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Billy and the Boingers Bootleg
With the release of this Bloom County book and the Billy and the Boingers Theme Song, chosen from the most bone-shaking, kidney-curdling entries from rock bands nationwide, Springsteen and Van Halen will become as distant a memory as Michael Jackson. 300 black-and-white and 44 color comic strips.
121 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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About the author
Berkeley Breathed
90 books415 followersGuy Berkeley "Berke" Breathed is an American cartoonist, children's book author/illustrator, director, and screenwriter, best known for Bloom County, a 1980s cartoon-comic strip which dealt with socio-political issues as seen through the eyes of highly exaggerated characters (e.g. Bill the Cat and Opus the Penguin) and humorous analogies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
September 11, 2017
Billy the Cat! and Billy and the Boingers in concert? Need I say more? Fantastic and hilarious collection for fans of Bloom County!
February 22, 2008
bloom county at it's height.
i still have my copy with the vinyl "death tongue" record inside. why can't i find this on itunes?
i grew up in iowa city in the eighties. after school i'd wander down to the arcade. i wondered, who's the adult who has the time to hang out a play video games all afternoon? somebody told me it was berke breathed. and that he was something called a "cartoonist". there began my lifelong ambition to draw pictures for a living.
i still have my copy with the vinyl "death tongue" record inside. why can't i find this on itunes?
i grew up in iowa city in the eighties. after school i'd wander down to the arcade. i wondered, who's the adult who has the time to hang out a play video games all afternoon? somebody told me it was berke breathed. and that he was something called a "cartoonist". there began my lifelong ambition to draw pictures for a living.
December 28, 2007
The ESSENTIAL comic strip collection of the 1980's, and the only one that I know of to use the words "Caspar Weinberger" as a punchline.
April 4, 2008
another great bloom county book. i just love how bill the cat was just so anti regular comic strip. when i was younger, i always felt that when i was reading bloom county, i was reading a strip that wasn't meant for kids to read....i mean come on....it was on the same page as the family circus and for better, or for worse.....
May 24, 2008
Was introduced to Bloom County in the high school years. This was a laugh out loud funny book! Now I'm not as enamored with its politics, but it's still a good commentary on the times.
December 22, 2008
A depressing look into 1980's hair metal excess. Bill the Cat's rise, and subsequent fall, as the tongue-strumming leader of the short lived, but highly influential Deathtongue almost serves as a cautionary tale for anyone with dreams of rock and roll. After alienating friends, fans, and bandmates; Bill the Cat finds himself in the Betty Ford Clinic with a monumental decision to make: risk everything for a chance at stardom, or give up his dreams and save his own life. A harrowing, introspective, and sometimes even humorous story that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end!
July 6, 2015
Freshly alive and formerly communist Bill the Cat starts a heavy metal band, Deathtöngue, with Steve Dallas as manager. However, once conservative America catches wind and the band winds up testifying before Tipper Gore in Congress, they become Billy and the Boingers.
Once again, this rips the intestines out of the morbidly obese gut of America in the late Eighties:
Sean Penn breaks Steve's spine for photographing him. Opus receives erroneously a billion dollars from the Pentagon to do space defense research. In a rip on "The Fly", Oliver and Bill the Cat's DNA gets switched and mixed.
Better than anything else you'll remember from the time.
Once again, this rips the intestines out of the morbidly obese gut of America in the late Eighties:
Sean Penn breaks Steve's spine for photographing him. Opus receives erroneously a billion dollars from the Pentagon to do space defense research. In a rip on "The Fly", Oliver and Bill the Cat's DNA gets switched and mixed.
Better than anything else you'll remember from the time.
January 7, 2008
Hm, let us quote the Billy and the Boingers (well, Mucky Pup) song, "You Stink But I Love You" included as a seven inch in the first few pressings:
You make me sick
You really stink girl
You make me sick
But I love you
Friggin' brilliant. To me, maybe not to you. Opus is playing a goddamned tuba while Bill D. Cat twangs his tongue!! What a joyous cacaphony with which to make a wild rumpus!
Also, I will forever love the neurotic Michael Binkley. I will forever love him in the manner that excludes Outland and that new crapass Bloom County derivative.
You make me sick
You really stink girl
You make me sick
But I love you
Friggin' brilliant. To me, maybe not to you. Opus is playing a goddamned tuba while Bill D. Cat twangs his tongue!! What a joyous cacaphony with which to make a wild rumpus!
Also, I will forever love the neurotic Michael Binkley. I will forever love him in the manner that excludes Outland and that new crapass Bloom County derivative.
February 25, 2011
This was one of the most widely read books in my high school. Bloom County was massively popular in the late 80's/early 90's - I remember a talent-show featuring an Billy and the Boingers impersonation, complete with ersatz tuba.
The comics herein still funny to me today, even though this comic is very much of its time. A short Wikipedia course in contemporary American politics should bring any latecomers up to speed.
The comics herein still funny to me today, even though this comic is very much of its time. A short Wikipedia course in contemporary American politics should bring any latecomers up to speed.
July 9, 2008
Dude! This came with a freaking record by Billy and the Boingers! I used to have a T-shirt from their American tour. U Stink but I Love You is one of my favorites. Seriously, this book had my crying with laughter when I was a kid. And I still love it as an adult.
April 1, 2007
The older I get, the funnier Bloom County gets.
If I'm not mistaken, this book came with a vinyl recording of a couple of Billy and the Boingers singles. Brilliant.
If I'm not mistaken, this book came with a vinyl recording of a couple of Billy and the Boingers singles. Brilliant.
November 28, 2007
When I was a kid, I wanted to live in the world of Bloom County where anything was possible.
I still do.
I still do.
January 24, 2008
Hilarious!
July 30, 2008
My favorite of the Bloom County collections, although I love them all.
June 19, 2019
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 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.
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 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.
June 19, 2017
I was a big fan of Bloom County when I was growing up and it was a comic strip which made it into my local newspaper. While Opus was my favorite, and I recommend the bigger, thicker anthology with him on the cover (Bloom County Babylon), I enjoyed this book as well. Though it is dated now, the reproduced black and white line drawing comic strips sequentially tell the story of some of the Bloom County characters' formation of the sort of hair metal band that was enjoying ascendancy in the 1980s-and go through the legal controversy over their use of questionable lyrics, gestures, and images. At the time, Tipper Gore was spearheading a campaign to review lyrics in major bands' albums, and when censorship versus freedom of expression came to the American court system, the Parental Advisory sticker system for albums on CD came into being. Since CDs were new technology at the time for the average consumer, the original edition of this book came with a small single-song phonograph record bound into the the book. "U Stink But I Love U" sung by Berke Breathed himself was an aesthetic bomb, but the idea was exciting to me at the time.
May 15, 2020
1987 first edition, strips from 1986. Not a perfect edition of course, for it is missing the Billy and the Boingers record enclosed. Hard to find, of course. Who wouldn't tear it out and play it on their phonograph in order to hear Billy and the Boingers performing "I'm A Boinger" and "U Stink But I {Love} You"? Some day, I'll find a copy with one intact and I'll look at it from time to time.
What goes on? Blondie returns for a one-off Sunday. Cutter John returns after the U.S. and Russia do a swap with Bill the Cat. Steve Dallas becomes a papparazzi and gets beaten up by Sean Penn. Opus gets rich due to a Defense Department mix-up. Opus dates and becomes engaged to a certain Lola Granola. And becomes a cartoonist. Or, "stripper." The royal couple return. Lo, the introduction of the Basselope. The boys get together and start a heavy metal band, with Bill on lead tongue. First called Deathtongue, later Billy and the Boingers. Oliver stares at the night sky. Dallas tries to quit smoking. Thirty year old Binkley emerges from the Anxiety Closet. Opus works out and diets. It's the 80's, people, ....and Opus would never hum Wayne Newton songs in the woods, again.
What goes on? Blondie returns for a one-off Sunday. Cutter John returns after the U.S. and Russia do a swap with Bill the Cat. Steve Dallas becomes a papparazzi and gets beaten up by Sean Penn. Opus gets rich due to a Defense Department mix-up. Opus dates and becomes engaged to a certain Lola Granola. And becomes a cartoonist. Or, "stripper." The royal couple return. Lo, the introduction of the Basselope. The boys get together and start a heavy metal band, with Bill on lead tongue. First called Deathtongue, later Billy and the Boingers. Oliver stares at the night sky. Dallas tries to quit smoking. Thirty year old Binkley emerges from the Anxiety Closet. Opus works out and diets. It's the 80's, people, ....and Opus would never hum Wayne Newton songs in the woods, again.
January 31, 2022
Unfortunately, I don't have the nostalgia factor that other reviewers for this comic book have. This is just a book that's been passed down through my boyfriend's family, and I'd been itching to read it with him as the cover is just so cool. Disclaimer, I still haven't read this book fully, but my boyfriend had, and here is what I've gathered from his points.
The nostalgia factor may be needed to enjoy the comics as frankly, the humor hasn't aged well at all. Some of the comics were pretty good - like some of the political ones, the Cold War specifically. However, many jokes felt pretty shallow. Cheap shots at celebrities at the time, like they didn't have other ideas and knew "ha Madonna whore" would get chuckles.
The nostalgia factor may be needed to enjoy the comics as frankly, the humor hasn't aged well at all. Some of the comics were pretty good - like some of the political ones, the Cold War specifically. However, many jokes felt pretty shallow. Cheap shots at celebrities at the time, like they didn't have other ideas and knew "ha Madonna whore" would get chuckles.
May 1, 2019
This was my favorite childhood comic. I’m happy to see that it’s still around! A enjoyable read for those who enjoy satire.
August 26, 2019
Lots of great laughs in this one. Worth reading for sure
November 17, 2015
Bloom County will always remain in my heart as one of the best comic strips ever. Although it had a relatively short run, the characters the Berke Breathed created can never be forgotten. In this book, the storylines are extended and there are rarely any one-shots.
This book has some of my favorite storylines, like Deathtöngue and Lola. I find these strips to be extremely entertaining. I love seeing Opus dressed up like Gene Simmons in Deathtöngue. That just cracks me up!
You just can't go wrong reading any Bloom County book and Billy and the Boingers Bootleg is a gem.
One last thing . . . I have always wanted to play the record in the book to see what Billy and the Boingers sound like. Maybe someday . . .
This book has some of my favorite storylines, like Deathtöngue and Lola. I find these strips to be extremely entertaining. I love seeing Opus dressed up like Gene Simmons in Deathtöngue. That just cracks me up!
You just can't go wrong reading any Bloom County book and Billy and the Boingers Bootleg is a gem.
One last thing . . . I have always wanted to play the record in the book to see what Billy and the Boingers sound like. Maybe someday . . .
September 9, 2009
Just had to get some Bloom County out there. I haven't done enough research lately to confirm that this is the best book, but I did just read it over a series of evenings before bed and enjoyed it as much as I did back in the 80's. Somewhere I have the recording of the 2 Billy and the Boinger songs that originally came with this book
August 11, 2011
For whatever reason Bloom County was the cool comic when I was in 8th grade. I have distinct memories of the cool boys bringing this one to class. I haven't read the comic since Breathed quit ages ago but I found a bunch of the books at a used book store and have been thoroughly enjoying the strip once again.
March 3, 2014
A charmingly snide satire of popular culture in the 1980s and all the shallow vacuousness that America drowned in during those snow-blind self-inclined hellscape days. Thank god we've moved past those problems, am I right? What? I'm not right? We're still just as stupid and self-obsessed as always? Well, shit.
February 22, 2016
A startling find at Goodwill recently, with several other comic books from the 1980s. It still has the bootleg record! Dare I try to play it?
More than a collection of giggles and guffaws, Berkeley Breathed makes fun of the times with witty repartee from interesting and fully developed characters.
More than a collection of giggles and guffaws, Berkeley Breathed makes fun of the times with witty repartee from interesting and fully developed characters.
October 30, 2017
Billy and the Boingers is just great. I actually purchased a used record player to see if the record that came with my copy would play. It is really funny when they just decide to start a band. They have a crazy audition where they come up with all kinds of wacky costumes. Berkeley Breathed has a stunning mind and a fast wit. This is a great collection of comics.
August 31, 2008
The best rock band evah....Billy and the Boingers :-)
"Take it Milo!"
"Take it where"
Bill going to Russia
"Star Trek" missle defense system
Lola Granola....sniffle.....he could have waited for me....sniffle
"Take it Milo!"
"Take it where"
Bill going to Russia
"Star Trek" missle defense system
Lola Granola....sniffle.....he could have waited for me....sniffle
July 26, 2011
A collection of some of the most well-thought-out and insightful comic strips ever to come out of the States: unflinchingly critical of the flaws in US culture, brutally honest about human nature, piercingly sarcastic, and unfailingly witty.
August 11, 2012
Everything I know about history and politics during the last 40 years I've learned from Bloom County and Doonesbury. Let me tell you, they are a whole lot more entertaining than my "History of the 20th century class".
March 11, 2016
The Bloom County books are hard to beat, though the political and cultural references may stump those who weren't aware in the 80s. Facial expressions and pure creativity show Mr. Breathed's brilliance.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews