Futurama Simpsons Crossover Crisis TPB

Front Cover

This is the mother lode of all TPB - the one most clamored to have collected for either Simpsons or Futurama comics fans and Bongo did not disappoint. Not only do you get all four issues of this great limited series there is a plethora of extra material including sketches, pin-ups, and additional comics. This tome comes in at over 100 pages of Futurama and Simpsons madness. This was originally released in 2010 but since the old ABPoG site had been down for so long I am now just getting in to reviewing it and posting about it.

I won't talk too much about the stories here as I have already reviewed them as part of my initial comic book reviews which can be found here:

Futurama-Simpsons Crossover Part 1
Futurama-Simpsons Crossover Part 2
Futurama-Simpsons Crossover Part 3
Futurama-Simpsons Crossover Part 4
Simpsons Comics 87

Instead I would like to concentrate on the packaging and the extra materials themselves. The book is produced by Abrams ComicArts Books. The book is a hardcover with a nice die-cut slipcase to hold this oversize collection. The front of the book features Futurama characters while the back of the book features those from the Simpsons. The slipcase is designed in the same way - Futurama on one side, Simpsons on the other. When the book is placed within the slipcase the Futurama characters are swirling around the Simpsons characters and on the other the Simspsons characters are swirling around the Futurama characters. Neat little feature and a cool detail included in the packaging. The book is slightly oversized to the original comic which is nice and gives the artwork a little bit more prominence.

The book is broken up to in to the four chapters of the Crossover including 'interludes' of Simpsons Comics 87 and the story Chili Chili Bang Bang. Each chapter is delineated with a title page and pencil art from that issue. Nice touch. Also included in the packaging is a free copy of Simpsons Comics 1. Is this the most reprinted number 1 issue of any comic? It seems to appear in almost any specialty product from Bongo.

A cover gallery of the four issues and Simpsons Comics 87 is also included at the conclusion of the story without any titles which is really nice and lets the artwork for the covers really shine through. I have said it before but I think these covers would be great as some sort of giclee prints or some other medium. They would look great framed and hanging on the wall. Are you listening Bongo?

Back Cover

The book is rounded out with a Masterpiece Gallery featuring artists such as Geof Darrow, Mike Allread, Sergio Aragones, and Alex Ross among others. The thing I like about this is that we finally get to see some of these artists tackle the Futurama characters. That is except one but more on that later. Bongo really strives to have their regular books be on model as much as possible. The exception is their annual Treehouse of Horror books where all types of artists are invited to contribute art and stories to the Simpsons universe and it is always interesting to see these artists take on the Simpsons characters done in their style and in fun and creative ways. Futurama has no such book and so we typically do not get to see other artists interpretations of the Futurama universe which is a shame considering the richness of the characters, ideas, and themes. This book we finally get to see some of these artists taking on the Futurama characters and they do not disappoint. Some of my favorites included are by Geof Darrow, Evan Dorkin, Sergio Aragones, and the completely insane Peter Kuper. I am not sure what was going through his head at the time but you have to see it to believe it. Speaking of color prints - how about a print folder of all the Masterpiece Gallery pin-ups? Staff artist Jason Ho also contributes a pin up as does regular Futurama Comics artist John Delaney. Both produced great work. Alex Ross also contributes a nice piece of Radioactive Man and Fallout Boy which is done in his usual style and is extremely well done and my only complaint is that these characters are not even a major part of this story. I would love to have seen a great science fiction scene with a truly rendered Bender or Planet Express ship in outer space. It seems as though Bongo was offered a take or leave it pin up from Alex Ross and who could blame them for not jumping at the chance to include work by him in this volume but I still would have liked to see something more story or character specific included.

I would love to see other artists continue to contribute to Futurama in some meaningful way that is outside the continuity of the regular comics much in the same vein as the Treehouse of Horror books and the most obvious idea is an Anthology of Interest annual. I know that it has been said by Bongo in the past that the Simpsons are the real money maker for them and they do Futurama Comics as a fun project but would still like to see them branch out more with the Futurama name. Can you imagine stories or pin ups by say Mike Mignola featuring Lobster Johnson and Dr. Zoidberg? Mark Johnson doing a jungle scene on Mars featuring Amy and Leela? Geof Darrow doing almost anything in New New York?

With all these great features we come to what I consider the jewel of this entire package - the sketchbook of James Lloyd. For those who don't know James Lloyd works on Simpsons and Futurama comics and turns in outstanding work for both titles. He provided all the artwork for all the Crossover comics, Simpsons Comics 87, and the Chili Chili Bang Bang story. He works great with all the writers but there is certainly something special about the team of Ian Boothby and James Lloyd. Collected is page after page of rough pencils, page layouts, character designs, finished pencils, and all kinds of great stuff. A great behind the curtain view of what really goes in to making a Bongo Comic by one of the fan favorites. With all the other features listed above this would be a great book but with this behind the scenes stuff it makes it a must have for any Futurama, Simpsons, or comic fan.