Background about Greg Evans Readers of all ages love Luann, the exciting comic strip by Greg Evans that brings to life the daily drama of being a young woman. Evans' strong characters, compelling storylines and genuine humor captivate millions of readers every day. Since it began in 1985, Luann has earned a loyal following in more than 350 newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Sun-Times, Houston Chronicle, Newark Star-Ledger, Portland Oregonian, Arizona Republic and Seattle Times, and online at www.comics.com. Luann is distributed daily and Sunday by United Feature Syndicate. Teens everywhere relate to Evans' insightful humor and true-to-life characters.  A proven favorite, Luann consistently ranks among the top five comic strips in reader surveys in major newspapers.  Evans is also applauded for touching on the real issues that teens face — from puberty and unrequited love to peer pressure, drugs and alcohol. In all storylines, Evans holds Luann up as a fine example of the positive power cartoons can have. “I’ve always felt that adolescence is a very funny time — except when you’re in it,” says Evans.  “My aim is to touch readers’ hearts as well as their funny bones, to enlighten as well as to entertain.” A cartoonist favorite as well as a reader favorite, Evans won the National Cartoonists Society’s 2003 Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year, the highest honor in cartooning.  He was previously nominated for the award in 2002, 2001, 1999, 1997 and 1994. Fans who can’t get enough of Luann in their newspapers can also find it on the Internet at www.luannsroom.com, and in several book collections, including the latest compilation, Luann 4: Seriously (Andrews McMeel, 2008).  This followed Luann 3: Sixteen Isn't Pretty (Andrews McMeel, 2006), Dates and Other Disasters: A Luann Collection, Volume 2 (Andrews McMeel, 2004) and Luann: Curves Ahead (Andrews McMeel, 2003).  There are also three collections from Rutledge Hill Press: Passion! Betrayal! Outrage! Revenge (1999); Luann (1998); and Sometimes You Just Have to Make Your Own Rules (1998). In an effort to speak to adolescents about serious health issues, Journeyworks Publishing featured Luann in a series of pamphlets on important health topics. The LUANN Health Series, designed in comic strip format for an adolescent audience, combines storytelling, humor and practical information to build a positive view of what’s healthy for adolescents (sexual responsibility, good nutrition, increased physical activity) and reinforce the negative consequences of what’s not (drugs, tobacco, unsafe sex). Peer and social influences, and effective ways to deal with them, are an important part of each storyline. Evans discovered at an early age that he wanted to be a syndicated cartoonist, but it was years before he reached his goal.  In 1972, he and his wife, Betty, moved to Australia, where they lived and taught for two years. After a year of traveling, they settled in Colorado, where Evans worked as a graphic artist and promotion manager for a television station. During that time, he freelanced as a magazine cartoonist while developing ideas for a comic strip. From these ideas, Luann emerged. Today, Evans and his wife reside near San Diego, Calif.