Lynn Johnston (born May 28, 1947) is a Canadian
cartoonist
A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comic book illustrators in that they produce both the literary and ...
and author, best known for her newspaper comic strip ''
For Better or For Worse''. She was the first woman and first Canadian to win the
National Cartoonist Society
The National Cartoonists Society (NCS) is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the ...
's
Reuben Award
The National Cartoonists Society (NCS) is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the ...
.
Early life
Born Lynn Ridgway in
Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay. Collingwood is well known as a tourist destination, for its skiing in the winter, and limestone caves along the Nia ...
, she was raised in
North Vancouver,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, where she was a close childhood friend of comedians
Paul K. Willis
Paul Kenneth Willis (August 2, 1947 – November 24, 1999) was a Canadian sketch comedian, most noted as one half of the comedy duo La Troupe Grotesque with Michael Boncoeur in the 1970s and 1980s.
Career
Both natives of Vancouver, British Columbi ...
and
Michael Boncoeur Michael Boncoeur was the stage name of Michael Vadeboncoeur, a Canadian sketch comedian, most noted as one half of the comedy duo La Troupe Grotesque with Paul K. Willis in the 1970s and 1980s.
Career
Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, he ...
. She attended the
Vancouver School of Art
Emily Carr University of Art + Design (abbreviated as ECU) is a public art university located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The university's campus is located within the Great Northern Way Campus in Strathcona. The university is a co-e ...
(now
Emily Carr University of Art and Design
Emily Carr University of Art + Design (abbreviated as ECU) is a public art university located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The university's campus is located within the Great Northern Way Campus in Strathcona. The university is a co-e ...
) with hopes of making a living as an artist. After working briefly in animation, most notably as an uncredited cel colorist on ''
The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show
''The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show'' is an American half-hour animated series of the famous comedy duo that aired in syndication from September 9, 1967 to June 1, 1968. Each of the 39 individual episodes consisted of four five-minute cartoon ...
'', she married in 1969 and moved back to Ontario, where she worked as a medical artist at
McMaster University
McMaster University (McMaster or Mac) is a public research university in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood and Westdale, adjacent to the Royal Botanical Ga ...
for five years. Johnston's illustrations are in storage in McMaster's medical archive. They include depictions of routine hospital happenings, such as a father smoking in the waiting room.
While expecting her first child, she drew single-panel cartoons for the ceiling of her obstetrician
Murray Enkin's office. Those drawings were published in her first book, ''
David, We're Pregnant!'' which was published in 1973 under her then name of Lynn Franks (and subsequently republished under the name of Lynn Johnston) and became a best seller. After her divorce, she did freelance commercial and medical art in a studio converted from a greenhouse. ''Hi Mom! Hi Dad!'', a sequel to ''David'', was published in 1975. Shortly thereafter, she met and married dental student Rod Johnston.
''For Better or For Worse''
In 1978, the Johnstons and their two children relocated to
Lynn Lake, Manitoba
Lynn Lake is a town in the northwest region of Manitoba, Canada, approximately from Winnipeg. The town is the fourth-largest town in Manitoba in terms of land area. It is centred on the original urban community of Lynn Lake. The town was named ...
. She was asked by
Universal Press Syndicate
Universal Press Syndicate (UPS), a subsidiary of Andrews McMeel Universal, was an independent press syndicate. It distributed lifestyle and opinion columns, comic strips and other content. Popular columns include Dear Abby, Ann Coulter, Roger Eb ...
if she was interested in doing a comic strip. She sent twenty copies of a strip called ''The Johnstons'', based on her family "since we were the only people I knew I could draw over and over again with some consistency."
[ Much to her surprise, the syndicate approved of the initial strips and offered her a twenty-year contract.][ After a six-month "work-up" period, the strip first appeared in newspapers throughout Canada under the title ''For Better or For Worse''. The strip has been carried by about 2000 newspapers in Canada, the U.S. and 20 other countries.][
Many story lines draw from her family's real-life experiences. Her main characters are named after the middle names of her husband and children, with the exception of the mother, as Lynn Johnston has no middle name. Instead, she elected to name the protagonist Elly, in honor of a friend of hers who died at a young age. Her friend and Canadian comedian ]Michael Boncoeur Michael Boncoeur was the stage name of Michael Vadeboncoeur, a Canadian sketch comedian, most noted as one half of the comedy duo La Troupe Grotesque with Paul K. Willis in the 1970s and 1980s.
Career
Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, he ...
inspired the controversial story about Lawrence's coming out
Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity.
Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...
. Deanna was based on Aaron's high school sweetheart, who died in a car accident years after their relationship ended. Johnston's niece Stephanie is developmentally disabled and her experience is shared in recent story lines on the integration of developmentally disabled students in April's class. Elizabeth's teaching career was based on daughter Kate's decision not to pursue a career in education, but provided Johnston with a chance to imagine how that might have turned out.
The characters in ''For Better of For Worse'' have aged in "real time". On August 31, 2008, Johnston herself appeared in the Sunday strip, which was supposed to be the end of the cartoon, and announced that she would take the story back nearly 30 years to soon after its beginning, with half of the material to be new and the other half repeats. The "new" material was actually reworked versions of older strips with retouched artwork and new dialogue that was sometimes only tweaked to use modern expressions or product names in place of older ones. On seldom occasion an entire strip or a panel has been redone, such as Michael or Elizabeth spanked being turned into a "time out". One spanking strip that remained was a story arc where Michael was spanked by John for hitting another child, and it percolating into a discussion with Elly that she disagreed that spanking was the proper remedy (although she agreed with John that Michael's violent attitude had to be nipped in the bud). Other strips, such as Elly getting annoyed and then hurling something at the back of John's head (such as a coffee cup) were also censored. As the strip was a family strip, issues of throwing a hard object behind someone's back raised issues of spousal abuse
Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...
.
Personal life
Since the 1990s, Johnston has been notably forthcoming in her discussion of the abuse inflicted on her by her mother and her first husband, and being unprepared to be a mother to her son Aaron—topics that have also been reflected in the strip. A column by Jan Wong
Jan Wong (; born August 15, 1952) is a Canadian academic, journalist, and writer. Wong worked for ''The Globe and Mail'', serving as Beijing correspondent from 1988 to 1994, when she returned to write from Canada. She is the daughter of Montreal ...
of ''The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'', reprinted in ''Lunch with Jan Wong'', notably portrayed Johnston as somewhat difficult and irascible.
Johnston resided in the Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a primary geographic and quasi-administrative region of the Canadian province of Ontario, the other primary region being Southern Ontario. Most of the core geographic region is located on part of the Superior Geological Provi ...
town of Corbeil Corbeil may refer to:
Places
* Corbeil, Ontario, Canada
* Corbeil, Marne, a commune in the Marne département in north-eastern France
* Corbeil-Cerf, a commune in the département of Oise in northern France
* Corbeil-Essonnes, a commune in the so ...
for many years during ''For Better or For Worse''s run.[ Her daughter Katie also lived in Corbeil and worked at the For Better or For Worse studio,] while her son Aaron works in the television industry in Vancouver, BC. In September 2007, Lynn and Rod Johnston announced their separation and intention to divorce. Johnston had talked about either ending ''For Better or For Worse'' or handing it off to another cartoonist, but changed her mind as a result of her split from her husband of over 30 years.[
In September 2015, Johnston and her daughter moved back to North Vancouver.
Johnston had a close friendship with ]Charles M. Schulz
Charles Monroe "Sparky" Schulz (; November 26, 1922 – February 12, 2000) was an American cartoonist and the creator of the comic strip ''Peanuts'', featuring what are probably his two best-known characters, Charlie Brown and Snoopy. He is wid ...
, creator of ''Peanuts
''Peanuts'' is a print syndication, syndicated daily strip, daily and Sunday strip, Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. The strip's original run extended from 1950 to 2000, continuing in reruns afterward. ' ...
''. She wrote the introduction to one of the volumes of Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics (previously Fantagraphics Books) is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, manga, magazines, graphic novels, and the erotic Eros Comix imprint.
History
Founding
Fantagraphics was found ...
' series ''The Complete Peanuts
''The Complete Peanuts'' is a series of books containing the entire run of Charles M. Schulz's long-running newspaper comic strip ''Peanuts'', published by Fantagraphics Books. The series was published at a rate of two volumes per year, each cont ...
''.
On 13 March 2014, Library and Archives Canada
Library and Archives Canada (LAC; french: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) is the federal institution, tasked with acquiring, preserving, and providing accessibility to the documentary heritage of Canada. The national archive and library is th ...
announced that it had acquired material to add to its Johnston collection, including 3282 drawings, 296 watercolours, 244 photographs, about 3.5 m of textual items, and a few other objects.
Awards and honours
* 1985 – Reuben Award
The National Cartoonists Society (NCS) is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the ...
, the first woman and first Canadian to win
* 1987 – Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards were awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television between 1986–2011 to recognize the achievements of Canada's television industry. The Gemini Awards are analogous to the Emmy Awards given in the United States ...
, Best Cartoon Series
* 1990 – Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, Lakehead University
Lakehead University is a public research university with campuses in Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ontario, Canada. Lakehead University, shortened to 'Lakehead U', is non-denominational and provincially supported. It has undergraduate programs, grad ...
, Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its population ...
, Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
* 1991 – National Cartoonist Society
The National Cartoonists Society (NCS) is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the ...
Newspaper Comic Strip Award
* 1992 – Made a Member of the Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
, the country's highest civilian honour
* 1993 – Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws, McMaster University
McMaster University (McMaster or Mac) is a public research university in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood and Westdale, adjacent to the Royal Botanical Ga ...
, Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...
* 1994 – Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
for a story on Lawrence's coming out
* 1999 – Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws, University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a Public university, public research university in London, Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by resident ...
, London, Ontario
London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximate ...
* 2000 – Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, Nipissing University
, mottoeng = Spirit of Integrity
, established =
, former_names = Northeastern University (1960-1967), Nipissing College (1967-1992)
, type = Public University
, academic_affiliation = COU, CVU, Universities Canada
, endowment ...
, North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing. North Bay developed as a railroad centre, and its airport was an important military ...
* 2000 – Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design
Emily Carr University of Art + Design (abbreviated as ECU) is a public art university located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The university's campus is located within the Great Northern Way Campus in Strathcona. The university is a co ...
, Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
* 2001 – Comic of the Year, Editor and Publisher
* 2002 – Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (french: link=no, Médaille du jubilé d'or de la Reine Elizabeth II) or the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2002 to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ...
* 2003 – A star on Canada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame (french: link=no, Allée des célébrités canadiennes) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of Canadians who have excelled in their respective fields. It is a ...
in Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
* 2004 – Debwewin Citation from the Anishinabek
The Anishinaabeg (adjectival: Anishinaabe) are a group of culturally related Indigenous peoples present in the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States. They include the Ojibwe (including Saulteaux and Oji-Cree), Odawa, Potawatomi, ...
Nation for excellence in Aboriginal-issues journalism
* 2007 – Made a member of the Order of Manitoba
The Order of Manitoba (french: Ordre du Manitoba) is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Instituted in 1999 when Lieutenant Governor Peter Liba granted Royal Assent to The Order of Manitoba Act, the order is administe ...
* 2008 – Inducted into the Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame
The Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame, formally known as Giants of the North: The Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame, honours significant lifelong contributions to the art of Cartoonist, cartooning in Canada.
History and Structure
The Giants of the ...
* 2008 – Inducted into the National Cartoon Museum
The National Cartoon Museum was an American museum dedicated to the collection, preservation and exhibition of cartoons, comic strips and animation. It was the brainchild of Mort Walker, creator of ''Beetle Bailey''.
The museum opened in 1974, w ...
Hall of Fame
* 2012 – Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (french: Médaille du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II) or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ...
* 2019 - Sergio Award from the Comic Art Professional Society
The Comic Art Professional Society (CAPS) is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States.
The organization's stated primary purposes are "to advance the ideals and standards of professional cartooning in its many forms", "to ...
Selected bibliography
* ''David We're Pregnant'', 1973
* ''Hi Mom! Hi Dad!'', 1975
* ''Do They Ever Grow Up?''
* ''Leaving Home'' (With Andie Parton)
* See '' For Better or For Worse'' for compilations of the comic strip
References
External links
Official Website of For Better or For Worse
Official Website of FBorFW character Ned Tanner
1994 Hogan's Alley interview
conducted by Tom Heintjes
NCS Awards
The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum: Lynn Johnston Collection guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston, Lynn
1947 births
Living people
20th-century Canadian artists
21st-century Canadian artists
20th-century Canadian women artists
21st-century Canadian women artists
Canadian comic strip cartoonists
Members of the Order of Canada
Members of the Order of Manitoba
People from Nipissing District
Reuben Award winners
Canadian female comics artists
Female comics writers
People from Collingwood, Ontario
People from North Vancouver
Writers from Manitoba
Artists from Manitoba
Canadian women artists
Emily Carr University of Art and Design alumni