In case you've accidentally ventured into unknown territory, be aware that this is not the History of Bongo Comics, which can be found here!, but rather the history of our guides to the comics. As such we openly admit it may not make for the most exciting reading. You have been forewarned!

History of The Simpsons Comic Guides

In 1996 Achim Reinschmidt provided the excellent (and now extremely dated!) Guide to Bongo Comics. Despite the work on all subsequent guides I for one continue to use it as a resource.

That guide provided links to the detailed Simpsons Comic Guide maintained by Torsten Kracke. In 2002 he turned that over to The Simpsons Archive where it was then maintained by Simon Lau. Soon thereafter it was turned over to Jason Meyers.

We fast forward to 2008, where I find myself inquiring into the current state of affairs of the guide, as it had fallen woefully out of date. Our webmaster Jouni Paakkinen wisely suggested that I take if over, and I most foolishly accept, thinking a few hours of work could bring it up to date. Upon closer examination I decided that it really needed to be largely rebuilt from scratch, and since I was doing that I decided to redesign, adding a lot more information, new features, new scans, and a few hundred hours later (literally) it was ready. It was re-released on November 18, 2008 and I've maintained it since then. That initial rewrite is described below in the History of Revisions titled What I Did During My Summer Vacation.

Many comic guides, including the previous version of this guide, feel compelled to standardize the credits (artists) for each comic to a set number of fixed entries, leaving entries blank if no one was specified and leaving off names if they didn't fit the standard entry template. We take the opposite view. Our goal is to document as precisely as possible the artists and staff as they are represented in the comics, unless a subsequent issue corrects an entry (and that too is so noted). So if the credits on a comic story specifies Story or Script or Written By we document it precisely that way. Moreover, credits intended to be amusing (such as most of the Treehouse of Horror comics) or even the various Matt Groening entries ("Tour Guide", "Military Advisor", "Hooligan", etc.) are documented precisely as supplied. Minor unintended errors in lettering (such as in spelling names) are corrected.

Since the Simpsons Comics series was an initial offering by Bongo Comics and continues as the most frequent publication we've used that series to document Bongo Comics Group itself as it changes over the years, recording the entire masthead and noting the changes in the first issue that reflects any change. It's also documented under the first comic of each series.

Although this is (thus far) intended to be primarily a guide to U.S. Comics, UK promotional issues are included to assist people who run across them, and a few foreign issues which were originally documented in this guide we've left in place. Note that most foreign reprints are documented in our book list here!

We have many additional ideas on how this guide can be expanded further. What would you like to see?

In addition to Achim Reinschmidt, Torsten Kracke, Simon Lau and Jason Meyers the following people made contributions to the original Guide to Simpsons Comics;

-Kenneth White
-Michael Poggie, who contributed much of the variation and special issue information
-Mike Amato

The Complete Rewrite: Released November 18, 2008

During the summer and fall of 2008 we rewrote and then replaced the entire Comic Book Guide. The guide had last been updated almost six years ago and was missing two-thirds of the comics. We also expanded the entries for each comic and added many new features!

Major New Elements

• Created a Meet the Artists document indexing every Bongo Profile - and transcribed all sixteen of them.
• Created a Meet the Fans document indexing every fan letter and drawing published in Simpsons Comics.
• Created a Set of special Radioactive Man Indexes:
  • index in "original" publishing date order and reprint order
  • index of all referenced issues NOT reprinted
  • index to all the faux letters that were published
  • detailed the original Radioactive Man publishing scheduled
• Created an Itchy & Scratchy Story Index to every I&S story - including those within all the other Simpson comics.
• Created a Back Cover ("flip cover") Index
• Created a history of Bongo Comics page and began transcribing articles on Bongo Comics

Other Special Items

• Added details for Simpsons Comics #1, including scans of the comics they parodied
• Scanned in the wraparound cover for Simpsons Comics #5 (previous scan had covers reversed and tilted)
• Scanned in the wraparound cover for Simpsons Comics #50
• Provided scans for every back cover
• Added full and original credits from every comic, including front (and back) cover credits
• Added Bongo Comics Group masthead changes as they occurred in Simpsons Comics

Images

Since two-thirds of the comics were missing we obviously had to build two-thirds of the images from scratch. Every existing image was reworked (including adding borders on every .gif file) and many were replaced entirely. We also add enlarged images of the front and reverse of Simpsons Comics #1 to point out additional details. We replaced the wrap-around cover from Simpsons Comics #5 (the original image had the covers reversed!) and added a new image of the wrap-around cover of Simsons Comics #50. We also added new images for all the flip back covers. Updated all cover .gifs to have full alternate names (previously they just had #1, #2, etc.) Updated all height/width parameters in html to match all cover .gifs (most of them were originally randomly off by one or two pixels)

Content

The text was reformatted, changing the font and spacing, reducing the size of secondary text in various sections, realigned all the original html coding to fall into correct hierarchical levels, adding missing syntax (close table, etc.) lines. Corrected dozens of typos in story names and credits. Of course, I probably introduced a few as well! Updated credits to match the credits exactly as they appear in the comics, adding missing entries. Credits for example will now specify 'Script', 'Story', 'Story by' or 'Written by', as it appears in the comic. Added all Matt Groening humorous credits and all other humorous credits, such as those appearing in the Treehouse of Horror series. Bongo Comics Group was documented in Simpsons Comics and then redocumented as it changed. Added front cover artists and (where appropriate) back cover artists for all comics. Removed blank credit lines (where they weren't supplied in the comic). Split long table data lines to prevent unpredictable column widths and forced all other formatting.

Other

Updated references to Comic Reprints to the actual names of the volumes. Created links to all Comic Reprints into the booklist. Created links to each comic so external lists can reference each comic. Noted and added links from each comic to the Simpson Classic reprints. Noted and added links from each comic to the Simpsons Treasure Trove digest format. Noted and added links from each comic to the Free Comic Book Day reprints.

Replaced copyright notice to default to .gif copyright. Updated all list names and dates, of course!

Merged all promotional items into one file, although they still link individually from index page. Merged all one time special items into one file, although they still link individually from index page.

Split back cover titles across two lines to distinguish between cover and story. Reviewed and corrected story titles where necessary (minor changes affecting many titles!). On several occasions credits for second story were just copied from first story but not updated. Added section describing inspiration for Simpsons Comics #1 front and back covers.

Split long table data lines to prevent unpredictable column widths. Updated all names and dates.

Revision December 5, 2008

Added missing .gif file for THOH #14.
Added Simpsons Comics #148 and associated .gif.
Added Simpsons Treasure Trove #2 reprint information on five pages;
- Updated Simpsons Comics #87: Hail to the Cat
- Updated Bart Simpson #20: Bart's Fun Pages!
- Updated Simpsons Comics #54: Homer vs. The Wallpaper
- Updated Bongo Super Heroes #7 Starring Radioactive Man: Risky be the Rumpus Room
- Updated Bart Simpson #11: From Lichtenslava With Love
Added reprint information for Simpsons Comics & Stories Issue #1
Updated links for Simpsons Treasure Trove #1 on various pages
Added missing reprint info for a story reprinted in the 2005 Free Comic Book day.
Updated Bartman and Radioactive Man promotional ashcan to add one page faux advertisement. Re-ordered promotional items.
Ran spell check on many pages, particularly transcribed ones, correcting typos on 20 pages.

Revision December 31, 2008

Added Simpsons Winter Wing Ding #3 and associated cover .gif.
Added Bart Simpson Comics #45 and associated cover .gif.
Added Simpsons Comics #149 and associated cover .gif.
Created new page for Simpsons Comics #150.
Added preliminary information for Simpsons Comics #150 and associated advertising .gif.
Added preliminary information for Simpsons Super Spectacular #8 and associated advertising .gif.
Minor changes to other pages.
Updated main page to reflect additions above.

Revision January 8, 2009

Created new page "The Bart Code" to illustrate the combined Bart Simpson bar codes and added associated .gif file. Updated Simpson Comics #1 Version 3 to add Bart Simpson barcode, to correct link to Radioactive Man #1 and to add link to new file illustrating combined Bart Simpson barcode.
Updated Bartman #1 Version 3 to add Bart Simpson barcode, to correct link to Radioactive Man #1 and to add link to new file illustrating combined Bart Simpson barcode.
Updated Itchy & Scratchy #1 Version 3 to correct link to Radioactive Man #1 and to add link to new file illustrating combined Bart Simpson barcode.
Updated Radioactive Man #1 Version 3 to correct link to Radioactive Man #1 and to add link to new file illustrating combined Bart Simpson barcode.
Updated Radioactive Man Index to correct typos.
Updated Bart Simpson Comics #45 with additional info.
Minor updates to two dozen other pages.

Revision January 31, 2009

Updated Simpsons Comics #150 with cover .gif and story information.
Updated Simpsons Comics #150 with scan of wrap-around cover.
Added preliminary information for Simpsons Comics #151 and associated advertising .gif.
Added preliminary information for Bart Simpson Comics #46 and associated advertising .gif.
Minor updates to other pages.

Revision March 3, 2009

Updated Simpsons Comics #151 with cover .gif and details.
Added Simpsons Comics #152 with preliminary cover .gif, advertisement and story information.
Added Simpsons Comics #153 with story information.
Added generic "Bongo" cover .gif to use when preliminary cover is unavailable.
Updated Bart Simpson Comics #46 with final cover and details.
Added Bart Simpson Comics #47 with story information.
Updated Simpsons Super Spectacular #8 with final cover and details.
Updated Radioactive Man #711 to indicate story reprinted in Simpsons Super Spectacular #8.
Minor updates to other pages.

Revision April 7, 2009

Added Simpsons Treasure Trove #3 reprint information on five pages;
- Updated Simpsons Comics #50: Wall or Nothing
- Updated Bart Simpson #16: The Case of the Headless Dolls
- Updated Bart Simpson #23: Grampa Bart
- Updated Simpsons Comics #60: My Sister, My Sidekick!
- Updated Bart Simpson #6: The Invisible Nerd!
- Updated Simpsons Comics #24: Homey Alone
Updated Radioactive Man Index page to add additional info on Radioactive Man #160.
Updated Simpsons Comics #152 with details and final cover .gif.
Updated Simpsons Comics #153 with preliminary cover .gif and advertisement.
Added Simpsons Comics #154 and preliminary cover .gif.
Updated Bart Simpson Comics #47 with preliminary cover .gif and advertisement.
Made the apoplectic discovery that I never linked to the Summer Shindig issues.
Effectively added Summer Shindig #1, #2 and #3 including associated images.
Added information about the new Simpsons crossover, adding Simpsons Comics #155, Bart Simpson #48 and Simpsons Super Spectacular #9.
Minor updates to other pages.

Revision May 25, 2009

Added Bongo Free Comic Book Day 2009 issue.
Updated Bart Simpson #41 to reflect the above reprint.
Updated Simpsons Super Spectacular #5 to reflect the above reprint.
Updated Simpsons Comics #153 with details.
Updated Simpsons Comics #36 to reflect Simpsons Classics #19 reprint.
Updated Simpsons Comics #37 to reflect Simpsons Classics #19 reprint.
Updated Simpsons Comics #38 to reflect Simpsons Classics #20 reprint.
Updated Simpsons Comics #39 to reflect Simpsons Classics #20 reprint.
Minor updates to other pages.

Revision June 11, 2009

Updated Simpsons Comics #153 with final cover .gif.
Updated Simpsons Comics #154 with details and final cover .gif.
Again shattered my illusion of perfection when I discovered a story missing from Bart Simpson #15. Added Simpsons Treasure Trove #4 reprint information on five pages;
- Updated Simpsons Comics #19: Don't Cry For Me, Jebediah!
- Updated Simpsons Super Spectacular #1: The Crimespree on Springfield 2!
- Updated Bart Simpson #15: Bart's Junior Demerit Badge Manual
- Updated Bart Simpson #7: The Case of the Missing Moon Waffles
- Updated Bart Simpson #22: Bait and Cackle
- Updated Bart Simpson #3: Terror on Trioculon!

Revision June 29, 2009

Updated The Simpsons Summer Shindig #3 with detailed information and final cover .gif
Updated Radioactive Man Indexes for Radioactive Man story references in above comic.
Updated Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror references to The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror where appropriate and added line noting title change.
Added The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror #15 with cover .gif.
Minor updates to other pages.

Revision July 20, 2009

Updated Radioactive Man 80pg. Colossal #1 to correct links to Radioactive Man #100 and to add additional reprint information for City of the Future faux advertisement.
Updated The Simpsons Summer Shindig #3 with another final cover .gif
Updated Bart Simpson #47 with details and final cover .gif.
Updated Simpsons Comics #155 with details, cover .gif. and crossover .gif.
Updated Bart Simpson #48 with details, cover .gif. and crossover .gif.
Updated Simpsons Super Spectacular #9 with details, cover .gif. and crossover .gif.
Added Simpsons Comics #156 with preliminary details and cover .gif.
Added Simpsons Comics #157 with preliminary details.
Added Simpsons Comics #158 with preliminary details.
Added Bart Simpson #49 with preliminary details.
Updated Simpsons Comics #81 to correct reprint information.
Minor updates to other pages.

Other Simpsons Comics Sites

• The Only Complete Guide To Simpsons Comics
• The good ol' SNPP.COM's Guide to Bongo Comics
• Lastly, The Bongo Archive is long gone, but an archived version of the site can be found on The Internet Archive