University of Arizona - Desert Yearbook (Tucson, AZ)

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...m FRe5Heum mm By Berke Breathed MP A5 mMITIve W V yiKm ONce have: F fcep a SLoeeeRm SA eK ' Twmep voeR w pmye hi6 character ■ ■ ■ ... 50,700, POeS MOPERH MAN GO 70 FACE. HI3 Fm RE IN -IMS. J dROUOHT ALOtJe A CYANIPE dUICIPe Flit. YXJNEm KNOW... ANP I MBNTKNEP VOi ' Re NICELY CMFY..ANP)W MMK QR A NEWiFAFER.. . jo( RN ic $r.. MPFY... ,.ANP YOUHeAR INOThER M)RP5,A SORT OFOOPZ UA- beOf WILL TYFEOFPUPe. GKBYTT moi,... TMT ' i 1 5MELL 57 mY CATASTROFHE ffREATH. UPONTHE Comic strips and cartoons were hot this year as artists designed them to present a satirical look at every day life through an animated microcosm. The Simpsons cartoon on Fox was one of the most watched as the program grabbed the 15th slot in the television polls. BLOOM COUNTY 221

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v N P ' V -V % Comic Strip Ronald-Ann went through the doorway to Outland and that was the end of the fictitional world commonly known as Bloom County . After more than 10 years of drawing the Pulitzer prize winning strip featuring Rosebud, the basselope. Bill the Cat, and Opus, the oft-confused waterfowl, creator Berkeley Breathed decided to bring his world of political and social com- mentary to a premature end. It was Breatheds feel- ing he did not want Bloom County to be- come boring and mundane over time, but rather go out with all the wit and social reflection it became famous for portraying. Americans were in an up- roar over this choice. Let- ter campaigns and groups were formed to protest Breathed ' s desision in an attempt to change his mind. However, the cam- paigns fell against deaf ears, as the decision was final and would not be changed. The loss of an American idol was at the forefront of everyone ' s mind, as the thought of Opus the pen- guin entering limbo, nev- er to be heard again. How- ever, new hope was re- stored as Breathed announced he would pro- duce a Sunday only strip, Outland , which would include one cast member from Bloom County . It seemed as if Opus would have a permanent home as Bloom County inched ever closer to its last strip. All characters had left the strip, with exception of Opus and a small black girl named after former presi- dent Ronald Reagan. Ronald-Ann attempted to bring Opus in to Out- land which was a fantasy world in which Ronald- Ann fled to escape the hor- rors of the real world. But, much to public dismay Opus may still not remain just a memory on faded t-shirts of Americans ev- erywhere. Breathed said he has not ruled out the possibility of Opus mak- ing an appearance in Out- land . With Outland Breathed hoped to take a more polit- ical stance than he showed previously in Bloom County by viewing the world from Ronald-Ann ' s perspective. The perspec- tive of Ronald-Ann may prove to be the voice of the 90 ' s as Bloom County was the voice of the 80 ' s. Whatever the future of Outland may be, for those of us who read Bloom County and shared in the characters ' misadventures will re- member it as the most pro- lific, most integral, and most memorable comic strip to grace the news- paper as it fades from the social scene with the turn- ing of a decade. — Patrick Fenimore l jAir... LBT 1 5 GU 55... YWm oermo aeAfjep t p w Meer VOUR Fi rURe IN-MW6 ML you ' Re fi LtTTie NeRvou6 mNOT To we or Ffrs... ' mi ( Bloom County THjRjm The tAuemiA ih rr tm MP FOif L H VB 50U0HT f HP 5NAReP WfVei , A TB OF miK woRjHmse has ...A fmt Of Quftuvf (mr J5 ONE WOULP 5NIFF PUPh FISH 5eF0ReflmN(} rr we SOUP. m IU0 ' I oermm i y folks mpi emMiNi TB. LOiAJheyPO KNOW eMaPt i i H (r we ' Re oewf e FOR fi SON-ltJ-UW, COfiGKATS. m (£poQGe WLL Be OH. TM OUR SOH IPPY, mJMti R. 6IR ifjea, I TOLP weM wcA mFROMwe se ...AHPTmr ' m ' RE eAsiLY uFser. n M FKOMWi .N OCSM. iLi-TeMpe I yeAH...yeA BREAK The MP H 6 wweorneR HOPFFULS. meRB ' s ®wvi f oseevpf HIS SPFifVt ftsmm

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iving away from home at time I be a blessing, while atr ' said concerning li tory. Living in a dl you were independent. You didn ' t have to listen to your parents or sibling complain about what needt ' to be done. And, you were responsi- ble for yourself and no one else. Yet with this new found independence came the realization of life. You shopped for your food, you had to wash your la ' - ' ' - ' - ' ' - ed somethinj had to make it. Living in a dorm taught people many skills that they will use throughout their adult lives. • Patrick J. Fenimore Dorm Daze sponsored a mul- titude of events including an earthball match-up on the mall. Photo by SPENCER WALTERS 222 DIVISION