Funky Winkerbean, et. al.matrixvikingAugust 7 2010, 13:15:56 UTC
Greetings all,
1) I have no interest in seeing a CGI of Yogi Bear. I'm sure it will spawn nightmares in the youger set
2) I can see how Funky Winkerbean can depressing to some; it's more about real life and how folks react to it than it is about sheer entertainment value. When I dropped my motorcycle (merely fractured my clavicle), friends were reacting the same, "Is your bike OK?" So I can understand how Funky feels.
What gets me,though, is that the comic did a leap of about 10-20 years about a year ago after Les lost his wife Lisa to cancer. I have to say that in some ways, Funky Winkerbean has gotten grittier, rather than more humoroous.
Lynn Johnston, who does 'For Better or Worse' has handled the deaths of her characters (only two I know of, Farley and Grandpa) with grace and dignity as well as maintaining the sense of humor that is so much a part of her strip.
Different strips, different directions. Is Funky Winkerbean depressing? Depends on the point of view. He handles real life's problems, but since it changed, it's taken a decided downturn. I don't know if it's because the artist is feeling his clock ticking or what, but I'd rather see it end on a hopeful note (as what happened in the final strip in 'Opus').
FBOFW deathsmatrixvikingAugust 8 2010, 07:00:48 UTC
Off the top of my head, I count three deaths in "For Better or for Worse":
1) Mrs. Baird, the elderly neighbor lady. Her passing was young Michael's first experience with human death.
2) Grandpa Jim's first wife, Elly's mother. Jim was alone for some time until Iris came into his life. And he was still alive -- although his death would be just a matter of weeks or months -- when Johnston ended the strip.
3) Farley, who gave up his life to save another.
God I loved that strip. I bought each of the collections until I realized that I wasn't rereading them (and comic books took priority for my entertainment money). I really didn't like the idea of the strip going into reruns, but the stories have sucked me in again.
1) I have no interest in seeing a CGI of Yogi Bear. I'm sure it will spawn nightmares in the youger set
2) I can see how Funky Winkerbean can depressing to some; it's more about real life and how folks react to it than it is about sheer entertainment value. When I dropped my motorcycle (merely fractured my clavicle), friends were reacting the same, "Is your bike OK?" So I can understand how Funky feels.
What gets me,though, is that the comic did a leap of about 10-20 years about a year ago after Les lost his wife Lisa to cancer. I have to say that in some ways, Funky Winkerbean has gotten grittier, rather than more humoroous.
Lynn Johnston, who does 'For Better or Worse' has handled the deaths of her characters (only two I know of, Farley and Grandpa) with grace and dignity as well as maintaining the sense of humor that is so much a part of her strip.
Different strips, different directions. Is Funky Winkerbean depressing? Depends on the point of view. He handles real life's problems, but since it changed, it's taken a decided downturn. I don't know if it's because the artist is feeling his clock ticking or what, but I'd rather see it end on a hopeful note (as what happened in the final strip in 'Opus').
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1) Mrs. Baird, the elderly neighbor lady. Her passing was young Michael's first experience with human death.
2) Grandpa Jim's first wife, Elly's mother. Jim was alone for some time until Iris came into his life. And he was still alive -- although his death would be just a matter of weeks or months -- when Johnston ended the strip.
3) Farley, who gave up his life to save another.
God I loved that strip. I bought each of the collections until I realized that I wasn't rereading them (and comic books took priority for my entertainment money). I really didn't like the idea of the strip going into reruns, but the stories have sucked me in again.
A true classic.
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