Futurama Comics 69

Cover Caption: N/A
Cover Credits: Jason Ho, Mike Rote, Nathan Kane
Script: Eric Rogers
Pencils: Nina Matsumoto
Inks: Andrew Pepoy
Colors: Nathan Hamill
Letters: Karen Bates
Editor: Nathan Kane

Bongo Bonus Stamp: 141 Sal

DON'T GO TAKING MY HEART
During her normal check-up to see what parts and pieces are still working and which need replacing the dr. informs Mom that her heart is about to give out and will need to be replaced soon. Mom goes to her organ bank (the cryogenics lab) to get the necessary part from her 'donor'. Turns out her hear donor is none other than Philip J. Fry. Upon learning this Mom devises a scheme to get Fry to work for her at Mom Corp so that she can look after Fry and make sure he does nothing to ruin that young heart of his. Bender tags along and Mom replaces them both with a couple of space hobos.

While working for Mom, Fry goes to no end to make Mom happy and do a good job. Mom eventually asks Fry if he can adopt him and leave all her fortunes to her when she dies but it is more of a ruse to keep him close and safe. When she returns back to the doctor it is a miracle - her heart has grown healthy and two sizes bigger which means it should last her at least another fifty years. Mom decides to send Fry back to the cryogenics lab for re-freezing for later. Walt, Larry, and Ignar overhear and instead of taking Fry back to the cryogenics lab they dump him back at Planet Express and decide to tell Mom he has escaped. Fry spills his secret for getting Mom to love him to which Walt, Larry, and Ignar begin doing the same.

Another fun issue of Futurama Comics and at first was a little taken aback by the art. The issue was originally advertised as a James Lloyd issue and was expecting to see his great work upon opening the pages and was surprised at what I saw. The drawings were off for being a Lloyd penciled issue and I had to keep flipping through the pages and asking myself what the heck happened? Could it be true that for the first time ever a pencil job was phoned in by James? Turns out it wasn't and instead was penciled by Nina Matsumoto. Nina has been providing art for the Simpsons line of comics including the Treehouse of Horror anthology so she is understanding of the Groening universe but also brings her own spin and talent to the title. After getting over my initial shock I was able to settle in and enjoy this issue a bit more. She has a style that is very similar to Tone Rodriguez whom I also enjoy seeing so Nina should fit right in with Futurama Comics and am looking forward to more work from her.

The story was a fun one and the idea also seems very much like a Futurama episode and after the setup we get right in to the meat of the story. If I had to pick something that was not up to par it would be that there was no real secondary story of note as the main focus was Fry and her experience with Mom and how it affected Walt, Larry, and Ignar. There was some call backs to Leela and how she was getting along without Fry and Bender but there was really nothing there to substantiate much interest.

Also of note is the reprinting of Nathan Kane's article from this years Comic Con program book. Every year the program book selects a theme and invites writers and artists to submit art or articles that pertain to the theme. One of this years themes was the celebration of Bongo's twentieth year in business. It has been a long haul and Nathan has been there from almost the beginning and retells his experiences and admiration for working for Bongo. It is a good read and one that I hope to counter with a fans perspective here shortly.

Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Opening Features Futurama

So, as previously mentioned the Futurama gang will be making an appearance on the Simpsons later this year. Before that, various characters have popped up on the Simpsons from time to time making quick cameos and there will be another quick came on this weeks Treehouse of Horror special. The opening to the episode is directed by Guillermo del Toro of Hellboy, Pan's Labrynth, and Pacific Rim fame and has a quick cameo from the future's all time favorite show star - the Hypnotoad!!

Check it out here and catch it live this Sunday:
Treehouse of Horror XXIV

Futurama Comics 69 Release Date

October Release Dates | Bongo Comics

Just as you are finally getting around to reading Futurama Comics 68, issue 69 is fast approaching. Per the Bongo Comics website this will be released the second to last week in October - just in time to buy a few extra copies to give away to all those trick or treaters that will be coming to your doorstep demanding candy.

The Simpsons Futurama Crossover Event is Happening... Again!!

Picture taken from John DiMaggio
Twitter feed

As previously stated by both Matt Groening and David X. Cohen the good folks of the Planet Express crew will be making a visit to the world of Springfield this year. The Simpsons will be hosting our futurians in an episode later in the season. It appears the initial table reads have been completed as both Serban Cristescu and John DiMaggio have been sharing and tweeting about in both Facebook and Twitter. Both have shown off their signed scripts and pictures.







Picture taken from John DiMaggio
Twitter feed

No word yet on what the episode will entail or how the two worlds will collide but it should be good. It will be interesting to see how the interaction will differ in the hands of the show writers as opposed to how Ian Boothby and the rest of the Bongo Comics Group handled it. The production code for the crossover event will be SABF16. Can't wait! I may actually watch the Simpsons this year.





A Futurama Halloween - Fan Art

Update 9.26.13: So, coming along slowly but surely. Again, hoping to have it completed in time for Halloween but as I move forward it keeps changing and morphing in to something else. Perhaps with the attached color study it will become apparent what the goal of the finished piece will be.

It was always intended to include Fry, Leela, Farnsworth, Bender, and Zoidberg in a special cameo appearance but as I was laying out I thought it might be fun to include Cubert in there as well since he is a clone of the Professor. It may not be completely clear from the attached update but Cubert is in there along with Fry - you just have to look real close.

This drawing was done for a couple of reasons. The first to finalize the pose, positions, and look of each of the characters. These are the first blushes with Cubert and so may explore his interactions in the final piece. Fry and Leela I have worked out pretty well so I have them set and these newest drawings I have been working on have been to solidify both the Professor and Bender. They have both changed quite a bit from my initial layouts.

The second reason was to start looking at color. Since this is based on a classic horror movie I am looking at doing this as a black and white piece to give it that classic look. These are the first blushes of what it might look like with shadows and shades. If I do get to the point where I am actually finished and do decide to color I will have to figure out if this will be done in Photoshop or by hand. The attached are colored with simple markers and are done to get an idea as to the look and feel of the final piece. That is all for now!!

Original Post 9.14.13: So, been working on a couple of pieces to celebrate Halloween this year Futurama style - hey, the Simpsons can't have all the fun right? As may be clear from the images attached to this post it will be Frankenstein themed but with a bit of a twist that I hope will be fun. It will feature Leela, Fry, Farnsworth, Bender, Zoidberg, and an appearance by Flexo who is one of my favorites.

New Justice Team - Fan Art

The cover to Fantastic Four 1 is an iconic cover that probably near half of the comic book titles and artists out there have paid homage to it over the decades since it has been released. Bongo Comics has done it a few times including the cover to Simpsons Comics 1 and more recently their limited edition run of Comic Book Guy. To date, I am sorry to say, it has never been updated to the 31st Century featuring the Planet Express crew or more appropriately their super heroic counterparts the New Justice Team. That is until now...

This piece I have been thinking about for some time as I would love to see the Futurama gang pay homage to this most iconic of comic book covers and place themselves in the history books of comic book covers. Since Bongo wouldn't do it, I figured I would do it for them. Still working out some of the details here but most of the components are in place. I had struggled with Zoidberg's pose for some time and even tried him out in a pose from another iconic cover (also penciled by the great Jack Kirby) Amazing Fantasy 15 but it just didn't feel right so reworked him to the pose that you see now.

Bakersfield Comic Book Convention

Who likes hot weather? Do you like comic books? How about Bongo Comics and all the great artists who work on it? If you said yes, yes, and yes you might want to get in your car and head on out to Bakersfield this weekend for their sixth annual comic convention at the Bakersfield Marriot Hotel. The event is on Sunday the 22nd:

Bakersfield Comic Convention

In attendance of the show will be Bongo and Futurama Comics artists Mike Kazaleh, Tone Rodriguez, and Bill Morrison. Great opportunity to meet up with the folks who put pencil to paper and bring these great stories to life.