Satire From Walden to Washington

DOONESBURY FLASHBACKS: 25 YEARS OF SERIOUS FUN

(CD-ROM for Windows 95 or Windows 98, included with “The Bundled Doonesbury: A Pre-Millennial Anthology”)

by G.B. Trudeau

Andrews & McMeel

$22.95

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Since its debut in October 1970, Garry Trudeau’s “Doonesbury” has been one of the most original and controversial comics in the history of the medium. At a time when mainstream strips were mired in an increasingly irrelevant ‘50s Neverland, “Doonesbury” spoke to baby boomers in their language. Trudeau included African American, Asian and gay characters (who remain rarities on the comics page), and depicted women as doctors and professionals rather than housewives and secretaries. In 1975, he became the first comic-strip artist to win the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning.

Trudeau wasn’t the first artist to use the comics as a vehicle for political commentary. Walt Kelly filled “Pogo” with devastating caricatures of Joseph McCarthy, Fidel Castro, Spiro Agnew and Lyndon Johnson; Daddy Warbucks preached laissez-faire capitalism and his own brand of vigilantism in “Little Orphan Annie,” and Dick Tracy complained that the rulings of a “subverted” Supreme Court were hamstringing crime fighters. But Trudeau blended his political satire with strong character comedy that kept “Doonesbury” from sinking into the blatant tirades that make “Mallard Fillmore” and other politically oriented strips so tiresome.

“Flashbacks” includes all 9,000 strips from the first 25 years of “Doonesbury.” Readers can access these strips chronologically, by character or by issue, with simple animation of the main characters introducing each section. The political material is cross-referenced to news stories about the topics Trudeau was satirizing, for readers who have forgotten details about the 1978 Koreagate scandal, the Watergate impeachment hearings or the Ford administration.

The “Media” section of the CD, hosted by Mark Slackmeyer, offers scores of articles including announcements that various papers were dropping “Doonesbury” because they didn’t like Trudeau’s handling of a subject--and announcements that the same papers were reinstating it due to reader demand. With typical irreverence, Trudeau includes often unflattering comments from Donald Trump, Marlin Fitzwater, Henry Kissinger, Nancy Reagan and other movers, shakers and targets. This section also offers rarely seen excerpts from the excellent but underappreciated animated television special based on the strip in 1977.

In the “Characters” section, readers who haven’t followed “Doonesbury” carefully can highlight any two major characters and get a capsule explanation of their relationship and a list of relevant strips to access. Hard-core fans will enjoy the trivia quiz, with Mike acting as emcee and Boopsie presenting a prize every time a player scores 50 points. The one weakness in the CD is that most video monitors are too small to display an entire Sunday strip at one time.

“The Bundled Doonesbury: A Pre-Millennial Anthology” includes an additional 700 strips that have run since the CD-ROM was completed.

In this recent material, Trudeau lampoons Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich (whom he draws as a waffle and a bomb, respectively), Nike’s labor practices and government opposition to the medical use of marijuana. J.J. leaves Mike for sexy sleazeball Zeke; Mike moves to Seattle and marries programming wizard Kim; Mark explores his newly discovered sexual orientation; and Boopsie appears at Club Cameo, a showcase for has-been bit players.

The total of nearly 10,000 strips may sound a little overwhelming, but the book / CD-ROM combination provides an extraordinary overview of the work of one the foremost sociopolitical satirists of recent decades.