9780740797354
Written by: Trudeau, G B
Published by: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Written by: Trudeau, G. B.
Filed Under: Form, Comic Strips & Cartoons
Filed Under: Topic, Political
Filed Under: General
Filed Under: Cartoons
Filed Under: Humor-Cartoon Comics
Date of Publication: 20101031
Cover Type: HARDCOVER
Grade Level: General/trade
Written in: English
Number of Pages: 696
Book Size: 13.5 x 9.75 in 168.035 oz
Created by the team that brought you The Complete Far Side and The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, this massive-yet-elegant celebratory anthology marks Doonesbury's 40th anniversary by examining in depth the characters that have given the strip such vitality.On October 26, 1970, college jock B.D. met his inept and geeky roommate, Mike. Fourteen thousand strips later, the world of Doonesbury has grown uniquely vast, sustained by an intricately woven web of relationships--over 40 major characters spanning three generations. This book opens with an in-depth essay in which G. B. Trudeau surveys his sprawling creation as only he could. The volume's 1,800 incredibly beautiful displayed strips chronicle the key adventures and path crossings of the ever-evolving cast, from ur-characters such as Zonker, Joanie, Duke, and Honey, to relative newcomers such as Zipper, Alex, and Toggle. Dropped in throughout are 18 detailed essays in which Trudeau contemplates individual characters and groups of characters.
The book's literal centerpiece is a four-page foldout that maps in annotated detail the mind-boggling matrix of relationships. A feast of storytelling and a clarifying overview, 40: A Doonesbury Retrospective offers a unique way to experience one of the greatest comic strips ever.
Review:
"This monolithic overview of G.B. Trudeau's landmark newspaper strip is the most comprehensive book on the subject imaginable, a must-read for both fans and those interested in what amounts to a chronicle of American society over the past four decades. The book reprints virtually all of the strip's significant story arcs in sensibly abridged versions, trimming the fat for newcomers yet retaining all of the narrative qualities that have made the series a riveting but topical narrative. Despite the age of some strips, the material holds up and the then innovative wry attitude of its cast (and, by default, its creator) remains fresh, compelling and frequently hilarious. Forty years have done nothing to dull the edge of Trudeau's left-wing political stance, and his gift for blending sociopolitical commentary and multigenerational serialized narrative have only been refined over time. Mike, B.D., Zonker, J.J., Alex, and the huge cast have become like friends to faithful readers, and leafing through the pages is like taking a long look through a family scrapbook. A gorgeous tribute to a seminal comic strip. (Oct.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)
Synopsis:
Garry Trudeau's slogan for the twenty-fifth year of Doonesbury was, What a long strange strip it's been... and that's even more spot on for the fortieth anniversary. What began as Bull Tales in the Yale Daily News in 1968 became Doonesbury when it debuted as a Universal Press Syndicate feature in 1970. The strip followed the lives of college roommates B.D. and Mike Doonesbury from their first encounter through the intricate life turns they experience, along with the cadre of eccentric and engaging characters they encounter over the next forty years. Always political, relentlessly pointed, expertly drawn and written, Doonesbury is a classic in its own time, and this book commemorates that special place in cartoon history it holds.
Synopsis:
This celebratory anthology marks "Doonesbury's" 40th anniversary by examining the characters that have given the strip such vitality. Fourteen thousand strips later, the comic has grown uniquely vast, sustained by more than 40 major characters spanning three generations.
