For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 23, 2019

no kidding on that last remark, Gordon

See? Mike is being despicable here, saying “heeey” mockingly. Gordon has been well mannered. That has carried with him into his adulthood and beyond. Took Mike a while to grow up. Mike is not a bad person – just being a typical teenager. Gordon earned my respect years ago and has always been my favorite character.

In the final panel, Gordon makes a reference back to Mike saying, “A few drinks can liven up a party.” The problem is that Michael never said that. You have to go back last week to the comic strip that was not reprinted (https://www.gocomics.com/forbetterorforworse/1990/02/17), where Michael says, “After a few drinks, you really have a ball!” It’s little bit of a stretch to do a punchline based on a joke set up a week ago and even harder if the setup was not reprinted.

When they publish re-runs, there is bound to be discrepancies. Especially since Lynn has been doing “updates.” :)

Yes it always makes Comics more humorous when they’re literal.

Well, it seems Peter got his karmic compeuppance.

If parents and the media would quit building it up as some kind of major rite of passage, the young wouldn’t be so fascinated by it and ultimately there would be a lot less abuse.

People that over-drink are the ones that should not touch the stuff to begin with. The government makes millions and millions from cigarette and alcohol taxes and cancer often gets you before you collect too much social security, if any. I hear it’s a big problem when they get a new nursing home residents that won’t admit they are closet alcoholics…withdrawal can kill them.

Lynn’s Comments:

Every class has its jerks and its heroes. I wanted to show that Gordon, despite his rough home life and his crumpled clothes, was a genuine hero

Gordon reminds me of Landry from Friday Night Lights who, like Gordy, had a crush on the unattainable girl, Tyra, who was hooked up to a football jock. Eventually, Landry saves Tyra’s life and the two are connected by the act of killing the her attacker.

A random thought I had about a week ago, and I can’t think of a group I more respect for very diverse thoughts and perspectives: Perhaps alcohol licenses for consumers would not be a bad idea. When a person becomes of legal drinking age they would be eligible to apply for a license to buy, possess, drink alcohol according to the existing laws. Jurisdictions could write their own regulations regarding suspension or revocation of alcohol privileges, and the penalties for violation. Most people drink responsibly but a rather small minority really wreak havoc when they drink.

Remember this is 1989 in the strip, but I keep hearing all this future talk. If you are from 2019, then who is the President of the United States?

Really desperate for entertainment, aren’t they?

Maybe Michael should have said: “…A few dr*u*nks really can liven up a party” ….

HA! HA!

I remember from my grade 8 graduation, that the guys who always got into trouble all year through (and going back to grade 6 and 7, they were trouble)…they snuck in some booze and got drunk and became woozier and woozier as the evening progressed that some of them got “sick” right there on the dance floor. It grossed out everyone. As the years wore on, later on, by the time we were 16 or so, and got our driving licences, these same guys would always be in trouble with the law, etc. One of them died in a car crash when he just turned 17, another one died around age 21 and he just got engaged, and the fiancée was pregnant… Small town, everyone knew everyone…

Well well. Gordon turns out to have done the kind, decent thing. So much for labeling him a “creep”.

Interesting how someone totally unknown always has the solution for everything.

How about not drinking alcohol?

Allyson won’t remember who Gordon is on Monday.

if parents actually took the time to properly raise their kids with love AND discipline then the kid would learn not only respect and honesty but also responsibility when it comes to drinking.