T15:10:24Z")
They aren’t dating - this storyline has only been going on for a week or two - you can catch up at [the official site](http://www.comics.com/comics/luann/index.html) where you can see the last 30 days of strips. Cricket ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/4 "2003-03-08T15:14:22Z")
I’d do Garfield in a heartbeat! ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/5 "2003-03-08T15:35:29Z")
Is it just me or has Luann changed from a sweet, awkward, well meaning girl into a self-centered, boy-crazy bitch in the last few years? It seemed to me that it all went horriblyt wrong when there was that write-in vote thing where people chose whether she would go to the dance with Aaron or Gunther and most people voted for Aaron. Breaking that date with Gunther totally screwed up her moral center. Brad, on the other hand, is maturing into an almost adult. He needs to move out. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/6 "2003-03-08T15:37:36Z")
And Mark Trail … what a dreamboat. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/7 "2003-03-08T16:13:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manda JO \* > \*\*Is it just me or has Luann changed from a sweet, awkward, well meaning girl into a self-centered, boy-crazy bitch in the last few years? \*\* Yep - and this has actually been covered in the comic itself, about two months ago. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/8 "2003-03-08T17:35:53Z")
> [@](#): > > Yep - and this has actually been covered in the comic itself, about two months ago. Yeah, I know, but it didn’t actually address the issue, or change any behavoir on Luann’s part. I don’t know why this irritates me so much. ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/9 "2003-03-08T17:38:59Z")
Luann and Aaron got stuck together writing a play for a competition. Delta suggested to Luann that the romantic tension between her and Aaron was impeding their creative process. L related this thought to A, they started laughing, and ended up kissing. Myself, I’m hoping they get back to the Zane/Bernice saga soon. You can read the past month’s strips [here.](http://www.dilbert.com/comics/luann/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/10 "2003-03-08T18:20:37Z")
Is it just me, or when the Aaron chraracter was introduced (it’s been a while since I’ve seen it) did it seem like he was heading towards revelaing he was gay? It seemed like all these hints were lined up that way and then that subtext just went away. Or is my admittedly low-tech gaydar just on the fritz? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/11 "2003-03-08T19:49:58Z")
Aaron has been part of the strip from the beginning. He originally was the cute guy who Luann had a crush on, and who was completely unaware of it (in the beginning, he was completely unaware of Luann). Eventually, she began to talk with him and once presented him with a scrapbook documenting how taken she was with him since elementary school. Aaron became a regular character, as opposed to someone seen from afar. The intention was that Aaron just didn’t notice Luann. I doubt they were making any comments on his sexuality. Later, it was clear that he wasn’t gay. ---
**Author:** ![skaterboarder87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/12 "2003-03-08T21:09:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\* Later, it was clear that he wasn’t gay. \*\* Maybe he should be though; who would date Luann? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/13 "2003-03-08T21:27:28Z")
I may be remembering wrong, but this is not the first time either that they have kissed. They dated (briefly) a couple of years ago, when Miguel (the Spanish exchange student) was around and also courting Luann. It seemed their relationship the years earlier always ended because he went to some other place during the summer. ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/14 "2003-03-08T21:35:40Z")
I didn’t discover Luann until right before Miguel left, so I didn’t know about any history between Luann and Aaron before then. However, it was always my impression that while Luann was crazy about Aaron, Aaron was always indifferent to Luann. So, I was surprised at the “sexual tension” thing (only, I think they were calling it “romantic tension” since it’s a family strip) because to me there can’t be any tension between two people when only one of them is tense. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/15 "2003-03-08T22:14:35Z")
lorinada: It’s always been my impression that Luann is crazy about Aaron, but Aaron is torn between feelings for here and the popular bitch (Tiffany?) skaterboarder87: If I was a cartoon guy, I wouldn’t mind boinking Luann. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/16 "2003-03-09T01:45:39Z")
How 'bout the mom in “Nine Chickweed Lane?” Or Rosie in “Rose is a Rose?” Especially when she’s in her motorcycle leathers. Oh, man. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/17 "2003-03-09T06:48:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JonScribe \* > \*\*How 'bout the mom in “Nine Chickweed Lane?” > Or Rosie in “Rose is a Rose?” Especially when she’s in her motorcycle leathers. > > Oh, man. \*\* Ditto on Juliette. But I understand the line’s pretty long. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/18 "2003-03-11T07:28:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bottle of Smoke \* > **Is it just me, or when the Aaron chraracter was introduced (it’s been a while since I’ve seen it) did it seem like he was heading towards revelaing he was gay?** There was a sequence shortly after the write-in vote thing (and boy, did that honk me off. I voted for Gunther, dang it!) where Aaron told Luann he didn’t want to get involved with her. She tried to rationalize this (“Maybe he’s going to enter the priesthood!”) while he was calling some unknown person and saying, “Not a good time to meet?..Okay. [thinking] There has to be an easier way to be in love…” A guy, right? No! An Older Woman[sup]TM[/sup]! (Well, a college student, anyway.) But I don’t remember how that was resolved. Then there was **another** sequence where Aaron told Luann he was really Gunther in disguise, and had been testing her integrity, or something. Of course, it turned out to be a dream sequence. Greg Evans’ mistake was forgetting that he’d shown Aaron, Luann, Gunther and Bernice all at the dance together. I told him as much, at a book signing, and he sighed, “It’s people like you who make my job a headache!” And now I can’t stop thinking of that Onion article about how Evans was going to acknowledge 9/11 in the strip. One of the photos was a collection of sketches, including one of Tiffany bending over in hot pants and saying, “Spank me, Greg!” ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-comic-strip-luanne/159911/19 "2003-03-11T08:34:53Z")
Luann is a frequent topic on [rec.arts.comics.strips](http://groups.google.com/groups?q=rec.arts.comics.strips&ie=ISO-8859-1&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search). The link leads to Google’s archives of the group. Search for “Luann” and you can read about our love/hate relationship with that strip (along with discussions of past storylines, etc.) Sure, Luann’s making out with Aaron, but it doesn’t mean anything. Greg Evans already has his finger hovering over the reset button. Who’d want to date Luann? (I agree with **Manda JO** , but I date the beginning of bitchiness to the change in hairstyle, myself.) Who’d want to date Aaron? (He did, after all, profit from Tiffany’s stealing of Gunther’s concert tickets (Gunther was going to take Tiffany; she absconded with the tickets and took Aaron instead) and never called ol’ Tiff on it. Besides, he used to be gay. (I noticed it, too :).)) I’m tired of this strip now. Sexual tension indeed! Who cares? Neither one is a sympathetic character anymore. It’s boring now. It’s not even much fun to make fun of anymore. With this kiss, I can see the shark sailing by underneath them. There’s a reason high school only lasts four years in real life! > [@](#): > > _From my post on rec.arts.comics.strips on Nov. 5, 2002_ > **Luann Storylines We Will Not See** > > 1. Luann waking up to the fact that Aaron is just as big of a > slimeball as ol’ Tiffany and giving up her crush for good (Hey, > Tiffany had plenty of chances to tell Aaron about what she saw on > Luann’s paper while they were at the concert. Maybe Luann could catch > Aaron having a good laugh about it with his buddies.) > > 2. Gunther getting the girl–any girl > > 3. Delta and Bernice calling Luann on her atrocious display of > attitude these past few years > > 4. The backstory on Tiffany. I bet there’s something there to be > explored. For instance, she is supposed to be “popular”, and yet she > really has only two friends (Crystal the goth and Aaron Hill.) > Luann’s at the age where she can start to realize that there’s more to > that sort of person than meets the eye. She was wearing makeup in the > third grade, for Pete’s sake! Why? And why is her best friend a goth > and not another cheerleader? It could be an eye-opener for Luann if > she finds out.