For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for August 23, 2020

Back when I lived in Lewis County, Washignton, I lived in a neighborhood on a hill. I had a bicycle too. The hill was so steep, I also had to stick my feet out like a motorist in the town of Bedrock in order to help stop.

How about, “Dad and I will pay half, and you need to pay the other half”? After all, if this follows the story line of Michael working at his uncle’s farm, he should have some money saved up.

There is no way my parents would have paid $150 for shoes, especially sneakers. And now that I can buy anything I want, there is no way I would pay $150 for sneakers!

The high tech shoes we had in my day were PF Flyers with the built in wedge.

Since this was published in 1991, the Greedok Accupod is most likely a takeoff on the Reebok Pump. The Pump was released on Nov. 24, 1989 at $170, the highest-priced sneaker on the market by about $70. The black and white-striped shirt the Foot Gear shoe store guy is wearing means Lynn is going after Foot Locker. Judging from the drawing, Mike is riding a road bike with coaster brakes or no brakes at all.

If I were a teenage boy with $150+ Reebok Pump shoes, I would treat them like they were gold; because I would want to show them off to other kids.

My Bike brakes squeal really bad. Ive still never Used my feet to slow down in my life.

I know he’s a teenager, but this is a truly crap way to spend your parents’ money.

Didn’t Michael earn anything from his stint on the farm? What happened to that?

Nothing like an informed consumer.

She gave in? wth, not in my house.

Okay, I’m going out on a limb here and say, money well spent.

When I was in junior high the “elite” shoe was Chuck Taylor Converse All-Stars. My parents would only get me the JC Penney rip-off version.

If he can put both feet on the ground, his seat is set way too high.

Lynn’s Comments:

A strip like this gave my brain a nice jog. Coming up with the overrated advertising info was a hoot!

I pay that for my horse’s shoes (no choice) but would never spend that on mine (lots of choices).

Did that to the heels of a $20 pair of hiking boots. (I had to ride on the tailgate of a truck for 15 miles (24.14 km) My legs were long and dragged a little) My dad beat the crap out of me when he saw what happened.

Sneakers, hah! I’m wearing my Nike squeakers.

Back in the day with 4 kids to buy for my mom went to Payless, 2 for $5. I am grown and STILL don’t pay that much for a pair of sneakers. Also, my sneakers last for years. When the sole wears out on these shoes his mom should make him go barefoot or pull a good one and tape them up with Duck Tape. lol

This particular strip was a good example of how to blind the consumer by pseudo-science. And it works.

I don’t mind that my son buys expensive running shoes as he’s a pretty low maintenance guy except for that. But he won’t let me toss “retired” shoes. I’m storing several large totes of old running shoes.

She’s paying in cash!! Gasp!

I am an old school KEDS classic sneaker wearer. But with a modern twist….I take out the white laces.

I remember when I was in high school and I was on the basketball team. We were shopping for sneakers and we chose a store with that had a sneaker style that costed $25. My father told me not to come back into the house if I bought those sneakers for $25! WOW! Talk about a change in times!

In the original strip, the price was $100. Also, Mike wasn’t wearing a helmet.

For years when I was a kid all I wore in the summer was black canvas hightops. They cost $5 a pair. They were usually purchased at Canadian Tire where they had a bin full of them.

Michael could make $150 easy. All he has to do is greet some American “importers” who are crossing the Canadian border with a “special shipment”. When asked what the crates contained, all Michael was told was that it was from “our good friends the Americans, helping to ensure us Canadians have our God-given rights to keep and bear arms”.

Gold-plated laces don’t make them any better for your feet. Get shoes that fit, period.

My youngest used to make bikes out of parts of ones that people were throwing out and sell them to kids he knew as well as for himself.

One that he made had no brakes. One day I noticed that the arch in his sneaker was ‘U’ shaped. Apparently, he had discovered that by jamming his foot between the back tire and the frame behind the seat, he could lock up the rear tire. Worked for him. Ticked off his mom.

These were the days when NASA was shut down. All the rocket scientists found work designing athletic footwear.

The lady is a fool for caving in for that pair of shoes. If he wants something that ridiculous, make him buy it.

‘Michael’ NEVER better let ‘Mom’ catch him doing what he is doing in the last panel ! ! ! !

$150?!? I’m nearly 6’ AND have a large gut, but $50 sneakers last me almost half a year! Then again, I never learned to ride a bike . . .

This is why you give kids an allowance, $2 – $20 a week depending on their age and your finances. They can spend their own money on things the parents don’t think they need. I noticed my kids bought a lot fewer things when they had to spend their own money.

had a pair of Vans that lasted me 25 years

As I recall, my 1968 Converse bball shoes (the hi-end at the time) were about $20. That’s (believe it or not) $150 in today’s dollars.

His parents should kill him. It would be justified. There would be no charges.

Just another gimmick to sell cheep shoes at high prices.

But everybodies got them!

I still have my original Converse All Stars high tops I bought my first year in college 1963. They are almost like new. I was student manager of the college basketball team so they didn’t get used much. I think they were 10 or 12 dollars. Every now and then I pick them up just for the memories.

A Christmas presennt one year was free roller skates thanks to New Orleans Toy and Doll fund. I’m 86 and still grateful for that gift.

You don’t pay 150 bucks doe sneakers. ESPECIALLY not for a teenager.

Got that right. I was lucky if I got Ked’s, usually no name brand and they were just fine…

If my kids wanted something so outrageously priced, I would give them the cost of a decent pair. If they insisted on the more expensive pair (ain’t “image” wonderful?), they had to come up with the rest.

I remember one strip where Elly discovered the kids had outgrown last winter’s coats & boots and needed new ones, that of course cost a couple hundred dollars. Then Mike asks why she keeps wearing the same old winterwear year after year.

This message on corporate greed of $150 shoes brought to you by Lynn Johnston, who makes $1,000,000 a year from a comic strip.

All the other kids with the pumped-up kicks better run from Mike’s bike, because it has bad brakes.

When I was little, I wanted these Kangaroo Sneakers, which had zippable pockets. Dang, they were stupid! But my mom bought them for me. Thank you, Mom. Guess what I put in those shoe pockets? Noooothing.

My parents told me that when they were kids that Beatle sneakers were all the rage. Today if you wore those people would laugh at you.

And this is why we call St. Michael an “Asshat”.

Seriously Mike, use your brake!