Опус: Комикстер жолағының тарихы

2003–2008 comic strip by Berkeley Breathed

Opus was a Sunday strip drawn by Berkeley Breathed from November 23, 2003, to November 2, 2008. It was Breathed's fourth comic strip, following The Academia Waltz, Bloom County and Outland. Set in Bloom County, the satirical strip featured Breathed's character Opus the Penguin. It was launched on November 23, 2003, and was syndicated by The Washington Post Writers Group. In early October 2008, the author declared he was terminating the strip because of his expectation that the United States was going to face tough times and his desire to depart from his most famous character "on a lighter note".

Opus is the title character and protagonist of the strip. Though he returned to Antarctica at the end of Outland, Opus traveled back home to Bloom County, only to find that time has changed everything and everyone he once held dear. His employment usually depended on the week's joke – since Opus began, he has so far been a political operative, a garbageman, and a newspaper ombudsman – but he was most often depicted as a syndicated cartoonist. While his mother, maiden name Bougm, was no longer "long lost," she was not all he had imagined her to be after a decades long search, and he was frequently seeking the comfort of an ideal mother figure. In a 2003 interview with The A. V. Club, Breathed revealed that "Opus was named after a Kansas song." (The band's 1976 album Leftoverture includes the song "Opus Insert" and a suite called "Magnum Opus".) He also added, "If you're too young to know who Kansas was, to hell with you."

Bill the Cat – the first of Opus' old friends to re emerge (just months into the strip), Bill seemed to be the only one completely unchanged by time. Still in a state of catatonia, he was occasionally tapped to run for political office but most often seen relaxing by Opus' side. He did not appear in many strips through the summer and fall of 2008, though. Steve Dallas – Steve was reintroduced little more than a year in, making him the only character to have appeared in a major role in all four of Breathed's comic strips. Steve, who had come out as gay at the end of Outland, was back to his former chauvinistic ways, apparently as a result of so called "reparative therapy" (i. e., conversion therapy). Steve's lack of ability to charm women, however, remained. He had aged quite noticeably and appeared to be in his mid 50s, with graying temples and a receding hairline, but still retained his trademark sunglasses. Pickles – A little girl with a little bit of "snarky energy" (she first appeared as a self proclaimed Viking princess), Pickles immediately began tagging along with Opus and Bill. She appeared much less frequently towards the end of the strip's run. Auggie Dallas – Steve's long lost son, reunited with his father after many years. He had nothing but admiration for Steve, even though Steve was sometimes reluctant to act like a father figure. His name may be a reference to Augie Doggie. Michael Binkley – A longtime friend of Opus who began appearing in the strip after a somewhat unexplained twelve year absence (see below). He appeared as he did in Bloom County, inexplicably not aging as Steve Dallas had.