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I love FBorFW! I've been reading your old strips that you have online and I'm enjoying reliving Liz' and Anthony's love story. And I love your daily strips! Just a quick couple of questions: are you still going to age your characters or are they going to stay the age they are now? And is there any plans to put strips from before 2003 on the site?

Nikki C, Almo, KY, USA

The art you are seeing now is a reworking of the beginning of the comic strip. The work will soon be running as it did originally without the new material added and the characters will age accordingly. With luck, the stories will continue right up to 2003 and beyond and you'll see everything again. Thanks for asking. I'm glad you enjoy my work!

Sincerely, Lynn J.

I liked the August 19 strip. I saw a flash of imagination in Michael that made me flash-forward to his career as a writer. I disagree with a previous poster who said that John had never been portrayed as having a wandering eye. I can remember at least three strips where he openly checks out other women in front of Elly, and one in which Elly and John were at a party and John was flirting with a voluptous woman. He then comes back to Elly and tells her that the woman has amazing teeth. It was about the only quality that I really hated about John.

Rosemary T, Clifton Park, NY, USA

Darren J, of South Korea, noted that new-run John seems less sensitive than the John of the later strips, and wondered whether his character had been reinvented. I think that John's character did become wiser and more sensitive as he aged, as I hope most of us do in real life. The John of the early years did have some boorish traits. I remember seeing an occasional theme of drunkenness in some of the early strips, involving several characters, including John. By today's standards, there is nothing funny about being drunk, and we wonder how it could have been funny thirty years ago. So far, Lynn has not revisited that theme, and I hope she never does.

Jolein V, Oregon City, OR

John really was a bit of a jerk in the original strips. I remember being surprised when I first read the earliest collections, because he seemed so different. I think he evolved over the years as everyone in the strip became more and more real. There were times in that first book I just wanted to slap him. =)

Angela, PA, USA

I see so many complaints about how John and Elly aren't what they used to be, as in not the way they were when the strip ended. Think of the time difference in their lives now though. They are younger again, with younger kids, fairly recent house, and they just got a dog for the first time. I believe that they are just learning what it means to be patient and understanding with one another. My boyfriend and I sometimes make jokes with each other, loose all patience and of course I do sometimes catch him looking at girls. It's natural, we know we're going to grow out of it. It's like kids, one week their most absolute favorite thing is CARS and then suddenly they grow out of it and now its all about SPACESHIPS. Wait until Elly and John "grow up" a little and things will get back to how we knew them best in the end.

Tiia R, Rimouski, QC, Canada

I can relate to Michael's hugging the house. I just moved from a house where my late husband and I lived for 12 years. My last sight of it was as an empty shell of itself, but I could hear echoes of us as we were when we moved in and were so happy together. I can't take care of it by myself, so I had to leave. I patted it as I left and murmured an apology for not being able to stay. I hope it forgives me and is happy with the new family that will soon move in.

Diane, Houston, TX, USA

I loved August 20th's strip! Our dog reacts the same way when we pick her up from the kennel!! (actually, she reacts like that every time we enter the house, but the kennel seems more special because it's actually been a while, compared to the 20 minutes to the store and back, tee hee!) Very cute, give those anti-kennel readers some peace of mind that Farley's happy and not too upset about being left behind. ;)

Amanda, Bowling Green, OH, USA

I loved the strip with Michael hugging the house. Today's strip picking up Farley is priceless too. I wonder where we ever got the impression, in later years, that Michael was somewhat indifferent. This strip tells me he is very in tuned with his house and family! Our two little Farlies (Chi mixes) celebrate everything they do and they are such a joy.

Sheila B, East Hartford, CT, USA

Next time take the dog camping. He should have been mad at them. They deserved it. Bad bad people. We have better people that take us with them.

Chloe and Ruby, OR, USA

I LOVE your depictions of Farley!! I had a sheepdog for 9 years, and now have a new sheepdog puppy, and your drawings are right on the money. Sheepies are hilarious, mischievous, and love human company. Please give us more of puppy Farley!!

Chrystal S, Lenoir, NC, USA

It's been almost year now since you ended the story and started all over again. I just went back to reread the last month of the old story. I sure miss all those folks. Thank you for keeping the archives, it made me cry all over again.

PWG, CA, USA