Helpin’
My guess is that today’s rerun of For Better or For Worse came from a very early time in the strip before Lynn Johnston had established that the Pattersons have the Nichols on one side of them and Mrs. Baird living on the other side of them and Connie Poirier living across the street from them. Otherwise, I would have to say that this strip is not occurring in the Patterson’s neighbourhood. Even granting that situation, it seems extraordinary to me that Elly would have to travel so far to dump trash. It looks like she is putting her trash in her neighbour’s trash can. Even better is the enormous size of that trash bag. It appears to be even bigger than the can into which Elly plans to put it.
As for the art of the strip, for this time period, this is great Lynn Johnston art. Everything is hand-drawn with no use of a ruler. The background details are marvelous with very few trees being drawn as silhouettes. Plus the objects in the drawing are close to being drawn proportionally correct, even though Michael’s left hand is deformed. Even the listing of the website has been done creatively.
As for the joke of the strip, this is one that Lynn Johnston went to from time-to-time over the years. The child thinks he/she is helping, when actually they are making problems for Elly to which she responds with a horrified look on her face for comic effect. For example, this strip featured young Meredith “helping” Elly with her gardening. Just for fun, I checked AMU reprints looking for the word “helping” to see if there were any strips where a Patterson kid was actually complimented for helping and as you might expect, there were none. However, when the Patterson kids got into their teenaged years, they did start getting those kinds of compliments.
As for the art of the strip, for this time period, this is great Lynn Johnston art. Everything is hand-drawn with no use of a ruler. The background details are marvelous with very few trees being drawn as silhouettes. Plus the objects in the drawing are close to being drawn proportionally correct, even though Michael’s left hand is deformed. Even the listing of the website has been done creatively.
As for the joke of the strip, this is one that Lynn Johnston went to from time-to-time over the years. The child thinks he/she is helping, when actually they are making problems for Elly to which she responds with a horrified look on her face for comic effect. For example, this strip featured young Meredith “helping” Elly with her gardening. Just for fun, I checked AMU reprints looking for the word “helping” to see if there were any strips where a Patterson kid was actually complimented for helping and as you might expect, there were none. However, when the Patterson kids got into their teenaged years, they did start getting those kinds of compliments.
posted by howard at 9:36 PM
6 Comments:
The reason they weren't praised for at least trying was, of course, that the Pattersons are remarkably touchy people. It mattered little to John and Elly that the kids meant well; all they cared about was having to clean up the mess afterwards. Eventually, the kids gave up.
As for the art of the strip, for this time period, this is great Lynn Johnston art.
That said, I think there's someone in a bear costume walking in their neighbours' yard.
My guess is that today’s rerun of For Better or For Worse came from a very early time in the strip before Lynn Johnston had established that the Pattersons have the Nichols on one side of them and Mrs. Baird living on the other side of them and Connie Poirier living across the street from them.
Your guess is correct. This was a very early strip from the first year--it is only the 15th one in the first collection, placing it roughly 2.5 weeks into that first year.
That said, I think there's someone in a bear costume walking in their neighbours' yard.
Or a cat burglar, stealing the trash, of all things!
DreadedCandiru2,
It mattered little to John and Elly that the kids meant well; all they cared about was having to clean up the mess afterwards. Eventually, the kids gave up.
Actually, John sought Michael’s help, but he was uninterested. Children usually seek approval from their most disapproving parent, and that is Elly.
forworse,
That said, I think there's someone in a bear costume walking in their neighbours' yard.
Good catch! I didn’t spot that.
aprilp_katje,
Your guess is correct. This was a very early strip from the first year--it is only the 15th one in the first collection, placing it roughly 2.5 weeks into that first year.
It’s interesting to look at the landscape of the house. The number of trees, the long driveway, and the general look of the area tells us that this is not the small yard, dog-walking Toronto suburbs that Lynn ends up with in Milborough. It looks like she originally envisioned the Pattersons living further out in the country.
Or a cat burglar, stealing the trash, of all things!
Well, there is all that Hallowe’en candy in there.
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