For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for April 22, 2018

Gene Kelly, you forgot your brolly.

Naked Elly! Augh!! More nudity that I am used to in this comic strip.

The punchline of this story depends on the idea that Elly Patterson, the parent who has pushed umbrellas on her stubborn kids in multiple comic strips, does not actually carry an umbrella herself. Even Gene Kelly carried an umbrella for Singing in the Rain.

April showers bring May flowers!

Or am I not allowed to say April?

If it wasn’t Elly Patterson, I’d say the “arm across the boobs” look is insanely risque for the comics page. I mean, it’s not done sexually, but I was still a little “!!!!” to see that much skin. Imagine if it was “9 Chickweed Lane” and Brooke was writing his “ideal girlfriend” in the nude like that.

“Clockwork Orange” ruined that song for me.

Nobody really sings in the rain Elly

That certainly rained on her parade.

I love Gene Kelly and the movie by the same name….think I will take it out and watch it later today…..

I love when it rains. then again, I’m a gardener.

At last! A strip without an Earth Day kowtow.

The punchline is funny. It doesn’t matter if you think Elly is dumb for going out without her umbrella or that Lynn crossed a line with the nudity. The punchline works.

I think the punchline that Ellie’s never looked or felt better and now she has to make a dash for her car and get drenched. The irony is the song which lifted her spirits.

I thought Elly might have done what I have and left the umbrella in her car because the weather cleared up during the day the last time she used it.

Real rain tends to screw stuff up.

Why was singing that song, but then looking constipated in the last panel when there actually was rain?

Umbrellas, like gloves, tend to get left all over town in every restaurant, store, bank, post office, etc. we stop at.

I would like to interject some FURTHER nonsense right about here – Mr. Kelly was supposedly dancing in the particular scene referenced while ’fighting a 103 degree fever – I will leave it to others to determine whether that demonstrates professionalism or stupidity.

I remember back in the 1950s when I was going through puberty; there was a popular comic called " The Jackson Twins". It was about twin teenaged girls, very well drawn, and frequently shown wearing nothing but panties and bra. It was very interesting to me at that time.

saying/singing versus actually doing – seems so much harder to do, does it not? at least for some things for some of us :)

Oh, the irony.

No disclaimer on the unchanged lyrics in Panel 7? No copyright notice?

Ahhh – Elly, all frothed up and squeaky clean – nothing like some good clean dirty fun!

But the best part is all the distraught moralizing – apparently it’s not moral to get physically clean – or is it the singing in the shower part that is just downright BAD?!

I have to agree – singing is just innately sinful! Songs lead directly to the Devil! Especially anything from a musical!

Ironic isn’t it Elly. Plus, it was actually raining hard today in NY and instead of singing, I for one was humming, happily even. But then again, I did have an umbrella :P