News: Johnston Back with Universal posted July 22, 2004
July 22 -- Lynn Johnston will celebrate her 25th anniversary on For Better or For Worse in part by coming home again. Starting in September the 2000+-client newspaper feature will return to Kansas City's Universal Press Syndicate. Johnston had moved her strip to New York and United Features in 1997. Johnston told Dave Astor at Editor & Publisher that her return to Universal was a return to her roots, and that she is pleased to go back into business with the people like longtime editor Lee Salem with whom she started her phenomenally successful run. Universal's strip specialist book arm Andrews McMeel had continued to do Johnston's book during her time with United.
The fictional Patterson clan may not be at Universal for very long, as Johnston recently confirmed her intent to consider ending her direct involvement with For Better or For Worse in 2007, the year the cartoonist turns 60. The strip may be continued with different creators handling the day-to-day chores, or there may be follow-up projects in books or other media.