Born: 28 May 1947, Canada
Died: NA
Country most active: Canada, International
Also known as: Lynn Ridgway
The following is republished from the Library of Congress. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
Since 1979, when For Better or For Worse first appeared, Canadian artist Lynn Johnston (b. 1947) has been chronicling the lives of the Patterson family including John the dentist father, Elly, and children Michael and Lizzie, all of whom develop and age in real time. In her leading modern family strip, Johnston has willingly addressed sensitive issues such as death, aging, and sexual orientation, bringing her both acclaim and criticism.
The scope of her themes and her engaging characters who age in real time are key aspects that won her comic a huge, devoted readership. Johnston’s strip projects a mature female point of view, that of mother and wife.