Doonesbury: Talk to the Hand!

Doonesbury Annuals #49

by G.B. Trudeau

[Trudeau ranks as] one of the foremost sociopolitical satirists of recent decades."

While some in the Doonesbury universe seek office, others serve. Alex and her Seattle co-hordes devote their young, restless, and body-pierced Deaniac energy to hooking up "flash art" with politics. Half a world away in Iraq, a major bad boy from stateside devotes himself to liberating the city of Al Amok, ruling with a steady hand, a full glass, a devoted Chinese handler, and an economy based on looting. As fate would have it, B.D. finds himself heading upriver on an apocalyptic mission to terminate Al Duke with extreme prejudice, a story line so made-for-TV that B.D. feels compelled to bang out the screenplay on his laptop in real time. Fortunately for the man known to Honey as "sir," the media red-lights the hit, though car bombers quickly pick up the option and put the project back in play.

In the homeland, a wartime president has the answer to almost all the questions ("9-11") but tries to shelve the still incomplete story of his own National Guard duty back in the daze. Mark and Zonk join the war against trash politics by offering a $10,000 reward for any witness who can collaborate the flightsuit-in-chief's account, but their efforts, alas, come to naught. Yes, it's a divided nation. On the west coast sexual assault charges accompany a rise to power, while back east they mandate a fall: Walden College's acting coach, Boopstein, lets accusations of way-personal fouls force her football team off the field. Sex parties for recruits? "Who knew we were that competitive?" marvels President King, ending Boopsie's gridiron apprenticeship with two little words: "You're fired."

Genres: Comics, Humor, Comic Strips, History, Politics, Cartoon, Graphic Novels

152 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2004

About the author

Garretson Beekman "Garry" Trudeau is an American cartoonist, best known for the Doonesbury comic strip. In 1970, Trudeau's creation of Doonesbury was syndicated by the newly formed Universal Press Syndicate. Today Doonesbury is syndicated to almost 1,400 newspapers worldwide and is accessible online in association with Slate Magazine at doonesbury.com. In 1975, he became the first comic strip artist to win a Pulitzer, traditionally awarded to editorial-page cartoonists. He was also a Pulitzer finalist in 1990. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1977 in the category of Animated Short Film, for A Doonesbury Special, in collaboration with John Hubley and Faith Hubley. A Doonesbury Special eventually won the Cannes Film Festival Jury Special Prize in 1978. Other awards include the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) Newspaper Comic Strip Award in 1994, and the Reuben Award in 1995. He was made a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1993. Wiley Miller, fellow comic-strip artist responsible for Non Sequitur, called Trudeau "far and away the most influential editorial cartoonist in the last 25 years." In addition to his work on Doonesbury, Trudeau has teamed with Elizabeth Swados and written plays, such as Rap Master Ronnie and Doonesbury: A Musical Comedy. In 1988, Trudeau joined forces with director Robert Altman for the HBO miniseries Tanner '88 and the Sundance Channel miniseries sequel Tanner on Tanner in 2004. In 1996, Newsweek and The Washington Post speculated that Trudeau wrote the novel Primary Colors, which was later revealed to have been written by Joe Klein. Trudeau wrote the political sitcom Alpha House, starring John Goodman and Bill Murray. The pilot was produced by Amazon Studios and aired in early 2013. Due to positive response Amazon has picked up Alpha House to develop into a full series.

Reviews

[Craig Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent take on the Bush era: the empty helmet of American empire, the Rove/Cheney creatures who won't stay under their rocks, BD losing a leg in Iraq. Some of the best sequences focuses on Alex's negotiating young adulthood with father Mike and stepmother Kim as the cultural center shifts from physical to digital. Good solid collection.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trudeau on form as ever, I remember reading these in the newspaper and thinking how bizarre it was to see B.D. without his helmet, a landmark moment.

[Shoshanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iraq War, Governor Schwarzenegger

[Aspry Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doonesbury...the political satire involving several major characters over so many years IN REAL TIME is really something to tip your hat to.

This book in particular deals with Arnold's reign of governatorship and the farcical laughs behind his groping of women beforehand, hence his Doonesbury Name "Herr Gropenfuhrer." He is shown as a large groping hand instead of the muscle-bound oldie-but-goodie we all know and love him to be.

More than anything else, this piece chronicles mainstay B.D.'s final days in Iraq as a military man. His last helmet is taken off by EMT's who nurse him after a shell-blast has taken off his leg. Stirring stuff and easily my favorite Doonesbury saga.

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doonesbury takes on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger over groping scandal. BD loses a leg. Duke is Mayor of an Iraq city. There never were weapons of mass destruction finally sinks in with the American people...they were duped and countless men lost their lives so Cheney could get rich. Every question to Bush is answered with 9/11. Investigation into his alleged National Guard Duty is ongoing. Jeff is in the CIA. Boopsie is coach of football at Waldon U until sex scandal over football players not taking no for an answer from coeds becomes an issue. BD comes home...without his helmet.

[Raimo Wirkkala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in 2004 this collection includes the Doonesbury-treatment of Gov. Schwarzenegger, the Iraq occupation, sexual harassment on a college campus, Dubya's 9/11-ization of any issue and, most poignantly, a life-altering event for BD. Excellent.

[David]

On the 6th tour through the entire Doonescape. It never fails. The Heart of Darkness sequence is great and one only wishes there could be humour in the Walden football squad's sexual assault scandal.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trudeau, thank you, thank you for all that you do to expose Rumsfeld for the manipulative scum that he is. Brilliant.

[Bob Cantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the satire.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great album from Trudeau