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So is Bruno a frustrated idealist? Baldwin says, "She has many ideals of how the world should be, including expectations on herself. Rarely is she satisfied in any of it. The exception usually being the love and kindness which her friends give her, which only makes her frustrated with her own inadequacies."

Bruno's politics can sometimes tend towards the controversial, and always towards the left and liberal. Baldwin points out that, once again, it's all part of making Bruno seem as real as possible. "It makes sense to put these topics in as an exploration of her character and world." But, how much of Bruno's politics are her own, and how much belong to the artist himself? "I agree with her on most things," says Baldwin. "Sometimes she's more extreme than myself, sometimes less."

Incorporating politics into a comic strip can be tricky, though, and people tend to read comics mainly for entertainment and a quick laugh. Baldwin admits that Bruno sometimes walks a fine line between being entertaining and being preachy. But he also believes that the comic strip format, in which characters can discuss matters, can also be a perfect place to explore those issues if handled in the right way.

Baldwin says, "I've put a lot of thought into the effectiveness of it. I don't have the bold brassiness or coolness of Ani DiFranco or Bob Dylan, so when I have my characters rant one-sidedly, I don't think it's as effective for me. Over the years I've tried to work more towards a writing engaging thoughtful discussion, digging into the topic to get people to maybe think about these different issues, rather than simply throwing it in their faces."

Despite that tendency towards exploring issues, however, he also admits "sometimes a character simply needs to rant, and it makes sense within those confines, so I let them."

One of the issues the strip has explored successfully over the years is polyamory. In an extended sequence set during a long road trip across country (that both Baldwin and Bruno took in 1999), Bruno becomes involved in the world of a woman named Sophia, who has male and female lovers within the bounds of a polyamorous relationship.

Baldwin recalls, "I stayed with a few polyamorous couples, and it got me to thinking, is this more common than I knew? So I started reading up on it, and talking with people about it." Eventually Bruno becomes Sophia's lover, and while she admires the freedom of the arrangement, she realizes that she feels unable to share Sophia with others. The two women part as friends and Bruno moves on.

Baldwin says he thoroughly enjoyed writing a storyline about something he'd never even given much thought to before. He also feels that when someone chooses to write about a chosen way of life that is usually not talked about, it's a win-win situation. "People who are polyamorous actually get to read about someone they can identify with. There are not a lot of polyamorous folk in comics, TV or movies. Also people who are unfamiliar with polyamory are introduced, hopefully in a thoughtful way. Plus, Sophia is a pleasure to write and draw."

Bruno isn't a superhero, nor is she a very good role-model, but then again she isn't intended to be. As Baldwin says, "She's not a very effective person, but her heart's in the right place." According to Baldwin, the character and her creator aren't very much alike in real life, "When I have thoughts about life, I translate them into her situation. When I travel, she sometimes travels. But her friends, activities, love life, they only on rare occasions truly mirror my life."

As for real life, Baldwin has found that it encroaches annoyingly into his work as a comic-artist. The Bruno strip, which used to be posted every weekday to his website, has now been cut back to three days per week, Monday through Wednesday. As a result of cutting back on Bruno, which he admitted at the time was a huge lifestyle decision, he has had time to explore different ideas outside of Bruno. So he keeps himself busy all the time, pushing and waiting like all other struggling artists for that big break that would allow him to make his living doing what he loves.

Ultimately, Baldwin would like to travel, and his long term goals include living in Europe and only staying in each place for short periods of time. Of course, for his pleasure, and ours, he would bring Bruno along for the ride.

As for the future of the comic strip, Baldwin says he isn't really sure where it is headed from week to week, much less long term, adding, "An interesting question for me is this; if she eventually settles down with someone, will that person be male or female, and will that choice be viewed as significant? I guess I'll have to wait and see."

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