Comic strips

Reader takes Lynn Johnston to task on age disparities in FBOFW

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Alan Gardner June 27, 2007 1 minute 1 comment

Over on the For Better or For Worse web site, the blog that was maintained by fictional character April is now being maintained by fictional character Elly and non-fictional character Lynn (just roll with it – it’s all in fun). I laughed at one of the first new blog posts under this new arrangement as a very studious FBOFW reader documented the times that the Patterson’s kids’ ages have appeared to be less inconsistent with previous mentions.

Here’s the reader’s scrupulous observation:

One of the things I’ve always liked about FBorFW is its moving in real time. However, in reviewing collections, I’ve noticed some glitches. These are not related to the three-year freeze in Mike and Liz’s ages, but occur after the real-time aging went into effect.

Until sometime in 2001, Liz was consistently shown to be four years younger than Mike. When she started kindergarten, he started grade four; then it was grade one vs. grade five, grade two vs. grade six, etc. In 1998, at age 18, Liz had her grade-12 graduation, and she had her grade-13 graduation in 1999, as a 19-year old. She began university in the fall of 1999.

In 2000, April complained about being 11 years younger than Liz.

However, sometime in 2001, Liz’s birth year was changed to 1981, making her five years younger than Mike and 10 years older than April. And she spent FIVE years in university, though this has never been explained.

Elly went through a similar change. In 1994, she fretted about turning 45. Until Michael reminded her that her birthday was in 1950, so she’d be turning 44. But this site now gives her year of birth as 1951.

Were these changes pre-meditated, and if so, what was the reasoning behind them?

For this reader’s efforts, Lynn offers to send her “an envelope of real Northern Canadian AIR!!!”

On a more serious note, the FBOFW gang has updated their Research and Development section of their site to include information on real people that have either inspired or have had cameos in the strip.