Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

[Ron Whitfield]

Say it ain't so, Bill The Cat!

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95441421&ps=bb3

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

"Opus," actually - "Bloom County" has been gone for many years. Aaack! Phthhhllbbbt!

It's been obvious, in the past several weeks of Sunday comics, that Opus' demise was coming soon. Ah, well. It's been a joy to see him back for a few years.

Breathed's children's books are great, too.

[helen]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

I was kind of wondering about the tone of the Sunday strips in September, it was hinting that he or the strip was calling it quits.

Too bad the ending date is just before the general election and not at the end of this calendar year.

[Ron Whitfield]

Hmmmmm...

I titled it with Bloom County. I'm a regular reader.

Adding insult to injury!

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

Sad to see Opus leaving the scene. Hopefully, it will be back one day, especially if Obama wins. I think that under a Democratic administration, Doonesbury is going to lose much of its edge and biting satire.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

Sad to see Opus leaving the scene. Hopefully, it will be back one day, especially if Obama wins.

Breathed says Opus' end will be in a fashion that guarantees he can't bring him back.

[helen]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

I just hope that he doesn't have Steve Dallas in a drunken rage thinks that Opus is a turkey and eats him for Thanksgiving.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

Breathed says Opus' end will be in a fashion that guarantees he can't bring him back.

Uhhh, you are aware that Berk previously took a decade long hiatus between Outland and Opus, right? You are aware that this isn't the first time he is "retiring" from cartooning, no?

I don't care what happens to Opus. If Berk has the itch to get back into the Sunday funnies business in the future, he simply will. He already brought back Bill the Cat from the dead. What's to stop him from pulling another "Search For Spock" type storyline in the future?

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

He sounds mighty serious. He says he doesn't like the way he's viewing the country's future and doesn't want Opus to reflect that anger/fear. Sounds like he plans to kill him to "save" him. But then again, he's good at making statements designed to throw people off the trail of his intentions. (I've met the guy - back in his Iowa City days and again when he lived near Seattle.)

[helen]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

Today's comic did mention that Nov 2 will "find Opus in his final paradise".

[helen]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

It's kind of let down that one needs to see a web page to find the fate of Opus.

Well at least Steve Dallas wasn't weilding an axe when he found Opus (at least in the comic strip version).

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

It's kind of let down that one needs to see a web page to find the fate of Opus.

A melding of modern media - and since BB has been a supporter of Humane Society efforts for some time, it's a rather clever way to steer his fans to his choice of cause.

A very sweet way to go out, I thought.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

Several years ago, we saw the demise (retirement?) (imagined continuing adventure?) of my favorite ever: Calvin and Hobbes.

Some things gotta go before they wear themselves out and become parodies of themselves. So with Opus/Bloom County.

BB knew enough to end it before it had half a chance to self-destruct.

Bless you Berkeley.

Come on back now some day, K?
Bring your NEW ideas!

1 Fan for real.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Berkeley Breathed ends Opus

Several years ago, we saw the demise (retirement?) (imagined continuing adventure?) of my favorite ever: Calvin and Hobbes.

Some things gotta go before they wear themselves out and become parodies of themselves. So with Opus/Bloom County.

BB knew enough to end it before it had half a chance to self-destruct.

Bless you Berkeley.

Come on back now some day, K?
Bring your NEW ideas!

1 Fan for real.

A-men. Not only did Watterson stop at the top of his game, he NEVER allowed any merchandising of his characters. All those t-shirts and stickers you see (including Calvin pi$$ing on anything) are all illegally produced.

Breathed has been writing excellent children's books for several years now - his latest, "Pete & Pickles," comes out this month.