Arlo and Janis is usually pretty light on story, but it does have one and it has moved forward a bit recently. Although each week of story is separated by at least a week of non-plot-related strips, it has been established recently that the restaurant where Gene and Mary Lou (Arlo and Janis's son and his wife) work is closing down. Janis was very upset about it for a while, but everyone else seems to be taking it fairly well.
"Hey, Skeeter!" says Meg.
"Hey, Meg!" says Skeeter. "What's up?"
"My mom's restaurant is closing!" says Meg, wide-eyed as though she can hardly believe it.
"No way!" says Skeeter, unironically.
"Way!" says Meg. "They haven't told me yet, but I know!"
"Will you have to move?" asks Skeeter. "I sure hope not! I'd miss all those great leftovers your folks bring home!"
It's funny because the leftovers come from the restaurant, so they'll be gone either way.
Another comic with an incredibly slow-moving story is Between Friends. Recently Maeve met a man who spoke no English and decided to go to Germany with him. When she realised that that was actually crazy she instead went with her ex-husband. Turns out he wanted to get back together with her, which was not something she was keen on. Now she's been hanging out in Paris and is thinking of moving there permanently, assuming she can convince her company to transfer her there.
It sounds somewhat interesting when I put it like that, but it actually hasn't been, and unlike Arlo and Janis the Between Friends strips that don't move the plot forward are all about how insufferable the main cast are. They are petty, mean, smug and vindictive, so even though this Maeve in Europe thing is obviously not going to lead anywhere and has been a total waste of time, it's the best this comic has ever been.
Apartment 3-G hasn't moved on much this week, Tommie's fiancé is still dead, there's still a deer in the flat, the professor is still the only one who seems to care enough about Tommie to pay any particular attention to her or how she's feeling. Actually, I'm not even sure where Lu Ann even is right now. Has she wandered off and gotten lost?
A week later at Manhattan General...
"Good morning, Ms. Dawkins." says Tommie cheerily.
"Tommie — what are you doing here?" asks Ms Dawkins, flustered.
"I'm ready to go to work." says Tommie.
"Sit down, dear." says Ms. Dawkins. "We need to talk!"
Looks like Tommie is still in the denial phase.
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