Doonesbury Deluxe: Selected Glances Askance

by G.B. Trudeau

Takes a close-up look at America in the 1980s, from Star Wars and Iranscam to Rick and Joanie struggling with parenthood and Mike and J.J. pioneering in New York City

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

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

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

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of dailies and Sunday strips covers the years 1984 through 1987. It is the usual mixture of satire and biting political commentary and begins the aging of the characters, moving out of their college years and into the real world. (Well, for everybody except Zonker perhaps...) It also shows the beginnings of the more modern artistic / stylistic change that Trudeau brought to his artwork. There is plenty to laugh about while reminiscing through the Ronald Reagan era.

This volume also features an introduction from one of my favorite historians, Studs Terkel. Illustrative of the wide readership and cultural impact this strip has had, it also reflects the mood of the era. If you want to take a walk back through the mid 80s, what better way?

[The other John · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this collection, the Walden crowd has graduated and moved on to begin their careers. Mike and JJ relocate to New York where Mike works at an ad agency and JJ tries to make a place for herself in the NY art scene. BD and Boopsie are on the other coast, where Boopsie is an actress and spiritual channeler and BD is third string quarterback for the LA Rams. Mark is now working for National Public Radio, and Zonker enters medical school. Well, at least that's what his Uncle Duke calls it. In the background are the events of the mid-1980s: homelessness, musical artists raising funds for Africa, the Star Wars defense, Iran-Contra, and the AIDS epidemic.

[David]

The Duke as Zombie storyline is in this one, as is Mike as Subway vigilante. Mike's first job in advertising is to sell Reagan to Black voters. And Marcia Feinbloom celebrates her singularity. It's the 80s, and the "Selected Glances Askance" subtitle is perfect, as there was much in the 80s requiring a sideways look and some serious distancing.

[Victoria & David Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The early eighties: Reagan is accused of not being senile, Iran-Contra runs rampant, gender/relationship roles are in the forefront, sex, money and drugs are given their due, and the dangers of bird watching result in a notable death.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing, of course - and part of the fun is supplying your own context

[Yosef Shapiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection, of Doonesbury cartoon strips, is of strips from the mid eighties. It was a nostalgic look back at this era.

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the fun side of good.

[Kamakana · Rating 5 out of 5]

.??? 80s:the eighties through comic lens of perceptive daily comic: downtown lifestyle, the gang is all growing up now. my era... (sort of)...

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doonesbury Deluxe: Selected Glances Askance by G.B. Trudeau (Henry Holt & Co. 1987)(741.9573). Trudeau sends up America in the 1980's. My rating: 7/10, finished 1988.

[Erik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many of the punchlines seem really obvious, and most couldn't even make me chuckle. I don't disagree with what he's saying, I just didn't find it funny at all.