Bloom County

Bloom County, a highly popular cartoon strip by Berke Breathed, began in the late 1970s and ran until the early 1990s. Its premise was the lives and misadventures of several persons, and their dealing with aspects of current real events, through a satiric lens.

Opus[?], a large-nosed penguin with a herring habit, and Milo Bloom[?], a ten-year-old newspaper editor, are friends, and the core characters. Steve Dallas[?] is a former fraternity member, practicing lawyer, legend in his own mind and the antagonist of the group. Bill the Cat[?] is an large orange cat who bears the characteristics of someone entirely burned out on LSD. Michael Binkley[?], Oliver Wendell Jones[?], Binkley's Dad, Cutter John[?], Lola Granola, the Meadowcrat Party and various other characters all round out the cast.

Among the topical issues discussed at length in Bloom County are US anti-drug policy (Dr. Milo's Scalp Tonic), Christian televangelist scandals, animal testing (Attack of the Mary Kay Commandos), and inter-species relationships (Opus meets Lola Granola).

Berke Breathed was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in editorial cartooning in 1987 for Bloom County.

Links:

• http://www.berkeleybreathed.com/
• http://avclub.theonion.com/avclub3728/avfeature_3728