While The Blot doesn’t usually blog on the weekends, I wanted to acknowledge the ending and rebirth of one of my favorite daily comic strips that ran in newspapers across North America for nearly thirty years, For Better or For Worse. I knew this day was coming for quite a while, but I had no idea it was officially ending today until yesterday when I read this letter from FBoFW creator Lynn Johnston thanking all of her readers for their continued support over the years.
It’s weird knowing the long running Canadian comic strip, which began in 1979, has come to an end. For as long as I’ve been alive, For Better or For Worse has been appearing in my local newspaper or online. There were definitely gaps in my readership, like when I went off to college and didn’t look at a newspaper for the entire four years. But like trusty dog Farley, FBoFW was always there waiting patiently for your return. What I always liked best about For Better or For Worse was that unlike most daily comic strips, the characters actually aged in real time. So, as I grew up so too did all of the comic’s huge cast of characters.
There is a silver lining for all of the For Better or For Worse fans out there and for those of you who missed out on reading the strip in its original run. It starts over from the very beginning on September 1st, 2008. But don’t worry, this isn’t just a reprint of the original strips. According to cartoonist Johnston, FBoFW will still occasionally have all new material, including new art and new storylines. It’s just starting again from the very beginning. So, it really is the best of all worlds. Plus, readers new and old can be introduced to the Pattersons, Elly, John, Michael, Elizabeth and April, all over again for the very first time. See you in the funnies!
