The Return of Frank the Fish part II
In today’s new-run of For Better or For Worse, we get to see if the death of Frank the Fish will be like the death of Mr. B or like Farley. It appears to be like Mr. B. John Patterson’s input, as usual, is that the dead animal did not get enough attention from the kids. He actually said this directly to April regarding Mr. B. Even in 2002, John Patterson was an asshat.
As for Elly, she provided the time of death for Mr. B and declared his death to be a miracle. However, she did not guilt April about her care of Mr. B, as Elly does to Michael today, where she implies that he is at least partially responsible for Frank’s death. I love it when Elly talks about things with authority. My all-time favourite was when she provided Grandpa Jim’s post-stroke diagnosis, where we learned that a stroke was an injury to the brain resulting in inflammation.
Michael has had quite a week. On Hallowe’en, his dad steals his candy. On the day after Hallowe’en, his mom throws out his candy. On Monday, his fish dies. On Tuesday, his mom blames him for killing his fish, and his dad says he didn’t give the fish enough attention. Can his week get any worse? This is Lynn Johnston we are talking about. Of course it will get worse.
As for Elly, she provided the time of death for Mr. B and declared his death to be a miracle. However, she did not guilt April about her care of Mr. B, as Elly does to Michael today, where she implies that he is at least partially responsible for Frank’s death. I love it when Elly talks about things with authority. My all-time favourite was when she provided Grandpa Jim’s post-stroke diagnosis, where we learned that a stroke was an injury to the brain resulting in inflammation.
Michael has had quite a week. On Hallowe’en, his dad steals his candy. On the day after Hallowe’en, his mom throws out his candy. On Monday, his fish dies. On Tuesday, his mom blames him for killing his fish, and his dad says he didn’t give the fish enough attention. Can his week get any worse? This is Lynn Johnston we are talking about. Of course it will get worse.
posted by howard at 10:56 PM
13 Comments:
This could be the week in which he first starts calling Lizzie 'Lizardbreath'; if so, it'll be all John and Elly's fault for being crappy parents.
Even in 2002, John Patterson was an asshat.
He really was. When I read today's strip, my mind went right to John saying that to April.
I love it when Elly talks about things with authority.
She stands before you to stand behind you to tell you something she knows nothing about. ;)
Can his week get any worse? This is Lynn Johnston we are talking about. Of course it will get worse.
I didn't imagine LJ would get me feeling sorry for Michael, and yet somehow she has.
April_Patterson,
I didn't imagine LJ would get me feeling sorry for Michael, and yet somehow she has.
As I implied in my latest retcon, the reason that he and Liz were at odds for so long was that Elly and John tried to force the two of them into a friendship that was never meant to be. If they'd let things go, their lives would have been better.
DreadedCandiru2,
This could be the week in which he first starts calling Lizzie 'Lizardbreath'; if so, it'll be all John and Elly's fault for being crappy parents.
I know you are looking forward to this moment, but these are new-runs. Michael and Lizzie get along a lot better in new-runs.
aprilp_katje,
She stands before you to stand behind you to tell you something she knows nothing about. ;)
Lynn really likes modern-written Elly to speak with authority on a subject. If only Michael had brought Elly his folio, all this could have been avoided.
I didn't imagine LJ would get me feeling sorry for Michael, and yet somehow she has.
She is a very powerful writer this way, but she has done it before. April was the kid who used to be saddled with the authoritative Elly Lynn likes to write these days, and April was by far, the Patterson kid who got the most sympathy for having to deal with Elly. If these new-runs were going for much longer, young Michael could take over that position.
If only Michael had brought Elly his folio, all this could have been avoided.
::snerk::
Young people! They're just lazy and they don't listen. ;)
She is a very powerful writer this way, but she has done it before.
The powerful albeit unintended consequences of her writing. :)
She is a very powerful writer this way, but she has done it before.
Remember when Liz recounted the "true" story of Anthony & Therese?
And removed every shred of doubt that Anthony was a creep...
--Maggie_Texas (until I get off my butt & open the righ account!)
The fascinating thing about strips like this is that they come not that long after strips in the original sequence in which the mature Elly and Connie pat themselves on the backs for being great mothers (notwithstanding Elly's infamous "I Quit" moment). The reruns show young-mother Elly to be self-absorbed, resentful, and neglectful, and the newruns show her to be domineering and lacking in empathy.
Anonymous,
The reruns show young-mother Elly to be self-absorbed, resentful, and neglectful, and the newruns show her to be domineering and lacking in empathy.
Which makes it difficult to root for her; you end up wanting bad thingas to happen to her just because it seems just that she be inconvenienced.
aprilp_katje,
Young people! They're just lazy and they don't listen. ;)
If you want to learn about overfeeding, you should go to the top. There’s no one who knows more about overfeeding than Elly Patterson.
Maggie_Texas
Remember when Liz recounted the "true" story of Anthony & Therese? And removed every shred of doubt that Anthony was a creep...
I loved the last few years of the modern strip, where Lynn was desperately trying to convince us that Anthony was not a creep, and the more she tried, the creepier he got.
Anonymous,
The fascinating thing about strips like this is that they come not that long after strips in the original sequence in which the mature Elly and Connie pat themselves on the backs for being great mothers (notwithstanding Elly's infamous "I Quit" moment). The reruns show young-mother Elly to be self-absorbed, resentful, and neglectful, and the newruns show her to be domineering and lacking in empathy.
Any many respects I think the back-patting is perfectly in keeping with the young Elly being presented. It only makes sense that a person as self-absorbed as Elly would believe she was a wonderful parent.
Actually, the fish, whatever his name is, died on Tuesday. Monday was the day Mike carried the ripped bag of trash down the driveway.
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