Volume 15 – How Hard Can It Be?

Behind-the-scene commentary from Greg Evans:
“I’m pretty sure any guy who’s had a crush on a girl will identify with the excruciating angst that… Read More

Behind-the-scene commentary from Greg Evans:
I’m pretty sure any guy who’s had a crush on a girl will identify with the excruciating angst that Brad endures here in trying to gather the nerve to set up Date Number One with Toni.

I still recall my high school experience with First Date Jitters. Senior Prom was looming and I’d never dated any girl. I ended up asking out a friend of the date of my pal, Randy. Was it an awkward, stiff, uncomfortable Prom night? Yes. Yes, it was. Taking a total stranger to Senior Prom isn’t the recipe for crazy fun.

This collection contains one of my favorite TJ schemes: the Girl Scout Badge con. TJ tells Brad that girls dig guys who are heroic (signified by a badge, of course) and that the GS stands for “Good Samaritan.” And Brad swallows this? Yup. In the end, Toni seems to find it endearing that Brad is so eager to impress.

Another strip here I like is the one where Brad shows up for the date bearing a gift: not a bouquet (“too mushy”) but a floral arrangement set into a model car. CARnations. Har-de-har.

When the 4-1 strip appeared, a reader wrote to tell me that the moon I drew was in the wrong phase for that date. I work a month and a half ahead of deadline and I drew a full moon because it was more romantic. Now I use a website that shows the moon phase for any date you type in.

Readers always keep me on my toes.