Bloom County's second reboot collection: the election of 2016 and beyond

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/07/26/raining-cows.html

When Donald Trump entered the election race, it brought Bloom County creator Berkeley Breathed out of a much-deserved retirement to lampoon Cheeto Hitler as only Milo, Opus, Bill and the gang could; the first collection chronicled the 2016 campaign, and a second collection, Brand Spanking New Day is a comic snapshot of one of the weirdest, worst years in living American memory.

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typically I don’t like it when people go to nazi references (because really, there’s no comparison) but “Cheeto Hitler” omg I’m dying - how have I never heard that before, there’s even an urban dictionary reference for it

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The Daily Texan has featured some truly wretched comic strips (well, it is a college newspaper, even if it beats the hell out of the local), but by god it gave us Berkeley Breathed. And Sam Hurt’s hallucinogenic take on reality.

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“Cow shower.” I love it! Thanks for bringing this to my attention. So much for being fiscally responsible this month.

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Wait, is this the first time Bill the Cat actually says something with intelligible words? That would be a momentous occasion!

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Well, there was the time when he had Trump’s brain… but that doesn’t really count.

I need to get this book and read them all, but my guess is that Bill talking in this strip is the final sign of shit going really, really awry.

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The strip is as good as it’s ever been. All on Breathed’s Facebook page, for those still using that. It’s making the apocalypse a lot more entertaining. :slight_smile:

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I bought the first book collecting the new series, have most of the old books on one of my bookshelves, and bought the digital versions of the original series through a Humble Book Bundle awhile back. Bloom County, Calvin & Hobbes and The Far Side were my favorite strips from my youth.

That said, while I have a FB account, I don’t do what you would call “Facebook” really. I’m “following” Berkeley Breathed, but not really following him.

I just ordered this book and pre-ordered the next one.

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Ayup. :smiley:

I just ordered Episode XI: A New Hope which will be very nice, versus going one by one on Facebook, which sucks. I’ll def pick up the new one when it hits.

I also have a Bill the Cat plush on preorder. :slight_smile:

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I’ve enjoyed the revival, but watching Binkley turn into a lying arsonist has been pretty depressing. Which may have been the point.

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I still have my stuffed Opus that a friend gave me holy crap that was 30 years ago.

Best comic strip evar. At least in the first run, haven’t seen any of this revival.

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My ancient stuffed Opus is MIA right now, but I think he might show up again someday.

I think Opus was my first bbs name, a little while back now… :slight_smile:

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Ah yes, just found my 80s vintage Eyebeam collections. Good to see Hurt is still keeping it surreal, as well.

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Nope. There was a Sunday comic partway through the original run (even from before he got Trump’s brain). Also, there were the “Life and Death of Bill the Cat” Sunday strips where he sang on Broadway (in an Annie parody).

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Absolutely my favourite cartoon strip of all time. Bill and Opus got me through some tough times. If only more of America had taken the Meadow Party more seriously in 2016:

And damn, I might just need to order that Bill the Cat plush - it’ll bring a certain dignity to my work desk.

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Cool. I need to get these. I gave up following the new strips after a couple of weeks because Facebook.

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There was also the time he became an evangelical pastor named Oral Bill. Not sure if envangelism — or even satirical evangelism — counts as “intelligible.”

I think Cheeto Mussolini works better.

They can also be followed on Twitter and GoComics.

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Well awesome. I was about to reply that I should buy the books anyway so as to support the creator but I have a feeling Berkeley Breathed probably doesn’t really need my support.