The Boondocks Return with Trump, R. Kelly Strips

CBR

The Boondocks Returns, Targets Trump & R Kelly

By Noah Dominguez

Published Feb 8, 2019

The Boondocks comic strip returns with the current United States presidential administration (and R. Kelly) in its sights.

Cartoonist Aaron McGruder, creator of The Boondocks, has revived the controversial comic strip to celebrate Black History Month, as well as offer his take on contemporary issues. These new strips mark the return of characters like protagonist Huey Freeman, Riley Freeman, Robert Jebediah "Granddad" Freeman and antagonist Uncle Ruckus.

“Did these for fun (and to see if I still could)," said McGruder. "More to come… exactly how much more is tough to say. These strips were only possible due to the enormous talent of my good friend Seung Kim, who did the animation for the old show -- and he’s a busy guy. Thanks to him and thanks to Charlamagne for putting these out for me while I get my Instagram act together.”

Most of these new Boondocks comics provide commentary on the Trump administration, with Huey and Riley discussing the president's alleged dealings with Russia. One centers on real-life political commentator and former White House Communications Director Nicole Wallace comparing Trump to former president George W. Bush. Uncle Ruckus can also be seen undertaking a political career and subsequently being interviewed as a part of the Robert Mueller probe.

One strip in particular also takes aim at R. Kelley, with Granddad vowing never to listen to the artist again in the wake of the sexual abuse allegations against him, which recently received major media attention thanks to the docuseries Surviving R. Kelly. Granddad then proceeds to put on Michael Jackson (a reference to the resurgence in allegations against Jackson in the new documentary Leaving Neverland).

McGruder's comic strip originally ran from 1996 to 2006, first debuting on the early music website Hitlist.com in 1996 before being picked up by hip hop magazine The Source and, eventually, the Universal Press Syndicate.

The Boondocks is perhaps best known for its animated adaptation, which ran for four seasons on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block from 2005 to 2014. Over the course of its run, the series became notorious for its sardonic critique of American politics from an African-American perspective, as well as its commentary on Black culture.