Comic Book Guy
Encyclopedia
Comic Book Guy is a recurring fictional character
in the animated television series
The Simpsons
. He is voiced by Hank Azaria
, and first appeared in the second-season episode "Three Men and a Comic Book
", which originally aired on May 9, 1991. He is the proprietor of a comic book store, The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop. Comic Book Guy is based on "every comic-bookstore guy in America" and represents a stereotypical middle-aged comic-book collector. He has become well known for his catchphrase, "Worst (noun) ever!"
") is an obese
, nerd
y and snob
by man best known for his eloquence and sarcastic
quips. He is obsessed with collecting comic books and is an avid science fiction
buff. He holds a master's degree
in folklore
and mythology
(he translated The Lord of the Rings
into Klingon
as part of his thesis
), has an IQ of 170, and is a member of the Springfield branch of Mensa
. He has long hair, which he always keeps tied in a ponytail
. His catchphrase is the declaration "worst/best [subject] ever", sometimes to the point of breaking the fourth wall
. For example, in the episode "Saddlesore Galactica
", he wears a T-shirt saying "Worst Episode Ever
" and criticizes the idea of the Simpson family keeping a horse since that was the subject of a previous episode
. Another example of breaking the fourth wall occurs in an episode when Comic Book Guy's chair collapses, and he sarcastically says "Ooh, a fat man falls. Real original." Despite his solitary life, in The Simpsons Movie
, minutes before his likely death, Comic Book Guy says that his obsessive comic book collecting has been a "life well spent". However, in "Treehouse of Horror VIII
", when a nuclear missile homes in on him, he says to himself "Ohh, I've wasted my life." (Although the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes are not part of the normal Simpsons canon). In the 19th season finale, "All About Lisa
", it is revealed that he has long, beautiful, overflowing hair. Comic Book Guy not only has a heart attack in Season 12, but encounters death twice; once in a French missile strike on Springfield, and also in "Treehouse of Horror XVI
", where Comic Book Guy is killed by Mr. Burns for refusing to run for five whole minutes.
. He and his Internet
wife contemplated having children, but that would have severely drained his "power crystals". He is shown paired with a woman during a mass marriage that occurred when a cult
took over Springfield, and presumably the two are wed in the mass ceremony. In Season 16's "There's Something About Marrying
", he hopes to wed a Xena: Warrior Princess
cardboard figure. While part of an intellectual junta that briefly ran Springfield in "They Saved Lisa's Brain
", he proposes plans to limit breeding to once every seven years (a reference to the Vulcan
blood fever of mating, called Pon farr
), commenting that this would mean much less breeding for most, but for him, "much, much more". This is not his last foray into attempted leadership of Springfield; in the Season 17 episode "See Homer Run
", he is one of over 200 candidates for mayor
, following his usual catchphrase into "BEST MAYOR EVER." He is a virgin
well into his forties, but loses it when he becomes romantically involved with Principal Skinner's mother Agnes. (Chief Wiggum is notably repulsed when he and his officers stumble upon the couple "in the act".) He later dates Edna Krabappel
and is shown with the Superman
logo tattooed on his upper right buttock. They are nearly married at a science fiction convention, but Edna calls it off. Comic Book Guy was not particularly surprised by this, saying, "There are a million valid reasons, but which one did you pick?" When Edna gently explains "It's like I'm DC Comics
, and you're Marvel
", he accepts the comparison without any rancor.
store. Many of the comics and toys he sells are of poor quality and often have very high prices (for example, "The Ultimate Pog
", featuring their supposed inventor, Steve Allen
, costs $500). His store is his sanctuary, where he holds some level of self-esteem, imperiously lording over pre-teen kids, like Bart Simpson
and Milhouse Van Houten
, using a heavily sarcastic tone and often banning certain customers for minor infractions. His store contains a lower level full of illegal videos (which include Mr. Rogers drunk, Alien Autopsy
, Illegal Alien Autopsy, a "good version" of The Godfather Part III
, and Kent Brockman
picking his nose). In the Simpsons and Futurama cross-over comic, Fry
points out the cardboard cutout in the front of the store looks like his friend, Bender
(to which Comic Book Guy says that he and Bart are pulling an obvious Back to the Future
cliche while riding on flying skateboards).
In "Husbands and Knives
", the store was finally closed due to bankruptcy when a rival comic book shop opened up (whose owner had significantly better customer service), and Marge bought the land in order to open up "Shapes", a gym for regular women, on its former site. Though having been gone for a few episodes (and thought to have been "retired"), Comic Book Guy made an appearance in an episode that aired later in the season, "Any Given Sundance
". He was seen in the audience after Lisa's documentary played, writing a review of it on his blog; uncharacteristically, it was very positive, though his somewhat jadded voice tone implies that Lisa's documentary is far from being his favorite. In "All About Lisa
", his store seems to be open again, although nothing is known about his rival store, Coolsville. The store is also seen in the couch gag of "Lisa the Drama Queen
", where The Comic Book Guy puts a price tag on (then berates) a Simpsons couch gag toy.
Amok book shop who often "[sat]" on the high stool, kind of lording over the store with that supercilious attitude and eating behind the counter a big Styrofoam container full of fried clams
with a lot of tartar sauce." Groening noted:
Azaria based Comic Book Guy's voice on a student who went by the nickname "F", short for "Flounder" from the movie National Lampoon's Animal House
, and lived in the room next door at his college
. Azaria "loves that the character is an adult who argues with kids as if they're his peers."
. The writers of the show are aware of the newsgroup and sometimes make jokes at its expense.
The first such instance occurred in the seventh season episode "Radioactive Man
", in which Comic Book Guy is logging on to his favorite newsgroup alt.nerd.obsessive. Comic Book Guy's oft-repeated catchphrase, "Worst episode ever," first appeared on alt.tv.simpsons in an episode review and David X. Cohen
decided to use this fan response to lampoon the passion and the fickleness of the fans.
The eighth season
episode "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show
" is largely seen as a satire of the "hardcore fans" that make up the newsgroup, as well as a response to the viewer backlash and obsession with internal consistency those fans commonly express. When Comic Book Guy sees the Poochie episode, he immediately goes on the Internet and writes, “Worst episode ever” on a message board; a commentary on how the active audience nit-picks the episode. The writers respond by using the voice of Bart Simpson
:
The catchphrase further appears in the eleventh season
episode "Saddlesore Galactica
", and as the title of the twelfth season
episode "Worst Episode Ever
". The catchphrase can also be used for describing other things by saying, "Worst. (Noun). Ever."
on the show was never to reveal the character's name, with other characters referring to him as "Comic Book Guy". The writers had intended to name the character as early as his first episode, but they could not think of a name for him, and they called him "Comic Book Guy", with the intention of naming the character the next time they used him. However, they kept putting it off. Finally, in the February 6, 2005 episode, "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass
", Comic Book Guy nonchalantly tells Ned Flanders
: "My name is Jeff Albertson, but everyone calls me 'Comic Book Guy'". Show runner
Al Jean
remarked: "That was specifically done to make people really mad. We just tried to pick a generic name. It was also the Super Bowl
show. We did it so the most people possible would see it." Groening stated that he had originally intended him to be called Louis Lane and be "obsessed and tormented by" Lois Lane
, but was out of the room when the writers named him. His name is also mentioned in The Simpsons Game
.
s for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
for his work on The Simpsons, winning one in 2001 for voicing Comic Book Guy and various other characters in the episode "Worst Episode Ever
".
. Comic Book Guy is also featured in The Simpsons Game
, where he explains all the clichés that the player comes across during the game. Comic Book Guy also appeared in his own five-part comic book, in which his death influenced a nerd
and geek
gang war. The Simpsons Library of Wisdom
includes a volume entitled "Comic Book Guy's Book of Pop Culture". Comic Book Guy appears in Hit and Run as a drivable character, the host for bonus mission level four and host for a level seven mission. He is also a passenger in Road Rage. Comic Book Guy also has a cameo appearance in the season two finale of The Cleveland Show
saying the line, "Worst. Cameo. Ever".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the animated television series
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. He is voiced by Hank Azaria
Hank Azaria
Henry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief...
, and first appeared in the second-season episode "Three Men and a Comic Book
Three Men and a Comic Book
"Three Men and a Comic Book" is the twenty-first episode of The Simpsons second season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 9, 1991...
", which originally aired on May 9, 1991. He is the proprietor of a comic book store, The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop. Comic Book Guy is based on "every comic-bookstore guy in America" and represents a stereotypical middle-aged comic-book collector. He has become well known for his catchphrase, "Worst (noun) ever!"
Profile
Comic Book Guy (claiming Jeff Albertson to be his real name in the episode "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary PassHomer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass
"Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass" is the eighth episode of Season 16 of The Simpsons. It is a Super Bowl themed episode that was broadcast after Super Bowl XXXIX.-Plot:...
") is an obese
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
, nerd
Nerd
Nerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
y and snob
Snob
A snob is someone who believes that some people are inherently inferior to him or her for any one of a variety of reasons, including real or supposed intellect, wealth, education, ancestry, taste, beauty, nationality, et cetera. Often, the form of snobbery reflects the snob's personal attributes...
by man best known for his eloquence and sarcastic
Sarcasm
Sarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt.” Though irony and understatement is usually the immediate context, most authorities distinguish sarcasm from irony; however, others argue that sarcasm may or often does involve irony or employs...
quips. He is obsessed with collecting comic books and is an avid science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
buff. He holds a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
and mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
(he translated The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
into Klingon
Klingon language
The Klingon language is the constructed language spoken by the fictional Klingons in the Star Trek universe....
as part of his thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
), has an IQ of 170, and is a member of the Springfield branch of Mensa
Mensa International
Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test...
. He has long hair, which he always keeps tied in a ponytail
Ponytail
A ponytail is a hairstyle in which most or all of the hair on the head is pulled away from the face, gathered and secured at the back of the head with a hair tie, clip or similar device, and allowed to hang freely from that point. It gets its name from its resemblance to the undocked tail of a...
. His catchphrase is the declaration "worst/best [subject] ever", sometimes to the point of breaking the fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
. For example, in the episode "Saddlesore Galactica
Saddlesore Galactica
"Saddlesore Galactica" is the thirteenth episode of the eleventh season of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 6, 2000...
", he wears a T-shirt saying "Worst Episode Ever
Worst Episode Ever
"Worst Episode Ever" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons twelfth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 4, 2001. In the episode, Bart and Milhouse are banned from The Android's Dungeon after stopping Comic Book Guy from buying a box of priceless...
" and criticizes the idea of the Simpson family keeping a horse since that was the subject of a previous episode
Lisa's Pony
"Lisa's Pony" is the eighth episode of the third season of The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 7, 1991. In this episode, Homer goes drinking at Moe's Tavern instead of buying a new reed for Lisa's saxophone, resulting in her flopping at the school...
. Another example of breaking the fourth wall occurs in an episode when Comic Book Guy's chair collapses, and he sarcastically says "Ooh, a fat man falls. Real original." Despite his solitary life, in The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
, minutes before his likely death, Comic Book Guy says that his obsessive comic book collecting has been a "life well spent". However, in "Treehouse of Horror VIII
Treehouse of Horror VIII
"Treehouse of Horror VIII" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons ninth season and first aired on the Fox network on October 26, 1997. In the eighth annual "Treehouse of Horror" episode, Homer Simpson is the last man left alive when a neutron bomb destroys Springfield until a gang of mutants come...
", when a nuclear missile homes in on him, he says to himself "Ohh, I've wasted my life." (Although the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes are not part of the normal Simpsons canon). In the 19th season finale, "All About Lisa
All About Lisa
"All About Lisa" is the twentieth episode and season finale of The Simpsons nineteenth season, and first aired on May 18, 2008. Lisa Simpson becomes Krusty the Clown's newest assistant and steals his spotlight. She wins Entertainer of the Year at the Springfield Media awards, but is warned that...
", it is revealed that he has long, beautiful, overflowing hair. Comic Book Guy not only has a heart attack in Season 12, but encounters death twice; once in a French missile strike on Springfield, and also in "Treehouse of Horror XVI
Treehouse of Horror XVI
"Treehouse of Horror XVI" is the fourth episode of the seventeenth season of The Simpsons, as well as the sixteenth "Treehouse of Horror" episode. In this year's installment, The Simpsons replace Bart with a robot son after Bart falls into a coma in "B.I.: Bartificial Intelligence," Homer and...
", where Comic Book Guy is killed by Mr. Burns for refusing to run for five whole minutes.
Romance
Comic Book Guy was once married in an online role-playing gameMassively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
. He and his Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
wife contemplated having children, but that would have severely drained his "power crystals". He is shown paired with a woman during a mass marriage that occurred when a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
took over Springfield, and presumably the two are wed in the mass ceremony. In Season 16's "There's Something About Marrying
There's Something About Marrying
"There's Something About Marrying" is the tenth episode of the sixteenth season of The Simpsons. In the episode, Springfield legalizes same-sex marriage to increase tourism. After becoming a minister, Homer starts to wed people to make money. Meanwhile, Marge's sister Patty comes out as gay and...
", he hopes to wed a Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
cardboard figure. While part of an intellectual junta that briefly ran Springfield in "They Saved Lisa's Brain
They Saved Lisa's Brain
"They Saved Lisa's Brain" is the twenty-second episode of The Simpsons tenth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 9, 1999. After writing a thoughtful letter to the Springfield Shopper, Lisa is invited to join the Springfield chapter of Mensa...
", he proposes plans to limit breeding to once every seven years (a reference to the Vulcan
Vulcan (Star Trek)
Vulcans, or sometimes Vulcanians, are an extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Star Trek universe who evolved on the planet Vulcan, and are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic with no interference from emotion. They were the first extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek...
blood fever of mating, called Pon farr
Pon farr
Pon farr is a term used in the fictional Star Trek canonical TV series. In Star Trek, pon farr is a psychophysical condition affecting Vulcans, in which Vulcan males and females go into heat every seven years, going into a blood fever, becoming violent, and finally dying if they do not mate with...
), commenting that this would mean much less breeding for most, but for him, "much, much more". This is not his last foray into attempted leadership of Springfield; in the Season 17 episode "See Homer Run
See Homer Run
"See Homer Run" is the sixth episode of the 17th season of The Simpsons.-Plot:On Father's Day, Homer is profoundly impressed by Bart's gift — a Leather Buddy multi-function knife, holding which he fantasizes about rescuing Marge from pirates — and proudly tells Bart that it is the...
", he is one of over 200 candidates for mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, following his usual catchphrase into "BEST MAYOR EVER." He is a virgin
Virginity
Virginity refers to the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. There are cultural and religious traditions which place special value and significance on this state, especially in the case of unmarried females, associated with notions of personal purity, honor and worth...
well into his forties, but loses it when he becomes romantically involved with Principal Skinner's mother Agnes. (Chief Wiggum is notably repulsed when he and his officers stumble upon the couple "in the act".) He later dates Edna Krabappel
Edna Krabappel
Edna Krabappel is a fictional character from the animated TV series The Simpsons, voiced by Marcia Wallace. She is a 4th grade teacher at Springfield Elementary School. Krabappel is the only character Wallace voices on a regular basis.- Profile :...
and is shown with the Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
logo tattooed on his upper right buttock. They are nearly married at a science fiction convention, but Edna calls it off. Comic Book Guy was not particularly surprised by this, saying, "There are a million valid reasons, but which one did you pick?" When Edna gently explains "It's like I'm DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, and you're Marvel
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
", he accepts the comparison without any rancor.
The Android's Dungeon
Comic Book Guy is the owner of The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop, a local comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
store. Many of the comics and toys he sells are of poor quality and often have very high prices (for example, "The Ultimate Pog
Pogs
Pogs is a game that was popularized during the early 1990s. The word "pog" also refers to the discs used to play the game. The name originates from POG, a brand of juice made from passionfruit, orange and guava; the use of the POG bottle caps to play the game pre-dated the game's commercialization...
", featuring their supposed inventor, Steve Allen
Steve Allen
Steve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen , American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3...
, costs $500). His store is his sanctuary, where he holds some level of self-esteem, imperiously lording over pre-teen kids, like Bart Simpson
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and Milhouse Van Houten
Milhouse Van Houten
Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Pamela Hayden. He is Bart Simpson's best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class at Springfield Elementary School....
, using a heavily sarcastic tone and often banning certain customers for minor infractions. His store contains a lower level full of illegal videos (which include Mr. Rogers drunk, Alien Autopsy
Alien autopsy
An alien autopsy refers to a medical examination and dissection of the dead body of an extraterrestrial being. Such a procedure would more accurately be called an "alien necropsy", since an "autopsy" is, by definition, performed on a subject who is the same species as the examiner...
, Illegal Alien Autopsy, a "good version" of The Godfather Part III
The Godfather Part III
The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American gangster film written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, and directed by Coppola. It completes the story of Michael Corleone, a Mafia kingpin who tries to legitimize his criminal empire...
, and Kent Brockman
Kent Brockman
Kent Brockman is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer and first appeared in the episode "Krusty Gets Busted"...
picking his nose). In the Simpsons and Futurama cross-over comic, Fry
Philip J. Fry
Philip J. Fry, known simply as Fry, is a fictional character, the main protagonist of the animated science fiction sitcom Futurama. He is voiced by Billy West using a version of his own voice as he sounded when he was 25.-Character overview:...
points out the cardboard cutout in the front of the store looks like his friend, Bender
Bender Bending Rodríguez
Bender Bending Rodríguez, designated Bending Unit 22, is a fictional robot character in the animated television series Futurama. He was created by series creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen and is voiced by John DiMaggio. In the series, Bender plays the role of a comic anti-hero, and is...
(to which Comic Book Guy says that he and Bart are pulling an obvious Back to the Future
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
cliche while riding on flying skateboards).
In "Husbands and Knives
Husbands and Knives
"Husbands and Knives" is the seventh episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season, and was first broadcast on November 18, 2007. It features guest appearances from Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman and Dan Clowes as themselves as well as Jack Black as Milo. It was written by Matt Selman and directed by Nancy...
", the store was finally closed due to bankruptcy when a rival comic book shop opened up (whose owner had significantly better customer service), and Marge bought the land in order to open up "Shapes", a gym for regular women, on its former site. Though having been gone for a few episodes (and thought to have been "retired"), Comic Book Guy made an appearance in an episode that aired later in the season, "Any Given Sundance
Any Given Sundance
"Any Given Sundance" is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season. It first aired on May 4, 2008. It guest-starred Jim Jarmusch and John C. Reilly as themselves...
". He was seen in the audience after Lisa's documentary played, writing a review of it on his blog; uncharacteristically, it was very positive, though his somewhat jadded voice tone implies that Lisa's documentary is far from being his favorite. In "All About Lisa
All About Lisa
"All About Lisa" is the twentieth episode and season finale of The Simpsons nineteenth season, and first aired on May 18, 2008. Lisa Simpson becomes Krusty the Clown's newest assistant and steals his spotlight. She wins Entertainer of the Year at the Springfield Media awards, but is warned that...
", his store seems to be open again, although nothing is known about his rival store, Coolsville. The store is also seen in the couch gag of "Lisa the Drama Queen
Lisa the Drama Queen
"Lisa the Drama Queen" is the ninth episode of the twentieth season of The Simpsons. It aired January 25, 2009 and guest starred Emily Blunt as Juliet. A special version of the end credits theme was performed by Fall Out Boy, although they do not guest star in the actual episode...
", where The Comic Book Guy puts a price tag on (then berates) a Simpsons couch gag toy.
Creation
Comic Book Guy was partly inspired by a clerk at the Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
Amok book shop who often "[sat]" on the high stool, kind of lording over the store with that supercilious attitude and eating behind the counter a big Styrofoam container full of fried clams
Fried clams
Fried clams are made by deep frying soft-shell clams that have been dipped in batter.Fried clams are an iconic food, "to New England what barbecue is to the South". They tend to be served at seaside clam shacks . For a lighter meal, a clam roll is made by piling clams into a hot dog bun...
with a lot of tartar sauce." Groening noted:
Azaria based Comic Book Guy's voice on a student who went by the nickname "F", short for "Flounder" from the movie National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. The film was a direct spin-off of National Lampoon magazine...
, and lived in the room next door at his college
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
. Azaria "loves that the character is an adult who argues with kids as if they're his peers."
Development
Within the series, the character Comic Book Guy is often used to represent a stereotypical inhabitant of the newsgroup alt.tv.simpsonsAlt.tv.simpsons
alt.tv.simpsons is a usenet newsgroup dedicated to discussing the American television program, The Simpsons. Created in 1990, the newsgroup became a popular community in the early 1990s, and continues to exist as of 2011.The newsgroup is known for reviewing the episodes and nitpicking on minor...
. The writers of the show are aware of the newsgroup and sometimes make jokes at its expense.
The first such instance occurred in the seventh season episode "Radioactive Man
Radioactive Man (The Simpsons episode)
"Radioactive Man" is the second episode of The Simpsons seventh season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 24, 1995. The episode sees the film version of the comic book series Radioactive Man set up production in Springfield. Much to Bart's disappointment, the...
", in which Comic Book Guy is logging on to his favorite newsgroup alt.nerd.obsessive. Comic Book Guy's oft-repeated catchphrase, "Worst episode ever," first appeared on alt.tv.simpsons in an episode review and David X. Cohen
David X. Cohen
David Samuel Cohen , primarily known as David X. Cohen, is an American television writer. He has written for The Simpsons and he is the head writer and executive producer of Futurama.-Early life:...
decided to use this fan response to lampoon the passion and the fickleness of the fans.
The eighth season
The Simpsons (season 8)
The Simpsons eighth season originally aired between October 27, 1996 and May 18, 1997, beginning with "Treehouse of Horror VII". The show runners for the eighth production season were Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein. The aired season contained two episodes which were hold-over episodes from season...
episode "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show
The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show
"The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" is the fourteenth episode of the eighth season of The Simpsons, which originally aired February 9, 1997. In the episode, The Itchy & Scratchy Show attempts to regain viewers by introducing a hip new character named Poochie, who will be voiced by Homer...
" is largely seen as a satire of the "hardcore fans" that make up the newsgroup, as well as a response to the viewer backlash and obsession with internal consistency those fans commonly express. When Comic Book Guy sees the Poochie episode, he immediately goes on the Internet and writes, “Worst episode ever” on a message board; a commentary on how the active audience nit-picks the episode. The writers respond by using the voice of Bart Simpson
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
:
The catchphrase further appears in the eleventh season
The Simpsons (season 11)
The Simpsons 11th season originally aired between September 1999 and May 2000, beginning on Sunday, September 26, 1999, with "Beyond Blunderdome". The show runner for the 11th production season was Mike Scully...
episode "Saddlesore Galactica
Saddlesore Galactica
"Saddlesore Galactica" is the thirteenth episode of the eleventh season of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 6, 2000...
", and as the title of the twelfth season
The Simpsons (season 12)
The Simpsons 12th season began on Wednesday, November 1, 2000 with "Treehouse of Horror XI".The season contains four hold over episodes from the season 11 production line. The show runner for the twelfth production was Mike Scully. The season features three episodes that were produced for the...
episode "Worst Episode Ever
Worst Episode Ever
"Worst Episode Ever" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons twelfth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 4, 2001. In the episode, Bart and Milhouse are banned from The Android's Dungeon after stopping Comic Book Guy from buying a box of priceless...
". The catchphrase can also be used for describing other things by saying, "Worst. (Noun). Ever."
Name
A long-running gagRunning gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
on the show was never to reveal the character's name, with other characters referring to him as "Comic Book Guy". The writers had intended to name the character as early as his first episode, but they could not think of a name for him, and they called him "Comic Book Guy", with the intention of naming the character the next time they used him. However, they kept putting it off. Finally, in the February 6, 2005 episode, "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass
Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass
"Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass" is the eighth episode of Season 16 of The Simpsons. It is a Super Bowl themed episode that was broadcast after Super Bowl XXXIX.-Plot:...
", Comic Book Guy nonchalantly tells Ned Flanders
Ned Flanders
Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally...
: "My name is Jeff Albertson, but everyone calls me 'Comic Book Guy'". Show runner
Show runner
Showrunner is a term of art originating in the United States and Canadian television industry referring to the person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television seriesalthough such persons generally are credited as an executive producer...
Al Jean
Al Jean
Al Jean is an award-winning American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work on The Simpsons. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Harvard University in 1981. Jean began his writing career in the 1980s with fellow Harvard alum Mike Reiss...
remarked: "That was specifically done to make people really mad. We just tried to pick a generic name. It was also the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
show. We did it so the most people possible would see it." Groening stated that he had originally intended him to be called Louis Lane and be "obsessed and tormented by" Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
, but was out of the room when the writers named him. His name is also mentioned in The Simpsons Game
The Simpsons Game
The Simpsons Game is an action/platformer video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons, made for the Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, and PlayStation Portable. The game was developed, published, and distributed by Electronic Arts. It was released in North...
.
Reception
Hank Azaria has won several Primetime Emmy AwardPrimetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
s for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance is a creative arts Emmy Award given out by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. It is awarded to a performer for an outstanding "continuing or single voice-over performance in a series or a special." Prior to 1992, voice-actors...
for his work on The Simpsons, winning one in 2001 for voicing Comic Book Guy and various other characters in the episode "Worst Episode Ever
Worst Episode Ever
"Worst Episode Ever" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons twelfth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 4, 2001. In the episode, Bart and Milhouse are banned from The Android's Dungeon after stopping Comic Book Guy from buying a box of priceless...
".
Merchandising
Comic Book Guy is featured on the cover of the twelfth season DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. Comic Book Guy is also featured in The Simpsons Game
The Simpsons Game
The Simpsons Game is an action/platformer video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons, made for the Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, and PlayStation Portable. The game was developed, published, and distributed by Electronic Arts. It was released in North...
, where he explains all the clichés that the player comes across during the game. Comic Book Guy also appeared in his own five-part comic book, in which his death influenced a nerd
Nerd
Nerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
and geek
Geek
The word geek is a slang term, with different meanings ranging from "a computer expert or enthusiast" to "a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts", with a general pejorative meaning of "a peculiar or otherwise dislikable person, esp[ecially] one who is perceived to...
gang war. The Simpsons Library of Wisdom
The Simpsons Library of Wisdom
The Simpsons Library of Wisdom is a series of books, each related to a specific character of the popular cartoon show The Simpsons. Thus far, 10 books in the series have been released. The books feature details on characters and locations in Springfield, and character-specific features...
includes a volume entitled "Comic Book Guy's Book of Pop Culture". Comic Book Guy appears in Hit and Run as a drivable character, the host for bonus mission level four and host for a level seven mission. He is also a passenger in Road Rage. Comic Book Guy also has a cameo appearance in the season two finale of The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
saying the line, "Worst. Cameo. Ever".
External links
- Comicbookguys Twitter on Twitter.com