arts
How Garry Trudeau’s Doonesbury cartoons captured America: ‘One of our nation’s greatest journalists’
A new book looks back at the work of artist and journalist Garry Trudeau and how he told the story of a country’s highs and lows through a comic strip
TL;DR
- Doonesbury stands out among comic strips for its characters aging and evolving over time, unlike perpetual child characters in other comics.
- Joshua Kendall's biography, "Trudeau & Doonesbury," examines Garry Trudeau's career and his unique contribution to chronicling American life from the 1970s to the present.
- Trudeau's work has been compared to journalism, with figures like Henry Louis Gates Jr. calling him 'one of our nation's greatest journalists' for his in-depth reporting on social and political issues.
- The biography delves into Trudeau's personal life, including his privileged upbringing, his mother's departure, and his experiences at a competitive prep school and Yale, which shaped his artistic and social development.
- Doonesbury addressed sensitive topics like feminism, war (Vietnam and Iraq), race, and religion, evolving its perspectives over decades.
- Kendall notes that Trudeau's work paved the way for satirical news programs like "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report."
- The article contrasts the past political landscape, where satire was often met with mutual respect, to the current polarized environment, particularly in Trudeau's ongoing commentary on Donald Trump and 'Trumpism.'
- Despite challenging times reflected in his work, Trudeau maintains a hopeful outlook, viewing satire as a crucial impulse and a means to 'bring out the better angels of our nature.'