Billy and the Boingers Bootleg

Reviewing this now because, after owning it for over 30 years and only reading it once, it's time to finally say goodbye. (For those of you who are curious and/or keeping track, I am doing the KonMari method). I loved this book and the silly record tucked inside it so much. I still do now. I still love it, but now it's more for nostalgia's sake, I suppose.
This was one of the first gifts I ever got from a friend. Like, a real friend-to-friend gift. Someone who knew me and picked it out for me himself- a Christmas gift given when this collection of strips was new, back in the '80s. He bought it, wrapped it, and made a special trip to bring it over to my house so I'd have it on time. I spent Christmas Eve reading it and loving it and just show more feeling seen, though "feeling seen" is not a phrase I picked up until sometime this century, and not particularly close to the beginning of it, either.
So, I ended up really getting into Bloom County and eventually caught up with the older copies and kept up with it until the whole series came to an end. My friend and I learned all the words to the two songs and danced like goofy 7th graders to it in his living room.
I have all the books still, but I won't for much longer. As much as I enjoyed it, I still don't think I ever reread them. Not more than flipping through them absently, usually when it's time to move or do a deep clean. So this week I let go of them all. I'm saying goodbye to Bloom County- for a while anyway. I'm giving the stack of them to the Goodwill, and now these books have a chance to delight someone else. Someone new who I don't know. Maybe somebody will discover something special in them someday, even if it's just a pleasant afternoon catching up with an old friend. show less

Bloom County residents create a punk band! Hilarity ensures. My fave, Steve Dallas, tries to be the lead singer as well as the manager and like everything else he touches, he fails miserably. There's some other strips and storylines but it's this one that makes the collection.

This collection came with a vinyl sheet that have two songs featured in the strip. I'm thrilled to report that I still have it. If only I had a turntable to play it on...

Bloom County 4.... or 5.... depends on....: Okay - Bloom County Babylon, the 4th Bloom County book was really a compilation of material contained in the first 3 books. So.... depending on if you want a chronological collection of the BC Strips, or to complete ALL of the BC Books, this is either the 4th or 5th volume of Bloom County, and Berkeley Breathed is still in high-gear producing the funniest 'toon strip I've ever read. And by "funny" I mean laugh-out-loud, roll on the floor, tears streaming down my face, people coming into the room to see "WHAT are you laughing at?!!!?" kind of laugh.In "Billy and the Boingers" Steve Dallas, the sleazy womanizing ambulance-chasing lawyer, finally decides that even HE has had it with defending show more murderers and child abusers. Bill the cat inspires him to hold auditions for a "New high-profit heavy-metal rock band". Requirements are only "Need to know 3 chords and be able to grimace musically". Along the way Opus the Penguin gets engaged to sweetie Lola Granola, and the new Heavy Metal Group "Death-Tongue" makes their pitch in Los Angeles to recording companies, ending with a memorable visit backstage at an Ozzy Osbourne concert - back when Ozzy was the "Elvis of Heavy Metal". Back in Bloom County Steve discovers that he must give up cigarette smoking or his life expectancy is 6 months. He has Opus tie him to a chair where he is the model of self-control for 38 whole minutes before he breaks down and tells Opus "Get me a (...) cigarette before I stick you in a blender". Things get worse from there. As in the previous volumes Breathed does a fantastic job of creating a surreal universe full of people and critters that we care about, but who are most importantly..... funny. show less

I wish I still had the square record this book came with. Every once and a while the songs will pop up on my iPod. U Stink But I Love U magically got stuck in my head while I was doing chores and that's what made me add this book to my GR lists. I love this book, such good memories.

Another fine "Bloom County" collection, replete with hilarity and absurdity. Opus gets engaged to Lola Granola in one of the more improbable matchups I've seen. Includes a 45 RPM of "Billy and the Boingers".

Although some of the cartoons are dated due mostly to political and entertainment themes, much of the humor from Opus, Steve Dallas, Michael Binkley, Cutter John, Milo Bloom, Bill The Cat, Hodge-Podge, Portnoy and many other characters is timeless and holds up well today.

What do to when your lawyer career has gone stale? The answer: Manage a heavy metal band. Bloom County and its assorted inhabitants are as hilarious as usual.