A bargain bin issue of The Simpsons is rather hard to find. At the used books stores, I can occasionally strike gold with a collection of funnies from Bongo Comics. But finding anything from Simpsons sister series, Futurama, is just about as rare as a thing as stumbling upon a gold nugget!
In this collection of 4 stories- in yes, what is called 'The Time Bender Trilogy', Fry, Leela, and Bender are tasked with finding Dr. Farnsworth's son Cubert a boarding school. Of course, it's an intergalactic boarding school! No earth bound fluff for Dr. Farnsworth's genius clone!
After several school tours, The Planet Express team find the perfect school for Cubert; a real institute of higher learning of which the youth absolutely hates. Tricked into attending school with Cubert, Fry and friends try to adjust to life as high school students. Bender becomes a nerd. Fry, a jock. And Leela finds the popularity denied her as a mutant orphan; mostly because she owns the delivery ship.
Leela's newfound fame results in a round of playing hooky with some other popular students. In an attempt to rectify their truancy, Leela is peer pressured into going back in time by making a slingshot around a star. But as this is a very dangerous maneuver, Leela accidentally triggers a supernova resulting in the school needing to be evacuated- literally!
Safely back on planet Earth, the delivery team finds the world completely abandoned. Well, except for that pesky alien couple from Omicron Persei 8 who've claimed Terra as their new fixer-upper home. Thus begins a zany romp to regain the planet for the human race and then trek through time to rescue the time trapped populace of the year 3000!
This was a fun story. I've been reading the complete run of Marvel Comic Presents. I've enjoyed it. But for the most part, its grim and gritty. Truly a product of late 80s, early 90s superhero comics. So, I've felt like I need a laugh or two. Thankfully, on a recent, but very brief vacation, I found a couple of volumes of Bongo Comics classics (1 Simpsons, 1 Futurama). It's been a welcome reprieve.
I loved Futurama. I wish it was back on TV in a reboot- and I hate reboots!!! Full of sly one-liners and funny Easter eggs, this volume was enjoyable. A few of the jokes were dated. But this was like finding a few new never-before-seen episodes of Futurama. Too bad it ended too soon, as I've zero clue when I'll find another vein of Matt Groening comic book gold!
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
