Person Biography:
Berkeley Breathed began his illustrious art career in high school, where he created a headless spaceman outside his ship, and then cleverly used red paint to create the illusion of an explosion, titling it "Gesundheit". This innovative and attention-grabbing piece marked the beginning of his artistic journey.
Breathed continued to hone his craft, drawing filler cartoons for his local newspaper, which eventually caught the attention of his editor. However, his creative liberties led to a humorous and unexpected consequence - his editor's front lawn was vandalized with a cartoon called "Honky Trek", a parody of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The incident sparked a frenzy among Star Trek fans, who hung a dummy from the editor's elm tree, complete with the cartoon stuck in its chest, as a playful yet mischievous gesture.
In the early 1980s, Breathed began drawing "Bloom County", a political satire, for college newspapers. The strip's bold and irreverent humor, often focusing on swinging lawyer Steve Dallas and an unnamed elderly woman, quickly gained a cult following and soon became syndicated. The strip's popularity snowballed, leading to a nation-wide recognition and a massive marketing campaign.
Breathed's creative genius reached new heights with the introduction of Opus, an insecure penguin who reflected the political conscience of America. Opus became a cultural icon of the 1980s, with various merchandise, including dolls, cartoons, action figures, telephones, and books, dedicated to his character.
The 1980s also saw the creation of Bill the Cat, a Garfield-inspired character who was the exact opposite of Opus - a drug-addicted, chain-smoking, and hard-partying rocker who had been in and out of detox. The contrast between Opus and Bill was a perfect blend of humor and satire, which further cemented Breathed's position as a master of his craft.
The end of the 1980s marked the conclusion of "Bloom County", which led to a memorable and humorous confrontation between Breathed and billionaire Donald Trump, who had acquired the rights to the strip. Breathed retaliated by having his comic strip characters get fired by Trump, who had a freak accident and had his brain transplanted into Bill's head. The series finale was met with praise from fans, who declared it the best yet.
Breathed's next venture was "Outland", where Opus, Bill, and other beloved characters resurfaced in a utopia-like world. Although "Outland" had a successful four-year run, it faced criticism for its parody of the OJ Simpson trial. In 1995, Breathed ended "Outland", mirroring the conclusion of "Bloom County", and went on to create "Opus", a new comic strip featuring the beloved penguin and his friends.
