Berkeley Breathed’s Pulitzer Prize-winning comic strip Bloom County is returning to prince in a new, accessible series of trade paperbacks this fall. One of the most popular and critically acclaimed newspaper strips of all time (and currently in development for a series with FOX), the collected comics will roll out in five editions from IDW Publishing beginning this September with Bloom County Library: Book One.
Full of humor and colorful characters, Breathed’s comic strips were published worldwide in over 1,200 newspapers on a daily basis from December 8, 1980 to August 6, 1989. The first volume of IDW’s Library features the strips from 1980 to 1982, introducing the beloved Opus the Penguin, as well as Bill the Cat, Cutter John, Michael Binkley, Milo Bloom and Steve Dallas.
“To be ironic, we originally published these collections bound beautifully in kiln-dried housecat hide (natural causes), which was an aromatic mistake. I can’t tell everyone how happy I am that they’re now available in nun leather,” Breathed quipped in IDW’s announcement.
Book One on paperback (no cats involved) will contain insightful commentary by Breathed on his quirky creations, with a new introduction for the fall 2022 release. Every strip, from the very first until the last, are presented in chronological order — giving longtime fans an opportunity to reconnect with their old inky friends, and for new readers to get acquainted with this Opus opus.
“Bloom County has, for the past 40 years, been a source of constant joy, and with IDW releasing the Eisner Award-winning complete library as an accessible softcover, we are truly thrilled to be able to introduce these books to a whole new generation of fans, as well as all you longtime true believers,” said Scott Dunbier, IDW’s Director of Special Projects.
The popularity of Bloom County spawned a merchandising bonanza, as well as two spin-off strips, Outland and Opus. The strip’s first paperback collection, Loose Tails, sold over one million copies. Over 25 years after the original run ended in 1989, Bloom County came roaring back in 2015 with new strips to make sense of today’s increasingly nonsensical world.
In February, it was announced that Bloom County would be developed as an animated series at FOX through its animation studio, Bento Box Entertainment, with Miramax, Spyglass Media Group and Project X Entertainment.
Bloom County Library: Book One is available for pre-order via booksellers and comic book specialty retailers (SRP $34.99 US / $53.99 CAN). For more details and pre-order options, visit Penguin Random House or visit comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.
