One of America's most popular illustrators, Berkeley Breathed won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize. His comic strips Bloom County and Outland ran for a total of 14 years in more than 1,000 newspapers around the world, and his books of collected strips have been perennial bestsellers. This collection is about Opus.
OPUS: 25 Years of His Sunday Best
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Berkeley Breathed is the author of twelve comic strip collections, as well as numerous acclaimed picture books. He lives in Southern California.
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More About the Author
Berkeley Breathed lives and works in Santa Barbara, California and is the proud owner of a gentle pit bull named Ridley, a deaf dachshund named Milly, and a refugee mutt from the Puerto Rican streets named Pilar--splendidly flawed dogs, every one.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
By A. Ort
Format:Hardcover
Oh how I miss Bloom County. Especially the loveable penguin named Opus who was truly the essence of Bloom County. If you don't remember the strip, this book probably won't mean a whole lot to you. The original is necessary as a foundation to make sense of his mannerisms, his foibles and his overall neurotic worldview that made him so loveable in the first place.
If you remember the strip, this is a nice book to peruse to stir up old memories. While the limitation is that many of these are removed from their original context and thus limiting the punch line, they still stand on their own.
As for Outland, what's to be said? It was innovative in that it was a Sunday only strip but it lost support over time. Turns out that minus the other characters, it wasn't as loveable. You can see the other characters slowly making their way back into the strip. Berkeley Breathed obviously missed them. But all the Outland strips are here.
The last several strips are entitled 'Opus' and show Mr. Breathed breathing a little more life into Opus. The characters are drawn in more detail and with more color and flair. Apparently the artistic freedom enticed him to be a bit more adventurous. Yet the other characters are still lingering underneath and behind. But you can't go back.
The full colors are brilliant and the size of the book makes it quite enjoyable on its artistic merit alone. Yet it tells a story of Bloom County and of Mr. Breathed himself in the lessons of life: loving, losing and realizing, almost sorrowfully, that you really can't go back. Yet there is still a glimmer of hope in ol' Opus that makes this book quite a little treasure.
If you remember the strip, this is a nice book to peruse to stir up old memories. While the limitation is that many of these are removed from their original context and thus limiting the punch line, they still stand on their own.
As for Outland, what's to be said? It was innovative in that it was a Sunday only strip but it lost support over time. Turns out that minus the other characters, it wasn't as loveable. You can see the other characters slowly making their way back into the strip. Berkeley Breathed obviously missed them. But all the Outland strips are here.
The last several strips are entitled 'Opus' and show Mr. Breathed breathing a little more life into Opus. The characters are drawn in more detail and with more color and flair. Apparently the artistic freedom enticed him to be a bit more adventurous. Yet the other characters are still lingering underneath and behind. But you can't go back.
The full colors are brilliant and the size of the book makes it quite enjoyable on its artistic merit alone. Yet it tells a story of Bloom County and of Mr. Breathed himself in the lessons of life: loving, losing and realizing, almost sorrowfully, that you really can't go back. Yet there is still a glimmer of hope in ol' Opus that makes this book quite a little treasure.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
When I was a kid, the first section of the newspaper I would pick up to read was the comics. And beginning in the late 1980s, one of the first strips I would look for everyday (especially on Sunday) was "Bloom County." The strip was like no other. Inventive. Original. Funny. Very funny.
Then came along a naive penguin named Opus. Before long, Opus had taken over "Bloom County." Eventually, Opus had run for Vice President, played the tuba in a heavy metal band, and took on a cockroach as a pet.
Opus was always my favorite "Bloom County" character. His antics would often keep my in stitches each day. When the strip ended in 1989, I knew the comics page would never be the same. Although a Sunday only version called "Outland" started the following month, it just wasn't the same.
Eight years after "Outland" ended, the Sunday comics got a new shot in the arm when Berkeley returned with "Opus." Our favorite penguin was back, and better than ever. Only time will tell if the new strip can match the original, but so far so good.
And now for Opus fans everywhere, Berkeley Breathed has brought together some of his favorite Opus strips from all three cartoons. Included in this collection are introductions by Berkeley to each series, including a small sample of the fake cartoon he drew for the movie "Secondhand Lions." Thanks to these fake strips, he decided to get back into drawing and Opus made his return.
This book is a great collection of strips that will take those of us who remember "Bloom County" and "Outland" down memory lane. For those of you whose first introduction to Opus was the Sunday comic of the same name, this book will show you the transformation that our favorite penguin has gone through over the years.
"Opus" is a very funny book that you will enjoy reading again and again.
Then came along a naive penguin named Opus. Before long, Opus had taken over "Bloom County." Eventually, Opus had run for Vice President, played the tuba in a heavy metal band, and took on a cockroach as a pet.
Opus was always my favorite "Bloom County" character. His antics would often keep my in stitches each day. When the strip ended in 1989, I knew the comics page would never be the same. Although a Sunday only version called "Outland" started the following month, it just wasn't the same.
Eight years after "Outland" ended, the Sunday comics got a new shot in the arm when Berkeley returned with "Opus." Our favorite penguin was back, and better than ever. Only time will tell if the new strip can match the original, but so far so good.
And now for Opus fans everywhere, Berkeley Breathed has brought together some of his favorite Opus strips from all three cartoons. Included in this collection are introductions by Berkeley to each series, including a small sample of the fake cartoon he drew for the movie "Secondhand Lions." Thanks to these fake strips, he decided to get back into drawing and Opus made his return.
This book is a great collection of strips that will take those of us who remember "Bloom County" and "Outland" down memory lane. For those of you whose first introduction to Opus was the Sunday comic of the same name, this book will show you the transformation that our favorite penguin has gone through over the years.
"Opus" is a very funny book that you will enjoy reading again and again.
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By Buckykatt
Format:Hardcover
I have just received this book after a long pre-order time and I laughed out loud the moment I opened it. Not at any particular strip as I've yet to fully read and enjoy them, which I know I will, but at the inside cover art. You'll know what I mean when you get your copy in your hands.
I'd read Bloom County faithfully for many years and Outland for it's entire existance. Collected the compendiums and some merchandise.
Feeling a kinship with the "little penguin that could" makes me even more pleased to have all of his best adventures in one place. The book is very aesthetically pleasing, printed on slick paper and with beautiful attention to detail, colors and clarity.
If you were ever a fan of of Bloom County, Outland or just Opus himself, do yourself a favor and pick this book up. I guarantee a smile and some very sweet memories. If you are new to Opus and Co., I'm sure you'll be hooked after you read this book.
I'd read Bloom County faithfully for many years and Outland for it's entire existance. Collected the compendiums and some merchandise.
Feeling a kinship with the "little penguin that could" makes me even more pleased to have all of his best adventures in one place. The book is very aesthetically pleasing, printed on slick paper and with beautiful attention to detail, colors and clarity.
If you were ever a fan of of Bloom County, Outland or just Opus himself, do yourself a favor and pick this book up. I guarantee a smile and some very sweet memories. If you are new to Opus and Co., I'm sure you'll be hooked after you read this book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Killing of a Penguin
I lost a friend with Opus was "killed off." Plenty of cartoons have survived their original authors. It's in the author's hands what to do with a popular cartoon. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Alan
1.0 out of 5 stars
How could they make such a stupid mistake?
I've always been a huge fan of Bloom County. HUGE. It's basically what got me interested in politics in the first place, and I've owned most of their compilation books in... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Robert Martinez
5.0 out of 5 stars
OPUS
I read these in the paper while Mr. Breathed was doing a daily/weekly strip. My grandchildren have discovered how awesome his work is and spend hours reading and re-reading all of... Read more
Published 2 months ago by mary a echols
1.0 out of 5 stars
Don't get the Kindle version
I love Berke Breathed work, but this electronic version is an insult to the quality of his work.
The comic strips are badly scanned with a low-resolution that makes them... Read more
The comic strips are badly scanned with a low-resolution that makes them... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Tom
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book at FRACTION of store price!!!
This book is at a brand new condition level! I love this book and whereever I saw it advertised or listed, it was at a MUCH higher price than what I purchased this through Amazon... Read more
Published on April 18, 2011 by elvisonstage
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great collection, bad Kindle version
This is a great collection, I know that since I have the dead tree version. However, I expected the Kindle version to have much higher resolution images. Read more
Published on November 27, 2010 by Peder
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another Classic Compressed - image artifacting
I've had the hardback for a while, but couldn't resist the digital version. This is a great book and covers a lot of history. Read more
Published on July 15, 2010 by Kou Uraki
5.0 out of 5 stars
funny papers in print
This collection is the the 25 years of the best and funniest of Opus and his pals. A good book if you enjoy the Bloom County series.
Published on April 22, 2010 by Donna
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's still funny
I don't know where he gets all his ideas but he continues to be an artist who can make me laugh, even when he's making fun of my sacred cows.
Published on March 3, 2010 by Robert E. Richter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic
This is a classic. Everyone should have Berleley Breathed books as coffee table items.
Published on May 15, 2009 by R. Rountree
