JOHNSON Lynn
I’ve Got the One – More – Washload Blues …, 1981: Back cover.
Born 1947 in Collingwood Ontario but grew up in British Columbia.
Lynn Johnston, is a cartoonist and creator of the comic strip “For Better or Worse“. She studied art at the Vancouver College of Art and began her career illustrating medical journals at McMaster University. In 1972 when she was pregnant her doctor asked her to do some cartoons for his office. What followed were three books, David We’re Pregnant, Hi Mom! Hi Dad! and Do They Ever Grow Up?.
This led to her Universal Press Syndicated comic strip, “For Better Or For Worse created in 1979. It is based on her family’s daily routine and life experiences. It has appeared in more than 2000 newspapers in 160 countries and has been translated into eight languages. Since 2010, the strip has been nearly all reprints from its early days.
In 1985, she was the first woman and first Canadian to win the Reuben “Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year” Award from the U.S. National Cartoonists Society. In 1992 she received the Reuben Award for “Best Syndicated Comic Strip”. In 1992 she was made a member of the Order of Canada.
WORK:
CARTOONIST:
BOOK GRAPHIC:
Content precursor to “For Better Or For Worse” & Cover book front:
David We’re Pregnant!! Potlatch Publications, 1977.
Hi Mom! Hi Dad! Peter Martin Associates Ltd., 1977.
Content precursor to “For Better Or For Worse” & Cover book front & back:
Do They Ever Grow Up? Musson Book Co./General Publishing Co. Ltd., 1978.
BOOK GRAPHIC COLLECTION: All books published by Andrews & McMeel.
Content anniversary & Cover book front:
| For Better Or For Worse: … |
| A Look Inside For Better or For Worse: The 10th Anniversary Collection. 1989.
It’s The Thought That Counts: Fifteenth Anniversary Collection . 1994. Suddenly Silver: Celebrating 25 Years of For Better or For Worse. 2004. |
Content anniversary & Cover book & dust jacket front & back:
The Lives Behind The Lines: 20 Years of For Better or For Worse.1999.
Content annual & Cover book front:
| For Better or For Worse:… | |
| Just One More Hug. 1984.
Keep The Home Fries Burning. 1986. |
Starting From Scratch. 1995. |
Content annual & Cover book wrap around:
| For Better or For Worse: …. | |
| Graduation: A Time For Change. 2001.
I’ve Got the One-More-Washload Blues …. 1981. If This Is a Lecture, How Long Will It Be? 1990. Is This “One Of Those Days” Daddy? 1982. “It Must Be Nice to Be Little”. 1983. It’s All Downhill From Here. 1987. |
The Last Straw. 1985
Pushing 40. 1988. There Goes My Baby. 1993. Things Are Looking Up. 1992. What Me Pregnant? 1991. |
Content annual & Cover book front & back:
| For Better or For Worse: | |
| The Big 5-0. 2000
Family Business. 2002. Growing Like a Weed. 1997. Love Just Screws Up Everything. 1996. Middle Age Spread. 1998. |
Reality Check. 2003.
Sunshine & Shadow. 1999. With this Ring. 2003. More Than a Month of Sundays. 1983. Our Sunday Best. . 1984. |
Content, For Better or For Worse edition special & Cover book front:
Remembering Farley. Andrews & McMeel Inc., 1996.
BOOK TEXT & GRAPHIC:
Content cartoon & poetry & Cover dust jacket front & back:
So You’re Going To Be A Grandma! Writ., Andie Parton. 2005. Poetry by Andie Parton.
ILLUSTRATOR:
BOOK TEXT:
Content humour & Cover dust jacket front:
Take My Family Please. Writ., Gary Lautens. John Wiley & Sons/Madison Press Book, 1980.
Content memoir & Cover book front & back:
There’s a Worm in My Apple, Writ., Sheena Baker. Stoddart Publishing, 1985.
Cover book front:
Quality Time. Writ., Roy MacGregor. McClelland and Stewart Ltd., 1990.
BOOK TEXT & GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY Lynn Johnston was identified as Lynn Franks in Canadian Children’s Annual
Content & Cover front: “Our Room In North Vancouver”; back: “We Shared The Umbrella”
Canadian Children’s Annual 1976 . Editor, R.F. Neilson. Art Direction, Mary Tach. Published by Potlatch Publications., 1975: Information text: “Introducing Mr. Archimedes or, Why and Iron Sip Floats.” Writ., William Ettrdige: 84-86. “Name a Canadian Inventor.” Writ., Margaret L. Kribs: 81-86. Panel graphic: “… get out your pencil crayons”: 67. Poetry: “Aggravation.” Writ., Agnes Copithorne: 67. Story: “Mr. Gilligan’s Goat.” Writ., Joan Weston: 67.
DISC AUDIO 33RPM:
Art work:
Belly Button. Perf., Heather Bishop. Mother of Pearl Records, 1982. MP003/ WRC1-2271.
Purple People Eater. Perf., Heather Bishop. Mother of Pearl Records, 1985. MP005/WRC1-3988.
WRITER:
BOOK GRAPHIC:
Content memoir:
Memoir:
A Look Inside For Better or For Worse: The 10th Anniversary Collection. Andrews & McMeel Inc., 1989: “A Look Inside For Better or For Worse”: 15-62.
WRITER & ILLUSTRATOR:
BOOK TEXT & GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:
Content story:
Canadian Children’s Annual, 1981. Potlatch Publications,1980: “Saturday In West Vancouver”: 27-28.
SOURCE:
Book:
For Better Or For Worse: The Comic Art Of Lynn Johnston. Ed., Paula Sarson. Car. & Writ., Lynn Johnston, Writ., Katherine Hadway & Amber Landgraff. Goose Lane Editions/Art Gallery of Sudbury. 2015.
Article book:
A Look Inside For Better or For Worse: The 10th Anniversary Collection. 1989: “A Look Inside For Better or For Worse.” Writ., Lynn Johnston: 15-62.
The Lives Behind The Lines: 20 Years of For Better or For Worse. . Writ., Lynn Johnston. 1999 “Lives Behind The Lines.”
Suddenly Silver: Celebrating 25 Years of For Better or For Worse. 2004: “The Early Years.” Writ., Lynn Johnston: 3-6. “A Note From Lynn’s Husband Rodnston.”: 44. “The Middle Years. Writ., Lynn Johnston: 87-91. “Growing Up With Ma: a Note from Lynn & Rod’s Daughter Kate Johnston”: 119. “A Note From Lynn’s Brother-in-law, Ralph Johnston.”: 165. “A Note From Lynn’s Sister-in-law, Beth Cruikshank.”: 180. “The Later Years.” Writ., Lynn Johnston: 188-191. “A Window into Two Worlds: a note from L & R’s Son, Aaron Johnston: 246.
Article periodical:
Canadian Cartoonist, v. 1, April 1989: “For Better Or For Worse By Lynn Johnston.” Interviewer, Jim Mlandenovic: 2-6.
Kayak, 44, Sept. 2013: “For Better Or For Worse.” Writ., Allyson Gulliver. Illus., Jessica Lindsay: 20-23. This is both a short biography and an imaginative piece based on facts about how Johnston might have got started.
Article newspaper:
Sunday Star [Toronto], 2 May 1982: “Canadian beats odds with strip on modern housewife.” Writ., Unknown: F16.
Correspondence:
Email 20 Sept. 2017, from Robert F. Neilson.
Web:
The Canadian Encyclopedia, Online
GALLERY:
Take My Family Please. 1980: Front cover.
There’s a Worm in My Apple, 1985: Front cover.