Karen Moy, the writer behind MARY WORTH, occupies a fairly unique position not only as the current torchbearer for a much-beloved classic storyline strip, but also in that she writes one of the few comics focused on the lives of seniors. While younger characters often find their way under Mary’s wing for the duration of a storyline, Karen has dedicated a lot of time during her tenure on the comic to giving us deeper glimpses into Mary’s life and the lives of her closest friends.
Among those characters, Dawn Weston is the youthful outlier of the regular characters we see. Dawn is a 19-year-old college student living with her divorced father, Wilbur, at Charterstone. Here’s what Karen has to say about Dawn:
She represents youth in a mainly senior strip. She grew up with her mother in Connecticut as an ugly duckling – picked on, bullied, and ostracized. When she moved across the country to live with her father in Santa Royale at 15, she blossomed into a beautiful strong young woman who, despite still trying to find her way, is thriving. Sadly, Dawn’s romantic life has been disappointing so far.
Dawn met Mary when she came to live with Wilbur. She was a troubled teen who was vindictive, deceptive, and unpleasant. Mary saw through that and encouraged Dawn’s potential to be a better person. With Mary’s guidance and friendship, as well as the friendship of others at Charterstone, Dawn turned her life around, became closer to her father, and found a kind of peace living in Santa Royale.
Many years ago Dawn was an overweight unhappy teen who closely resembled Wilbur. This was before she got contacts and took up swimming. She was destructive, hateful, and lied a lot. Her former self does not resemble who she is today. She’s grown out of that painful time in her life. As do we all. She still has growing pains, but they are much easier to deal with nowadays.
The first time I wrote for Dawn I ghost-wrote the ending of her relationship with Woody Hills, a young college professor who had mental problems. They were both kind of kindred spirits. Theirs was the real thing. Sadly their love was marked by the tragedy of his illness. Before his sister took him away to a mental institution, they had a very touching goodbye. Dawn came to see him and he thought, “Dawn, go away…I’m no good for you.”
The favorite kinds of scenes that I like to write for Dawn are the ones between her and Wilbur. They are very close as father and daughter. This is surprising to both of them. He was living a bachelor life for a long time while she was with her mother in Connecticut. Being parental wasn’t part of his plan except during the infrequent times she used to visit him. As for her she didn’t spend a lot of time with him except for during long school breaks when she was able to fly out to stay with him. She used to call him “Wilbur” for a while before she called him “Dad.”
I enjoy writing humor in the strip when I can. Tom Batiuk is a master of including humor in a serious situation in a comic strip. I learn a lot from his work. I also like to write scenarios for Dawn where she is involved in a romantic relationship. She will be happy one day in that department, but until then, she will continue to experience different kinds of involvements. I’d like to write a story where Dawn’s in a relationship – either a friendship or romantic bond – that really works for her. It doesn’t have to last forever, but she’s had several devastating disappointments in her life and it’d be nice to see her with a real friend outside the people at Charterstone.
Writing for Dawn is great. She brings a youthful counterpoint – vulnerability, naïvete, a sometimes carelessness – to the more senior attitude of experience, maturity, careful reasoning. The challenge is to write a character that is no longer a dependent child, but is not yet a fully mature adult. She loves her father, but she also wants to create a life for herself that is hers. She’s emotional, yet has a growing maturity.
Here are some of Karen’s favorite “Dawn Moments” from MARY WORTH:
“I enjoy writing humor in the strip when I can. Tom Batiuk is a master of including humor in a serious situation in a comic strip. I learn a lot from his work.”
This explains SO much.
Mary Worth is one of the funnier comics out there, and definitely more enjoyable than Batiuk’s grim strips. The storylines almost always give me a smile, especially ones involving Dawn. Her current Game of Thrones obsession is priceless.
Does Miss Weston have a whole closetful of matching lavender outfits?
I think that Dawn is too close to her dad. At 19, she could be living in a college dorm,or at least spending more time with her friends. She would be talking to her girlfriends about her romantic problems, not her middle-aged dad. It’s nice that she gets along so well with Wilbur, but she needs to break away a little bit now.
Also, love Fashion Police’s comment about Dawn’s clothing. Dawn doesn’t dress like any college student I’ve ever seen, although I don’t live in Southern California. Purple is a nice color but who wears it as much as she does? She dresses like someone over 60, almost like Mary Worth does, except Mary doesn’t wear shorts.
And her hair is awful. That kind of hairstyle is OK, but shouldn’t stick to the back of her head like that. Could Mr. Giella please look at some pictures of how college-age young women actually dress and wear their hair for awhile before continuing to draw Dawn?
I realize you don’t want to shock the older people by having her dress too revealingly like some of the young women nowadays, but there must be some kind of middle ground. There are clothes that are attractive and young without revealing too much. I don’t even say her clothes are old-fashioned–they’d be frumpy in any decade. It’s OK for 60-something Mary to dress the way she does (except for her hair–what 60-something wears her hair that way?) but not Dawn.
I guess this strip isn’t aimed at anyone under the age of 70 though.
Thanks for this. I appreciate Ms. Moy’s work, and I enjoy the strip daily!
Is she really a college student, or has she dropped out? If she’s really in college, she should have a lot of studying to do, and other school activities – including a social life with people her own age (and maybe some not so much her own age, but connected to her college). She would maybe have a job. She would mention the classes she’s taking. What’s her major? What are her interests and plans? Why is she living in a retirement community? Isn’t she bored out of her skull?
Life is brutal
Did you have to pay royalties to Frankie Valli for the line “Dawn, go away, I’m no good for you”?
Was not expecting a Frankie Valli reference in a Mary Worth storyline about mental illness. This is either the worst thing or the best thing.
If you want to get more young people involved in the strip, here’s an idea you can use if you want: After Mary and Wilbur go through the “but I just let Mary take over the strip for the summer; summer’s over and I’m back now so why are you letting MARY have the strip instead of me?” scene that’s bound to play out — why not let Wilbur continue to advise the Charterstone-aged crowd, and have Mary advise for the campus paper, under the heading of “Ask Skye” or “Ask Brittany” or the popular name de youth. That will cover the initial “Goodness, I had no idea young people dealt with such problems!” and over the “I’m Mary Worth and I know what’s good for you” period, to the inevitable “Dear Mary: for an old broad you’re pretty smart” scenario. This is all contingent, of course, to having realistic youthful dialogue, actual youthful attire on the students and at least one scene of Mary kicking back in the Uni Center drinking an expresso, giving her orthopedic shoes a rest when Dawn gives her a pair of Dik Marten’s instead.
p,s.: Having Aldo’s long-lost good looking brother or cousin or father show up and introduce himself would win you So. Many. Rabid. Fans. Points, I cannot express it enough. The story line can be (and should be) as wild and crazy as you want. In fact, we prefer it that way.
I know Dawn is supposed to be fragile and all, but her death grip on the couch pillows signifies, I believe, an inner strength, a determination to master her environment. I worry though about her impending plane trip to Italy. Will those tiny pillows they give passengers be enough to sustain her?
TF, the other day I asked this little program on the intergoogles what my soap opera name was (using my real name which you know) and it came up with “Paige Rye.”
Sounds like someone who enjoys sandwiches! : )
I am looking forward to seeing Dawn hopefully loosen up a bit in Italy and just enjoy herself.
I’m hoping that Dawn will start shouting “Life is $%&@! BRUTAL!!” while going through security at the airport, and that the TSA will respond in kind.
I eagerly anticipate Dawn’s arrival in Italy, where she will be my guest of honour at the best bunga bunga party ever.
Dawn is one of the saddest “teens” I have ever seen. As a therapist if Dawn came to see me I would explore her twisted involvment with her obese sexually ambiguous father. I am also concerned that Terry Bryson may have assualted Dawn.
Dawn should join a cult. Wouldn’t that be entertaining? You could pick one out of a hat, or just make one up (and mix together features of the Mormons, Hare Krishna, Heaven’s Gate, etc.). Maybe her cult should arrange a marriage for her, like the Moonies do, and then that could be a subplot. Also, the important social issue of compulsive masturbation needs to be addressed. (By either her, Wilbur, or Mary.)
thank you gh.
“Tom Batiuk is a master of including humor in a serious situation in a comic strip.”
Really? Well I wish he would apply that skill to “Funky Winkerbean”. That strip hasn’t been humorous since 1965.
Ooops, make that 1985. My bad.
[...] Creators | Mary Worth writer Karen Moy talks about the character Dawn Weston, a 19-year-old who has been through quite a few changes since she first appeared in the strip: “Many years ago Dawn was an overweight unhappy teen who closely resembled Wilbur. This was before she got contacts and took up swimming. She was destructive, hateful, and lied a lot. Her former self does not resemble who she is today. She’s grown out of that painful time in her life. As do we all. She still has growing pains, but they are much easier to deal with nowadays.” [DailyINK Blog] [...]
[...] Creators | Mary Worth writer Karen Moy talks about the character Dawn Weston, a 19-year-old who has been through quite a few changes since she first appeared in the strip: “Many years ago Dawn was an overweight unhappy teen who closely resembled Wilbur. This was before she got contacts and took up swimming. She was destructive, hateful, and lied a lot. Her former self does not resemble who she is today. She’s grown out of that painful time in her life. As do we all. She still has growing pains, but they are much easier to deal with nowadays.” [DailyINK Blog] [...]
Karen Moy, you are for real.
Dawn is the most pathetic woman I have ever read about. She is digesting as she wallows in her self pity. Maybe she should just grow up and get a life. Better yet, how about killing her off in Italy. I I always thought Mary Worth was the biggest busybody in town with her holier than thou attitude, but Dawn is 10 times worse.
Dawn is the most pathetic woman I have ever read about. She is disgusting as she wallows in her self pity. Maybe she should just grow up and get a life. Better yet, how about killing her off in Italy. I I always thought Mary Worth was the biggest busybody in town with her holier than thou attitude, but Dawn is 10 times worse.