Bloom County Episode XI: A New Hope

Reviving his cult-classic comic strip—which ended its original run in 1989—in 2015 was a smart move for Breathed. He posts the strips on Facebook to a large audience without the stress of a daily schedule or the shrinking size of newspaper comics. It’s a fond and familiar return as well as a new start: Opus confronts Google and Twitter; Binkley’s anxiety closet now contains global warming, George Lucas, and man buns. Aside from the modern trappings, it’s a familiar Bloom County, where wit and silliness abound. Breathed’s art is more fluid and detailed than his newspaper days, and his pitch-perfect comic timing confirms this strip’s masterpiece status. It’s beautiful, too, taking advantage of a richer palette of colors than what can be reproduced in newspapers. His characters continue to be relatable and human (including that plump, balding penguin). Even Steve Dallas grows a heart. Bloom County is both an escape from and a mirror to our complicated modern world. (Sept.)