Volume 24 – Dirk Returns

Behind-the-scene commentary from Greg Evans:
” I hate to admit this, but it’s hard to let a good villain leave. And as villains go, Dirk’s …Read More

Behind-the-scene commentary from Greg Evans:
I hate to admit this, but it’s hard to let a good villain leave. And as villains go, Dirk’s one of the best. So here he is, back once more, professing to have changed, apparently by having found religion.

In the Vol 19 comments, I said that one topic I avoid is religion. This includes using phrases such as “Oh my God” in the strip. It’s something teens tend to say a lot, but the first time I had Luann say it, long ago, I got several letters from offended readers. Since then, I’ve cleverly used OHMGAW which no one’s complained about. In “Peanuts,” Schulz used “Rats!” and “Good Grief!” But sometimes, “Oh my God” is the exact sentiment being expressed and anything else, such as “Oh, dear!” or “Yikes!” or “Uh-oh!” just doesn’t do the job. Such is the case in the 9-17 strip. I risked angry feedback and had Toni utter “ohmygod.” Although, in a feeble attempt to minimize offense, I put it as one word in tiny type.

Oh goodie! Another “so dumb it might just work” scheme from TJ. And it involves Tiffany, the dimmest bulb in the Luanniverse, so what could go wrong? This was a really fun story to write. Why? Because it put two very strong characters, Tiff and Dirk, together. It pretty much wrote itself.