DONARUDO
WEEK 389 / 398 — The Dinner
Vol. 6 ·  Chapter 42 — The Rival · Nov 22 – Nov 28, 2022
Manga panel 1 of 5, Week 389 “The Dinner”: Tuesday evening at the palace by the sea. A week after the announcement, the table is set on the back patio — and the guest list is about to make history of its own.
The Rival
TUESDAY EVENING, THE BACK PATIO. THE CANDIDACY IS SEVEN DAYS OLD, AND A TROUBLED GUEST IS COMING TO DINNER.
Manga panel 2 of 5, Week 389 “The Dinner”: The dinner itself: the troubled musician he knows, and at the table's edge a young stranger he will say he never knew. The candles burn down; the plates are cleared quickly.
THE DINNER IS QUICK AND UNEVENTFUL. THE GUEST LIST IS NOT.
Manga panel 3 of 5, Week 389 “The Dinner”: Past one in the morning the highest court refuses him: the tax returns will be handed over. He answers the ceiling in the dark — they always rule against him, he thinks.
(Why would anybody be surprised that the Supreme Court has ruled against me, they always do! It is unprecedented to be handing over Tax Returns, & it creates terrible precedent for future Presidents.…)
Manga panel 4 of 5, Week 389 “The Dinner”: By the weekend the dinner is a national storm. His defense arrives at full volume: he was only helping a seriously troubled man, and the other guest he never knew at all.
So I help a seriously troubled man, who just happens to be black, Ye (Kanye West)…
Manga panel 5 of 5, Week 389 “The Dinner”: Sunday he turns the fury on the press itself: the enemy of the people. The party says nothing aloud — but its eyes are drifting south.
“THE FAKE NEWS IS THE MOST CORRUPT OF ALL. THEY ARE TRULY THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE - THE ENEMY OF THE USA. TURN IN THE SUPREME COURT LEAKER!”
THE PARTY SAYS NOTHING ALOUD. ITS EYES ARE DRIFTING SOUTH, TOWARD THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION IN FLORIDA.
TO BE CONTINUED →

This week in the saga

Tuesday evening, seven days into the candidacy, the table is set on the back patio — and the guest list makes history of its own: the troubled musician he knows, and a young stranger he will say he never knew. Past one in the morning the highest court refuses him and the tax returns are ordered handed over. By the weekend the dinner is a national storm; his defense arrives at full volume, and Sunday the fury turns on the press itself. The party says nothing aloud. Its eyes are drifting south.

Readers' Corner

Letters from the readership on Week 389. Pick a pen name — no account needed.

Opening the mailbag…