Opus Saves The World - The goofysweet penguin from "Bloom County" returns

[Khephra]

Opus Saves The World
The goofysweet penguin from "Bloom County" returns, and the Sunday paper might actually be funny again

By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist

snip.......

But there are glimmers of hope. There are hints of salvation. Because Berkeley Breathed, genius creator of the much-loved and expertly drawn and slyly wry "Bloom County" strip from the '80s, is returning to the Sunday comics page.

It's true. He is resurrecting Opus the penguin from that famous strip and giving the goofy flightless bird his very own leading role, and in so doing is resurrecting hope and humor and a bit of actual comic artistry and while I have no idea if the strip will have any of "Bloom's" former genius, all signs point to yes.

"Bloom County" was that most rare of comic art. Smart, politically charged, sardonic, tender, humane, not angry or savage or mean-spirited but still wonderfully opinionated and liberal and warped beyond normal bounds, still wonderfully accessible, that perfect balance of cynicism and joy and winking perspective, with a cast of characters as deranged and delightful and perfectly honed as a late-night HBO series.

When Breathed cancelled the strip due to burnout, the news not only hit die-hard fans like a brick, it hit near the same time as the end of the unparalleled "Calvin and Hobbes" and Gary Larson's beautifully twisted "The Far Side," and to date, the comics page has never recovered.

snip.................

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2003/09/17/notes091703.DTL&nl=fix

[underpants]

1. What the hell are you looking at Opus?

Awesome!

[Bozita]

2. WooHoo! Bloom County ... my pal Opus ... things are getting better.

Looks like the events of recent years have refueled the fires in Breathed's stomach.

[LittleApple81]

3. But I read somewhere (I think latest Newsweek) that his

Opus is going to be mellow and not politically charged. (It was an interview with him). I will be sorry if that is the case.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/966300.asp

at the bottom of the page

[Gman]

4. I want Bill The Cat back

cocaine habit and all!

And Bill never did fully explain his role in the Chernobyl incident.

[LynneSin]

5. I wonder if Bill's love affair with Phyllis Schlafly is as strong as ever?

I thought they were soulmates - like Jen and Ben!

[stevedeshazer]

6. Ack!

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:42cSGWy_ZXkC:users.viawest.net/~aloomis/graphics/bill.gif