I think this might be the best volume of the For Better or For Worse series. You've got some great gags, along with storylines about childhood, adulthood and, er, teenhood. It contains the story of Gordon and Tracy falling in love and the tale of Lawrence coming out to Michael, and then his family. That last sequence, I think, is Ms. Johnston's best effort as a writer. On the other hand, the drama in this book also has an artificial feel to it. It's like the supporting cast are the ones to have something bad happen to them. Michael's not the teen to get flack for being gay, Elizabeth is not the one to succumb to peer pressure and shave the sides of her head. Sure, Elizabeth does try smoking with her friends, but she's not the one to pick up the habit. I suppose that's a problem that's inherent in a continuing saga. You can't get overly dramatic with the characters' lives without either destroying said characters or turning them into some sort of unrealistic, comic book character.... um, maybe that's the problem. These comic book characters are becoming so good that they're threatening to transcend the medium. Or maybe I'm just taking this strip way too seriously.
--J. ( )

Michael gets his driver's license. Phil and Elly help their parents move into their new condo. Martha wants to get back together with Michael, but for him it's over. Candace, Liz's future college roommate is introduced. Gordon stands in for Michael and goes on a date with Tracey Wells, his future wife. This time it clicks. The Pattersons add a bedroom to their house. Connie buys a puppy (future mother of Edgar). In the most controversial segment of the strip, Lawrence tells Michael he is gay, and then his parents. The parents throw him out of the house, Michael goes to find him at 3 a.m., and Lawrence reaches an uneasy truce with his parents. I don't know of another strip that has had the courage and ambition of this one. ( )