Opus the Penguin Back In the Funny Business (Breathed to do new strip)

Washington Post ^ | 9.9.03 | Reilly Capps

[mhking]

After eight years away from newspapers, Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Berkeley Breathed is creating a new comic strip called "Opus," starring his beloved penguin of the same name.

The Washington Post Writers Group, which will syndicate the strip, is expected to officially announce Breathed's return this Sunday. The reclusive Breathed, who rarely gives interviews, could not be reached yesterday for comment.

The new strip will appear on Sundays in The Washington Post starting Nov. 23.

Breathed drew the wildly popular "Bloom County" and "Outland" comic strips, which introduced the world to the naive Opus and his hairball-spitting sidekick, Bill the Cat. "Opus" will run on Sundays only and will fill half a page in the comics section.

[mhking]

[mhking]

'Bout damn time!

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[Iowa Granny]

Welcome Back, Opus. I hope the Post puts this on line. I don't want to miss it.

[ZGuy]

Sounds great. Now if we could just get Bill Watterson to start drawing Calvin and Hobbes again. . .

[So Cal Rocket]

Best news I've heard all week!

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I really hope he brings back right-wing, hard-drinking, womanizing attorney Steve Dallas. That man was my personal hero. ;-)

[Elliott Jackalope]

Oh boy. Another "Sundays only" strip by Breathed. I can hardly wait. NOT!

Let's face it, if you don't have the energy to draw a daily strip, why bother with a "Sundays only" strip? Why sell it to daily newspapers? If Breathed wants to do a "once-a-week" strip why doesn't he come up with some new characters and sell the new strip to weekly newspapers?

I just don't get this "I'm retired, I'm semi-retired, I'm not retired, I'm retired, I'm semi-retired" nonsense. If he wants to do a comic strip in the newspapers again, then let him draw a daily strip. Is it THAT hard to come up with 3 or 4 new panels of illustrated humor a day?

[Grampa Dave]

My youngest son, age 35, and my trophy wife will be overjoyed with the return of Opus.

I would like to see our local rag replace Doonesdingleberry with the new Opus.

[Bikers4Bush]

Sweet!! I used to love Bloom County.

[subterfuge]

Aack!!

[dfwgator]

Now if only Gary Larson could come out of retirement and bring back "The Far Side."

[Elliott Jackalope]

Here's what we do. We get Watterson to draw the new "Bloom County". We get Breathed to draw the new "Far Side", and we get Larson to draw the new "Calvin and Hobbes". It would be great!

The best best episode of R. Crumb's "Mr. Natural" was drawn by Skip Williamson in a comic where the artists swapped their characters with each other. I'd like to see some of our more "mainstream" comic artists try that approach!

[Khurkris]

I am extremely happy to hear this news.

Really...I am.

[L,TOWM]

Should be a decent strip, but I really miss Bill D. Cat.

A fine role model for my 20something years...

[Khurkris]

You need a dandelion break.

[dfwgator]

Of course back when I read Bloom County, I was pretty apolitcal, but Breathed seemed to be pretty far to the left, he especially skewered Reagan. But he did also make fun of liberals too, but clearly Breathed is a lefty.

[TheBigB]

Woo Hoo! Billy and the Boingers Reunion Tour '03!!

[Frank_Discussion]

Awesome!! Bring back Starship Enterpoop, I say!

I have had a small Opus stuffed figure since high school (circa 1987) and it's sat on my desk at every job I've ever had. (Personally, I think either Opus or Bill are the only masculinely-acceptable stuffys available...)

[Frank_Discussion]

Lefty? Certainly, but he never quite seemed insane and out-of-touch like that Troodough bastige.

[dfwgator]

Woo Hoo! Billy and the Boingers Reunion Tour '03!!

Bring back "Death Tongue"!

[StriperSniper]

Damn! I knew someone would beat me to that response, but little did I know it would be done by subterfuge. ;-)

[roballen]

Dittos to Calvin and Hobbes!

[SeaDragon]

Oh glorious day!!!!!!!!

I have so missed the little guy.

[Duramaximus]

This is GREAT NEWS!!!! Go OPUS!

[TheBigB]

I always laugh at the memory of my favorite single strip...Steve and the Boys down in the basement ready to rehearse, with Steve saying he'd written some of the most hard-core metal crunch music in the world, Bill whispering in his ear, then Steve saying, "Attention: there will be no...repeat, NO duets with Julio Iglesias this session!"

[Prof Engineer]

ping

[Coop]

You need a dandelion break.

ROTFLMAO!!

[Coop]

(Personally, I think either Opus or Bill are the only masculinely-acceptable stuffys available...)

I'm rather fond of my Anna K. doll.

[Spruce]

[AZhardliner]

Wonderful, we can once again lie among the dasies and gaze into the sky in our jockey shorts. I wonder is Opus will wear colored ones ?

[opus86]

I agree, Breathed's a lefty. My guess is that he'll poke fun at GWB, but it's likely to be more funny than annoying, unlike the material coming from Trudeau or McGruder.

Hopefully he'll have Senator Bedfellow make a visit or two.

[TheBigB]

He said stuffed, not blow-up, Coop.

[Frank_Discussion]

hehehehe... I just won't go there, I won't.

[Kieri]

Sounds great. Now if we could just get Bill Watterson to start drawing Calvin and Hobbes again

You and me both! There's a sick part of me that wants to see Calvin -- and his poor parents -- saddled with a new baby sister.

We almost named our son, now 13, Calvin. It turns out our second child, a daughter, is more of the Calvin type!

[Coop]

He said stuffed, not blow-up, Coop.

Picky, picky.

[cogitator]

Remember the "Us" concert series (because "all the money goes to US!")?

Van Halen's lead singer (David Lee Roth at that time) grabbed Opus and lifted him over his head, yelling "Let's rock!!" or something to that effect.

Opus was pointing and said, "OHH great... now they're burning the Porta-Potties".

Still gives me a belly-laugh. And there were so many more like that.

[Spruce]

Don't forget getting Gary Larson back to doing "The Far Side".

[Kieri]

Of course back when I read Bloom County, I was pretty apolitcal, but Breathed seemed to be pretty far to the left, he especially skewered Reagan. But he did also make fun of liberals too, but clearly Breathed is a lefty.

I always loved his spoofs of Charles and Diana, especially after William was born and had his own thoughts on life. We found our "Bloom County" anthologies after combing through long-taped boxes from two moves ago. The Charles & Diana strips are still just as charming, if a little sad.

[opus86]

I think I still have my Boingers 45 album, which came as part of the book. If I recall correctly, it contained the classic single, "I Love You (But You Stink)".

[TheBigB]

I remember the strips with Steve and Bill appearing before Tipper Gore's committee...Steve saying "Cooperation, Madame Committee Chairwoman, is our second name." And Bill in the same panel yelling, "SOLD MY SOUL TO ROCK N' ROLL! AACK!"

Trivia question...which company sponsored the one (and only) Boingers World Tour?

[Phsstpok]

several years ago there was a one time "benefit" event of some sort where lots of artists traded their daily strips. The one I really remembered was where Wiley (non-Sequitur) drew Hagar the Horrible. It had a little mideavil accountant type trying to collect taxes from Hagar, while Hagar "persuaded" him with a big war hammer. I loved it.

OK, I just did a Google and found it.  It was the "great April Fools Switcheroonie" on 4/1/98.  It was a systems analyst and "sneak attack with a big honkin mallet" was the comback... well, see for yourself.

I'm going to try to link the picture, but if that fails it's at:

http://www.reuben.org/rosenthal/april%20fools/hagar.html

[Timesink]

Yes! Yes! YES! I knew it was only a matter of time...

ACK Phffht!

[Politicalmom]

YAY!!

You can only re-read the books every so often. I miss my fix!!!

[Politicalmom]

YAY!!

You can only re-read the books every so often. I miss my fix!!!

[Grammy]

My favorite Far Side cartoon.....
A jar with wild animals in it.
Titled "Wildlife preserves".

[Politicalmom]

Oops. Sorry. That comment wasn't profound enough for a repeat..... : )

[new cruelty]

From the article:

I can't say it wouldn't be appealing to bring back Opus to the Sunday pages," Breathed told those gathered, according to Editor & Publisher. "It was painful to sit through the war without a public voice."

I wonder what his voice would have said.

[far sider]

[Timesink]

I have had a small Opus stuffed figure since high school (circa 1987) and it's sat on my desk at every job I've ever had. (Personally, I think either Opus or Bill are the only masculinely-acceptable stuffys available...)

Me too!