Lynn Johnston on subtlety in For Better or For Worse

TOM HEINTJES: Even from the earliest days of For Better Or For Worse, when the strip was still evolving, to its current incarnation, you've managed to bring a lot of what I would call subtlety into a medium that is generally not known for its subtlety. One of my favorite strips you've done was the Sunday where Elly was standing on the patio brushing her hair, reminiscing about how she used to watch her mother do the same thing, and all the while Elizabeth is watching Elly. It was so understated and poignant, and I think the reason it stayed with me is because comics have traditionally not dealt well with subtle themes and topics.
LYNN JOHNSTON: I think maybe it's because I'm a girl. [laughter] There are so many men in the business who are good at the comedy part, but the subtle, gentle, nuance part, you don't see that much. I think Brian Bassett, who does Adam, is very capable of that. I think Sparky [Charles Schulz] does that. I do it. Cathy Guisewite is far more brazen, but you'll see that gut-wrenching insight in Cathy. They have their finger on that sensitive pulse. They make you say, "Yes, I know how that feels." It's not necessarily funny, but it's real.