For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for April 17, 2024

This feels awful.

did Charles Schulz not think Edgar was as marketable as Farley?

I’m leaking tears just like the first time.

I will be skipping the next several days. Been there, done that, not wanting to go down that road again. See you al later this week.

Surprising that Eddy isn’t howling in grief after smelling death.

They can stuff Farley, like they did with Trigger. Don’t laugh. Trigger was sent to all ten provinces of Canada, all 50 States of America and two other countries. He rolled in gold mines!

Okay look: while I do cut John and Elly slack on how this mess got started, their only human and the point was how easy this happens…I won’t on lecturing the child who ALMOST DIED FIVE Minutes AGO. You nearly lost her. Focus on that and that she clearly learned the lesson already.

This is a landmark comic strip. Never before have I seen so many running themes appear in one comic strip. Mark this one down as a masterpiece.

The primary theme that shows up is the connection between mom and the cruise and the river, which has been repeated a few times over the last two weeks, but April really hammers it home here. She apologizes only to her father. She indirectly blames her mother. She says nothing about Edgar pushing her in the water or going for help. In fact that leads us to the introduction of our next theme:

Nobody pays attention to Edgar. No one credits Edgar for coming up to fetch the adults. This is a running theme that will go until the end of the comic strip. While Farley would get in trouble for many reasons, Edgar rarely does.

Also note that Elly’s eyes are covered by her hair in every panel but panel 2. The hair over the eyes is a shorthand for “Elly is doing a slow burn of anger.” In panel 2, however, she and April share a look of anxiety with a matching wide eye and raised eyebrow. Panel 2 is the one where April has pinned her misbehavior on her reaction to her mother and the cruise. That leads us to the next theme:

John sides with Elly against April This is the first time we see this happen and it will not be the last. John does not take April’s accusation well and essentially tells April that she broke the rules and should be dead now. Kind of harsh because this sort of condemnation will make another theme April blames herself for whatever is going on with Farley in the last panel.

Our last theme is when we see the only adult concerned about April’s well-being is Gramma Carrie. The theme is: The grandparents care more for April than her parents. We will see this theme repeated over and over again during the course of the comic strip with multiple grandparents and it starts here.

Mark it down folks. Today’s comic strip a great one, one of the best. A writing triumph

:-(’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

We lost our dog a couple years ago. He was 13. He died of a seizure in the living room. He’s buried in the back yard. We have two puppies from him.

Not sure if anyone else has already pointed this out… But when John pulls Aypo out of the river, she is barefoot… no boots on her feet.

he’s just resting!

As Yogi Barra would have said “It’s deja vu all over again.” The same happened with Elizabeth years ago. I’ve only just realized this has likely shadowed Lynn’s life. And, if so, Lynn, sorry for your loss.

From Lynn’s Comments: Tragically, the day this strip was originally published was also the date of the Oklahoma bombing. There was no way to halt or change this story and it ran at a time when North America was in shock and people’s hearts were breaking.

It was fourteen years ago today when our family schnauzer lay down as her heart stopped. I found her the next day when she didn’t get up. I never replaced her, for she didn’t like being alone so much in the last two years as my mother and brother were no longer there after her first eight years with us.

Oh, oh… don’t like the way Liz is calling to Dad. Farley appears unconscious…

Poor Farley. Gave all that he had to save his friend.

Personally I would of saved the dog first

Sadly, I felt this was coming days ago.

Oh no!

There is kind of an adult Easter Egg version hidden in panel 4.

After John says, “If it wasn’t for Farley, you April wouldn’t BE here.” Then Elizabeth as a smart aleck chimes in, "April, if it wasn’t for “DADDY”, you wouldn’t have been born here either!"

That “Daddy?” gets me every single time.

OK, Look, this is my first time reading this strip (this year). So DON"T SPOIL WHAT HAPPENS FOR ME! OH, wait….

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, there were four adults and one responsible teenager in that house. None of them stopped the four-year-old. At least Grandma Carrie, because John was on the phone and Elly was gabbing with Connie (again). Liz was probably going to see Dawn. What was Grandma doing? If somebody was actually watching April, she wouldn’t have broken the gates with two dogs and the following events wouldn’t have happened. Do not lecture her for your stupidity…AND TAKE HER TO THE HOSPITAL!!

If it wasn’t for April,Farley would be here now…

This is about the 4th time I’ve seen this sequence. It doesn’t get any easier.

“Death is not the end; it’s just the beginning of a new existence.” ~ Me

For those of you that don’t normally read it, today’s “Pearls Before Swine” strip is very on-topic.

No greater love than ……..

Cue Carole King….So Farley away…

Who’s a Good Boy Farley ! RIP , This story arc tugs on the old Heart strings every time !

uh oh, is Farley okay… :{

“The moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.” – Omar Khayyam

“Daddy?”

sob :’(

A shocking turn of events

This is a comic strip. Comic strips are supposed to be funny.

They can prop up the dog and stage an elaborate farce. Just like Weekend at Bernie’s!

A feeling of dread.

Elizabeth saying “Daddy?”

Read today’s Pearls Before Swine.

I think we all have to admit Lynn Johnston has brought us different thoughts on FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. Gay characters, Farley, Son in college, dating….a lot of real life. Charles Schulz also needs to be praised on young children from Mud Pies, a little Red Haired Girl, to a dog trying to shoot down the Red Baron. As one who enjoys these comics, thank you for your artistic ability to allow us to enjoy your work.

The storyline of Farley’s death was annoying on several points. For 12 years, the family is established as living in a mundane suburb of Toronto, then, during a rainy spell, the author magically introduces a river running adjacent to the house, which now sits on the edge of a steep ravine—a locale never before established in the storyline. One scene even suggests mountains in the distance. The locale is suddenly potentially dangerous, something not established prior. Neither April, nor any of the children over the previous 12 years, were told to stay away from the area, because the ravine and river didn’t exist. Regardless, once she falls in the river, swollen menacingly with the heavy rain, she would have been swept downstream, as would have Farley if he had grabbed her, but he’s magically able to dog paddle in place for however long it takes the family to all come down and help. All of this ridiculous forced narrative to make the dog and father appear heroes. Meanwhile, little April will live the rest of her life knowing she was responsible for the death of the beloved family pet. We’ll pretend that wouldn’t be a consequence!

Ugh, I hate this part. Poor Farley.

I just don’t want Farley to die…comic strips are for smiles and laughter…I guess I’m too sentimental, but dang this hurts….maybe he just needs medical attention….

Crying.

Please don’t take away Farley!

aw

They don’t seem very concerned about April after being in freezing water for several minutes. I’d have her home by now and in dry, warm clothes. The 2 women could get April home right away while the dad and sister take care of the dogs.

Ok. I LOVE this comic, but Farley BETTER MAKE IT!!! This whole week has been an emotional roller coaster with this comic.

Here we go…

Today’s Pearls before Swine comic is strangely apropos. Check it out.

I wonder if today’s Pearls Before Swine was timed for today’s story?

O NOoooooo. I know hes been around a while but.

Please don’t let him die!!!!!!!!

:_(

RIP, Farley….

Farley, named after the famous funnyman known as Chris.

OH NO……

Farley will be back in a few years, when this strip is rerun.

I’ve seen this arc a few times and this one always makes me tear up. Give me a dog any – every – day of the week.