''Futurama Comics'' is a
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
series based on the television show ''
Futurama
''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years a ...
'' published by
Bongo Comics
Bongo Comics Group was a comic book publishing company founded in 1993 by Matt Groening along with Steve & Cindy Vance and Bill Morrison. It published comics related to the animated television series ''The Simpsons'' and ''Futurama'', as well a ...
. It has been published bi-monthly in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
since November 2000 (apart from a brief break for the crossover). It has been published in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
(with an altered order) and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
since 2002 and four trade paperbacks have been released. During the production hiatus between 2003 and 2006 and from 2013 to present, it was the only new ''Futurama'' material being made. The comic book series continues its run, even after two cancellations of the TV series. Issues #82 and #83 were distributed via the Futuramaland app, and will not be physically printed.
Premise
In the year 3000, the crew of the Planet Express delivery company make cargo shipments to unusual planets, as well as having adventures back on Earth. The main characters include
Philip J. Fry
Philip J. Fry, commonly known by his surname, is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated series ''Futurama''. He is voiced by Billy West using a version of his own voice as he sounded when he was 25. He is a slacker delivery bo ...
, a slacker from the 20th century who was cryogenically frozen for 1,000 years,
cycloptic ship captain
Leela, and an alcohol-fueled, troublemaking robot
Bender. The comic will often make more use of supporting or minor characters than the series, such as
Zapp Brannigan
This article lists the many characters of ''Futurama,'' an American Cartoon series, animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the a ...
,
Cubert Farnsworth
This article lists the many characters of ''Futurama,'' an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a ...
, the
Robot Devil
This article lists the many characters of ''Futurama,'' an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a ...
and Inez Wong.
Format
Each issue consists of at least one story of around 27 pages (occasionally brief stories also appear), and a letters and fanart page. There are also full-page mock advertisements marketing futuristic products (such as Brain Slugs), which parody the kinds of coupon offers found in other comic books.
Special editions of some issues are published on occasion; a variant of the first issue available only at
Comic Con
A comic book convention or comic-con is an event with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at con ...
2000 featured a golden background, rather than red.
In a similar vein to the parent series, each issue features a humorous caption on the cover (for example, "Made In The USA! (Printed in Canada)"). These captions also vary according to where it is sold. Coinciding with the change in format in issue 59, the caption was abandoned, along with the original logo. Each issue is a self-contained story which lasts one issue (though the Time Bender Trilogy spanned three issues) and it is printed in the standard 6⅝" x 10¼" size.
After issue 81, the print edition was cancelled and issue 82 was released as a digital-only comic.
Issues
Specials
In 2002, it was announced that a special two-part crossover with the characters of
''Simpsons'' Comics would be printed. The mini-series was written by
Ian Boothby
Ian Boothby (born June 8, 1967) is a multiple Shuster Award, Harvey Award and Eisner Award nominee and an Eisner Award–winning comic book creator best known for his work as the lead writer on ''Simpsons Comics'' and ''Futurama Comics'' for Ma ...
and pencilled by James Lloyd. It was followed by another special in 2005.
Futurama Comics #1 (San Diego Comic-Con Exclusive 2000)
A limited-edition variant of Futurama Comics #1, exclusive to San Diego Comic-Con 2000.
Futurama/Simpsons Infinitely Secret Crossover Crisis
The Simpsons/Futurama Crossover Crisis II
Futurama Returns (San Diego Comic-Con 2007 Exclusive)
A limited-edition teaser for the
direct-to-DVD
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was p ...
Futurama movies. A live reading of the comic by most of the original cast was included as an extra on the DVD of ''
Bender's Big Score
''Futurama: Bender's Big Score'' (or ''Bender's Big Score'') is a 2007 American adult animated science fiction comedy-adventure film based on the animated series ''Futurama''. It was released in the United States on November 27, 2007. It was the ...
''.
Delivery-Boy Man (San Diego Comic-Con 2010 Exclusive)
This comic was only available at San Diego Comic-Con 2010. It is based on the comic Fry wrote in the episode "
Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences
"Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences" is the eleventh episode of the sixth season of the animated sitcom, '' Futurama'' and is the 99th episode overall. It aired on Comedy Central on August 26, 2010. In the episode, the ruler of the planet Omicron Per ...
", which had not aired at the time the comic was released.
Futurama Comics to Infinity! (San Diego Comic-Con 2013 Exclusive)
A 104-page collection featuring issues 23, 37, 39, and 45.
Variations
Titan Magazines
Titan Magazines is the magazine-publishing division of Titan Publishing Group. Titan Magazines' publishing directors are Ricky Claydon and John Dziewiatkowski.
History
Titan Magazines launched in 1995 with '' Star Trek Magazine'' with John ...
began printing Futurama Comics in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
in 2002, with the first issue going on sale on October 3.
[Press release (September 25, 2002]
Do you want Fry with that?
''Titan Publishing''. Retrieved from gotfuturama on March 4, 2007 The UK version is a larger
A4 size and there is a sidebar on the front cover previewing what is inside. The same content is featured in these issues as in the United States, but there are also competitions and more "fan art". The order of release is altered from the original line-up; the crossovers were published as part of the main series, pushing some issues back. US issue 7 was published as UK issue 6 to coincide with the release of ''
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines''. Captions are also changed as well, with the aforementioned issue changed to "Rise of the Machines!" and issue 3 reading "New Version 5.0!" on account of it being printed two issues later. "DOOP the Right Thing" was not published until issue 9.
Until issue 14, the comics were published bi-monthly. From issue 15 until issue 44 they were published monthly and, to avoid catching up with the US issues (which were by now quarterly), the issues were then split in two, though "Bender Breaks Out" was published as a full issue as otherwise the story does not make sense. From issue 45 onwards the comics are reverting to bi-monthly.
Special promotional editions are also published; a miniature edition of "DOOP the Right Thing" was included with an issue of the UK ''
Simpsons Comics
The following is a list of comic book series published by Bongo Comics based on the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. The first comic strips based on ''The Simpsons'' appeared in 1991 in the magazine ''Simpsons Illustrated'' (no ...
''.
Titan ceased publishing Futurama Comics in the UK with the release of issue 67 (US issues 67 and 68) in August, 2013.
The comic began publishing in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
in 2002 and follows the same release pattern as the US. However, until issue 16, they were published quarterly, going bi-monthly in late 2005. There are variations in the captions used; "A Fit Worse Than Death" was originally printed without one, with the Australian publishers adding "Medicine In The 31st Century".
Trade paperbacks
*Futurama-O-Rama: Collects Issues #1-4 (November 2002)
*Futurama Adventures: Collects Issues #5-9 (September 2004)
*The Time Bender Trilogy: Collects Issues #16-19 (July 2006)
*Futurama Conquers The Universe: Collects Issues #10-13 (October 2007)
*The Simpsons / Futurama Crossover Crisis: Collects Futurama/Simpsons Infinitely Secret Crossover Crisis #1-2, Simpsons/Futurama Crossover Crisis II #1-2, excerpts from Simpsons Comics #87 and Simpsons Summer Shindig #2, and a reprint of Simpsons Comics #1 (March 2010)
References
External links
Official Futurama Comics catalogFuturama covers gallery*
Comic Listing
a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...
at the ''Infosphere''
{{Matt Groening
Comic
a Media (communication), medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of Panel (comics), panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, Glo ...
Comics
a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...
Bongo Comics titles
Titan Magazines titles
Publications established in 2000
Comics based on television series
Comics set in New York City
Comics set in the 31st century
Comics set on fictional planets