For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 05, 2021

“game over”? His dad is going to kill him? I wouldn’t go home either if that was the situation.

still poor Gordon living a life like that

Well he has a good point, might as well get the biggest bang for the buck / beating.

“Nothing got broken.” Yet…

Never could understand why some parents believe that extreme discipline would alter a child’s behavior??

SMH

I find Gordon’s logic perverse. He’s saying a beating is inevitable. What’s the point of compounding his father’s rage? How is that going to make either him or his father feel better?

Jan shouldn’t have called his parents. Ground Mike and make Gordon shovel her driveway all winter.

Right or wrong aside, does Elly know Gordon’s situation? I think she might just ban him for visiting or something if she did know.

I fail to see how this storyline is appropriate for a comic strip.

This might be a good time for Mike to tell Mom what’s up and for Mom to call the cops.

Then don’t read it.

This fear is sad but more common than realized and worse now with so many children isolated out of school

Real life can be brutal.

I remember this being a pretty heavy bunch of strips way back in the day. Having read some of Lynn’s interviews before this was printed, it was interesting that she said that Gordon’s being abused was part of the backstory only she knew, and I believe she said she wasn’t going to actually SAY IT… but eventually she just did. Something like child abuse being dealt with her is a pretty good look at what made FBOFW a “different” strip from the others at the time.

Well, I thought the same thing when I was young. My Mom always said that I didn’t get in trouble much but when I did, I “went down in a blaze of glory.” Lots of kicking and struggling when I got a whipping.

Lynn’s Quote:

…"So I was bathed in this wonderful, warm glow of acceptance for so long, and yet, For Better Or For Worse had always dealt with relevant subjects. I had always challenged myself to write a story that included both sides. For example, when Gordon’s father beat him, Gordon’s father does not appear as an ogre, but he appears as a man who can’t control his temper and he cries over that. I try to see things from both sides.

Source: https://www.hoganmag.com/blog/the-lynn-johnston-interview

From FBORFW.com website – 2/3 – Lynn’s Comments: This suggests the kind of home Gordon comes from. I knew myself what his life was like. I never got to show the readers more than just a glimpse of it. 2/4 -Lynn’s Comments: This really raised a lot of questions from readers. I got calls from interviewers wanting to know where I was going with it and how much detail I was going to go into.

Mike should be a pal and go home with Gordy to help smooth things over; maybe give Gordy’s dad time to cool down and not fly off the handle and maybe not beat Gord with the handle.

Makes going home the worst crime then what was done. Wonder if Michael tell mom what she did will happen to Gordon?

I think part of the pain comes from the thought that Gordie will make further poor choices. He’s a good kid at heart but in a rough situation with his homelife.

Sorry, cartoon or not it is reality. The Local News are filled with such stories!

Are Gordie’s parents abusers?

OK folks, this is a comic, and comics are supposed to make us laugh, so here is a more comic-oriented punishment…

Elly takes some Ex-Lax, scratches the word “Ex-Lax” off it, and says Michael and Gordon can have some chocolate. She then locks all the bathrooms in the house except one, and sees the two of them fight over the vacant one.

Elly can announce that it time to watch “Games of Throne”! :P

Reminds me of some advice for owners of dogs who are allowed to roam by themselves: If the dog comes home late, don’t yell at him. Don’t scold him. He doesn’t understand why you are yelling. Do that a few times, and the dog associates your yelling at him with coming home. This makes him more likely to return late.

I had a friend in school with a similar issue — his “dad” was a foster parent who would smack him around, even in front of me. And, the guy also was a “fence” and would make him climb into open windows and grab things like TVs.

Reading this scrip has brought up some painful memories. Responding has helped as therapy. If I got too long in the tooth, PLEASE forgive me!!!

Comics stopping being for kids a long time ago.