"Bloom County's Greatest Mystery" Talkback

[Peter Paltridge]

http://www.platypuscomix.net/otherpeople/bloommystery.html

This is something that's bugged me for a long time, yet I haven't written about it since I felt it was too personal to publicly examine. Eventually I realized what I said in the article -- he already implied all this stuff in public himself.

What do YOU think it all means?

 

[J. B. Warner]

Your theory may hold some truth to it. I think Berke's portrayal of the men of Bloom County as boorish woman-haters was more than likely just an exaggerated take on that stereotype, rather than a reflection of what he thought. Maybe he knew some people who had that outlook and couldn't resist making fun of them.

By the way, great choice of comics to illustrate your words!

 

[Totally_Insaney]

Interesting read. I don't have much to say that you didn't already cover.

And ha, I have a copy of Billy and the Boingers Bootleg with the record. And my copy of Tales Too Ticklish to Tell has the Bloom Picayune in it.

 

[TenPoundHammer]

This reminds me a lot of what I've noticed through the works of songwriter Dennis Linde, best known for writing "Burning Love."

Throughout the 1980s, Linde wrote a lot of songs about being in love with someone to the point of obsession. Stuff like "What'll You Do About Me":

And what in the world are you planning to do
When a man comes over just to visit with you
And I'm on the porch with a two by two
Baby, what'll you do about me?

Or "I'm Gonna Get You":

I'm gonna get you
You're gonna love me
No doubt about it
I'm gonna get you

Then in the early 1990s, he wrote a song called "Queen of My Double Wide Trailer," about a man named Earl who steals the narrator's girl and then he (the narrator) takes her back. Supposedly, this one was based on a real story.

But Dennis must've come unraveled at some point. Not long after that, you'll start finding that the happier songs from him are replced with sadder titles, like "Night Is Fallin' in My Heart," "Cast Iron Heart," etc. After that, he pretty much backed away from songwriting, until 2000 when the Dixie Chicks put out "Goodbye Earl." And yes, it's the same Earl from "Double Wide."

There was, once again, almost nothing from him until 2005: "Talkin' Song Repair Blues" used car repair as a sarcastic metaphor for songwriting. The song has a rather cynical, critical tone (directed at songwriters) that seems not all that far removed from the "rebelling against the man" theme presented in a 1996 cut titled "Down in a Ditch." Even "It Sure Is Monday" from three years previous shows a general disdain for being a working man.

Not unlike Berke, Dennis Linde was an incredibly reclusive man who rarely let on about his public life.

 

[Peter Paltridge]

Not unlike Berke, Dennis Linde was an incredibly reclusive man who rarely let on about his public life.

Well, has Linde ever given a public speech or been the focus of a book---er, CD signing? Berke is not what I'd totally define as a recluse. Bill Watterson holds that title and earned it.

 

[Aquadementia]

Let me get this straight:
If you're right then what this means is,
OMG
he really has a talking penguin!

But his wife got it in the divorce,
and he was only allowed visitation on Sundays,
In exchange for which she got to do the photo for his book covers.

Why Holmes, that’s astounding!

 

[TenPoundHammer]

Well, has Linde ever given a public speech or been the focus of a book---er, CD signing? Berke is not what I'd totally define as a recluse. Bill Watterson holds that title and earned it.

Linde occasionally showed up for awards shows. I guess it's not 100% accurate to call him a recluse, but not unlike Berke, he never said too much about his personal life.

 

[8tucker7]

I have a copy of Billy and the Boingers Bootleg with the record. And my copy of Tales Too Ticklish to Tell has the Bloom Picayune in it.

Same with me.