Private company

Bongo Comics Group

Logo: Serban Cristescu, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

Defunct American comic book publisher

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 as the SpongeBob SquarePants comics, along with original material. The company was named after Bongo, a rabbit character in Groening's comic strip Life in Hell.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1993Founded1

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 as the SpongeBob SquarePants comics, along with original material. The company was named after Bongo, a rabbit character in Groening's comic strip Life in Hell.2

The story

Founded by Matt Groening in 1993.1

Groening launched Bongo Comics Group in 1993, perceiving a lack of funny books in the comic book industry at the time: "I go into comic book stores and look at all the stuff, and, for the most part, it looks like fairly grim science-fiction and superhero stuff... I guess I just thought there was room out there for funny comic books." The company launched four titles, the bi-monthly Simpsons Comics and Radioactive Man Vol. 1, and the thrice-annually Itchy & Scratchy Comics and Bartman. Groening hoped that the new company would revitalise the industry, and held discussions to publish cross-overs with characters from other publishing companies. The comics use original story-lines rather than simply adapting episodes of the television series; however, in 2011 editor Bill Morrison explained that the stories "fit in with the continuity of the shows."

The company launched Futurama Comics, based on the cartoon series of the same name, in 2000.

2012 saw the company change their logo, and a new creative director was unveiled, with Nathan Kane promoted internally to replace the departing Bill Morrison.

It was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2018 that Bongo would be shutting down in October. Simpsons Comics #245 was the final issue released by Bongo.

From Wikipedia’s article on Bongo Comics, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led Bongo Comics Group, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Timeline

  1. 2018Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1993Founded Founded1

Sources

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