Why Their Work Lives Here
Breathed’s art resonates with our love of storytelling and layered emotion. His characters — quirky, flawed, and deeply human — mirror the spirit of our collection. Like many families, we grew up with Bloom County, and his work still sparks laughter, reflection, and nostalgia in our home.
Our Art by this Artist:
Birthdate:
June 21, 1957 at 12:00:00 AM
Nationality:
US
Style:
Satirical Cartoon Realism
Notable Works:
Bloom County (Pulitzer Prize, 1987); Opus
Artist Website:
About
Berkeley Breathed is a Pulitzer Prize–winning American cartoonist best known for his iconic comic strip Bloom County. With a background in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, he launched the strip in 1980, blending sharp satire with whimsical storytelling. His characters — Opus the Penguin, Bill the Cat, and others — became cultural touchstones, appearing in more than 1,200 newspapers at the strip’s peak.
After retiring Bloom County in 1989, Breathed continued with Outland and Opus, and later revived Bloom County in 2015 with new strips shared directly with fans. He is also a celebrated children’s author, known for books like Mars Needs Moms! and Flawed Dogs. Beloved for its emotional depth, irreverent humor, and quiet humanity, Breathed’s work continues to resonate across generations.