The Big Book of Hell [Paperback]

Matt Groening (Author), Cindy Vance (Designer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 1990

Painstakingly assembled and rigorously organized by that master of clutter, Matt Groening, this is not another mini-jumbo, hard-to-read, abbreviated compendium in that seemingly endless series of discourses on hell but a gargantuan historical extravaganza of ten years' worth of the everpopular "Life in Hell "RM" " cartoon strip, which still mysteriously appears weekly in several hundred newspapers tricoastally. Read the whole story of "Life in Hell "RM" ," from early prehistory to late last night.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Matt Groening is probably best-known as the creator of the television show The Simpsons, but many of his fans prefer his older and even more cynical Life in Hell comics. The Big Book of Hell is an impressive collection of a decade's worth of his best work.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Groening has compiled his best work from the "Life in Hell" strip. The book has everything from the birth and evolution of his best-known characters such as Bongo and Binky to a prototype of Bart Simpson. A hilarious, insightful view of life in and out of Hell.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Pantheon; 1 edition (October 31, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679727590
• ISBN-13: 978-0679727590
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 0.6 x 10.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #378,106 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Matt Groening, creator and executive producer of Fox's Emmy Award®-winning series The Simpsons, made television history by bringing animation back to primetime and creating an immortal nuclear family. The Simpsons is the longest running primetime animated series in television history and is currently the longest-running comedy on television, having aired more than 400 episodes. In July 2007, the highly anticipated feature film The Simpsons Movie opened in theaters with worldwide grosses of more than $525 million to date.

Originally brought to life in 1987 for The Tracey Ullman Show, The Simpsons was Groening's amazing entry into the television animation world. Previously, he was best-known for his "Life in Hell" cartoon strip, an irreverent portrayal of love, work, school, life and relationships that currently appears in more than 250 newspapers worldwide and in a multitude of books.

Groening's other Emmy-Award®-winning creation, Futurama, launched on Fox in March 1999 and ran for five seasons. Last year Fox released the direct-to-DVD full-length original feature Futurama: Bender's Big Score. Three additional films will be released and the entire series with new episodes will air on Comedy Central this year.

In 1993, Groening formed Bongo Comics Group, where he serves as publisher of The Simpsons Library of Wisdom, Simpsons Episode Guides, Simpsons Comics, Bart Simpson Comics, Radioactive Man Comics, Simpsons Comics Treasure Trove, the annual Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror, Futurama Comics, more than 36 comic compilations, as well as instant classics including Bart Simpsons Guide to Life, The Simpsons Handbook, and The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album among others!

In addition to the many awards bestowed on his creations (including Emmys, Annies, and the prestigious Peabody Award), Groening was personally honored with the Rueben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year, the highest honor presented by the National Cartoonist Society. To date there are more than 14 million copies of books from HarperCollins in print throughout North America, the UK, and Australia based on The Simpsons, Futurama, and Life in Hell.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Greoning's Best, December 27, 2001

By 

"spackermatt" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Big Book of Hell (Paperback)

I must say, Big Book of Hell is 10 times better than Huge Book of Hell. Funnier, less preachy, bigger, and just plain better. It's honest, and extremely observant of the little stupid things we do every day. Matt's detailed descriptions of school and work are so true, I wish I would have written them. Bongo's anti-school agenda is so funny and true. The strips with the eyes and Bongo strapped in a chair are among my favorites. Another thing Big Book has that Huge Book doesn't, is that it is TOUCHING! Witness the 8 Steps of Handling a Divorce (or something to that nature). I almost cried when I read it. In some ways, its more personal than Huge Book, other times, more universal. Which is why Greoning's work (and the Simpsons) are so brilliant: touching, personal yet universal, bitter yet hilarious, observant without being fake. Big Book also has TREMENDOUS re-read value. I highly suggest anyone looking for a laugh or some delicious insight to purchase Big Book of Hell.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hell ain't that bad, October 16, 2002

By 

"discountlionsafari" (Mississippi State University) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Big Book of Hell (Paperback)

I've been a huge fan of the Simpsons since they first aired, and recently I decided to check out Matt Groening's other works. I bought this book used and it was worth every penny. The comics here are unlike any other. I particularly enjoy them because they are totally irreverent, yet honest about the state of American society today. Many of the 'School is Hell' series appear in this collection. They are my favorites--they get me through long nights of studying. It makes me wish there was a 'Life in Hell' TV series to go along with the Simpsons.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A scathingly realistic view of life, June 22, 2000

By 

Kelly - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Big Book of Hell (Paperback)

If you like The Simpsons, you'll love this book. It is packedwith 169 pages of the brutal and sometimes comic honesty that madeGroening who he is today. It covers all the main aspects of life - work, school, love, and childhood; told through the antics of surprisingly amusing rabbits who bear a striking resemblance to the Simpsons.

Some readers may be turned by these aspects that make it so appealing to the rest of us. Face it - Groening doesn't exactly hesitate to be excruciatingly honest, as you can see in his discussion of saran wrap vs. party balloons as contraceptives. But it's all in good humor and, let's face it, more people have been there than we like to admit.

If I haven't completely suaded you from this book, give it a shot. Sit back, get comfortable, and be willing to laugh in spite of yourself. I give it a five.