Futurama Comics

Infobox Comic
name = Futurama Comics


image_caption = The front cover of issue #1
code =
title_orig =
hero =
appearances =
pages = 27
layout =
story = Multiple
ink = Multiple
date =
first = November 22, 2000
inducks_id =

"Futurama Comics" is a comic book series published by Bongo Comics and based on the television series "Futurama". It has been published bi-monthly in the United States since November 2000 (apart from a brief break for the crossover) until 2003 and is now quarterly. It has been published in the United Kingdom (with an altered order) and Australia since 2002 and three trade paperbacks have been released. During the production hiatus between 2003 and 2006 it was the only new "Futurama" material being made.

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 characters are Philip J. Fry, a man from the 20th century who was crygenically frozen for 1,000 years, cycloptic ship captain Turanga 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 Cubert Farnsworth, the Robot Devil 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 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. Each issue is a self-contained story which lasts one issue (though the Time Bender Trilogy spanned four issues) and it is printed in the standard 6⅝" x 10¼" size.

Issues

impsons/Futurama Crossover Crisis II

Variations

Titan Magazines began printing Futurama Comics in the United Kingdom in 2002, with the first issue going on sale on October 3rd. [Press release (September 25, 2002) [http://www.gotfuturama.com/Information/Articles/titan.shtml 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 "". 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 reveting back 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 comic began publishing in Australia 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
*"Futurama Adventures" Collects issues #5-9
*"Futurama Conquers The Universe" [ [http://www.amazon.ca/dp/0061430692 Futurama Conquers the Univese] at amazon.ca. Retrieved on April 5, 2007] Collects issues #10-13
*"Futurama: The Time Bender Trilogy" Collects issues #16-19
*"Yet to be released is Simpsons/Futurama Infinitely Secret Crossover Crisis" Collects both crossovers as well as Simpsons Comics #87 (seen in the first crossover) and a special 10-page "Chilli Chilli Bang Bang" (seen in the second crossover)

References

External links

* [http://www.coverbrowser.com/covers/futurama Futurama covers gallery]
* [http://www.futuramics.info Futuramics - Website dedicated to Futurama Comic Books]
* [http://krustofski.com/bongo When Bongos Collide - Futurama Comics] Bongo Comics website with information on the Futurama comic books.
* at the "Infosphere".