The North Bay Bay

From: Darren D. MacDonald, thenorthbaybay.ca staff

NORTH BAY – After 40 years in syndication, “For Better or For Worse” is a staple of Canadian newspapers and the pride of North Bay. But while the community may be looking back on the history of the strip, Lynn Johnson is looking forward.

Johnson recently announced that she is working on a new comic strip that will “feature familiar faces.”

“It’s already in the works and it’s called ‘For Better or For Worse: Origins,’” says Johnson. “It’s a gritty re-imagining of the origin of the family we all grew to love.”

“I want to explore the universe that we have created, and more so, want to take a look at where the characters came from. Sure, we all know who Elly and John are now – but who WERE they, you know?”

Gritty Success

From Superman to Archie, comics have had a wave of gritty and successful reboots in recent years, and Lynn Johnson wants to cash in.

Will we see the dark history of the horrible things John had to do to pay for dental school? Did Elly secretly spend time working in a fetish shop before meeting John? What about their lovable dog Farley – was he a stray fighting for his life on the streets, or was he a mob dog, trained to attack on command? We sat down with Lynn Johnson to find out.

“What? No! Heavens no!” exclaimed Johnson. “The strip will still be wholesome family goodness, but just a bit darker. Primarily in the colour choices.”

“ We have a couple of comic strips already ready to go before the big release One is about Johns struggle as he deals with his inner demons in a strip called ‘Tax Season,’ and another sees Elly deal with an irate customer which is a hoot and a half! I don’t want to say too much, but I’ll tell you this: I’ve never created a comic as dark, yet as wholesome, as this one.”

More to Come

‘For Better or For Worse: Origins’ is set to be released in January of 2020 and will be followed up by another series called ‘For Better or For Worse: 2099’ later in the summer.

So it seems there are 3 things we can count on in Canada: taxes, Timmies and ‘For Better or For Worse.’ Here’s to 40 more years of “For Better or For Worse,” whether it’s for better or for worse.