The Complete Library, Volume 7 – Out October 3rd

The seventh volume of our Complete Library treasury series will be released Tuesday October 3rd. Get your copy from your favourite book seller!

In this treasury:

The Pattersons must weather a host of tumultuous changes as the strip enters the 21st century–Elizabeth moves in with her boyfriend, Michael and Weed move to Toronto, Elizabeth moves in with her boyfriend, and Michael and Deana get married and anticipate the birth of their first child.

Plus, the Pattersons step out of their comfort zones when Elly buys a bookstore, Elizabeth starts a teaching job, and April forms a garage band! More laughs, tears, heartache, and smiles from Lynn Johnston as she takes her strip into the 21st century!

Included are every comic strip from January 2, 2000 to May 27, 2003.

Nancy Beiman’s New Comic, FurBabies

With great glee and sincere congratulations, I’m announcing my friend, Nancy Beiman’s newly syndicated online comic strip, “FurBabies.” I have known Nancy for over 40 years. She is an exceptional animator, illustrator and author who has worked for Disney and Warner Brothers, has authored several books on the art of animation and now retired, has taught storyboarding for many years. “Fur Babies” is a sweet story about a young girl who can communicate with her four pets – a secret skill she shares with no one. FurBabies has just been launched on Go Comics through Universal Press Syndicate – which also syndicates For Better or for Worse, now in reruns. Let us know what you think of Nancy’s new strip!

Follow Nancy’s adventures in comic stripping at her (free) substack page.

Nancy Beiman in caricature

Lynn’s Recipes: Kevin’s Tuna Pasta Shell Casserole

We’ve been collecting up recipes for foods we’ve featured in the strip, or in the calendars we’ve published over the years (see the whole series here). Some of these recipes belong to Lynn’s family, but here’s one contributed by our Sunday colourist and graphic designer, Kevin:

Instructions

2 cups pasta shells
1 can tuna (5 or 6oz) broken up
1 10oz can of mushroom soup
A couple of good handfuls of peas
A small onion diced
¼ tsp (or a small amount in the palm of your hand) of onion powder, pepper, and seasoning salt.
Shredded marble or cheddar cheese
Plain potato chips

How to make it

Boil shells until they are 2/3rds cooked. In a casserole dish, mix together drained pasta, mushroom soup, tuna, peas, onion, and spices. Add cheese to the top of the mixture (till you can’t see anything cheese!)
Bake in oven at 350° for 15 minutes with the lid on. Remove lid and add a layer of crushed potato chips (about 1/8 inch thick over cheese). Bake for another 30 min, until the chips start to toast and turn brown.
Let casserole cool for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
This is a great way to get kids to eat peas! The shells do the work for you… by hiding the pea within the shell.