By Coldplay, Osborne, Haggerty, Fuentes, Hamaker
Major Minus is stirring the citizens of Silencia into a paranoid frenzy, and with nowhere else to go Mylo Xyloto goes underground only to come face to face with the Sparker Rebels, who are gathering forces to fight the final battle in the Great War on Color.
by Dani Michaeli, Vincent Deporter, Chuck Dixon, Hilary Barta, Dave Roman, Travis Nichols Joey Weiser, Dave DeGrand, and Derek Drymon
Squidward has moved away with no forwarding address, and SpongeBob and Patrick must scour the globe in search of their best buddy. And what better way to search for a missing friend than taking a long bus trip and yelling "Squidward" out the window nonstop? It all happens in "Farewell Squidward!" And in "Monstah Lobstah Cometh," Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy remember their first encounter with a deadly, but delicious, foe. All this plus a 4-page doodle comic, a tense shopping moment with Mrs. Puff, and the secret to Squidward's most perfect clarinet performance.
Simpsons Comics #168 and Simpsons Comics #70 can be downloaded for your viewing pleasure via the Simpsons Comics App and at comiXology.com.
Mark your calendars! Here are the dates on which you can find the following issues in comic book stores. Newsstand editions are generally available about 3 weeks later.
SpongeBob Comics #19 — April 10th
Mylo Xyloto #3 — April 10th
Simpsons Comics #201 — April 17th
Bart Simpson #82 — April 24th
Bart Simpson #80 and Professor Frink #1 can be downloaded for your viewing pleasure via the Simpsons Comics App and at comiXology.com.
By Rogers and Rodriguez
Fry’s skill at obsolete 20th century board games leads to a galaxy-crossing grudge match between the Planet Express crew and an alien culture built entirely on the rules of the games. However, the aliens like their competitions to be less Hungry Hungry Hippos and more Hunger Games! “Do not pass ‘Go.’ Do not collect $200.” Fry, Bender and Leela are about to play the game of Life…and death!
By Barr, Kaplan, Lay, Delaney, Rodriguez, Pepoy
Who is Bartman? Join us and find out who the students of Springfield Elementary think he really is? Then, Rod and Todd Flanders get separated from Ned Flanders in downtown Springfield and find themselves on an odyssey to their home, fraught with many dangers (mostly imagined). And Marge’s breakfast pancakes lead Maggie leadon an adventure of her own.
(originally published in Simpsons Comics #200)
Hey Bongoreenos! Things are hoppin’ here at Bongo Comics HQ. As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, 2013 marks Bongo’s twentieth year in the comic book biz. That’s gotta be like, thirty years in every other industry. We’re so happy to make it to that milestone that we’re gearing up for a yearlong extravaganza featuring even more comics, more creators, more surprises, and a heapin’ helpin’ of hilarity. There might even be some shenanigans thrown in as well, but it’s too early to know for sure.
Of course, the event that kicks it all off is the much-anticipated Simpsons Comics #200. At double the size, it’s double the fun! (Okay, our marketing department made me write that. “Fun” is too difficult to accurately measure, IMHO. I will say that it’s very, very, very enjoyable. Kind of like the greatest party you’ve ever been to that gets somehow distilled down and lovingly printed on 70# matte paper.) Make sure you pick yourself up a copy. And if you’re reading this Bongo Beat in Simpsons Comics #200, never mind! Your work is done.
So how does a comic company manage to sustain itself for over two decades? Having a viable and beloved intellectual property (or two!) doesn’t hurt, certainly. Dedicated fans? Check. But I would also argue that assembling a team of creators and coworkers that are infatuated with the art form and are always pushing themselves is just as important. I’ve had the great fortune to see some of the comic world’s greatest talents produce work for Bongo and it’s always an inspiration. Being a comic writer or artist is a labor of love and that’s not widely recognized by the general public. Let’s face it…if you’re working in comics, you’re definitely not in it for the money…and it’s also possible you may be addicted to the fumes given off by Sharpie markers. Who knows? Creative people can be a little peculiar, I hear.
Perhaps the greatest thrill of working at the Bongo offices for so long is my interaction with the Big Cheese himself…Mr. Matt Groening. Every now and then he’ll ask me to file some art or scan something, and he always does it with a smile on his face. Then he’ll call me “Gary” or some other name that isn’t mine, and it cracks me up. Classic Groening!
Maybe next time I see him, I can get him to sign my Simpsons Comics #200! Now, if only I can find a Sharpie…
