Still a Few Bugs in the System

Doonesbury Annuals #1

by G.B. Trudeau, Art Buchwald (Introduction)

Alternate cover edition - ISBN: 003091356X / 9780030913563

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

128 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1972

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

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been awhile since I'd read any Doonesbury. This being the second volume, I really didn't expect much. The first volume was pretty disappointing. The volume contained some duplicates from the first and some rewrites. But already the tone is better. And it's a lot more political. And I can see some of the other regular characters already beginning to appear. But I don't remember Mike as being quite so horrible. B.D. on the other hand... Anyway not bad. And somewhat diverting.

[Canavan · Rating 3 out of 5]

✭✭½

[Shoshanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to work my way through all of these this year.

Like reading the works of Ann Bannon and Patricia Highsmith, reading this contemporary popular media gives me a perspective on the past in a way that historical fiction can't. It's interesting to see the thoughts of people at the time, the stereotypes, et cetera. It's funny too, obvi.

Unlike Ann Bannon or Patricia Highsmith, it's not that feminist. Maybe it will get better. Not betting on it. That's why probably none of these will get five stars.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coming out in, I think, 1972 with strips from 70 and 71, the first collection of Doonesbury as a national strip draws a bit on its previous incarnation as ran in the Yale campus newspaper, but in the course of the year Trudeau really broadened his sources of humor. His drawing is much better here than in the Yale strip, but then there was a lot of room for improvement so it’s still nothing dazzling. But in time he would get a lot better.

[Andrew Dittmar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading history:
Normally I keep this in my private notes section, but I'm moving it. Yay!

Reading history was not added on Goodreads, but was instead kept on a post-it note with the book.


Started August 9th, 2025.
Finished August 12th, 2025.


August 9th, 2025: read through "Sally Hudson dancing school" comic; bookmark was lost.
August 12th, 2025: restarted; read entire book in physical form.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I have ever read an author who has a better understanding of the turbulence of the 70's than Gary Trudeau. Doonesbury captures this time and place so well; I am sure it will be read by those interested in social science well into the future. The Black Panther segment is particularly biting.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first collection of Trudeau's Doonesbury strips from around 1970-71, they reflect the elite college scene of those times, when the country was in upheaval over the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movements, Women's Liberation, etc.

[Another · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun to revisit the beginning. The names Ed Muskie, and Hubert Humphry brought back some memories :)

[David]

5th read ... never gets old

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Good.

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Doonesbury. Reading these early collections has the same depth and wit as a good novel.

[Gregory Knapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peerless Pandemic Distraction Reading.

[Craig Werner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm embarking on a re-reading of the complete Doonesbury, thinking about maybe teaching a freshman seminar using Trudeau as an entry into recent American history. This was the first of the collections, introducing the original cast: Mike Doonesbury, B.D., campus radical "Megaphone Mark" Slackmyer, and a few characters who faded from the picture: Mike's weird lab partner Bernie, black militant Calvin (based on Calvin Hill, who later played for the Dallas Cowboys). About half the cartoons are topical, dealing with Vietnamization, racial tensions. Most of the female presence takes the form of fairly stereotypical campus dating jokes with a cameo from an equally stereotypical feminist. Trudeau would get a lot better on that. The only problem with the small format collections is the absence of the Sunday cartoons. I'll pick those up via the larger compilations.

[Oriana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow. There's some flippantly-dealt-with race shit in this book that really surprised me. I can't believe that was normal in, what, 1968?