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 (15) (Please sign in to comment)
Sisyphos said, 5 months ago
Milo, you low-down huckster! Trying to cash in on the memory of dear departed Bill!
GreggW
said, 5 months ago
Boy, that brings back 80s memories.
Thirdguy said, 5 months ago
N.I.? Where the heck is that?
chithing said, 5 months ago
@Thirdguy
The zip code is for Oak Hill, NY, according to the post office. (I’m reading it as 12460)
MrSulusBrain said, 5 months ago
Damn, If only they had Proactiv back in the 80’s Bill might still be with us!
skeeterhawk said, 5 months ago
I know they had ‘Clearisal,’ the ‘Oxy’ series, and at least one other major brand. Unless they just didn’t work on a cat.
Sir Osis of Liver said, 5 months ago
Somehow I prefer Milo’s version… where we learn that Ed Meese and Gary Hart were able to work together!
morosemoose said, 5 months ago
I though Bill was high and Tender Vittles and smashed into a cactus???
Vonne Anton said, 5 months ago
@morosemoose
No, that was the OTHER time he died.
Vonne Anton said, 5 months ago
@Sir Osis of Liver
Does “work together” include riding on hit missions behind Pizza Huts on a moped together? Well…I’ve worked with lots of people, then!
Sir Osis of Liver said, 5 months ago
@Vonne Anton
Well, I may be totally wrong of course, but I suppose that both Ed Meese and Gary Hart were serious and professional about their political activities and that they would not carry out a hit on a moped for fun…
TheAuldWan said, 5 months ago
N.I. = Northern Ireland…..
vwdualnomand said, 5 months ago
heard that anonymous successfully filed a death certificate on the westboro baptist church spokesperson(blocks her ssn).
win said, 5 months ago
He died of Aaaccckkkhh-me.
sparkle 13 said, 5 months ago
30 years in 2013!! And still, HE LIVES………………… in our HEARTS!!!!………………………………………………