In 30 Seconds, Once a Day!!
Lynn Johnston has seen fit to address the primary concerns of the Coffee Talk readers with respect to the relationship between Elizabeth and Anthony. Naturally I see fit to address her address.
A note from Lynn...
Ok, folks! Time to address a few of your concerns!
You're absolutely right. Elizabeth should have gone to visit her grandfather when she picked April up from his apartment. Trouble is...I have a limited time left here and every strip, now, is a statement that leads to the August 30th conclusion!! If I had sent her to visit gramps, it would have required perhaps 3 strips total to resolve interaction between them: the wedding, her work, his health, the dress and so on. Everything has a repercussion. - I have less than 30 seconds a day to lead you through the labyrinth of these characters' lives. So. I hoped you would suppose she did visit and was just unable to see him at this time! I was wrong. It was an omission! I'm grateful for those who read between the lines and know that there is something going on in everyone's life, and I can't show it all!
In this paragraph, Lynn Johnston introduces her theme, which is essentially, "I have limited time" and the time she lists is "30 seconds, once a day." I suppose this means she has timed how long it takes to read her strip. But to analyze it!? I say "Nay!" I take far more time than 30 seconds. It's interesting that she interprets the comic strip in terms of time. Really what she has is 3 panels of plot and 1 panel of punch line. I would think of it more in terms of "I have 4 pictures to advance a plot." It is also interesting that she is calling the conclusion for August 30th, when in the Cartoon Closet article, she said September 29. However, as I have pointed out before, Lynn Johnston has a hard time setting exact final dates for her strip.
Her explanation that she has to have 3 strips to show the interaction between Liz and Grandpa Jim does not hold water with me. Lynn is a creature of repetition. Back in January, the last time April visited Grandpa Jim, the sequence was almost exactly the same. April visits, tea is drunk, she plays for a going-to-sleep Grandpa Jim, then John picks her up and asks how Grandpa Jim is. What you have is the virtually same story except it's Elizabeth instead of John. And back in January, people complained that John didn't go up and visit either.
To be honest, Lynn packed a lot into last week. There were only 3 strips with Grandpa Jim and April, whereas back in January it took 6 days to do the same thing. The most frustrating part is that Lynn states in her excuse a plotline that would be far better than 3 strips of April doing her same old thing, i.e. Elizabeth is visiting her Grandpa Jim and they discuss "the wedding, her work, his health, the dress and so on." There's the better story. There's one which will push the wedding plotline forward and will actually show the Elizabeth / Jim interaction crucial for the reader to understand that Elizabeth actually does like, does visit and care about Jim. Moreover, it will show why it is important for Elizabeth to set a date for her wedding to include Jim. Lynn spells out this plot in her excuse, but for some reason doesn't seem to recognize it is the superiour story. She is so caught up in doing "April plays the guitar for Jim" again and again and again.
For those of you who oppose Anthony as a marriage partner for Liz. Please consider the fact that he has been closely tied to her family all the while she's been away at school and up north. John and Elly invested in, buy their cars from and constantly connect with Gordon Mayes who owns a successful automotive complex with Anthony now as manager of the repairs and maintainance division. Both Elly and John regard Anthony highly and ultimately, this bodes well for Elizabeth's future with him. She respects her parents' opinions. She knows his family, his past, his friends and his personality. His appearance as a successful single parent also says a lot about his ability to commit to and sustain a lasting relationship.l I haven't gone into a lot of kissing, embracing, "I love you dialogue" for fear of making you jump on me for being too saccharine!! I should have turned on the treacle!! Trust me, she does love him and she's confident enough in her choice, and he with her, that their relationship is easy. They simply know they're making the right choice and display their serious, physical affection privately!!
Anthony is the manager of the repairs and maintainance division? I had to go back and look, but there it is: Back in 2006, Anthony was put in charge of the garage, the store and the restaurant, according to John. In the paragraph, Lynn Johnston addresses the reason why Anthony is a good marriage partner for Liz
1. John and Elly like him. About this, I completely agree. After all, John and Elly pushed Anthony on Elizabeth when he was engaged, married, and with a child -- times when most other people might be looking for someone else for their daughter. The interesting part is that Lynn points out the reason for Anthony's success is directly dependent on Gordon Mayes. Gordon Mayes is even more successful than Anthony, and was also married and had a child. Presumably, the Pattersons also regard him highly. Unlike Anthony though, they did not push Elizabeth on Gordon for a marriage partner. Elizabeth may respect her parents' opinions; but I find them morally suspect.
2. She knows his family, his past, his friends and his personality. I can agree with all that except for the family part. Honestly, there should have been at least one strip where Anthony and Elizabeth visit with Anthony's family after they got engaged. However, it is nice to know that Anthony still has a family, and maybe someday we will get to meet them.
3. Good single parent = Good marriage partner. In other words, if your kid likes you, you must be great marriage material. I have 2 responses to this: Bunk beds for 3-year-olds. "I have no home!" Sorry, Lynn. A great kid is not the sign of a good husband. And really, of all people, you should know this.
The last part is Lynn's explanation for no love between Anthony and Elizabeth: Fear of the reader. Where was that fear when she showed Elizabeth with Paul, Warren, Eric and even Mason the best man? Despite Lynn's comment, I think she went "treacle"-less, in order to draw a contrast between those relationships and the one with Anthony. Lynn's statement that Elizabeth and Anthony display their physical affection privately is accompanied by a "Yes!" from me. I knew that's what she meant with the "Let's go home" strip and the "Check!" strips.
The problem with a visual art like this is that it's static. If these people were on a screen, moving and alive, the subtle exchanges, eye contact, expressions, teasing and so on would be charming and endearing. In film, you can avoid saccharine in the way the actors behave. In a comic, static image, all you see is the kiss. Is that too corny? Is what they say too boringly trite? How do you draw the subtleties required to make the reader feel these sweet, subtle emotions without saying- "what crap!"??? I dunno!!! I draw well- but not THAT well!! If I was producing a comic novel, I'd have the luxury of time and multiple kissing images in which to convey an exchange like this... Again, I have less than 30 seconds, once a day. So...I've given you more of their friendship and less of their physicality. A regrettable omission!!
This next paragraph is essentially an admission by Lynn that she doesn't draw very well. However, she defends herself by comparing it to a movie with lots of images, or a comic novel (graphic novel, Lynn). Suffice to say, anyone reading a Sergio Aragonés margin drawing in Mad Magazine can tell you that is possible to tell a lot of story with a few figures. There is no use arguing this point. Lynn says she doesn't draw well enough to convey subtle emotions and I have seen enough of her art to believe it. If you can't even put eyes straight on a character's head, how are you possibly going to convey emotions with your drawing? If Lynn wasn't about to retire I would suggest she check out Will Eisner's great book Comics and Sequential Art, which would tell her exactly how to communicate love between characters without them even laying one kiss on each other.
For those who say these young people have all ended up with people they've known since elementary school... and this is unusual: You're right! These days, we are all going well away from our families and meeting culturally diverse and exciting new people. That's real life. I'm sorta in a wierd fantasy capsule. Already I have more characters than most strips can manage. Adding new people is difficult, but a challenge I enjoy.
This next paragraph is a mass of contradictions. Real life is new people. I already have too many characters. But I enjoy adding new ones.
Every NEW character requires a series of portraits and a personal profile. They need a consistent "look" and personality, a place to live, a car to drive and a "style" unique to them. In order to accept the new character, the reader needs time (at 30 seconds a day) So, when it comes to a lifetime committment, it's easier for all of us to get a handle on and get inside consistent "actors"- people we've known for awhile and know something about- than it is to try and make a serious attachment to someone new! Both Paul and Warren were new...and though they were attractive and fun...what did you REALLY know about them? Not much...until Beth started to fill us all in!! That goes for ME, too. Beth's stories do what I could never do...( in 30 seconds, once a day!!)
This paragraph seems to say that she chose Anthony Caine as Elizabeth's husband because the readers know more about him than Warren and Paul. In many respects, this seems like a wise choice. I have certainly read a lot of comments that went along the lines of "I always hoped Elizabeth would end up with Anthony." Then she compliments Beth on filling in Warren's life story, probably because she realizes that, thanks to Beth's story in the Who's Who on the website, we now know more about Warren Blackwood than Anthony Caine. Thus, the basic premise of her argument is defeated. However, to be fair, let me compare Anthony Caine to Paul Wright.
1.
a. Why did Paul Wright choose his job? To be a service to his people.
b. Why did Anthony Caine choose his job? It's the same job he had working summers in university. Gordon Mayes offered for him to keep it after graduation.
2.
a. Did Paul Wright want to take Elizabeth to meet his parents? Yes
b. Did Anthony Caine want to take Elizabeth to meet his parents? Who knows.
3.
a. What is the background of Paul Wright's parents? Father - Irish. Mother - Ojibway. Live in White River.
b. What is the background of Anthony Caine's parents? Father owns a business and has threw a New Years' Eve party in 2002. He also used to employ Therese Caine. Mother. Who knows? Live in Milborough.
4.
a. Has Paul Wright ever done anything despicable? He cheated on Elizabeth with Susan Dokis, misled her into thinking he had his transfer to Toronto, and did not break up with her until she confronted him with it.
b. Has Anthony Caine ever done anything despicable? He married Therese when he was still carrying a torch for Elizabeth, humiliated Therese by throwing himself at Elizabeth in public outings, convinced Therese to have a baby and then complained to everyone he knew about Therese's lack of parenting, ignored Therese's post-partum depression, tried to convince Elizabeth to wait for him to end his marriage when his baby was just 5 months old right after Elizabeth was almost raped.
I guess I know Anthony Caine slightly more than Paul Wright; but that does not work in Anthony Caine's favour.
So, I hope that sheds some light on the writing and development process I use. That's not to say that every one of your opinions doesn't register or have great merit! You're ALL right and I appreciate your input and your discussions! Believe it or not, I do read what you say on Coffee Talk and it consistently amazes me to know how involved you are in the lives of these imaginary characters!!
I definitely believe she reads the Coffee Talk. We have seen so many retcons in the last year addressing Coffee Talk issues, it would be difficult to believe otherwise.
When the story is told, you'll be able to imagine what happens next. The great pleasure for ME will be in the retelling...because I'm going to add to and improve this saga...and that's a luxury few artists have!!
I believe this is a reference back to the idea that Lynn will be adding and touching up old strips, once she starts the chronological reprints.
Thankyou for writing and for reading my work. Sincerely, Lynn J.
You are welcome.
A note from Lynn...
Ok, folks! Time to address a few of your concerns!
You're absolutely right. Elizabeth should have gone to visit her grandfather when she picked April up from his apartment. Trouble is...I have a limited time left here and every strip, now, is a statement that leads to the August 30th conclusion!! If I had sent her to visit gramps, it would have required perhaps 3 strips total to resolve interaction between them: the wedding, her work, his health, the dress and so on. Everything has a repercussion. - I have less than 30 seconds a day to lead you through the labyrinth of these characters' lives. So. I hoped you would suppose she did visit and was just unable to see him at this time! I was wrong. It was an omission! I'm grateful for those who read between the lines and know that there is something going on in everyone's life, and I can't show it all!
In this paragraph, Lynn Johnston introduces her theme, which is essentially, "I have limited time" and the time she lists is "30 seconds, once a day." I suppose this means she has timed how long it takes to read her strip. But to analyze it!? I say "Nay!" I take far more time than 30 seconds. It's interesting that she interprets the comic strip in terms of time. Really what she has is 3 panels of plot and 1 panel of punch line. I would think of it more in terms of "I have 4 pictures to advance a plot." It is also interesting that she is calling the conclusion for August 30th, when in the Cartoon Closet article, she said September 29. However, as I have pointed out before, Lynn Johnston has a hard time setting exact final dates for her strip.
Her explanation that she has to have 3 strips to show the interaction between Liz and Grandpa Jim does not hold water with me. Lynn is a creature of repetition. Back in January, the last time April visited Grandpa Jim, the sequence was almost exactly the same. April visits, tea is drunk, she plays for a going-to-sleep Grandpa Jim, then John picks her up and asks how Grandpa Jim is. What you have is the virtually same story except it's Elizabeth instead of John. And back in January, people complained that John didn't go up and visit either.
To be honest, Lynn packed a lot into last week. There were only 3 strips with Grandpa Jim and April, whereas back in January it took 6 days to do the same thing. The most frustrating part is that Lynn states in her excuse a plotline that would be far better than 3 strips of April doing her same old thing, i.e. Elizabeth is visiting her Grandpa Jim and they discuss "the wedding, her work, his health, the dress and so on." There's the better story. There's one which will push the wedding plotline forward and will actually show the Elizabeth / Jim interaction crucial for the reader to understand that Elizabeth actually does like, does visit and care about Jim. Moreover, it will show why it is important for Elizabeth to set a date for her wedding to include Jim. Lynn spells out this plot in her excuse, but for some reason doesn't seem to recognize it is the superiour story. She is so caught up in doing "April plays the guitar for Jim" again and again and again.
For those of you who oppose Anthony as a marriage partner for Liz. Please consider the fact that he has been closely tied to her family all the while she's been away at school and up north. John and Elly invested in, buy their cars from and constantly connect with Gordon Mayes who owns a successful automotive complex with Anthony now as manager of the repairs and maintainance division. Both Elly and John regard Anthony highly and ultimately, this bodes well for Elizabeth's future with him. She respects her parents' opinions. She knows his family, his past, his friends and his personality. His appearance as a successful single parent also says a lot about his ability to commit to and sustain a lasting relationship.l I haven't gone into a lot of kissing, embracing, "I love you dialogue" for fear of making you jump on me for being too saccharine!! I should have turned on the treacle!! Trust me, she does love him and she's confident enough in her choice, and he with her, that their relationship is easy. They simply know they're making the right choice and display their serious, physical affection privately!!
Anthony is the manager of the repairs and maintainance division? I had to go back and look, but there it is: Back in 2006, Anthony was put in charge of the garage, the store and the restaurant, according to John. In the paragraph, Lynn Johnston addresses the reason why Anthony is a good marriage partner for Liz
1. John and Elly like him. About this, I completely agree. After all, John and Elly pushed Anthony on Elizabeth when he was engaged, married, and with a child -- times when most other people might be looking for someone else for their daughter. The interesting part is that Lynn points out the reason for Anthony's success is directly dependent on Gordon Mayes. Gordon Mayes is even more successful than Anthony, and was also married and had a child. Presumably, the Pattersons also regard him highly. Unlike Anthony though, they did not push Elizabeth on Gordon for a marriage partner. Elizabeth may respect her parents' opinions; but I find them morally suspect.
2. She knows his family, his past, his friends and his personality. I can agree with all that except for the family part. Honestly, there should have been at least one strip where Anthony and Elizabeth visit with Anthony's family after they got engaged. However, it is nice to know that Anthony still has a family, and maybe someday we will get to meet them.
3. Good single parent = Good marriage partner. In other words, if your kid likes you, you must be great marriage material. I have 2 responses to this: Bunk beds for 3-year-olds. "I have no home!" Sorry, Lynn. A great kid is not the sign of a good husband. And really, of all people, you should know this.
The last part is Lynn's explanation for no love between Anthony and Elizabeth: Fear of the reader. Where was that fear when she showed Elizabeth with Paul, Warren, Eric and even Mason the best man? Despite Lynn's comment, I think she went "treacle"-less, in order to draw a contrast between those relationships and the one with Anthony. Lynn's statement that Elizabeth and Anthony display their physical affection privately is accompanied by a "Yes!" from me. I knew that's what she meant with the "Let's go home" strip and the "Check!" strips.
The problem with a visual art like this is that it's static. If these people were on a screen, moving and alive, the subtle exchanges, eye contact, expressions, teasing and so on would be charming and endearing. In film, you can avoid saccharine in the way the actors behave. In a comic, static image, all you see is the kiss. Is that too corny? Is what they say too boringly trite? How do you draw the subtleties required to make the reader feel these sweet, subtle emotions without saying- "what crap!"??? I dunno!!! I draw well- but not THAT well!! If I was producing a comic novel, I'd have the luxury of time and multiple kissing images in which to convey an exchange like this... Again, I have less than 30 seconds, once a day. So...I've given you more of their friendship and less of their physicality. A regrettable omission!!
This next paragraph is essentially an admission by Lynn that she doesn't draw very well. However, she defends herself by comparing it to a movie with lots of images, or a comic novel (graphic novel, Lynn). Suffice to say, anyone reading a Sergio Aragonés margin drawing in Mad Magazine can tell you that is possible to tell a lot of story with a few figures. There is no use arguing this point. Lynn says she doesn't draw well enough to convey subtle emotions and I have seen enough of her art to believe it. If you can't even put eyes straight on a character's head, how are you possibly going to convey emotions with your drawing? If Lynn wasn't about to retire I would suggest she check out Will Eisner's great book Comics and Sequential Art, which would tell her exactly how to communicate love between characters without them even laying one kiss on each other.
For those who say these young people have all ended up with people they've known since elementary school... and this is unusual: You're right! These days, we are all going well away from our families and meeting culturally diverse and exciting new people. That's real life. I'm sorta in a wierd fantasy capsule. Already I have more characters than most strips can manage. Adding new people is difficult, but a challenge I enjoy.
This next paragraph is a mass of contradictions. Real life is new people. I already have too many characters. But I enjoy adding new ones.
Every NEW character requires a series of portraits and a personal profile. They need a consistent "look" and personality, a place to live, a car to drive and a "style" unique to them. In order to accept the new character, the reader needs time (at 30 seconds a day) So, when it comes to a lifetime committment, it's easier for all of us to get a handle on and get inside consistent "actors"- people we've known for awhile and know something about- than it is to try and make a serious attachment to someone new! Both Paul and Warren were new...and though they were attractive and fun...what did you REALLY know about them? Not much...until Beth started to fill us all in!! That goes for ME, too. Beth's stories do what I could never do...( in 30 seconds, once a day!!)
This paragraph seems to say that she chose Anthony Caine as Elizabeth's husband because the readers know more about him than Warren and Paul. In many respects, this seems like a wise choice. I have certainly read a lot of comments that went along the lines of "I always hoped Elizabeth would end up with Anthony." Then she compliments Beth on filling in Warren's life story, probably because she realizes that, thanks to Beth's story in the Who's Who on the website, we now know more about Warren Blackwood than Anthony Caine. Thus, the basic premise of her argument is defeated. However, to be fair, let me compare Anthony Caine to Paul Wright.
1.
a. Why did Paul Wright choose his job? To be a service to his people.
b. Why did Anthony Caine choose his job? It's the same job he had working summers in university. Gordon Mayes offered for him to keep it after graduation.
2.
a. Did Paul Wright want to take Elizabeth to meet his parents? Yes
b. Did Anthony Caine want to take Elizabeth to meet his parents? Who knows.
3.
a. What is the background of Paul Wright's parents? Father - Irish. Mother - Ojibway. Live in White River.
b. What is the background of Anthony Caine's parents? Father owns a business and has threw a New Years' Eve party in 2002. He also used to employ Therese Caine. Mother. Who knows? Live in Milborough.
4.
a. Has Paul Wright ever done anything despicable? He cheated on Elizabeth with Susan Dokis, misled her into thinking he had his transfer to Toronto, and did not break up with her until she confronted him with it.
b. Has Anthony Caine ever done anything despicable? He married Therese when he was still carrying a torch for Elizabeth, humiliated Therese by throwing himself at Elizabeth in public outings, convinced Therese to have a baby and then complained to everyone he knew about Therese's lack of parenting, ignored Therese's post-partum depression, tried to convince Elizabeth to wait for him to end his marriage when his baby was just 5 months old right after Elizabeth was almost raped.
I guess I know Anthony Caine slightly more than Paul Wright; but that does not work in Anthony Caine's favour.
So, I hope that sheds some light on the writing and development process I use. That's not to say that every one of your opinions doesn't register or have great merit! You're ALL right and I appreciate your input and your discussions! Believe it or not, I do read what you say on Coffee Talk and it consistently amazes me to know how involved you are in the lives of these imaginary characters!!
I definitely believe she reads the Coffee Talk. We have seen so many retcons in the last year addressing Coffee Talk issues, it would be difficult to believe otherwise.
When the story is told, you'll be able to imagine what happens next. The great pleasure for ME will be in the retelling...because I'm going to add to and improve this saga...and that's a luxury few artists have!!
I believe this is a reference back to the idea that Lynn will be adding and touching up old strips, once she starts the chronological reprints.
Thankyou for writing and for reading my work. Sincerely, Lynn J.
You are welcome.
posted by howard at 10:27 PM
20 Comments:
howrad:
I believe this is a reference back to the idea that Lynn will be adding and touching up old strips, once she starts the chronological reprints.
This, of course, will be an episode in revisionist history wherein the past is altered to conform to Lynn's current viewpoint. In short, Oceania will always have been at war with Eastasia.
I firmly believe that the reason Lynn does not show physical affection between Liz and her beaus since Eric (and, for that matter, rarely shows it between other romantic pairs) is her own personal bias against romance--not a fear of the readers.
First, Lynn has stated in interviews that she is conservative about sex and believes physical affection should be left up to the imagination. I suspect this tendency has increased in recent years due to her marriage going south. I have known a number of unhappily married/divorced people who take up the attitude that, since their relationship did not work out, that all romantic relationships must necessarily be stupid and/or crap. Since the draining of romance and physical affection from the strip has corresponded with the demise of Lynn's marriage, I suspect this is Lynn's real reason--she thinks romance and sex are nonsense that leads people astray. Note that the primary marital relationships are now virtually romance and sex-free.
IMHO, Lynn is an obnoxious coward to blame her failings in this department on the readers.
As for her inability to show events in the strip--Lynn used to do a better job of hinting at stuff that supposedly happened "off-strip," even if it was just her having a character awkwardly claim to do things we never saw. Now she doesn't even bother with that, and whines that it's unfair that her readers don't just read her mind and assume the exact background scenarios that she imagines.
That whole note to her readers just makes Lynn come off as a hugely self-centered jerk.
qnjones:
That whole note to her readers just makes Lynn come off as a hugely self-centered jerk.
I wonder if she's going to start suing people for Definition of Character?
Lynn: If I had sent her to visit gramps, it would have required perhaps 3 strips total to resolve interaction between them: the wedding, her work, his health, the dress and so on.
Oh, screw this. She could have easily handled it with exactly the same number of strips. Instead of the Monday, June 9 one, how about this?
Panel 1: [Iris and Jim's apartment. Liz is hugging Jim while April stands by.]
Liz: Bye, Gramps. It was so good to catch up with you. I'll see you again soon!
Panel 2: [Liz and April walking out ot the car.]
April: Thanks for picking me up, Liz.
Liz: No problem! I just wish I could have had a longer visit.
Panel 3: [Liz and April getting into car.]
April: I know -- every time I see him he's more frail, gets tired more quickly ... it's scary. If you want him to be at your wedding --
Panel 4:
Liz: You're right, we need to pick a date soon. It's just that ... Anthony and I are taking it one day at a time.
Panel 5:
April: But I don't think he has many days left.
Liz: [looks sad, thoughtful, distinctly non-gobsmacked]
There -- Liz visits her grandfather with no additional strips needed.
----
Lynn's attempt to convince people that Anthony is the perfect suitor really grates on me. She deliberately set things up so that Liz had several romantic options Writers do that all the time, from the Stephanie Plum novels to Casablanca. And if you do it right, there will be plenty of disgruntled fans. Probably more than one friendship has been ruined over the Morelli vs. Ranger debate, and there are plenty of people who can't stand that Elsa got on the plane.
The whole point is to make all of the romantic characters believable and appealing, so that there is genuine suspense over who will "win out." If all the guys are total creeps, save one, the readers are just going to wonder why the woman doesn't smarten up and pick the good guy already. It's sloppy writing. And in FBoFW, Lynn avoided that trap for a long time. Paul, Warren, and Anthony all had their supporters. And just like Patriots fans haven't traded in for Giants uniforms just because that team won the Super Bowl instead, fans of Warren and Paul are not going to suddenly like Anthony better because Liz picked him. But if the writer is capable enough, even the most diehard fan of the losing guy will be compelled to keep reading.
Instead, Lynn tries character assassination, and then a direct argument to her fans. In both cases completely missing the point. When fans write in to CT in droves to say, "Anthony is too boring." "Anthony and Liz have no passion." "Anthony isn't 'the one.'" -- then she has two choices. She can mentally tell us all to cram it, publicly and permanently swear off reading CT, and then keep writing the story she wants to write. Or, she can actually address the criticisms at hand. Show Anthony asking Liz to take an advanced dance class in preparation for their wedding. Show Anthony geeking out on the back porch with his telescope, trying to show Liz some astronomical phenomenon -- and totally missing it because they get distracted snogging. Show Anthony helping Liz out with a problem -- maybe a kid in her class or worries over Grampa Jim -- not with blahinous platitudes but by rolling up his sleeves and helping fix it. Show him with a personality. Show them being passionate. Show how well they fit together. SHOW. Don't tell.
Don't tell us in the strip, and especially don't tell us in an open letter to fans. This smacks of a selfish, foot-stamping kind of mindset. "I want you to like Anthony! John and Elly like him! Why are you all being so difficult?" This comes across as spoiled, and isn't going to work anyway. A writer has great powers of manipulation over the reader -- entirely through their writing. Lynn could easily have cut out a few reprints or Elly-Connie-self-congratulation-fests to do that, and there's no reason she can't fit it in now.
It surprises me that after the decidedly mixed reviews she got for Lawrence's coming out -- which definitely boosted her fame -- she is throwing a fit over the much more demure disagreement over Lizthony.
---
Lynn: In a comic, static image, all you see is the kiss. Is that too corny? Is what they say too boringly trite? How do you draw the subtleties required to make the reader feel these sweet, subtle emotions without saying- "what crap!"??? I dunno!!! I draw well- but not THAT well!!
This is so weak. If Lynn feels that she can't draw well enough to work the subtlties of a romantic storyline, then perhaps she should never have attempted a romantic storyline? You know, just a thought.
One of my great despairs in life is that I love drawing, and want to draw comics, but they are vastly a writer's medium, and I am a terrible writer. The art matters of course, but almost entirely in service of the writing. See xkcd -- here and here, for example -- for a comic that can pack a huge emotional punch, yet is drawn entirely with stick figures. We critics mock the artwork -- noses crawling off the face and so forth, and to be sure it can be a genuine problem when it jars with what the scene is supposed to be -- April saying she wants to cry while standing ramrod-straight and looking slightly bored. But what we really hate is the writing.
If Lynn really thinks that the art itself is what is making and breaking the Lizthony storyline, no wonder she has wandered so far afield.
I thought Anthony was an accountant of some kind? Head of repairs and maint, seems like a service manager to me - a hands on kind of guy that the mechanics can come to with a question, soothing a disgruntled customer - neither quite Anthony's forte.
If Lynn is reading CT, she is having it printed out for her daily. I don't for one second think she flips through emails or that she reads the daily letters before they go up on the website. Some poor schmuck has to print out dozens of emails for her.
If I lived in Corbeil, I would defintely apply for a job at the Tim Hortons before walking in to that comic strip factory looking for a low level soul crushing job.
That letter was simply....incredible. It is right there with her interviews, in that she pretty much makes excuses for poor storytelling, poor art, and poor understanding of how to portray likeable and interesting characters.
Your analysis was spot-on--whatever was in her head did not translate in her story at all. She has no room to show affection, but she could show dozens of strips with Granthony and Liz thought bubbling lustful thoughts throughout his marriage and during the trial? Incredible. They show physical affection "privately"? Well, Liz showed attraction and physical easiness with Paul and Warren; she and Anthony talk and sit stiffly near each other when we do see them--so then we believe they have passion in the bedroom? Oh, please. Perfunctory sex would be the best they could do. Paul's declaration of love for Liz certainly didn't bring on a barrage of scorn on Lynn; Granthony's half-assed platitudes and whining is what readers can't stand.
I'm disappointed I ever cared about this strip. I feel like I was taken in by a cheap hustler con artist.
Lynn's justifications for why Anthony is a good spouse for Liz make it sound like an arranged marriage, a pairing planned in advance by Lynn through Elly and John, because of a comment years ago by Charles Schultz that Fbofw had too many characters. Lynn argues that Anthony is a good partner because...
* Anthony is Elly and John's choice. They like him and regard him highly. Their opinion apparently matters far more than Liz's. The implication is that it is Liz's job, as dutiful daughter, to respect her parents' opinion and greater wisdom, and trust that the man they pick out for her is the right one. It's not up to HER to make such a choice. In fact, her parents can pursue a mate for Liz in Liz's absence: Lynn notes that Anthony (married at the time) maintained a connection with Elly and John all through Liz's teaching up north.
* Anthony would be a worthwhile connection. Elly and John invested in Anthony's employer and do frequent business with him. Under this rationale, Anthony is portrayed as a good return on their investment and a good business connection. Marrying their daughter into the Gordon auto business will perhaps net them deals on future car purchases, repairs, and maintenance.
* Anthony would be a good provider. His position as manager of repairs and maintenance makes him a good catch. So Elizabeth's financial needs will be met by marrying a guy with a stable job. Again, another top concern of parents which may not be so important for the spouse-to-be, especially as Elizabeth has a job and can support herself.
* Anthony would be a good, committed husband because he's a successful single parent. Um, what? These things are not necessarily connected. I've seen plenty of good parent-child relationships in which the parent is incapable of sustaining a long-term adult relationship, and I've seen good, long, loving marriages in which the partners are bad parents.
As for the lack of intimacy... I agree that Lynn appears to think that Liz and Anthony are somehow more mature by not displaying any physical or emotional affection whatsoever in the strip. It is as though Lynn believes that real spouses are unromantic and passionless, so Liz and Anthony have bypassed the "juvenile" phase of love, passion, and desire, and have jumped directly into the "old married couple" phase of the relationship which appears to be a comfortable and sexless roommate-type relationship. I find this depressing. Passion is not just for the young. Good marriages nurture it all the way through -- old married couple nookie for the win.
I agree with a previous poster that the lack of passion may actually be due to the collapse of Lynn's own marriage. She may find it difficult to imagine romantic closeness at this time in her life.
I also wonder if the lack of passion is Liz's way, as a fictional character who has nevertheless taken on a life and personality of her own, of subtly protesting the arranged marriage. Lynn is trying to force this creation of hers into an unnatural situation, and the whole thing appears awkward and forced.
Wow. Just...wow.
There's not much I can say about this letter that hasn't already been touched on. Were she only saying that she's not required to change either her writing style or plotlines in order to please us, I would be forced to agree. It is, after all her world, and she can do whatever she wants with it. However, while that appears to be her intent, I feel her responses to these two issues are inadequate:
1. She suggests that her artistic and authorial limitations are actually inherent in the medium. This is, as ellie mentions above, simply not true. Both the much beloved Charles Schultz and the much derided Bill Waterson were able to write poignant storylines in limited space, and draw characters interacting realistically. All in only 30 seconds a day!!! And while they admittedly rarely juggled FOOB's enormous, sprawling arcs, it's also important to note that Lynn's time limits (her retirement date, the rerun strips) are self-imposed.
2. Although her current storylines are pretty terrible, most of the complaints that I've seen leveled against them deal with the manner in which they're presented. The readers want the characters to behave more consistently want to be shown things rather than simply told them, making this part and parcel with the first issue. Lynn ultimately attempts to resolve this by making weak excuses and telling us more things that she could have shown. She seems not to care that, without compelling reasons (preferably in the strip) for the fans to accept her story, we are completely free to simply not read it anymore.
The letter is also full of contradictions, as you and others have noted. Especially egregious in my mind is "what did you REALLY know about [Paul and Warren]? Not much...That goes for ME, too." Firstly, this suggests that we should blame the characters because she hasn't taken the time to fully flesh them out. Secondly, the first paragraph is about how our responsibility to fill in the gaps about what the characters are doing when not onscreen (for 30 seconds once a day!!!). So what this section seems to boil down to is that we should assume that the characters are acting to address our concerns off-camera unless Lynn subliminally tells us otherwise, in which case we should find that character's lack of screen time sinister.
What a mess. I guess I could find something to say about it after all.
qnjones:
"IMHO, Lynn is an obnoxious coward to blame her failings in this department on the readers."
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I don't endorse adultery, but if Lynn viewed her husband as anything close to the way she portrayed John (even pre-cheating,) if her views on sex in general and men in particular matched up with the subtext in the strip, I can understand what drove him away. I might not be banging some chick on the side, but I'd at least be bookin' it out of Corbeil, if I were in his shoes.
I found the second panel in today's strip to be particularly disturbing. A faceless John dominates the right hand side of the panel, looming over a tiny Elizabeth in the lower left. Referring to Liz's wish to have Grandpa Jim at her wedding, John says, "Your mother would like that too." Liz's face looks meek and frightened, as though she were about to cry.
To me, this panel reinfores the idea that it's all about Elly; all about this overpowering, controlling, manipulative parent. Even when absent, she still pulls all the strings.
The next panel is much better, portraying a more relaxed scene with Elizabeth sitting higher than her father, with John just looking pudgy and inoffensive, and the dog sleeping between them.
But that second panel gave me the creeps.
- Anonymous (same as the 12:20 anonymous)
I agree that it is All About Elly. In yesterday's strip, even while Elly was supposedly trying to convince Liz she didn't need to worry about Grandpa, I felt Elly was manipulating Liz and smothering her with her body language and her guilt-inducing choice of words. It seemed clear to me that conversation was Elly at her passive-aggressive, reverse psychology-using best.
Okay, this'll be my third post on this thread (this is 12:20 and 3:29 Anonymous), then I'll be done! I guess Lynn's letter, and this strip, really pushed some of my buttons.
What upsets me about how the strip is winding down is that it is all so pat. Lynn is designing a "happily ever after" for all her characters: Elly and John's retirement, Michael's brilliant career as a novelist whose books get made into blockbuster movies, Liz's marriage to a childhood sweetheart (no stellar career for her, I guess), April's future career as a veterinarian. Even the minor characters, such as April's friends, are getting their sendoffs into their future lives.
The problem with all this "happily ever after" is twofold:
For one, it is highly unnatural that in the fall of 2008 this entire cast of characters would have all of their life trajectories settled. It feels like Lynn is twisting arms, forcing characters right and left, to get proper resolution. I see the hands of the author moving characters about like pawns, settling them down, marrying them off, forcing the young ones to choose careers. The illusion that these characters have personalities, dreams, and desires of their own breaks down with such heavy-handed authorial manipulation.
For another, wrapping everything up with a ribbon like this makes for bad storytelling. The best end-of-series story I ever saw was the end of "Once and Again," a TV family drama with a large cast of characters. In the last episode [spoiler], every character was left at a crossroads, at a decision-point in their lives. Would one character relocate her family to Australia to pursue a dream career opportunity, or would she stay at her current job and keep her family in their hometown? Would another character, recovering from a serious injury, pursue a budding romance with her much younger physical therapist? Would a young man go to college like his father wanted, or quit to pursue music like he himself wanted? And so on. All of the choices were interesting ones; no character's direction was obvious. We, the viewers, were left to wonder what happened next. We were sure of only one thing: the characters would go on to live lives full of interesting choices and adventures.
At the time, this open-ended conclusion was a little disturbing, because I wanted to see all the characters I had grown to love settled happily. I wanted closure. But over the years, I have come to love that ending, because it has given me so much room for my imagination. It gave the characters life beyond the end of the series. I still wonder what happened to the characters, I still debate their choices.
There will be little debate about the futures of the Fbofw characters. Their entire life trajectories are being settled right now. Their choices are eliminated. And because their futures are so well-defined and well-predicted, these futures become boring, drained of uncertainty and thus of interest. Instead of living into the future, the characters will become frozen, like bugs caught in amber -- beautiful, but unmoving and dead. Maybe that's why I have been so disturbed by the modern strips of the past year or so: it has been like watching sap harden around the characters' limbs, watching them struggle against the incoming stasis, and finally succumb.
dreadedcandiru2,
This, of course, will be an episode in revisionist history wherein the past is altered to conform to Lynn's current viewpoint. In short, Oceania will always have been at war with Eastasia.
That is an interesting perspective. After all, much of the earlier strips devoted themselves to conflicts between Elly and John and Elly and her kids. Although they have come off as examples of poor parenting and poor marital relationships, there was very little of the condescension that has marked the strip in the last few years. I wonder if Lynn’s alterations will be to make Elly more of a parenting deity and John more of an ass. Scratch that question. I wonder how much more.
qnjones,
Since the draining of romance and physical affection from the strip has corresponded with the demise of Lynn's marriage, I suspect this is Lynn's real reason--she thinks romance and sex are nonsense that leads people astray. Note that the primary marital relationships are now virtually romance and sex-free.
It would be nice to think that Lynn would not let her personal situation cause this to happen. Nevertheless, she has spelled it out in an interview that at least one of her reprint selections was chosen based on the appropriateness to her personal life (Elly having a dream John is cheating on her). That can easily lead you to believe this is not the only area where her personal life has invaded her choices for the strip. I am not so sure that the divorce can be blamed for everything though. I remember going back into the strip archives to do odd things like count the number of times Elly hugged April, or count the number of times Liz kissed a guy after Eric Chamberlain. My discovery was that there was a noticeable drop off in the physical affection between all the characters starting from early 2002, not just the marital ones.
The relationship between Anthony Caine and Elizabeth Patterson is noticeably different from any other relationship Elizabeth has had so far. Even with Mason the best man, there a moment of lust in Liz’s eyes for Mason. With Anthony Caine, there is none of that. Not one thought balloon of Liz lusting over Anthony’s appearance, as there was for all the prior boyfriends.
IMHO, Lynn is an obnoxious coward to blame her failings in this department on the readers.
Exactly. She wants Anthony and Liz to look and feel different from the other boyfriends. She wants the readers to realize it is different and embrace them as a mature couple and the other relationships as immature. I have no problem with the concept, but obviously she blundered in the execution. That point did not come across to readers, who viewed “mature” as “not in love.” To blame the readers when they don’t “get it” is cowardly.
Now she doesn't even bother with that, and whines that it's unfair that her readers don't just read her mind and assume the exact background scenarios that she imagines.
The difference between “in her mind” and “in the strip” has become a real problem in the strip as of late. When you get right down to it, it is the source of all problems Lynn describes in her note.
Ellie,
Oh, screw this. She could have easily handled it with exactly the same number of strips. Instead of the Monday, June 9 one, how about this?
Your example works, but the basic problem is not whether Lynn could solve that problem or not. The problem is that Lynn does not realize that there is a problem. Case in point, Elizabeth is going to spend a week moping about Grandpa Jim’s feebleness and why she has to put her wedding plans into gear in order to include him in the wedding. Lynn has failed to check the essentials of motivation: The 3 Whys? This is where you ask 1 why and follow it with Why based on the answer.
1. Why does Liz want the wedding to occur in the summer?
She’s afraid Grandpa Jim will die before the wedding occurs, and he won’t be able to attend due to death.
2. Why does Liz want Grandpa Jim in the wedding?
She’s wearing the wedding dress of his first wife in the wedding and she wants him to see it.
3. Why is it important that Grandpa see her in the dress in the wedding?
Liz has a close relationship with her Grandpa.
And therein lays the problem. Lynn Johnston has established #1 and #2, but not #3. In her mind, there is #3; but not in the strip. Since returning from Mtigwaki in 2006, Liz visited Grandpa Jim 2 times: First on her way to the Howard Bunt trial. Second to show him Marian’s dress. During the 2 years she was in Mtigwaki, Liz came back to visit Grandpa Jim exactly 0 times. From 2002 – 2004, when Liz was in Nipissing University and Grandpa Jim was living with Iris, Liz came back to visit Jim exactly 0 times. We have a 6 year span with 2 strips showing Liz interacting with Grandpa Jim and both of them were after he had his stroke.
The whole point is to make all of the romantic characters believable and appealing, so that there is genuine suspense over who will "win out." If all the guys are total creeps, save one, the readers are just going to wonder why the woman doesn't smarten up and pick the good guy already. It's sloppy writing.
Of course, in For Better or For Worse, all the guys are creeps, and the worst creep is the one the girl picked. I think Lynn has failed to realize the August, 2005 “I have no home” strip forever tainted the character, at least in my eyes.
Instead, Lynn tries character assassination, and then a direct argument to her fans. In both cases completely missing the point.
Exactly. Character assassination ruined the whole thing. Now you have Liz and her boyfriends:
a. Anthony can’t be bothered to travel to Nipissing to see her. And he gets engaged to Thérèse instead.
b. Eric is so annoyed by Liz, he thinks of kissing Tina, while he is kissing Liz.
c. Warren apparently has family in Milborough, but can’t take the time to visit Liz, except for these bizarre visits.
d. Paul won’t transfer his job twice and ends up picking Susan Dokis instead.
e. Anthony is divorced and thought-ballooning about Liz, but does not call her out for a date until after Liz calls him first over a year after she moved back to Milborough. He picks Julia over Liz.
f. Anthony doesn’t bother to propose to Liz until after Warren Blackwood comes and threatens his situation.
This leaves you with the character of Elizabeth Patterson, who has been deserted by all her boyfriends who find someone (or in the case of Warren, a job) better than Liz.
Show him with a personality. Show them being passionate. Show how well they fit together. SHOW. Don't tell.
I guess this means you were not impressed with the heart-warming strip showing Anthony fooling little Francoise into believing he cut off his fingers into a salad, while Liz watched amused. Or the scene with Liz and Anthony and Francoise’s tea party.
Lynn could easily have cut out a few reprints or Elly-Connie-self-congratulation-fests to do that, and there's no reason she can't fit it in now.
Exactly. To complain about lack of space for story-telling when employing reprints is a little silly.
6:38 Anonymous
I thought Anthony was an accountant of some kind? Head of repairs and maint, seems like a service manager to me - a hands on kind of guy that the mechanics can come to with a question, soothing a disgruntled customer - neither quite Anthony's forte.
And we have never seen him do it. We have seen him run the books when he was in accounting. We have seen him show John Patterson how proud he is of the restaurant’s coffee and cinnamon rolls. We have never seen him interact with any employees except his date Julia. We have to read in between the lines that Anthony is a good manager. OR, we could read between the lines that he is a lousy manager, who keeps his job for no other reason than his connection with Gordon Mayes. The latter is more believable for me.
If Lynn is reading CT, she is having it printed out for her daily.
That is entirely believable with the admitted computer-illiterate Lynn Johnston.
debjyn
Well, Liz showed attraction and physical easiness with Paul and Warren; she and Anthony talk and sit stiffly near each other when we do see them--so then we believe they have passion in the bedroom?
I think that is supposed to be the idea. I don’t think Anthony Caine would have put up with the “take it one day at a time” philosophy for setting a wedding date, if he and Elizabeth were not already regularly physically intimate.
12:20, 3:29, 4:16 PM Anonymous,
Lynn's justifications for why Anthony is a good spouse for Liz make it sound like an arranged marriage, a pairing planned in advance by Lynn through Elly and John,
Your points are excellent. It made me wonder if the reason why Lynn associated Anthony with the wealthy Gordon Mayes’ business is specifically for the purpose of establishing these points to her character.
Passion is not just for the young. Good marriages nurture it all the way through -- old married couple nookie for the win. I agree with a previous poster that the lack of passion may actually be due to the collapse of Lynn's own marriage. She may find it difficult to imagine romantic closeness at this time in her life.
Obviously Lynn did not have that old married couple nookie in her marriage; so she might not know this.
I found the second panel in today's strip to be particularly disturbing. A faceless John dominates the right hand side of the panel, looming over a tiny Elizabeth in the lower left. Referring to Liz's wish to have Grandpa Jim at her wedding, John says, "Your mother would like that too." Liz's face looks meek and frightened, as though she were about to cry. To me, this panel reinfores the idea that it's all about Elly; all about this overpowering, controlling, manipulative parent. Even when absent, she still pulls all the strings.
Absolutely. And that is the way the strip has been from the very beginning. Not only do you have the line, “Your mother would like that too”; but you notice there is no mention whatsoever of John’s parents in this wedding planning. Elly is the queen of the strip.
There will be little debate about the futures of the Fbofw characters. Their entire life trajectories are being settled right now. Their choices are eliminated. And because their futures are so well-defined and well-predicted, these futures become boring, drained of uncertainty and thus of interest.
I know exactly what you mean. Lynn Johnston has said that she plans to publish a book after she is done describing the lives of the characters after the strip is over, but I don’t see much purpose for that. She has already pre-defined where the characters are going to be in the strip. We can see that Elizabeth and Anthony are going to end up married with any problems. In a typical romance novel, there would have been more problems with Warren Blackwood. Or there would have been some misunderstanding between Anthony and Elizabeth resolved, which the reader would think might put the marriage in jeopardy. As it is now, all the characters are making little speeches about how things will be. We already know April will be vet, and she will probably take a vet job back in Milborough, working for the same people she will be working for this summer, and she will marry Gerald and ho hum. Thank goodness she is retiring. Reading that in the strip would put me in a deep slumber.
I only have 30 seconds to convey this, so I hope you'll get the point:
This strip sucks!
Or was that too treacly? Arranged marriages are good...Really?
james,
28 words in 30 seconds. That's pretty good.
Arranged marriages are good...Really?
Of course they are, if they are arranged by Elly Patterson.
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