This May, fans of artist Berkley Breathed will get a look into a treasure-trove of his pre-Bloom County archives, artwork, strips, political cartoons, and much more with Berkeley Breathed’s Academia Waltz & Other Profound Transgressions.
“Honestly, I’d like to think that the early drafts of the U.S. constitution were wordy, infantile, tasteless, embarrassing but occasionally funny,” said Breathed. “And worthy mostly as a necessary step to get to the vital polished product coming after. I really desperately want to think this. Everyone please forgive me.”
Published from 1978 to 1979 in The Daily Texan at The University of Texas at Austin The Academia Waltz was Breathed’s first foray into the world of cartoons and comic strips. Though focusing primarily on college life, Breathed’s work also made reference to the big news stories of the day and would prove to be the groundwork for the revered writer/artist’s renowned voice and style. Some of the characters from the Pulitzer Prize-winning Bloom County would appear here for the first time as well, including the legendary Steve Dallas.
“These are the earliest strips by Breathed,” said editor Scott Dunbier, “the ones that set the tone for all that was to follow. And unless he changes his mind about setting the dogs on me if I show up at his house again, the final book on Berkeley we can do.”
Berkeley Breathed’s Academia Waltz & Other Profound Transgressions will be released in the same 11” x 8.5” format as the Eisner Award-winning Bloom County Complete Library from IDW Publishing.
