Happy 40th!
I was just reminded that Doonesberry turns 40 years old today. I heard a great interview with Trudeau this morning on NPR, particularly about the ditzy Joanie Caucus's precarious law career -- and about the hard decision to "maim" his gung-ho military type, BD (who, Trudeau explained, only joined up originally in order to escape consequences of an overdue college term paper).
In his rolling Afghanistan coverage (now, like the war, nine fucking years old!), Trudeau brought his wonderful strip full circle from his trenchant Vietnam coverage. And he punished himself, in effect, by having BD lose his leg in an IED explosion -- and this morning he explained how his bearing witness in such ways still seemed important to him.
About 25 years ago, just a kid myself (heh!), I wrote him a purposeful fan letter -- asking if, by any chance he'd agree to my writing a play featuring Michael, Zonker, Duke, etc. I mean, back in the day, wtf? Try it!
Well, quite to my surprise, Trudeau promptly sent me a handwritten reply (with his lovely lettering as in the strip) on a cool letterhead -- declining my kind offer and saying he was too fond of his characters to put them into the hands of ANYONE ELSE. Which totally figured! I still have the letter down in Vero Beach -- keep meaning to get it framed!
In his rolling Afghanistan coverage (now, like the war, nine fucking years old!), Trudeau brought his wonderful strip full circle from his trenchant Vietnam coverage. And he punished himself, in effect, by having BD lose his leg in an IED explosion -- and this morning he explained how his bearing witness in such ways still seemed important to him.
About 25 years ago, just a kid myself (heh!), I wrote him a purposeful fan letter -- asking if, by any chance he'd agree to my writing a play featuring Michael, Zonker, Duke, etc. I mean, back in the day, wtf? Try it!
Well, quite to my surprise, Trudeau promptly sent me a handwritten reply (with his lovely lettering as in the strip) on a cool letterhead -- declining my kind offer and saying he was too fond of his characters to put them into the hands of ANYONE ELSE. Which totally figured! I still have the letter down in Vero Beach -- keep meaning to get it framed!