Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for April 01, 2011

His exelency won’t let go…

Denial isn’t just a river in Berzerkistan …

Thanks, Diggit and Mike 31g for your info yesterday, especially the strips from ‘95. Apparently, that was a time that I wasn’t tuning in to Doonesbury. Now I have everything in perspective. - Arye Uygur

They should get him a room at the funny farm. He’ll get along just fine with Napoleon. (There’s gotta be one)

The Leader for life is dead. Long live the leader for life! Who you might ask? Meanwhile, back in Berzerkistan Red Rascal has a crown lowered over his turban. Tune in next week for Would you like to find out if you have 72 virgins waiting?

Duke could use help from the Rascal, right about now!

That won’t be hard for Duke. Shrinks have been giving him their card for most of his life.

Trff was already in denial when Jeff tried to pluck him out.

And the stripes on Earl’s tie run in different directions between panels 1 and 2.

panel 2 is Earl from the inside of one of his monitors.

As GT blandly draws out these strips about his loveable international crooks (they never hurt one another), Duke looks increasingly toothless. Even by the logic of comics, he can’t appeal to the law, or expect his counterparty to honor a contract.

Doonesbury has lost its satirical edge by portraying this mafia without omerta,. Even if Overkill’s collector shakes things up by getting rid of the tiresomeTrffbumfartz, there’s no real threat to Duke or the Rascal because Trudeau will find the money to ransom them.

Draw him a bath and when he gets out have a nice little white straight jacket ready for him to slip into, have a limo with driver ready and ship him back. Return Receipt Requested.

Now Duke knows what it’s like to have a mother-in-law come for a visit.

Mr. “President-For-Life” is not having difficulty letting go at all.

How can I say that? Because…HE’S NOT EVEN TRYING!!!

GT just does that switcheroo stuff. Decades ago, I remember checking the Sunday panels to find the differences.

I say let Duke the draw the bath. And then while the Prez is in it….oops, I don’t know how that plugged in hair dryer got in the tub. PZZZZZZTTT. End of problem (except for disposing of the body but I’m sure Duke can handle that).

The 1995 sequence is totally worth returning to and following for a while. Here’s another sample from down the line http://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/1995/04/20/

Duke’s parenting skills feature later http://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/1995/05/15/