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 (20) (Please sign in to comment)
Pigman said, 8 months ago
I’ll bet that, like Ted Haggard, Oral Bill turns out to be a penguin luster himself. Not only that, but who the hell is a guy called ORAL Bill to be casting aspersions on anyone?
Sisyphos said, 8 months ago
PENGUIN LUST! For heaven’s sake, don’t tell anyone!
TheSkulker
said, 8 months ago
My favorite T-shirt. Although, unfortunately, it is quite worn and faded now.
CountAnton said, 8 months ago
@Pigman I’m guessing its a reference to this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_Roberts
And it probably pre-dates the Bill Clinton – Monica – Oral incident. :D
masterskrain said, 8 months ago
@CountAnton
Yes, it’s based on Oral Roberts, the guy who turned God into a kidnapper and a terrorist!
He locked himself into a tower on his “University”, and claimed that if he didn’t get a certain amount of money “Donated” to his “Ministry” by a certain time, God was going to kill him!
Sure sounds like he claimed God was a kidnapper, holding him hostage!
Sadly, enough brain-dead suckers sent in the money, so we didn’t get a chance to see him weasel his way out of it if the money hadn’t come in!
MrSulusBrain said, 8 months ago
It’s not a coincidence…you can’t spell immoral without oral!
neatslob said, 8 months ago
Is that the lust OF penguins, or lust FOR penguins?
MagicFan said, 8 months ago
@masterskrain
“Brain-dead” is certainly true. God wouldn’t kidnap anybody. If this was a way for people to lose unneccesary possessions, it is one the DEVIL would have chosen!
einarbt7 said, 8 months ago
@neatslob
If only. PL is much worse.
Sir Osis of Liver said, 8 months ago
Hey Oral Bill, before you point your righteous paw at anyone, could you just explain how an immoral society can have the “moral fiber” you say is being threatened by penguin lust? Just asking…
BluePumpkin said, 8 months ago
He must have read the George Murray Levick report about “depraved” penguins: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18370797 . . . that penguin lust knows no bounds!
Marykaybates said, 7 months ago
One of my favorite strips by Berk. Takes me back to college, when I indeed had Opus lust. Luckily, I found my hubby, who doesn’t have a big nose, nor is he slightly overweight, but he is generally flightless and does love water.
Redkaycei Repoc said, 7 months ago
@masterskrain
As I recall the full amount didn’t come in but God let him off the hook ’cause it was a good effort…
Vonne Anton said, 7 months ago
@neatslob
Is that the lust OF penguins, or lust FOR penguins?
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Now….why would you want this kind of clarification? Mmmm?
LordOfTheExacto said, 7 months ago
A band called Annwn recorded a hoot of a song called “Penguin Lust” back in the 90s. Links to lyrics and mp3 are here (scroll down): http://motogrrl.org/Bands/annwn/lovers.html