Tag Archives: US Presidents

Review: TEDDY by Laurence Luckinbill and Eryck Tait

TEDDY

Teddy. written by Laurence Luckinbill.  illustrated by Eryck Tait. Dead Reckoning. 176 pp. 2021. $24.95

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) is ranked among the top U.S. presidents. Reasons for this include decisiveness, activism, and leadership. For even a casual observer, many people will easily recognize the hearty Teddy cheerful command: “Bully!” For me, as a precocious kid interested in history and politics, I instantly gravitated to the Roosevelts, and the two iconic presidents, FDR and TR. Only a handful presidents become so ingrained in the public mind to be known by their initials! FDR, even today, cannot be ignored, given his fundamental influence in steering the country through the Great Depression; introducing such landmark programs as Social Security and the Securities and Exchange Commission; and, of course, being a world leader in determining the outcome of World War II. FDR aimed to follow his cousin TR’s lead. Theodore Roosevelt did not preside over a war or an economic collapse but, nonetheless, TR was a most consequential president. TR’s presidency (1901-1909) was about grand progressive accomplishments like creating the Food and Drug Administration and the National Forest and Park Service. With that said, with Presidents Day upon us, it is a pleasure to share with you this recent graphic biography of Teddy Roosevelt.

Page excerpt from Teddy

This graphic novel originates from the author’s one-man stage show, Teddy Tonight. Laurence Luckinbill is a stage actor and writer known for his one-man shows of Teddy Roosevelt, as well as Ernest Hemingway, Clarence Darrow and Lyndon Johnson. Luckinbill’s script for this book adapts his stage show in words while Eryck Tait further condenses with his artwork. By anyone’s standards, this is a remarkable book, and while this is quite suitable for high school students, it can certainly be enjoyed by fans of history, theater and graphic novels in general. From the examples on view here, you can see that Eryck Tait has done an admirable job of following Luckinbill’s script. It’s a highly economical and functional style, clear and crisp. You don’t need any additional flourishes for a book like this. You are better served to stay concise and practical.

Page excerpt from Teddy

Given that this is coming from a one-man show, we have TR addressing a theater. He is now a former president there to review his life and times and comment on the news of the day. It is July of 1918, Woodrow Wilson is in the White House, and World War I is still raging. TR has received word that his son Quentin’s plane has been shot down in a dogfight over France. Ask any playwright or dedicated theater-goer and they will tell you that there are no limits to what can be done on the stage. It is as limitless as one’s imagination. Ask any cartoonist or comics fan and they will tell you that there are no limits to what can be done in a graphic novel. So, given that this book is a byproduct of the theater and of comics, you say can you’re getting the best of both worlds. Comics, by its very nature, is a creature of concise language, so you get a steady roll out of time and place, which is most fitting for a book focusing on history. And you also get the nicely composed scenes needed to tell a personal story as this is as much biography as history.

Page excerpt from Teddy

Teddy Roosevelt, creator of the  modern American presidency and the bully pulpit, is a source of endless fascination. No one book will tell the whole story and that only seems right for such a larger-than-life character as TR. Theodore Roosevelt himself wrote nearly 50 books, from lengthy accounts on The Naval War of 1812, published in 1882; to four volumes on The Winning of the West, published in 1896; to his final book, Theodore Roosevelt’s Letters to His Children, published in 1919. So, how about a “picture book,” as he might have called it, about his life and times, based on a stage production, published in 2021? Well, Teddy would probably find that very agreeable and give it a hearty, “Bully!”

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Filed under Comics, Graphic Novel Reviews, History

Comics Portrait: President-elect Joe Biden by Nick Thorkelson

President-elect Joe Biden

We are entering a new era, even if a certain someone is in denial. Here is a comics portrait by Nick Thorkelson, who is one of the most astute of cartoonists!

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Filed under Comics, Illustration, Joe Biden, Nick Thorkelson, Portraits

EXTRA: HYDE PARK ON HUDSON

Bill Murray playing the role of FDR makes a lot of sense. We all think we know Bill Murray. He has that unique set of skills required to portray FDR, another person everyone felt familiar with. While “Hyde Park on Hudson” does not have the same scope and sense of awe you will find in “Lincoln,” it is just the sort of movie you can appreciate for its dry wit and charm. Here is an interview with the great man himself, Mr. Bill Murray, and a quick look on the set of the movie.

The central thing to consider is Bill Murray. He is someone we enjoy seeing perform. As this interview demonstrates, he is genuinely in tune with this film. He effortlessly sells you on it.

Hyde Park on Hudson Movie 2012

Then there is the controversy over the script. Did the screenplay by Richard Nelson go too far in its speculation over FDR and the women in his life? In the “hooking up” age we live in, maybe cranking up the speculation meter on what happened between FDR and his distant cousin, Daisy, rings more true, although this will offend some. It sure offended political writer (not entertainment writer) Melinda Henneberger at The Washington Post. For those too easily offended, the thing to remember is that this is a historical fiction so maybe an attitude adjustment is in order.

“Hyde Park on Hudson” is brought you by Focus Features. Visit them here and learn more about the film.

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Filed under Bill Murray, FDR, History, movies, politics, pop culture