Comments on: Cartoon jihad, “Opus” style

By: Bob's Kid

Bob's Kid — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 02:43:09 +0000

Well, in my terribly biased opinion, a man who goes by “Berkeley” can’t be all bad. :)

By: Grunt2Jag

Grunt2Jag — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 21:54:03 +0000

My favorite Bloom was when the kid started dressing like Boy George and his dad flipped. I loved the comic even though you could tell how his politics fell at times. Typically they were just good, funny stories.

Calvin and Hobbes are my all-time favorite though and I have still have them emailed to me once every day just to start it off right.

Close second is The Far Side. I just about died laughing when I saw The Boneless Chicken Ranch. I was hooked ever since.

By: Inoperable Terran » Penguin jihad?

Inoperable Terran » Penguin jihad? — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:53:19 +0000

[...] Berke Breathed mocks the Religion of Peace™ in a fairly unsubtle manner. Go Opus! Posted by Ian S. in [...]

By: Gottafang

Gottafang — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:26:51 +0000

One of my favorite Bloom County story arcs was when the cast went on strike and scabs were hired to fill in for them. In one Sunday strip, a chubby hip-hop performer took the place of Oliver Wendell Jones. In the final panel, he was on the garage roof with Oliver’s telescope saying, “I see the moon all white and pretty, just like the ‘hind of Conway Twitty.”

Let’s see. What else. . .

Opus and the other animals playing Star Trek with Cutter John on his wheelchair.

Bill the Cat’s sweat is used to make a hair-growth tonic (that later caused all the hair to fall out).

The wussification of Steve Dallas after he’s kidnapped by aliens and his brain is altered.

And many, many more!

By: Benaiah

Benaiah — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 15:26:06 +0000

Bloom County was great but nothing beats Gary Larson’s Far Side IMO.

By: CrazyFool

CrazyFool — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 15:02:22 +0000

Garry Trudeau’s often accused Berke Breathed of ripping him off

Sorry Garry – Breathed’s comics are funny and sometimes makes a point. Yours kind of just rehashes the 60′s and 70′s over-and-over.

I loved Bloom County !

Bill the Cat in ’08 !

By: brazilnut

brazilnut — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 13:15:29 +0000

Trudeau can only wish he were as good as Breathed. I enjoyed Bloom County immensely. You knew Breathed’s politics were to the left, but he didn’t draw every strip with an intention of indicting a Republican President, the GOP or conservatives in general. His characters were unique and the stories were funny. Very funny. Trudeau is nothing more than Phil Donahue as a cartoonist.

Good analysis. Bloom County was never my thing, but it was always a sight better than Dumbsbury. Calvin is the unqualified king of the comic strip.

I actually enjoy Non-Sequiter–despite the overtly leftist politics. The author of that strip succeeds where Trudeau fails…he is FUNNY!

By: Hening

Hening — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 13:12:08 +0000

I love the cartoons from WWII, like Daffy Duck giving his best to Axis leaders. I guess we will never see that against Jihad and heaven forbid someone like Daffy or Bugs tangles with Big Mo. We were willing to offend Nazis, Japanese and Italian monsters, but Islam might strike back other than the terror they are already performing? I wish I could draw.

By: Kralizec

Kralizec — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 06:09:38 +0000

I admire the tacit reference to Room 101 in the last frame. It’s such a sly way to say that devout muslims are on course to become the jackboot stamping on the human face.

By: Bellicose Muse

Bellicose Muse — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 04:48:01 +0000

Glad there are other Bloom County fans here. Remember Bill the Cat’s romance with Jean Kirkpatrick? Steve Dallas? Bart Savagewood, Lola’s former boyfriend?

I wish Breathed had stuck with that strip and not branched off into Outland.

By: Carvin Guitar Man

Carvin Guitar Man — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 04:17:48 +0000

Breathed lambasted all sides of the political spectrum at the height of Bloom County. In addition, nothing, no one was safe from his dry wit; he held nothing sacred, including himself. That’s why his work is so funny; he knew where to look for humor. Trudeau ceased to be funny somewhere in the middle/late 70s.

By: urbancenturion

urbancenturion — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 04:10:29 +0000

Bill the Cat was my hero in the 80′s! 8)

By: Bellicose Muse

Bellicose Muse — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 03:48:56 +0000

Garry Trudeau’s often accused Berke Breathed of ripping him off

Trudeau can only wish he were as good as Breathed. I enjoyed Bloom County immensely. You knew Breathed’s politics were to the left, but he didn’t draw every strip with an intention of indicting a Republican President, the GOP or conservatives in general. His characters were unique and the stories were funny. Very funny. Trudeau is nothing more than Phil Donahue as a cartoonist.

By: journeyscarab

journeyscarab — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 02:39:49 +0000

Opus rules. Bring back Bloom County, please!

By: tickleddragon

tickleddragon — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 02:09:16 +0000

Get Fuzzy – I’m for Fungo. (Sorry, Bucky)
Love Calvin and Hobbes too, though I have to admit that I’ve not read one in years.

By: allie

allie — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:38:24 +0000

Who wants to play CalvinBall?!
Can’t tag me ‘cuz i’m holding the leaf of immunity!

By: tiekitwist

tiekitwist — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:34:24 +0000

Calvin and Hobbes.

Agreed… sort of. Nothing beats Get Fuzzy.

By: tormod

tormod — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:32:49 +0000

Calvin and Hobbes.

By: techno_barbarian

techno_barbarian — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:05:01 +0000

Opus fan… PIMF

/watching Stars/Ducks hockey…

By: techno_barbarian

techno_barbarian — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:03:53 +0000

brazilnut
I have every book Breathed has published. Loooong time Opus friend. Breathed has always been good.

By: brazilnut

brazilnut — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:57:57 +0000

Breathed was never one of my favorite cartoonists. I am re-evaluating my opinion.

Well done!

By: Valiant

Valiant — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:53:13 +0000

Ack…

By: SouthernGent

SouthernGent — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:04:18 +0000

Say nothing indeed.

By: allie

allie — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 23:27:24 +0000

Kini is over there. His blog indicates he is alright and no structural damage to his home.

By: Alex K

Alex K — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 23:05:13 +0000

What's he saying in the third panel--"only bad dogs"? Is he talking about Marmaduke? Marmaduke is bad in more ways than one.