After 10 years, Berkeley Breathed and Opus return to the comics pages, if only on Sundays (for now).

I know, I know ... Breathed's Bloom County was not just liberal, but leftist, although with healthy doses of common sense and cynicism, but it was still the most intelligent entry in the comics pages in the 80's. In fact, for the first half of its run, it was far more of a social commentary than a political soapbox. Even its quadrennial "presidential campaigns" of Bill and Opus were less about specific policy than the manner in which campaigns were run. It was great fun. If it got strident towards the end of its run, if it introduced stupid characters like that *&^%^%$ cockroach, if it couldn't handle female characters -- we forgave all that.

It was Bloom friggin' County, man. Until it became Outland, which became inexplicable, and then became extinct.

And now, maybe, just maybe ... Breathed can capture that lightning in a bottle again. It's almost enough for me to get a paper subscription again, although I'd be more likely to just sign up for a subscription to Comics.com, where I believe the strip will be available. (Thanks to Alicia at Twilight Cafe for the news!!)

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