The Modern Strip Returns
It’s been a long time since Elly's snoring has been featured in the strip. In 10/23/1997 there is a strip where John gives Elly nose strips to stop her snoring and then snores himself. In 5/12/1996, when John accuses Elly of snoring, and she accuses him of having a nose whistle and they both agree none of those things are really important.
Looking at those old strips compared to today’s new-run of For Better or For Worse, I realized that Lynn Johnston’s drawing of Elly has reverted to the modern version of Elly. John has looked pretty much the same between his new-run and modern self; but Elly had the smaller nose to distinguish her. In today’s new-run, Elly’s nose is just as large as it was in the 1996 and 1997 strips. In fact, the panel 1 drawing of Elly snoring looks like it was lifted off the page of the panel 1 drawing of Elly in 1997. Since January, Lynn Johnston's new-runs have been slipping back into her old "modern" style; but usually with the exception that Elly still looks different. Not today.
Aside from forgetting (again) that John in 1980 did not wear a shirt to bed, Lynn has returned to her “slam John” theme of writing strips. I am disappointed to see that. However, what I did like was that look of fear in Elly’s eyes when she says, “What was I saying?” My wife has occasionally talked in her sleep, and when I repeated what she said back to her the next morning, she had no idea what it had to do with anything she was dreaming. The whole point of the strip's punch line is supposed to be that Elly is concerned about what she said and she can't count on John to remember it for her.
In order for that to make sense, you would have to assume that there was something Elly could be saying in her sleep, she would want John to remember. Or, considering the look of terror, something said perhaps she would not want John to know. Maybe things like, “I love you, Connie. Someday Canada will make same sex marriages legal and when that day comes, you and I will be together, at last.“
Looking at those old strips compared to today’s new-run of For Better or For Worse, I realized that Lynn Johnston’s drawing of Elly has reverted to the modern version of Elly. John has looked pretty much the same between his new-run and modern self; but Elly had the smaller nose to distinguish her. In today’s new-run, Elly’s nose is just as large as it was in the 1996 and 1997 strips. In fact, the panel 1 drawing of Elly snoring looks like it was lifted off the page of the panel 1 drawing of Elly in 1997. Since January, Lynn Johnston's new-runs have been slipping back into her old "modern" style; but usually with the exception that Elly still looks different. Not today.
Aside from forgetting (again) that John in 1980 did not wear a shirt to bed, Lynn has returned to her “slam John” theme of writing strips. I am disappointed to see that. However, what I did like was that look of fear in Elly’s eyes when she says, “What was I saying?” My wife has occasionally talked in her sleep, and when I repeated what she said back to her the next morning, she had no idea what it had to do with anything she was dreaming. The whole point of the strip's punch line is supposed to be that Elly is concerned about what she said and she can't count on John to remember it for her.
In order for that to make sense, you would have to assume that there was something Elly could be saying in her sleep, she would want John to remember. Or, considering the look of terror, something said perhaps she would not want John to know. Maybe things like, “I love you, Connie. Someday Canada will make same sex marriages legal and when that day comes, you and I will be together, at last.“
posted by howard at 10:07 PM
4 Comments:
howard,
However, what I did like was that look of fear in Elly’s eyes when she says, “What was I saying?” My wife has occasionally talked in her sleep, and when I repeated what she said back to her the next morning, she had no idea what it had to do with anything she was dreaming. The whole point of the strip's punch line is supposed to be that Elly is concerned about what she said and she can't count on John to remember it for her.
Too bad that when people talk in their sleep, it isn't usually all that coherent. The joke falls flat because John is getting slammed for not remembering something like "Lemon wacky hello stomp fritter polly wok." I know I wouldn't want to be him if he'd told her that she'd spent all night in a panic muttering about the Flaming Globes of Sigmund.
Same sex marriage is legal in Canada, but it didn't happen until 2005, so depending on when this is supposed to be happening, which even Lynn can't say, maybe Elly doesn't know that it's legal yet.
I took Elly as being idly curious about what she might have said, but looking again at panel five, where she says, "I did?" I can see where an interpretation of horror comes from. I think knowing all that we know about these people gets in the way of enjoying a strip like today's. If I manage to put all that stuff aside, I do find the strip harmless and amusing.
Nice "Lemon wacky hello" reference!
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