Q and Eh! Questions and answers about the Canadian Comic Strip For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston

Q and Eh

A friend and I have a disagreement. She says that the currently running strip which depicts the family's early years are the very old, original strips from the series. I say that they have been written in recent years (since the wrap-up after Liz and Anthony married). Which of us is right?

When Weed has his art display about homless people, I was wondering what was the inspiration behind it?

So, I have to laugh when Anthony thinks that North Bay is so "up north" and "off the map"! This coming from a person who lives 6 hours north of Thunder Bay! I was wondering why you decided to send Liz to Nipissing University in North Bay?

The Lawrence story resulted in some papers cancelling the strip. Did any of them pick it up again after the hub-bub had died down?

I really loved the series when it was progressive and watching the kids grow and the families evolve. It was like visiting with friends each day and always something interesting. Will you ever get back to that format?

I grew up reading your strip, but missed alot when I left home, so I have now spent the last few weeks reading the entire archive start to finish! I know you are returning to the beginning and running some new strips mixed in which I am truely enjoying! I was wondering if there are any plans to possibly show how April's life as an adult turned out? I know your final panel told a few facts, but it would be nice to see Elizabeth and Anthony's baby, and April's boyfriend, and how Merrie and Robin look as older kids etc.

Do you have any plans to do an update strip to tell us what the characters are doing now, sort of like the final august 31, 2008 strip?

Have you ever written an embarrassing situation for your characters, feeling that the characters wouldn't want you to do this and then end up being embarrassed yourself?

I got the book, Teaching is a Learning Experience, and in a section of strips, Liz meets and is attacked by a guy named Howard. I only know the part of when he attacked her. What happened after that?

I am a little confused about some aspects of the new strip (the one you started in September). First of all-will the characters age!? If so, will it be in real time like it used to be? Please say they will. I would hate to think of FBOFW without April.

Hi, now that FBOFW has had a reboot, what year is it supposed to be taking place?

Why did Lynn decide to go back in time when she had the opportunity to continue the story line with a new generation, probably the first comic strip to do so? It could have been really great and she still could have done "flash backs".

One of the attractions for the previous style strip was it's characters aging in real time. I am curious - in the reboot version, are the characters going to age in real time, slower, or will they be frozen at the same approximate age (as with most other comic strips?)

Is there a site or other source somewhere that shows the original ("first-run") strip side-by-side with its retouched, reworked version? Is there a way to determine on what date the strip that ran, say, November 19, 2008, ran the first time?

I was a little confused about the changes, and I just wanted to see if I had this right. You have returned to the old comics, I understand, but have you changed them? Or are they the same story lines/comics that you put out before just with a little changing? And are you eventually going to end up back at the end again?

Back in the late 80's or early 90's there was a story line about the Patterson's dog. I remember he died but I don't remember from what?

I read FBOFW daily; however, from Oct. 07 through Apr. 08 I was unable to read any comics and I believe I missed an important story line. Does Anthony propose to Elizabeth? If so, is there any way I can read those related strips? I'd love to read it!

In April of 2008, April and her friends are talking as if they are in their final year of high school. However, according to established continuity, she should be in grade 11. Has something been revised with regard to her age and year in school?

I don't remember Lawrence coming out. I was wondering when that series was so I can go back and read it. I didn't have the courage to come out when I was that young but I'd like to pass it on to a few people who are struggling with the same issue. Thanks.

I seem to remember a story arc in which it was revealed Gordon's parents had a drinking problem and sometimes hit him, but I can't seem to find it in my books. Am I imagining this? If I'm not wrong, in which book can I find it? I remember at the time thinking what a helpful tool this could be in getting kids to open up to each other or to a trusted adult.

I'm really enjoying the trip back in time, but I was wondering if there was any way to include the original run date of the reprinted strips? It would be interesting to have a social context for the world of the Pattersons in comparison to the time period.

Every now and then a different artist draws the cartoon. The lastest one, maybe talented, but the characters all look witchy. The style is too primitive. We've gotten used to the attractive Pattersons not the Adams family.

On September 6, 2007, the comic shows the fourth panel in a living room or library, with the quote, "Honestly, I don't know how it happened!!" There is an object that looks like a glove hanging from the ceiling. What is that, please?

Have you had a stroke survivor in your family?

The other day Jim was thinking to himself:"I used to run with a rifle and a gunny sack." Did you mean when he was a soldier (probably WWII) with a knapsack?

Liz just asked Anthony to go to the wedding with her - I thought Anthony was married! Did I miss a divorce??

Is the strip biographical of Lynn's life and family or is it loosely based on it? If so, are her real children the same ages and doing the same things as the characters in the strip?

Why is Liz going to court (in October 2006?)

Does Lynn use story ideas submitted by readers?

What happened to Mrs. Saltzman's plan to evict the Kelpfroths?

Why did Liz move from Mtigwaki?

What happened to the bully who used to bother April?

What were Lynn's most (and least) favourite storylines?