Berkeley Breathed — Robots! Muppets! Slashers!
Bloom County, April 10, 1983
It’s summer movie season, which seems like a good excuse to pull out this great Bloom County Sunday strip by Berkeley Breathed.
Published in 1983, it’s a classic jab at Hollywood’s endless need to recycle formulas and chase the next big thing.
As usual, Breathed’s real gift isn’t just the punchline—it’s the way the dialogue spirals completely off the rails while still sounding oddly believable. Hasn’t everyone had some version of this conversation at one time or another? (Okay, maybe not with a talking penguin.)
Forty-three years later, movie fans are still having the same arguments. The difference is that now a lot of them happen online—or from the couch. With giant TVs, terrific home theater setups, and more streaming options than any sane person could ever watch, it’s easier than ever to skip the theater entirely.
But if you do make it out to one this summer—and you should—
Don’t forget the Goobers.
(I actually do love those.)
Breathed, enjoying some quality time with the EC Artists Edition at my old IDW Publishing office (Liberty Station, Point Loma, San Diego), circa 2015.