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The Patterson Family
Many baby boomer families grew up with the Patterson family. Parents Elly and John raised their three children, Michael, Elizabeth, and April, in a chaotic and love filled home. For many fans, the family resembled the all too familiar realities of relationships filled with arguments, emotions and friendship. Fans experienced graduations, young love, heartbreaks and acne all alongside their fictional family. To make the comic strip realistic, Lynn aged her characters in real time.
As the Pattersons matured, so did Lynn's artistic skill. She took her comic from simply drawn, two-dimensional characters, to a complex storyline full of detail, color and humor. Styling changes and character development were features that made For Better or For Worse uniquely relatable. The adventures of the Pattersons mirrored Lynn's real life family adventures -- and many of her fan's lives too! The Patterson family, the Johnston family, and the readers' families were intertwined for the 30-year lifespan of the strip. |