Reviews (1)

"Doonesbury" goes for the jugular on Bush and Quayle
If there was one president who shot back when G.B. Trudeau took a shot at them in "Doonsebury," then it is clearly George Bush. In the advance comments that appear on the back cover of "Read My Lips, Make My Day, Eat Quiche and Die!" there are eight comments from Bush dating from November 4, 1984 to May 6, 1988 reflecting a wide range of responses. At one point Bush thinks "Doonebsury" is "pretty funny" and then he declares he wants to "go up and kick the hell out of" Trudeau. An "Oakland Tribune" editorial gets the final word, suggesting "George Bush has been reading too much of 'Doonesbury' and taking it much too seriously."

So, what exactly does George Bush have to be upset about in this collection of "Doonesbury" daily and Sunday comic strips from 1988-89? On the political front Trudeau still has a few parting shots at Ronald Reagan with regards to pardoning members of his administration and the U.S. winning the Cold War (that gets a victory parade with Roland Hedley and Barbara Ann Boopstein doing the commentary. But then we have the ties between "Poppy" Bush and the Skull and Bones, Yales' secret society. However, it is not so much George Bush as his decision to make Dan Quayle his running mate that Trudeau goes after.

Remember that George Bush was always drawn as an invisible man (insisting that he is "somebody"), while Quayle was drawn as a feather. Trudeau goes for the jugular on the selection with a poll (not adjusted for sarcasm) showing that women want candidates who bear a faint resemblance to Robert Redford and for a really hot guy to be in charge of the country. Then there is "worst-case scenario" in which George Herbert Walker Bush dies of food poisoning and Quayle becomes president. By the time the Vice-President elect is sent to the funeral of a dead whale you have to wonder why there are not some comments from Quayle on the back of his book. But then Bush's evil twin "Skippy" is nailed taking steroids and things fall back into perspective.

Meanwhile, the Doonesbury crew have their own problems. Mike Doonesbury's marriage is on the rocks and Zonker is there to lend support and fill up the empty spot on the other side of the bed. Boopsie is ready for California to fall into the ocean per the prediction of Nostradamus, Uncle Duke is not the new captain of the "Trump Princess," and Rick Redfern has to deal with turning 40. There is also a nice bit on the report that American young adults scored dead last in geographic literacy (Nicaragua could turn into another Vietnam, but do not ask anybody where either one is on a map). But in the end this book comes down to skewering Bush and rooting on Mike, at least one of which has got to be something you would enjoy. ... Read more

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From back when Trudeau was still funny
This collection of reprinted cartoons by Garry Trudeau is not one of my favorite books, but it does date back to the time when I rushed to read his strip every day.Baby boomers will probably enjoy re-reading and remembering. Younger people may not understand some of it since many of the strips deal with events that haven't been current for decades, but some are more timelessand still as valid today as ever. ... Read more

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While Mike and Kim get serious, B.D. goes back to Vietnam and runs into an old friend--or was that enemy? Duke helps Donald Trump with some real estate problems, and in Washington it's time for Clinton versus Dole. Life as usual on Planet Doonesbury. Trudeau has never allowed himself to be left behind by events, and this volume, which tackles everything from Bob Dole's desperate desire for victory to Donald Trump's desperate desire for more money, shows that he remains in tip-top satirical condition as "Doonesbury" prepares to enter its fourth decade. Once again, political commentary is expertly blended with the ongoing story of Mike, Mark, Zonker, and friends as they struggle with encroaching middle age, sexual orientation, and the generation gap.

After Trudeau created the sequence about Donald Trump's aggressive attempts to grab property around his Atlantic City casino, "The Donald" said that "Trudeau is a jerk. A total loser. A pathetic moron. A third-rate talent." We'd guess that Mr. Trump is in a pretty small minority. --Simon Leake ... Read more

Reviews (4)

old, irrelevant, not creative, third-rate talent
Doonesbury is at least 20 years past its prime now, not a bit creative now and trys to get attention with shock-value, but even that isn't working anymore. Trudeau has run out of ideas, barely focuses on the characters, and no longer seems to remember what the strip is about. Trudeau has an easy enough job now, he watches Leno or Letterman, he steals one of their jokes, he weaves it into his strip 2 days later and is unable to make the joke work. The graphics are terrible and he goes for low-blows now of people just for shock-value. Peanuts, Blondie, Dilbert, even Family Circus are all most creative than Doonesbury. Peanuts will be around forever, Doonesbury has about a 48-hours shelf life, the second Trudeau dies, nobody will even remember Doonesbury.

I May be in the Minority, but I Really Dislike "Doonesbury"
I find "Doonesbury" irritating. I have never been able to like the strip, although I do respect the fact that is politically relevant and topical. The characters are annoying.

Alex is the freshest brat to land a regular part in a comic strip in years. A ruthless little barracuda, she appears to have a rather sadistic, sociopathic personality. I also dislike the stupid things she calls her dad, such as "dadster, popster, popmeister, poppadoodle" and the like. That is very irritating. Alex is very irritating.

I don't like Kim, the tough as nails little sneaky flirt one iota. She's a major irritant. Good old Doonesbury himself lets nasty Alex and sneaky Kim make a monkey out of him. Some comic crusader!

Duke and his equally slimy, smarmy son are the male versions of that nasty Alex. Airhead Boopsie, B.D., Zonker and the rest of the bunch are for the birds as well.

I was a history major and I don't like the way "Doonesbury" lampoons real events with this cast of unappealing characters. I am a democrat and I intensely dislike "Doonesbury." One good thing about not being famous is you don't have to worry about being ridiculed in a "Doonesbury" strip, which has turned put downs into state of the art. I just don't like it.

A good comic, but not for the uninitiated
Planet Doonesbury, continues the intricately woven narrative of the Trudeau universe. It remains surprisingly inventive and quirky even in the face of less-than-stirring current events. Fans of the Dukester will be a bit dissappointed by his sporadic appearance, but equal time is given to each of the other main characters. Read Virtual Doonesbury first, it'll make things more enjoyable.

ground-breaking
Hi, I have recently re-read some old collections of Doonesbury, and I just finished reading Planet Doonesbury, the latest collection. I am a writer myself, and yet words almost fail me. From the innovative cover of the latest collection to the timelessness of the classic seventies strips, the richness never fades. What struck me now was the amazing complexity the strip has developed. Not the least in the (sunday) strips about Alex and her Dad-o-rama Popmeister. The warmth and the humor alone and seperately would be a triumph for any other strip. Add to that an innovative narrative and graphic interface, and, well. What to say? I am born in Denmark in 1963, and I still live here. Yet Doonesbury enriches my life. I shudder to think what it would mean to me had I been an American university graduate born in 1946. Thank you Garry.

Eolake Stobblehouse, Copenhagen, May 1998 ... Read more

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Doonesbury at its Best
As some Doonesbury buffs will tell you, the period from the mid eighties into the first half of the ninties has been the true highpoint of the strip thus far. This book covers an area in that oh-so-classic period, focusing on the early 90's, which sees BD's suffering the price of Desert Storm, as the once proud Hollywood man becomes a highway patrolman, taking baby Sam along with him on crack raids and high speed chases (hence the title). The first hintings of Mike and JJ's eventual divorce come here, as the two struggle to raise Alex admist Mike's unemployment and life in their ever degenerating slum apartment. And of course there's our ever stoned hero Duke, recovering from a sleazebag's dream tripout in his post Club Scud venture. A great piece of history for all Doonesbury fans alike ... Read more

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Mike Doonesbury joins the John Anderson campaign
Of all the volumes of Doonesbury book I have unearthed in one of my buried boxes this week, the best walk down memory lane comes from "He's Never Heard of You Either." The title and cover shot for this collection of G. B. Trudeau's daily strips from 1979-1981 comes from John Anderson's run for President in 1980. A Republican congressman from Illinois, Anderson lost his party's nomination to Ronald Reagan but ended up running a third party campaign. Of course, when Mike Doonesbury decided to work for Anderson's campaign he was the only one sitting in the audience, totally impressed by Anderson who certainly did not sound like a Republican (but what would Mike know? As he points out, he is a Democrat). I remember hearing Anderson talk early in his campaign and sitting around with people in college talking about how this guy had some good ideas but no change in the world of ever getting elected (but what do I know? It took me four Presidential elections before I ever voted for a party twice).

In this collection you will also find one of my favorite Doonesbury strips of all time depicting a press conference with Senator Ted Kennedy, who was challenging President Carter for the Democratic nomination in 1980, and who is constructing a run-on sentence of great length before the press corps pleads "A verb, Senator, we need a verb!" That was a punch line for months after we read that one. However, there is much more than losing candidates running around in this collection (although Phil Slackmeyer is supporting John Connally). Joan brings home Zeke Brenner to meet mom (he is working on an expose about Duke), Ambassador Phred is chatting with the Soviet Ambassador to the U.N., "Conscam" has Congressmen (posing as themselves) breaking up the largest entrapment ring in FBI history, and Zonker is working on this year's tan.

I told you this was good stuff.

But politics remains the focus of Trudeau's best materials. After attending a Reagan press conference, Rick gets to see the Governor's amazing clipping collection (including a clipping on "Wilson to sign treaty at Versailles"). Meanwhile, the White House gardener is talking about what all these signing ceremonies are doing to the rose garden and Reverend Scot heads to Iran to try and see if anything can be done about the American hostages. Meanwhile, Mike is trying to help Anderson meet all those pesky deadlines for getting on state ballots. "He's Never Heard of You, Either" is a choice selection of Doonesbury cartoons from this period and a walk down memory lane well worth the taking. ... Read more

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Forget Reagan's brain, Mike meets Joanie Jr. in this one
The excerpt from the "Wall Street Journal" editorial that appears on the back cover of the "Doonesbury" collection "In Search of Reagan's Brain" decries the fact that several newspapers bounced Garry Trudeau's strip from the comics page to the news or editorial page because of the "fantasized and vicious" TV-program trip through Ronald Reagan's brain.The irony, according to the editorial, was that it was not clear who was being satirized: Reagan, his critics, television news, or all of the above.Well, here is your chance to make up your own mind as you look at this collection of daily "Doonesbury" strips from 1980-81.

Actually, Roland Hedley's journey through Reagan's brain only lasted a week and the idea that he was "only able to see backwards through a rose-colored mist" was not exactly news.More time in this volume is spent on Zonker competing at the Gerald R. Ford Summer Biathlon (his 239 score on the golf course hurt him but he did win the Jack Ford Medal for Best Tan) and Honey's return to China in time for the trial of the Gang of Four to be the government's star witness against Madame Mao (having her pottery class cancelled was Honey's key that the Cultural Revolution had started).Both of those bits go on for a couple of weeks are better than the Reagan's brain strips, although arguably not as important.Trudeau sort of wasted this book's title on this particular collection because there were more visits to that particular brain once its owner was in the White House.

The other major thread in this collection is that Joanie Jr. finally leaves Zeke and hooks up with our man Mike Doonesbury.Even though we know how that one is going to end up it is still nice to see Mike happy for a while, even if he has a hard time believing it).Roland Hedley also makes it to Afghanistan, Billy Carter testifies before Congress, and Mark Slaymaker interviews Dr. Dan Asher on the whole mellow lifestyle.Rick Redfern goes off to cover the Convention and gets to go to George Will's party to introduce the Reagans to a few shakers and movers.Of course, with the former President victimized by Alzheimer's disease there is an additional level of irony to this particular collection, but Trudeau's target was more what Reagan thought than anything truly physiological. ... Read more

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Uncle Duke becomes Papa Doc's personal zombie...
In January of 1986 it was learned that Raoul "Uncle Duke" Duke, the former diplomat, Iranian hostage, Hollywood producer, Washington Redskin manager, "Rolling Stone" writer, accused felon and drug smuggler, died under extremely mysterious circumstances in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The truth of what really happened is revealed in "Death of a Party Animal," which collects "Doonesbury" daily strips from 1985-1986. In an eventually to be related plot line, Zonker wins $23 million in a lottery. Under the Trudeau microscope this time around are the Children of the Sixties, the "Star Wars" missile defense system, the homeless in Washington, D.C., and the fact that youngsters in Texas are worried by President Reagan's observation that Managua is only two days drive away. Meanwhile, on the personal side of the ledger, Mike and J.J. have moved in together into a fixer-upper in Manhattan, while Congresswoman Lacey Davenport takes Joanie Caucus along for the ride when she campaigns for Clint Eastwood as mayor of Carmel. But there is also the end of an era as the Walden commune closes down and the gang gathers (in person and in spirit) to celebrate their memories of the good times. The result in "Death of a Party Animal" is a fairly standard mix of Doonesbury strips although certainly Uncle Duke fans will enjoy this collection more than most. To find out what happens to Legume (the zombie formerly known as Uncle Duke) be sure to read the next exciting "Doonesbury" volume, "Downtown Doonesbury." ... Read more

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The continued misadventures of Duke as Redskin G.M.
"We're Not Out of the Woods Yet" is the reply of Menachem Begin to Sadat's one-liner "Let us begin, Begin" as related to Roland Burton Hedley, Jr. as part of "Cabin Fever" the ABC Wide World Special Report on the Camp David Peace Accord. Actually, that important little part of modern world history is a minor part of this collection of "Doonesbury" cartoons from 1978-79, but the title still applies to most of Trudeau's daily strips in his book. Zonker wants to turn pro with is tan but California's Proposition 13 has closed the tanning clinics, Duke is doing a study on steroid by secretly putting them in the Gatorade of the Washington Redskins, and Congresswoman Davenport saddles Joanie with her old Law School nemesis Woodrow. On the lighter side, Boopsie is going to Memphis to "do" Elvis while Mike and Zonker check out the King Tut tour.

This volume is really a sequel to "But the Pension Fund Was Just Sitting There," in which Uncle Duke, finally released as the infamous "bald spy" who was the last (and unknown) of the Americans held hostage by the Iranians, becomes the General Manager of the Washington Redskins. However, his glory days may be over since he has been saddled with Riley, a young assistant (and nephew of the owner), who eventually rats out his boss to Rick Redfern. Now, Uncle Duke was never one of my favorite Doonesbury characters, but his tenure with the Redskins is one of my favorite longer-running Duke storylines. Besides, if Duke stays in one place long enough, can Honey be far behind? "We're Not Out of the Woods yet" is an above-average Doonesbury collection from the wicked imagination of G. B. Trudeau. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Three years of Doonesbury are packed into this Trudeau tour de force (pardon my French), his 4th major anthology. These three years coincide with the election campaign, inauguration and first couple of years in office of "the First Cowboy." More than 500 dailies and 80 full-color Sundays. This is Trudeau at his trenchant best. Worth it just for the introduction by Gloria Steinem (if you're a Gloria Steinem fan). ... Read more

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Ambassador Duke becomes the GM of the Redskins...
The May 3, 1977 issue of "The Washington Post" reported there was no truth to published reports that the Washington Redskins were signing "Lava-Lava" Lenny, the 390-pound "Polynesian Panzer," or that team President Edward Bennett Williams gave permission to use player pension funds to keep the big fellow in pineapples.

"Lava-Lava" Lenny was a fictional creation of G. B. Trudeau, who needed a reason that Williams would hire former Ambassador Duke as the General Manager for the Redskins, even in a comic strip.Then again, who else had better expertise in sports medicine?The experience could certainly not be any worse than having the man give a speech on a college campus.The "Doonesbury" daily comic strips collected in "But the Pension Fund Was Just Sitting There" are from 1978-1979, when President Jimmy Carter was looking over weapon systems and Georgetown students were protesting Professor Henry Kissinger giving a speech for at a dinner honoring the wife of the Shah of Iran (of course, it is impossible to read some of these strips and not remember what was to come in the years ahead).Meanwhile, Comrade Phred is the new Vietnamese ambassador to the U.N., Rick Redfern has to be part of the White House press corp, and Dr. Dan Asher, author of the phenomenally successful "Mellow: How to Get It" is on the Mark Slackmeyere show (but so is his old man and Congresswoman Lacey Davenport).

Of course, today the idea of 390-pound linemen in the NFL does not sound so far fetched, but the strips that really hit home here are the ones where ABC's chief of programming Freddie Silverman checks out what NBC is doing in response to his "jiggle" shows and the solution is--full frontal nudity.Okay, so we are not there yet, but, then again, maybe I am just watching the wrong channel.Yes, these old Donnesbury strips are dated, but they rely as much on Trudeau's characters as they do on the headlines of the times and when it comes to caustic commentary on the national scene, there is nobody better. ... Read more