Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Reviving his cult-classic comic strip-which ended its original run in 1989-in 2015 was a smart move for Breathed. He posts the strips on Facebook to a large audience without the stress of a daily schedule or the shrinking size of newspaper comics. It's a fond and familiar return as well as a new start: Opus confronts Google and Twitter; Binkley's anxiety closet now contains global warming, George Lucas, and man buns. Aside from the modern trappings, it's a familiar Bloom County, where wit and silliness abound. Breathed's art is more fluid and detailed than his newspaper days, and his pitch-perfect comic timing confirms this strip's masterpiece status. It's beautiful, too, taking advantage of a richer palette of colors than what can be reproduced in newspapers. His characters continue to be relatable and human (including that plump, balding penguin). Even Steve Dallas grows a heart. Bloom County is both an escape from and a mirror to our complicated modern world. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Illustrator, writer, and Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Breathed returns to Bloom County after a 26-year hiatus. The glorious revisiting of the comic's old visual and sardonic stomping grounds, first seen from 1980 to 1989, is infused with a delightful freshness. Familiar characters such as Opus the penguin and Bill the cat are still mainstays, but guest appearances by political luminaries and lots of Star Wars "walk-on" celebrities are also featured. A few snippets comprise traditional four-panel gags, while others present serial pages of related themes. All are quite amusing. Verdict The inked line work alone is funny. The style, though much aligned with the original strip, has a lively, new, energized vitality. Mixing black-and-white pages with spots of color moves this comic into the field of artistic design. Bloom County fans will love this collection, which will be a cherished tome of smart alecks everywhere.-Russell Miller, Prescott P.L., AZ © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
