Reprint Preparation
During the course of the last year of For Better or For Worse and its hybrid from, there were quite a few of the older strips which provided a narrative to allow the modern characters to connect to the reprint strips. It occurs to me, now that we are in the second week of the new-runs, what we may be seeing are Lynn Johnston’s efforts to prepare the reader for reprints starting from the second year, the year where Farley was introduced.
In week one, we are introduced to Fred the fish, the idea that Michael considers Fred boring for a pet, and that John Patterson is in favour of getting a dog, if not for Michael then for him. This sets up pretty well for the introduction to Farley, with Mike and John and Mrs. Baird acting in concert to convince Elly to accept Farley into the family.
Week number two shows Connie is a bad parent and introduces the idea of Connie and Pablo da Silva, the father of Lawrence. It also introduces the idea that Connie is looking for a man. Looking back on it, I realize that most of the references to Connie’s ex-husband, Peter Landry, occurred in the first year, with the second year of the strip spending a lot of time with the Connie / Phil Richards / Ted McCaulay triangle. By skipping over the first year, Lynn misses a lot of the Peter Landry strips.
The question then, is what will Lynn do to set things up for the rest of the year? I predict:
a. The introduction of Phil Richards and Ted McCaulay. This may not happen, because both these characters have reappeared in the last year. A good bit of the 2nd year was devoted to Connie’s relationship with Phil and Ted, so they are likely to reappear.
b. Miss (Shelagh) Campbell, Mike’s first grade teacher, along with young Deanna Sobinski and young Gordon Mayes in strips with Mike at school.
c. Will and Carrie Patterson. These characters will need to be reintroduced, since they have not appeared in over 3 years.
Any thoughts as to what you think Lynn Johnston will introduce in the remaining 2-3 weeks of new-runs to set up year two in reprints?
In week one, we are introduced to Fred the fish, the idea that Michael considers Fred boring for a pet, and that John Patterson is in favour of getting a dog, if not for Michael then for him. This sets up pretty well for the introduction to Farley, with Mike and John and Mrs. Baird acting in concert to convince Elly to accept Farley into the family.
Week number two shows Connie is a bad parent and introduces the idea of Connie and Pablo da Silva, the father of Lawrence. It also introduces the idea that Connie is looking for a man. Looking back on it, I realize that most of the references to Connie’s ex-husband, Peter Landry, occurred in the first year, with the second year of the strip spending a lot of time with the Connie / Phil Richards / Ted McCaulay triangle. By skipping over the first year, Lynn misses a lot of the Peter Landry strips.
The question then, is what will Lynn do to set things up for the rest of the year? I predict:
a. The introduction of Phil Richards and Ted McCaulay. This may not happen, because both these characters have reappeared in the last year. A good bit of the 2nd year was devoted to Connie’s relationship with Phil and Ted, so they are likely to reappear.
b. Miss (Shelagh) Campbell, Mike’s first grade teacher, along with young Deanna Sobinski and young Gordon Mayes in strips with Mike at school.
c. Will and Carrie Patterson. These characters will need to be reintroduced, since they have not appeared in over 3 years.
Any thoughts as to what you think Lynn Johnston will introduce in the remaining 2-3 weeks of new-runs to set up year two in reprints?
posted by howard at 12:01 AM
16 Comments:
I'd say that Miss Campbell and John's parents are the most likely to resurface. As you said, the fans don't need to know who Ted and Phil are so they won't be reintroduced but the other three are an unknown quantity so they have to be.
Any thoughts as to what you think Lynn Johnston will introduce in the remaining 2-3 weeks of new-runs to set up year two in reprints?
A time machine that Michael constructs during arts and crafts in kindergarten. They use it to jump ahead one year, most notably making Liz two+ years old. ;)
DreadedCandiru2,
I'd say that Miss Campbell and John's parents are the most likely to resurface.
It will good to see John’s parents again. Too bad they weren’t invited to the wedding. I wonder if they will be bitter about that, in a sort of odd modern and new-run blend, of course?
aprilp_katje,
A time machine that Michael constructs during arts and crafts in kindergarten. They use it to jump ahead one year, most notably making Liz two+ years old. ;)
It would be nice to see young Michael make something useful for a change. Of course, he will be rude and not let Connie and Lawrence Poirier use the time machine, so we will know it’s Michael.
howard,
Too bad they weren’t invited to the wedding. I wonder if they will be bitter about that, in a sort of odd modern and new-run blend, of course?
I would certainly hope so. Too bad my gut tells me that they'll foist the blame on RevisedElly. They never impressed me as being all that impressed with Regular Elly so the hybridized version might make them even less enthralled with their son's choice of mates.
dreadedcandiru2,
They never impressed me as being all that impressed with Regular Elly so the hybridized version might make them even less enthralled with their son's choice of mates.
Either that or they will resort to the Elly-praise, common to the modern storylines. Of course, now that I think about it, it would be easier if Lynn Johnston just pulled those strips out of the reprint selections. Why waste time reminding readers of people who should have been at Liz's wedding?
howard,
Of course, now that I think about it, it would be easier if Lynn Johnston just pulled those strips out of the reprint selections. Why waste time reminding readers of people who should have been at Liz's wedding?
Especially since RetJohn will be litle more than a glorified extra in the New Order. Since he probably won't be all that big a factor in the new-runs (because he barely existed in the Declining Years), it seems not all that important to go into too much depth about his background.
Now, now, people. Remember that you're supposed to read Lynn's mind and fill in the things she forgets to put into the strips! Like, when she forgets to show Liz's OTHER, less important, grandparents at her wedding. You're being too literal! Just because they were not depicted in any of the many, many strips that lead up to the wedding, which managed to include long-forgotten (Dennis North, Aunt Ruby) and unrelated (Mira) characters, doesn't mean they weren't there!!! Haters!!!1!!11!!eleventy!
DreadedCandiru2,
Especially since RetJohn will be litle more than a glorified extra in the New Order. Since he probably won't be all that big a factor in the new-runs (because he barely existed in the Declining Years), it seems not all that important to go into too much depth about his background.
Dr. John Patterson began his existence as Elly Patterson’s husband and financial provider. Where he came from, no one knows. All they know is that it was a horrible place which shaped him into the scheming, backbiting CHEATER he will eventually be in 29 years. Oh yes, and the place where he comes from is full of cheaters too. Everyone is an adulterer there. The whole town.
qnjones,
Like, when she forgets to show Liz's OTHER, less important, grandparents at her wedding.
This was one of my favourite parts, because Liz made such a big deal about Grandma Marian’s dress and including Jim and Iris in her wedding day, when not one character from Winnipeg is shown, including the avatar for her biography writer, Auntie Bev.
You're being too literal! Just because they were not depicted in any of the many, many strips that lead up to the wedding, which managed to include long-forgotten (Dennis North, Aunt Ruby) and unrelated (Mira) characters, doesn't mean they weren't there!!!
This is absolutely correct. Check out this list of people who attended Liz’s graduation.
Liz's Letter, June 2004
My family is coming from Southern Ontario to see me graduate, which is really sweet of them. It's a three hour drive from Toronto and longer from Ottawa. My uncle Phil and aunt Georgia are taking a couple of days off work to see me, so I am really touched by their support. It will be a family reunion, as some of our relatives are coming from Manitoulin Island. Already, my grandfather is getting pumped for the trip. He rarely travels now and hasn't seen his sister for two years. My great aunt is 84 and still enjoys traveling when the weather's nice. Hope we have a sunny few days.
OMG. Howard, your snark about John coming from a town of cheaters was awesome. Truly a thing of beauty! That Lynnterview is one of my all-time favorites.
As for me, I'm from the more logical, non-mind-reading side. We don't get monthly letters anymore. The letters and Beth's bios clearly aren't canon anyway, due to the frequency with which they are contradicted in the strip. I didn't see Will, Carrie, Bev, Uncle Chin-Beard, or Laura at the wedding. But I did see lots of other less important people. So I naturally conclude they were not there.
Silly ol' logical, sane me.
qnjones,
I didn't see Will, Carrie, Bev, Uncle Chin-Beard, or Laura at the wedding. But I did see lots of other less important people. So I naturally conclude they were not there.
Agreed. But if we did have monthly letters still, you can just imagine what would have been there:
Liz's Letter, September 2008
My family from Winnipeg came to see get married, which is really sweet of them. It's a 22 hour drive from Winnipeg to Toronto and even longer to Milborough. My uncle Phil and aunt Georgia took a couple of days off work to see me wed, so I am really touched by their support. It was a family reunion, as some of our relatives came from Manitoulin Island. My great aunt is 88 and she enjoyed traveling because the weather was nice.
Not only these people, but the entire town of Mtigwaki came to the wedding, including Paul and Susan. Susan asked him if he was jealous because I was with a handsome man. That was just perfect. And Warren Blackwood was there with his helicopter. I think I heard his helicopter ask him if he was jealous of me for being someone as mechanical as Anthony.
And everyone who graduated Nipissing with me and the whole town of Milborough were there. In fact, even the ghost of our dead pets, Farley and Mr. B were seen hovering around and enjoying the festivities with the ghost of Gramma Marian. Someone even told me they saw Connie and Lawrence Poirier talking to each other, but that would be too unbelievable. I am logical and sane enough to know the difference between fantasy and reality, eh?
HA HA HA HA HA! I had a stroke when Susan described Anthony as "handsome" to the Great Native Studmuffin of the North! ROTFLMAO!
And I always did suspect Warren had some kind of sexual relationship with his helicopter.
qnjones,
And I always did suspect Warren had some kind of sexual relationship with his helicopter.
Warren isn't so difficult to figure out. He has a choice: Liz. Helicopter. Pick one.
I think I would pick the helicopter too.
Gramps had a brother and a sister? So many lost relatives.
Yes. If I were a man, and I had to decide whether to stick my penis into Liz Patterson, or into the rotor of a helicopter, I would definitely pick the latter. With the helicopter, you get all your pain and suffering done and over with. With a Patterson woman, you get a lifetime of misery and grief.
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