When I listed my five favourite comic strips a couple of years back, coming up with number one was easy. Lynn Johnston's "For Better Or For Worse" is the only strip I read on a daily basis and I've been doing so for as long as I can remember. A couple of times I didn't get it, but it's been consistently funny, moving and thought provoking for almost thirty years.
The oldest son, Michael, has been a character I've paid special attention to. We have the same name, are about the same age, live in the same city with a wife and two kids and both love to write. Over the past few years I've noticed a disturbing trend with Michael's character. I call it the Christification of Michael. Sure, he's a good guy, but Lynn has him evolving into a Christ-like figure of glorious holiness. Occasionally they give him a flaw, but it's always something positive such as the fact he works too hard. Usually he's acting as a saint and being worshipped by others.
Today's strip, which happens to be yesterday's stip if you read it in The Star and not online, shows Michael committing yet another grandiose act of kindness. Take a look at the second last frame. Thorns and shroud like it's the coming of the Lord. Cue the choir of angels singing Hallelujah!
I want to like Michael, but isn't one saint per family enough? Of course, it's not Michael's fault, he's just drawn that way.
