Simpsons Comics are sold all around the world.
It's difficult to keep tabs on exactly which countries actually
have them. Below is a list known of places in the world where
you can find these comics:
-
Australia (AUS) & New Zealand (NZ)
- America (USA)
- United Kingdom (UK) & Ireland
- Sweden
- Spain
- South America (Argentina)
- France
- Germany
- The Netherlands (Dutch)
- Italy
- México
I would imagine this is a growing list. There is a language
barrier that seems to hinder our ability to capture the
differences in the comics in these places. Sometimes issues are
hard to obtain due to not actually living in these countries or
the prices are ridiculously expensive.
However, that's where research comes into it. Information
like this (differences) are continually obtained.
Considering this is a general look at the whole world of
Simpsons Comics, it's rare to find that in each place is up to
the comic issue another place is up to. Many countries are
behind and some ahead in issues. Some issues never come out,
some take stories from other issues and combine them into the one issue
and so on.
I found that most comics are:
- Featured in full-colour
- Printed on recycled paper
Australian & New Zealand Comics:
- Don't include the trading cards that come with certain
comics
- Slightly larger then the American comics
- On stiffer paper (much stronger than the common paper used
in comics. For example the American comics)
- Bart Simpson Comics are half the size of monthly comics and
contain FREE Radioactive Man comics
- Not direct editions
- Bongo re-issue paperbacks and are smaller in size
- Bongo re-issue Futurama comics in pocket size editions that
contain two issues in one
- Distributed by GORDON & GOTCH
- Printed by OFFSET ALPINE
American
Comics:
- Slightly smaller than the Australian comics.
- Bart Simpson Comics are normal size which don't contain FREE
Radioactive Man comics.
- Printed on paper that's soft (paper that's easily damaged)
- Are direct editions*
- Freebies like trading cards and posters are including most of
the time
- Many issues don't have a barcode and have alternative covers
which barcodes or a different image for a barcode
- Some covers are enhanced
|
*A
direct edition barcode |
UK
& Ireland Comics:
- Some issues come with different covers to ones
released in other countries, for example UK's #1 has a cover
similar to
#1 Spring 1991 of the Simpsons Illustrated*
- Bigger than the Australian comics.
- Freebies are given out in many issues
- Some issues are mixed, for example UK's #8 is not the same to
AUS, NZ & USA #8, in fact UK's #8 is the TreeHouse
of Horror #1**
- Many issues contain exclusive interviews
- Some series are combined together, for example UK's #25
included Bartman #1 and following issues combined
more***
- Issues have a side column outlining what's included for all
issues
Sweden Comics:
- Issues are mixed, for example Sweden's #6 is not the same
as #6 for AUS, NZ & USA. Sweden's #6 has the cover for
#19 for AUS, NZ & USA*
|
*Sweden #6 |
Spain Comics:
- Some of their issues come in hard covers
- Slightly bigger the most Simpsons Comics around the world,
this could be due to the hardcover nature
South America (Argentina) Comics:
No information at this point in time.
France Comics:
- Much of the writing is different to English based comics,
some issues will have different cover quotes. This is due to the
nature of French dialogue
- Some issues contain special pages
- Freebies are given out in many issues
- Many comic covers contain an icon up the top left corner of a
Simpsons character or a logo*
- Prices included on the barcode
- Some series are combined together, for example France's #29
includes Futurama #1**
- Series have different names, for example Simpsons Comics is
called 'Les Simpson' & Bart Simpson's TreeHouse of
Horror is called 'L'Horreur'. Again this is due to the French language***
- Many issues (for example France's #57) are collectors editions
that have half of the comic cover in barcode size,
in the location of the barcode and in greyscale****
Germany Comics:
- By Dino comics. Not until Germany's #114, that a company
called 'Panini' took over.*
- Comic covers and style is very similar to the France Simpsons
Comics
- Some issues are mixed, for example Germany's #5 is not the
same to AUS, NZ & USA #5, in fact Germany's #5 comic
cover is Bartman #1**
- Many comic covers contain an icon up the top left corner of a
Simpsons character or a logo
- Freebies are given out in many issues
- Bart Simpson's TreeHouse of Horror is called 'Bart Simpson's
Horror Show' and they are all special editions***
- Like the France comics, there is German dialogue that will
affect cover quotes and other form of writing
- You will come across the phrase 'Teil' a lot on the covers.
This means 'Part', for example 'Teil 1', means part 1
The Netherlands (Dutch) Comics:
- There is a mistake on the internet, Germany's #1 is
always mistaken to be The Netherlands #1 of the Simpsons
Comics. Germany's #1 is different to The Netherlands #1. The Netherlands #1 contains
the cover art for AUS, NZ & USA
#2 and combines issues AUS, NZ & USA #1 & #2 together*
- The Netherlands comic covers have comic story titles on the
comic cover. You will sometimes find this phrase on the
covers, 'met twee verhalen', meaning 'with two tales'*
- The language used is Dutch dialogue and again this affects
titles etc.
- The comic covers don't have comic cover quotes
- Issues are mixed taken stories from other Simpsons Comics are
putting them in one issue, for example The
Netherlands #1 has stories from AUS, NZ & USA #1 & #2 together*
- There are no barcodes
|
*The Netherlands #1 |
Italy Comics:
- Some comics have no barcodes
- Comic covers sometimes have no cover quotes
- Freebies are given out
- Many comic covers contain an icon up the top left corner of a
Simpsons character or a logo
- The Simpsons Comic series was called 'I Simpson', which means
'The Simpson'. From Italy's #33 it changed to
Simpsons Comics*
- Some issues have alternative covers, for example Italy's #34
had the original comic cover and another which seemed
like it had been released in Christmas with the Simpson's characters in a
Christmas tree as its cover**
- The language used is in the Italian dialogue and again this
affects titles etc.
México Comics:
- By Grupo Editorial*
- Simpsons Comics is called 'Simpson Comics', the title drops
the 's' in Simpsons
- México #7 has the same comic cover for AUS, NZ & USA
Radioactive man #1**
- Some issues are mixed again, México #8 has the same comic
cover for AUS, NZ & USA Radioactive man #88 & México
#9 has the same cover cover for AUS, NZ & USA Itchy & Scratchy #1***
As
you can see, each country will have its alternatives. Each comic
will be different in the way it looks, size, language, what it has,
types of freebies and which stories it includes.
It all seems overwhelming to try and collect them all, which in
this case it is. There is one assurance factor though, all comic
stories are the same! There will only ever be one version of
'The Amazing Colossal
Homer', which means you'll never find one story different.
The México's version of 'The Amazing Colossal
Homer' is the same story everywhere else and so on.
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