Lani's Blog

Opus says Goodnight Moon and to us

One of my favorite cartoons has ended: Opus. Berkely Breathed (BB) has been preparing us, the audience, for the end for a while but still it seemed like a blow to the gut. I'm glad the character "chose well" where he wanted to be remembered. You can see him sleeping in a Good Night Moon book that Steve Dallas is holding.


http://www.comics.com/opus/


http://www.hsus.org/forms/the_opus_contest.html





BB says (on his website) that Opus is not dead but napping and he will be appearing in his (BB's) children's books. I dunno. It must sound like heaven to the bemused befuddled lovable penguin. So I guess this is my remembrance of him.





I suppose one of the reason's for this entry is that with Opus gone so is apart of my young adulthood. I grew up and politically aware about the same time Bloom County (BB's first strip) and Opus made their appearance. I followed their antics. I remember the first strip about MTV. Wow that's dating me. Opus learning to talk by talking to a Hare Krishna or Hairy Fishnuts as he called them. Just as Apple computer exploded onto the scene there the one with what's-his-name the African-American nerd being chased in a dream by a slide ruler as he clutched his computer. And the Bill the Cat for President campaign and Opus for VP. I love the strip, where after a hard day on the campaign trail, he snoozes and then snorts because he smells baby pee on his tie. I forget which election they were mocking Reagan/Bush or Bush/Quayle maybe.





I remember the strips of John the wheelchair vet playing Star Trek with Milo, Binkly and the gang. And Opus bringing up the rear.  It was good to see that they made an appearance in the 2nd to last strip. Riding across the meadow, waving good bye to us. That's actually where I thought BB was going to send Opus. On a long dandelion/meadow break.





I understand why BB ended the strip. He felt that increasing nasty political climate was beginning affecting his character. He sees himself as cross between Charles Schulz and Micheal Moore. I always saw him as the softer side of Doonesbury. Liberal but not head pounding, in your face offensive. So Opus took his final bow before his creator's bitterness could infect the character and the strip. This article has the complete interview with BB and his reasons.


http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2008/10/18/opus/





And some cynics think that this is just a break for our hero bird. That after a suitable rest, BB will bring him back to the comic pages. I dunno. Maybe. I hope not. If BB is getting as bitter and angry as he says he is, lets let Opus nap. 








Just a side note. The  last couple of weeks of strips has been about how you are remembered. How you spend your last days. Remember what happened to Elvis. So Steve Dallas will be remembered as running around in a shower cap and  towel, dropping it for a laugh and guiding us to the end. That look of compassion. Weird for a lawyer.