 | |
| Status | defunct, 1997 |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1995; 30 years ago (1995) |
| Headquarters location | Los Angeles, California |
| Key people | Mary Fleener Gary Panter Matt Groening |
| Fiction genres | Alternative comics |
| Owner | Bongo Comics |
Zongo Comics was a comic book publisher. It was founded and published in 1995 bySimpsons andFuturama creatorMatt Groening. Unlike its counterpartBongo Comics, the comics published were geared towards grown-up audiences containing adult material and did not include any adaptations of Groening's cartoons. The only two titles in the Zongo Comics range wereGary Panter'sJimbo andMary Fleener'sFleener.
Zongo Comics did not last as long as its sister group, and the range was cancelled after the series failed to attract a wide audience. Because the ZongoJimbos were not very popular when they came out, Zongo/Bongo printed less of each issue. By issue #6, they only printed 500.
Because only ten Zongo Comics were ever published, they are well sought after by collectors due to their rarity.
Gary Panter's graphic novelJimbo in Purgatory (Fantagraphics, 2004) is thought of as #8 in this series but it was not published by Zongo.
TheMuseum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) displayed Gary Panter's work, including hisJimbo series, as part of the"Masters of American Comics" exhibition. The exhibition was held from November 20, 2005, through March 12, 2006. The"Masters of American Comics" explored the rise of newspaper comic strips and comic books while considering their artistic development throughout the century.
Postcards of the covers of Gary Panter'sJimbo comics were available in the MOCA gift shop.
During the 1995San Diego Comic-Con theBongo Comics booth gave out three Zongo Comic 1-1/2" promo buttons.
