You're a good man, Monte Schulz....

In yesterday's Cartoon Brew, Monte Schulz described how, in writing his biography of his father, the author David Michaelis relied on Lynn Johnston as a failry important source. Without going into details, he summarized her contributions as being both silly and self-serving. While probably not holding any great animosity towards the woman, he pointed out something that's bothered me for the longest time: her tendency to cash in on the advice he gave her, to parade around as if she were his greatest disciple. What made him the master he was was his willingness to share what he knew about the art-form with all comers but Lynn almost made it sound like she was the sole beneficiary of his wisdom. Not that she really listened to what he said. If she'd followed his advice a bit closer, the strip would be far less absurd. The crowded artwork, unbelievable plotlines, unnecessary characters and forced punchlines are all a violation of everything he stood for. The only real commonality they have is the drive to market the characters and even there, she's left eating his posthumous dust. It's what happens to any giant: always and ever, they attract pygmies like Lynn who puff themselves to a ridiculous extent merely because the Big Man paid them attention.