I got a personal response from Bill Amend re his anti-draft Foxtrot sun.

[jdj]

I'm tickled pink, it's probably the first non-auto response I've ever gotten (I already got the auto response the day I sent the letter)

Sunday's comic strip takes place at the Vietnam War Memorial, it can be found here:


http://www.ucomics.com/foxtrot/2004/08/22/

here is his reply (& my e-mail):

Thanks for the kind words. Drawing that strip was pretty challenging, but I
thought the sentiment it conveyed was worth it.

Bill Amend

> From: > Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2004 14:22:03 -0400
> To: [e-mail]
> Subject: your recent foxtrot (vietnam wall)
>
> Dear Mr. Amend:
>
> Thank you so much for this comic. As the possibility of a draft and 'pepetual
> war for perpetual peace' seems to becoming more of a reality with the whisper
> campaign going on about Iran, the young folks who may be called in to shore up
> the ranks of a military that has been wrung dry need to face reality so that
> they can be galvanized to fight for themselves before it is to late. This is
> absolutely perfect art, absolutely gorgeous. Bravo.
>
>

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Foxtrot has always been my favorite comic

I'm glad Bill Amend was honest with this.

Hawkeye-X

[jdj]

2. It kind of surprised me.

he really was forthright, I could tell from the little he wrote he feels pretty strongly about it. He perfectly portrayed the ignorance of many in this upcoming generation with regards to the Iraq war and the draft that could so severely affect them. I keep on saying that is why these uber-repuke pop princesses are getting all the marketing and real talent goes unnoticed and unsigned.

[Kid_A]

3. That was one of the best cartoons I've ever seen,

I'd say it ranks right up there with some of the more profound Calvin & Hobbes strips from back in the day.

I think sentiments like the one presented in the strip are much more meaningful when they come from places you wouldn't expect. When strips like Doonesbury and Boondocks change their tone and "get serious", it's not nearly as effective as when a sillier strip like Fox Trot does it.