Bloom County, a 1980s cartoon-comic strip that dealt with socio-political issues as seen through the eyes of highly exaggerated characters (e.g. Bill the Cat and Opus the Penguin) and humorous analogies.
Creator Berkeley Breathed's first regularly published strip, Academia Waltz, appeared in the Daily Texan in 1978. The strip attracted notice from the editors of the Washington Post who recruited him to do a nationally syndicated strip. On December 8, 1980, Bloom County made its debut and featured some of the characters from Academia Waltz, including former frat-boy Steve Dallas and the paraplegic Vietnam War veteran Cutter John.
Bloom County earned Berkeley the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning in 1987. The strip eventually appeared in over 1,200 newspapers around the world until he retired the daily strip in 1989, stating, "A good comic strip is no more eternal than a ripe melon. The ugly truth is that in most cases, comics age less gracefully than their creators". The comic continues in recirculation on GoComics!
© Berkeley Breathed - All Rights Reserved.
Bliss by Harry Bliss
Bo Nanas by John Kovaleski
Comments (18) (Please sign in to comment)
Sisyphos said, over 3 years ago
Aaaargh! It’s today’s news, 25(+ or -) years ago!
Kis said, over 3 years ago
The more things change, the more they stay the same…
JP Steve
said, over 3 years ago
This is the strip that finally let me see “economics” in all its intricomplexironic renoberations!
sherbert
said, over 3 years ago
Intricomplexironic renoberations???!!! You made my day with this, Stephen!!! I’m gonna try and fit it into all my weighty conversations over the holidays!!
NebulousRikulau
said, over 3 years ago
If you can get 2 economists to agree, then they’re wrong.
jrbj said, over 3 years ago
Actually, both economists are right for today’s complex situation. We have a huge deficit that will continue to grow so long as our federal government continues to spend money like a whole fleet of drunken sailors. On the other hand the economy is improving. Here’s the catch. The economy is improving for Wall Street while Main Street remains unemployed and is charged with paying back what the federal government spends. Who’s at fault for this? Don’t blame Bush and don’t blame Obama [they’re both Progressives and what one started the other made worse]. We can only blame ourselves for electing these idiots in the first place. They wouldn’t be there if we hadn’t elected them. Frankly, I seriously doubt the ability of the American public to make an informed, intelligent decision on who to elect to high office. Wake up people! If you don’t take back your country you will most certainly lose it and deservedly so.
takiniteasy said, over 3 years ago
‘Trow da bums out … elect new bums.
dapperdan61
said, over 3 years ago
It’s a vicious cycle. Even as we may throw a few out like Sen Ted Stevens there are more nitwits eager to take there place & suck up to lobbyists & screw the average Joe. Obama did show real promise but has definitely been a disappointment. I keep hoping & praying but have better odds of winning the state lottery
teslagirl said, over 3 years ago
Think two economists on a crowded lifeboat, limited supplies, gullible fellow passengers…not a pretty picture, is it?
thebird55 said, over 3 years ago
jrbj is absolutely right. We were stupid (not a word I use lightly) enough to elect Bush a second time.
Obama had no real promise. He rode in on ‘the cult of personality’. He gave the impression of having something to offer. It’s amazing to me that so few people could see through him.
About the strip: Now that’s just too scary. But not nearly as scary as the gullibility of the American voter.
billdi
said, over 3 years ago
bush and obama progressives??? that’s just absurd.
Rhadamanthus said, over 3 years ago
I continue to be fascinated by how these older strips still continue to be currently relevant.
SherlockWatson said, over 3 years ago
The horrors of Sunday morning television.
NyukNyuk2000 said, over 3 years ago
As much as I hate to be the one to defend Obama, I should point out that you can’t blame Obama for everything. He’s just getting started after all. After all, FDR didn’t end the Depression in just one year.
thebird55 said, over 3 years ago
I’m not blaming Obama for state of the Union, but the ‘blind’ voters that have no idea what this country needs, and are willing to be led by the blind. Looking back at the field of choices, in recent elections, we could have done worse. This trend didn’t start with Obama or Bush.
And I still can’t get over the fact that Bush got a second term. Fool me once…