I still read it as often as possible, including the Sunday version. I’m by no means a fan of the politics: politically, I’m closest to B.D., who is far and away my favorite character. I got But This War Had Such Promise expressly because it’s the one in which B.D. goes to Vietnam. After years of wearing a football helmet (first Walden, then the Rams), then the Kevlar helmet (after Desert Storm), later a CHP trooper motorcycle helmet, back to a Kevlar helmet for the Iraqi War, now he’s bareheaded for once. He’s also mellowed out somewhat over the years, though he’s still conservative and married to Boopsie. I like that despite his politics, Trudeau has always made B.D. a human and sympathetic character.
Mike Doonesbury, the main character, is somewhat liberal, but not really political. Back in the 80s he was a Reagan Democrat; tolerant of liberal policies and watered down socialism so long as it actually seemed to work, but willing to jump the fence for a compelling Republican. He started off in a relationship with Joanie Caucus, but eventually married her daughter J.J., an aspiring artist, until she dumped him for some complete loser their daughter calls “Uncle Stupidhead” (Zeke). Now he lives in Seattle, working as an ad exec or something like that, with the daughter and his new wife, some cute Asian chick.
Joanie married Rick Redfern, an almost exact copy of Robert Redford’s portrayal of Bob Woodward, even to the point of working for the Washington Post. She became a congressional aide to Lacy Davenport. Their son is a Gen-X slacker who interned for…the CIA.
Mark Slackmeyer was the hardcore communist, at odds with B.D. He started out normal until Trudeau decided he needed a gay character, so BOOM! He came out of a closet he never seemed to be in in the first place. His father was a hugely corrupt ENRON/establishment guy, so naturally there was considerable mutual hostility.
Zonker Harris. The lovable hippie, either working on his weed or his tan. His nephew is friends with Joanie’s son.
Reverend Scott Sloan. The “hip young priest” who can “talk to the young”. He’s always involved in some protest or other. ZZZZ. At his funniest in the “Doonesbury Special” mentioned below.
Uncle Duke. The eccentric, doped up lowlife always involved in some shady scheme and zonked out of his mind on some drug – including some fictitious drugs. At one point he was running a med school in the Caribbean, at another he was actually a Haitian zombie. He’s modeled after Hunter S. Thompson. He’s usually accompanied by his “mistress” Honey, a fairly ordinary looking but smart Chinese woman who’d gladly have his children if he even realized who she was – or that she was female.
Various politicians, portrayed in novel ways. Bush Sr. appeared as a talking “dot” (as if there was really no one there – a nonentity). Quayle was simply a feather suspended in air. Newt Gingrich was a talking bomb (“bowling ball candle” as Seinfeld would put it). Bush II is a Roman centurion helmet, nowadays somewhat battered. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the “Gropenfuhrer”, is a disembodied hand in a groping gesture. Bill Clinton was a floating waffle (his groping got a free pass, it seems).
Doonesbury Special. This was an animated special from 1977 which we came across years ago and still watch from time to time. I have practically all the dialogue memorized, including the football scenes. It’s still not on DVD, and it was never translated into a full animated series. Too bad. It features two songs by Doonesbury-exclusive artist Jimmy Thudpucker, which I actually liked enough to tape.
Walden. The fictitious college they went to, loosely based on Yale, the alma mater of Trudeau…and George W. Bush, though Walden is portrayed as a second or third tier school and not an elite Ivy League school. B.D. played quarterback for the football team. Zonker’s nephew goes there – Mike’s daughter wound up at M.I.T.
I’ve already mentioned the politics. It’s a bit underhanded: if you agree with them, then take them at face value; but if you disagree, the response is “hey, it’s just a cartoon.” Even so, he’s not as nasty and radical as Michael Moore. I find the stories and characters far more compelling and interesting than the politics anyway.
The controversy which has occasionally erupted over the years is a bit silly, giving Trudeau far more credit than he deserves. He should be viewed no better or differently than any other cartoons following characters over time, mainly “For Better Or For Worse”, though Doonesbury is considerably wider and more interesting than that cartoon.
I’ll end with a few gems from the special:
“Ella Fitzgerald is NOT a building contractor!”
“Percussion! The Innkeeper is playing percussion!”
“All I’m saying is, have we in any way prevented future Vietnams?” (Mark). “Future Vietnams, what was wrong with the old one? We did what we had to over there!” (B.D.)
and “Delay…of…game…. TOUCHBACK!”
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