Penguin Dreams and Stranger Things

by Berkeley Breathed

Enter the bizarre, profound, hilarious and peculiar world of Opus the Penguin. These newspaper comics were stand-alone funny in their time and, almost always, topical and thought provoking. The world of these lovable characters carried the flavor of the times in which they were penned and offered commentary on many of the political happenings - greed, political faux pas, scandals, sloth, feminism, racism and the pitfalls of love and having a tender heart were all fair game for this artist.

Genres: Comics, Humor, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comic Strips, Cartoon, Graphic Novels Comics

120 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Guy Berkeley "Berke" Breathed is an American cartoonist, children's book author/illustrator, director, and screenwriter, best known for Bloom County, a 1980s cartoon-comic strip which dealt with socio-political issues as seen through the eyes of highly exaggerated characters (e.g. Bill the Cat and Opus the Penguin) and humorous analogies.

Reviews

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is yet another collection of fantastic comics from the satirical genius Berkeley Breathed about his Bloom County and the various characters - ACK! - that inhabit his imaginary world that nevertheless speaks very clearly about the insanity of the Raygun era. 5 stars for humour as well as creativity and sarcasm!

[Zorlon Zorlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah! Revisiting the lost, politically-charged and surreal comic strip of my youth continues! What a gem, just what a fucking great comic. Way more relevant and poignant than much of what's going on out there even today. The highlights here: Opus the Penguin goes to Antarctica to find his mother but ends up on a Greenpeace anti-whaling ship; the late Bill the Cat becomes a presidential candidate; the late Bill the Cat returns from the dead at a political convention; Michael Jackson comes to Bloom County and so on.
There's rips on nuclear fear, the media's treatment of major issues like serial killers, cultists--sheer genius! I can't but recommend!

[Duane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Bloom County and it's great cast of characters but after rereading this book, it's amazing how much it loses due to the passing of time. The thing is, most of the strips focus on individual people and events that are time specific and sadly those times are almost forgotten. Now I'm still a fan of him and there are strips in this book that still make me laugh out loud, but I think you have to be a older person to enjoy this book as much as it deserves.

[Karen]

Nostalgia read. I grew up with Breathed’s books on the family bookshelf, alongside Garfield and Herman and For Better or For Worse (Canadian context.) Breathed was one of the more political of the popular cartoonists of the eighties, and it’s interesting to see how US politics have changed since then. A few jokes and gags feel outdated, but on the whole he punches up and takes a live-and-let-live approach to race, sexuality, and gender. His art is of course wonderful, so expressive and able to carry a joke even without text. A pleasure to revisit.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of the awesomeness that was Bloom County. Now, I hear that Breathed revived the strip in 2015 on his Facebook page (WHY wasn't this front page news? I'm JUST finding out about this in August of 2016, News Media!) but I have no idea where to go to read the strips since it returned. Still, I cannot recommend Penguin Dreams and Stranger Things highly enough. Someday I will replace my lost (or stolen) copy.

[Mat Brewster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up at a used bookstore on a whim. I had forgotten how much I love Bloom County. Some of it is quite dated as Breathed uses a lot of pop culture/political references, but its still very funny and often insightful.

[Al McCarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third paperback collection of Bloom County, published in 1985, full of 1984 strips that ruled my world at age 16. Had to have this on publication, though I tried to clip every strip from the paper.
Adored the Maxfield Parrish homage on the cover. Inside, photo essay by Milo Bloom, with gorgeous pencil illustrations from Breathed. Plus: Opus and Greenpeace, Tess Turbo, Portnoy and Hodge Podge dress as duck hunters, a lot of Michael Jackson, remembering Bill the Cat, returning Bill the Cat, presidential politics, Steve Dallas and his clients, Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Bill & Opus, anxiety closet, Oliver, more Bill, Bagwan, Betty Ford.
Those were the days.

[David Erkale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Run along with the flow as Opus attempts to find his mother in the first story arc of this collection. Breathed's art and comedy works to a premise, and I find many of the contents great. For everybody!

[spike marlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great comic. Even after all of these years it makes me laugh. There is lots of situations from the presidential campaign to Bill the Cat running off to join a cult.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

All 4 stars are for Steve Dallas’ successful defense of the axe murderer.

[Ianju Gytnnrq30 4y3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

twisted

[Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

read it

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun look back to the 80s with Opus and friends.

[Elaine Meszaros · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a refreshingly amusing and light read, I have been plugging away through a bunch of collections of Berk Breathed's comics. I'm amazed at what an excellent barometer of popular culture and politics Breathed's (the creator of Opus and Bloom County) comics are. In particular, the Penguin Dreams proves the adage of "same ol' same ol." Originally published at the end of the Reagan era, the comic touches on being a liberal in a conservative world (liberal commentators screaming "VOLVO!" on a talk-radio show), the Jews hating the Arabs hating the Christians hating the secularists hating..., snarky commentary about no fan in their right mind waiting 15 years for a Star Wars sequel and needing to just go sit in the dandelions for a bit. Funny, articulate and amazingly clear-visioned. Ack!

[Ray Dunsmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloom County, in my opinion, is a perfect way to understand that strange, stupid decade known as the '80s. The strip meanders its way along all of the little obsessions and spotlight darlings that used their 15 minutes of fame long ago and displays them like trapped bugs in amber to be studied and gawked. The strip is dated, but the humor is still as witty and biting as it's always been. Society's still obsessed with TV moguls and famous nobodies as it's always been, there's still infomercials hawking the same piles of crap with different names, and there's still the same old politics of personality. The only things that changed are the names.

[Conan Tigard · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Bloom County became no more, I was saddened. Even though Berke Breathed is no longer creating this wonderful comic strip, having a little piece of this hilarious comic is something I will always treasure.

I have found over the years that I pull out these books and peruse them again and again, even though I have read them before. The interaction of Milo, Binkley and Opus has always brought me back for more. And I absolutely love Franklin and all the trouble he gets into hacking on his PC and his exploration into all types of sciences; like Chemistry and Astronomy.

You can't do much better than Bloom County for pages of laughs.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloom County is one of my all time favorite strips. The characters are diverse and unique; not always cutsie-pootsie. They make comments on society and politics without being too "in your face". So when I found several old Bloom County books in Goodwill I was in Bloom County Heaven and had to read them all the way through! What a wonderful trip down memory lane. A perfect commentary on the times (this one was published in 1985), and it's still funny after all these years!

[Bill Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penguin Dreams and Stranger Things has several classic Berkeley Breathed strips. He poked fun at everything and everyone. This is pure satire that is still relevant today. Berkeley Breathed has a wonderful grasp on what is important in life and what needs to be made fun of. I really enjoy his work.

[Solitairerose]

A comic strip this is wonderfully done, but is getting to the age where it needs an appendix in order to understand the pop culture references. For people who lived through the 80's, it'll be fun, but people born IN the 80's or beyond will struggle to understand half of the punch lines.

[Micah Jaffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to understand me, read this. It is the backbone to my funny bone. Bloom County – along with Calvin & Hobbes and The Far Side – did so much for my little brain I can not express the depth and width of their impact.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this stuff. Up in my head, there are hundreds of references that no one else ever gets.

Basset Hounds got long ears.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sure wish he was still writing these.

[bluetyson]

isbn,original

[Spudsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oliver and his Bananna Jr. computer

USS Starchair "Enterpoop"

Opus' search for his mom. (Sniffle)

Binkley's dad quitting smoking

Tess Turbo

Election year politics--Bloom County style

[Millerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloom County was politically savvy, timely, and funny - I still go back and laugh out loud at it.

[Curtiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

...and Stranger Things, concludes the title, as we take yet another tour of Bloom County.

[RK Byers · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was pretty good too.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best comic strips; I've read this book so many times the pages are falling out!

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 3 out of 5]

read in 2008

[Kyrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opus' dreams make mine seem ... normal.