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.

Futurama Comics 68

Cover Caption: N/A
Cover Credits: Jason Ho, Mike Rote, Nathan Kane
Script: Patric Verrone
Art: Mike Kazaleh
Colors: Nathan Hamill
Letters: Karen Bates
Editor: Nathan Kane

Bongo Bonus Stamp: 35 Dr. Zoidberg

FUTURAMARUTUF
Well, where to begin? Another script from Patric Verrone and another somewhat simple story but once again, told in a very unique way that can be read from different directions. The basis of the story is that Professor Farnsworth has built a memory enhancer machine, however, in true Farnsworth fashion it doesn't quite work the way you think it would. It doesn't enhance the memory of the user, it dulls the memory of those around it thereby leveling the playing field. Think of it as the old joke - if you want to lose weight, hang around people who are fatter than you are. On top of that if you blink you will miss the reference to the time machine and how it plays in to the end thereby creating the Mobius timeline.

That is about all there is to the story, however, Patric Verrone doesn't let anyone off the hook that easy. The story is based on what is known as a Mobius strip. I am not quite sure I can properly explain what a Mobius strip is so you may want to head on out to Wikipedia and read up on it for yourself and then come back. I will wait...

...



...


...

OK, got it? Good. This issue can be read in multiple fashions. Upon first reading I did have a bit of trouble following the story completely, although, I did understand what was going on and what was happening. After finishing I went back to explore the issue a bit in further detail. If you want to spend a bit of time with it figuring it out for yourself don't skip to the jump and go have fun but just know it will be fun and will add much more to your reading experience. Patric Verrone has submitted a few stories for inclusion in Futurama Comics and they are always a fun read and this is not the first time he has done multiple readings in one comic. Just another reason why Futurama Comics are the most fun comics around when you get little gems like this.

SDCC 2013 Bongo Comics Panel

As I have made it known on a few occasions I did not attend this years Comic Con and so was not able to attend the Bongo Comics panel and find out all the latest going ons in the house that Bongo built but CBR did attend and they have a rundown of what happened here:

SDCC 2013 Bongo Comics Panel at CBR

Delivery Boy Man Comics 1

Delivery-Boy Man Super Special Extravaganza Comic Book

Cover Credits: Matt Groening

Written by: Philip J. Fry

Drawing by: Philip J. Fry

Ink Provided by: Dr. Zoidberg

Copied by: Planet Express Copier

This comic was a giveaway at the Bongo Comics booth at the 2010 San Diego Comic Con and contains four original stories featuring Delivery-Boy Man.

The Origin of Delivery-Boy Man
It tells the origin of Delivery-Boy Man and how he came to Erth from a distant planet that was about to explode, how he was raised by poor farmers who took this alien baby in and raised him as their own, and how this baby then saw his parents gunned down in front of his very own eyes. He then became a rich scientist and was bitten by a huge radioactive spider which caused him to grow mutant claws, which allowed him to open packages to reveal a secret identity which would allow him to fight for justice.

Futurama Comics 20

 

Cover Credits: Matt Groening, Jason Ho, Mike Rote, Serban Cristescu
Script: Patric Verrone
Pencils: Tom King
Inks: Phyllis Novin
Letters: Karen Bates
Color: Joey Mason
Editor: Bill Morrison

BENDER BREAKS OUT
This is less a story as it is an exercise in playing with comic book conventions and involving the reader in a bit of fun and interaction. This is the second script by Futurama writer Patric Verrone and in both stories he has made strides in providing a fun and interactive reading experience and I hope that he continues to provide scripts for the comics even if they are straight ahead stories.

Loosely the plot revolves around Bender breaking out of the comic book world and in to another realm and it is up to the rest of the gang to track him down and bring him back to their reality. Along the way there are Omicronians L'rrr and NdNd and a tour of the Bongo Comics offices lead by editor Bill Morrison. In the end, of course, Bender is brought back and everything returns back to normal.

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

Futurama Comics 67

Cover Credits: Jason Ho, Mike Rote, Nathan Kane
Script: Ian Boothby
Pencils: James Lloyd
Inks: Andrew Pepoy
Colors: Nathan Hamill
Letters: Karen Bates
Editor: Nathan Kane

Bongo Bonus Stamp: 88 Nibbler

Tartar House Five
What starts out as a normal evening out with the Planet Express gang quickly turns in to a trip through both time and space for a favorite resident doctor - Dr. Zoidberg. The Professor has invited everyone to dinner to show them his latest invention - the Quantum Ring that exists in all time periods simultaneously. When the appetizers of calamari arrives Zoidberg steals what he thinks is a calamari ring which turns out to be the Professor's Quantum Ring sending Zoidberg on a trip that even Alice would have agreed was pretty trippy.

San Diego Comic Con 2012

Some great work by Nathan
Kane and Jason Ho

Another Comic Con has come and gone and am already looking forward to next year. This has probably been the 12th or 13th time we have attended the show and have seen it go through many changes just in these past few years. Our own experience has also changed with the maturation of the show and this year we had the biggest change of all in introducting our new little one to the show. Last year we were pregnant so we tried to stay away from the main points of interest in the Con and so was the same this year with the little one. It certainly has been an eye opener as we have found some really great vendors and artists doing some really great work. While we did not pick up too many things for ourselves (more on that later) we did pick up plenty of new books for the little one and made some great new friends at the show. Not a bad four days for somebody who slept through 90% of the show.

WonderCon Wrap Up

A few weeks ago San Diego's Comic Con sister show WonderCon made its way to the Anaheim Convention Center for a year. Typically the show is held in San Fransisco but due to the facility being remodeled WonderCon needed a new venue for the show. It was great having such a well known show in my back yard (I am an Orange County resident) which was good because I didn't have to spend two (2) hours on the freeway to get there, nor spend almost $200 a night on a hotel room.

SDCC Futurama Returns Comic

Futurama Returns Comic
July, 2007

Futurama Returns Comic
Title: Futurama Returns!
Layouts: Bill Morrison
Penciller: Jason Ho
Inks: Mike Rote
Colors: Nathan Kane
Letters: Karen Bates

This comic serves as a transition from the ending of the Futurama run on Fox and the re-boot at Comedy Central with the ordering of 4 straight to DVD movies that would later be chopped up in to a total of 16 individual half hour episodes to be shown first on Comedy Central.

With the poor treatment that Futurama received from the Fox Network the creative team behind this comic took many liberties in taking shots at their former network, timeslot, and the geek fans who demanded more Futurama

The story revolves around the Planet Express crew completing their original 72 'episode' deliveries and Planet Express going out of business but not before having to relive all their original missions over and over through a time warp thanks to the Carton Network when Planet Express is 'cancelled' from future 'episodes' by the Box Network. Carton Network, however comes to the rescue and orders four (4) additional missions to the delight of a throng of screaming Futurama geeks who are attending Package-Con in San Diego.

John Delaney Interview ABPoG Archive

About a year after I was lucky enough to interview Ian Boothby for the original ABPoG site, Futurama penciller John Delaney contacted me and was gracious enough to be interviewed as well and gave a very informative and fun talk about working for Bongo, the process, and the big Futurama Comics project at the time the Time Bender Trilogy (completed in four parts of course).

Ian Boothby Interview ABPoG Archive

Years ago I was lucky enough (2003 I believe) to have Ian Boothby contact me and he was agreeable to do a little Q/A session regarding his work in comics and his work with Bongo Comics writing the Simpsons. At the time of this interview Ian was just starting to be more productive on the Futurama Comics line and has continued to churn out some fun stuff for Futurama including the Time Bender Trilogy and the groundbreaking Futurama Simpsons Crossover.

I had been lucky enough to discuss Futurama Comics with a number of Bongo creatives and hope to bring some of those interviews as well as new ones to this blog and hope to talk to Ian again real soon. Without further ado:

Futurama Comics 37

Cover Title: The Yoke's on You
Cover Credits: Matt Groening, Jason Ho, Mike Rote
Script: Ian Boothby
Pencils: James Lloyd
Inks: Andrew Pepoy
Colors: Nathan Hamill
Letters: Karen Bates
Editor: Bill Morrison

Reprinted in: Futurama to Infinity

FULL METAL RACKET
While making a delivery of Planet Chow to a living planet things go awry when Fry forgets to secure the planet on the ship and it begins to fall out resulting in the living planet chasing the Planet Express ship trying to gobble up all the tender morsels. After promising to not do anything stupid for the rest of the flight, Fry makes the 'smart' decision to pick up some space hitchhikers who turn out to be representatives for the Aliens for the Ethical Treatment of Mammals and decide that Fry and Leela have been overworked so they liberate them to a mammal sanctuary planet. Bender, not being human or mammal is released. While on the planet they quickly find out that it is inhabited with everything they need to lead an idyllic existence - except for the transforming robuts who consider humans to be pests and look to exterminate them.

Futurama Comics 24

Futurama Comics 24
March, 2006

Cover Title: N/A
Cover Credits: Matt Groening, Bill Morrison, Mike Rote
Script: Ian Boothby
Pencils: James Lloyd
Inks: Andrew Pepoy
Colors: Colorbot 3000
Letters: Karen Bates
Editor: Bill Morrison

Twice Told Tales of Interest
Futurama Comic foray in to the tales of interest episodes of the show wherein questions are asked to the What If machine and we get to see the answers to these questions played out. While Bender is playing poker with Fry and taking all of his money while he sleeps, Leela breaks up the game to which Bender then takes the Professor's What If machine and builds a body with arms and legs so that he may play with Fry and the What If machine. After losing his trademark red jacket, Fry inadvertently asks the question what if everyday was X-Mas.

Futurama Comics 23

Futurama Comics 23
February, 2006

Cover Caption: Hey Meatbag! Buy This Comic or Back Off!
Cover Credits: Matt Groening, Nathan Kane, Mike Rote
Script: Ian Boothby
Pencils: John Delaney
Inks: Andrew Pepoy
Colors: Colorbot 3000
Letters: Karen Bates
Editor: Bill Morrison

The A Team
While making a delivery Bender takes control of the ship and begins to do space donuts which opens up a vortex allowing what first appears to be an alternate universe PE team through but turns out is actually one of the original delivery crews for Professor Farnsworth that was thought lost long ago. During their exile in the vortex the crew decide to spend their time wisely and better themselves to make them better people and or robuts. As they are a top notch flight crew it is decided that the current delivery team is no longer needed, their career chips are removed and they are stained with the moniker of 'non-person'.

Futurama Comics 1

Bongo Comics
Released November, 2000

Cover Title: Feisty First Issue

Cover Credits: Matt Groening, Bill Morrison, Nathan Kane
Writer: Eric Rogers
Penciller: James Lloyd
Inks: Steve Steere
Colors: Colorbot 3000
Letters: Karen Bates
Editor: Bill Morrison
Reprinted: Futurama-O-Rama, Comic-Con exclusive

Monkey Sea, Monkey Doom!
Ever wonder what it would be like to order those cool sea-monkies from the back of comic books? Fry finds out as his supercharged sea-monkies wreak havoc over New New York. In the end Zoidberg gets an early Thanksgiving Day feast with his new found friends.

Fun issue for an old guy like myself who actually remembers when comics did advertise sea-monkies, Charles Atlas books and boxes of 1000 army men.

For you collectors out there this issue was also was released as a special San Diego Comic Con exclusive. Not much is different between the two issues as the interior artwork as well as the cover is the same. The only difference is an insignia bearing Comic Con Exclusive on the cover as well as different coloring for the cover. Other than that they are basically the same but something to hunt for out there.

Of note, this issue is scripted by Eric Rogers who is also a writer for the television show. This is James Lloyd first Futurama issue but has been providing artwork for Simpsons Comics up to this point.