Coming Home (or Take this Anvil out of my Head)
In today’s For Better or For Worse, we have a hint that Liz may plan to move back into the Sharon Park Drive house. The hint is fulfilled in tomorrow’s strip. I was stunned. How did this happen? Why is Lynn so obsessed with the idea that Liz has to be with Anthony that this whole plot with Liz is literally being bludgeoned into place?
This is my theory. About 2002, Lynn started being less and less involved in the strip. Just comparing Sunday’s strip to today’s strip, it is readily apparent that more than one artist is involved. And since the style of the art does not look like Lynn’s style anymore, I have to presume that her contributions to the art are marginal at best. At some book-signing months ago, some person asked Lynn Johnston about Constable Paul Wright, and she did not remember him, which many posters to the FOOBiverse’s Journal interpreted as a sign he was toast. He is going to be toast, but I think the reason Lynn didn’t know about the good constable is that she was unaware he even existed.
In other words, I think a Lynnion or Lynnions invented Paul Wright, with the intent that he would woo and marry Liz, being Mr. Wright, and Liz would be able to settle down in Mtigwaki permanently and that was going to be the ending of the strip. However, I have seen signs of Lynn returning back to the strip, i.e. some strips have been actually funny and harken back to the old funny days of the strip. Lynn may have come back in after an extended vacation and said, “Well, it’s time to get Liz back together with Anthony for the ending” and the Lynnions say, “Holy crap! We have her set up with a handsome native boyfriend.” Then Lynn says, “Fix it.” Then we, the reader, get Liz plots that go completely against the character of Liz as has been presented up to this point. That’s the only way I can make sense of this crazy plot.
As for April’s Real Blog, I enjoyed playing off the old Patterson allure, which qnjones picked up on fantastically, with Disney love songs. I really struggled with the Paul Wright post today, because the move home is so blatantly anti-Paul. I had a hard time imagining a real Paul character who would not be very upset with Liz moving back into her parents’ house. I am going to be fascinated to see how they retcon this Liz in the September monthly letters.
Also, I keep forgetting to give love to aprilp_katje for her marvelous ignoring of Shannon Lake's posts. It is perfect strip April.
This is my theory. About 2002, Lynn started being less and less involved in the strip. Just comparing Sunday’s strip to today’s strip, it is readily apparent that more than one artist is involved. And since the style of the art does not look like Lynn’s style anymore, I have to presume that her contributions to the art are marginal at best. At some book-signing months ago, some person asked Lynn Johnston about Constable Paul Wright, and she did not remember him, which many posters to the FOOBiverse’s Journal interpreted as a sign he was toast. He is going to be toast, but I think the reason Lynn didn’t know about the good constable is that she was unaware he even existed.
In other words, I think a Lynnion or Lynnions invented Paul Wright, with the intent that he would woo and marry Liz, being Mr. Wright, and Liz would be able to settle down in Mtigwaki permanently and that was going to be the ending of the strip. However, I have seen signs of Lynn returning back to the strip, i.e. some strips have been actually funny and harken back to the old funny days of the strip. Lynn may have come back in after an extended vacation and said, “Well, it’s time to get Liz back together with Anthony for the ending” and the Lynnions say, “Holy crap! We have her set up with a handsome native boyfriend.” Then Lynn says, “Fix it.” Then we, the reader, get Liz plots that go completely against the character of Liz as has been presented up to this point. That’s the only way I can make sense of this crazy plot.
As for April’s Real Blog, I enjoyed playing off the old Patterson allure, which qnjones picked up on fantastically, with Disney love songs. I really struggled with the Paul Wright post today, because the move home is so blatantly anti-Paul. I had a hard time imagining a real Paul character who would not be very upset with Liz moving back into her parents’ house. I am going to be fascinated to see how they retcon this Liz in the September monthly letters.
Also, I keep forgetting to give love to aprilp_katje for her marvelous ignoring of Shannon Lake's posts. It is perfect strip April.
posted by howard at 11:25 PM
2 Comments:
The virulence of Liz's Patterson allure yesterday was hilarious. :)
Sometimes, April just doesn't know what to say to Shannon!
Sometimes, April just doesn't know what to say to Shannon!
Just like the strip. Whenever Shannon approaches, April's first reaction is always to blow her off with a few words. Nicely played.
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