The Simpsons/Merchandise
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[edit] Merchandise
[edit] Publications
There have been made numerous Simpson-related publications over the years.
[edit] Comics
So far, nine comic book series have been published by Bongo Comics since 1993: The Simpsons, Futurama, and Bart Simpson comics are also reprinted in the UK, under the same titles, with various stories from the other Bongo series reprinted in the main Simpsons comic. The comics have also been collected in book form; many other Simpsons books such as episode guides have also been published.
[edit] Music
Music is prominently featured in The Simpsons, with virtually all members of the cast breaking into song at least once during the course of the series. Perhaps the best known song is "Do The Bartman," which was released as a single and became an international success. The Simpsons Sing the Blues and The Yellow Album contained cover versions of songs, as well as some originals (including "Do The Bartman"). Songs in the Key of Springfield and Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons are CD collections of original music featured in the TV series.
- Further information: List of songs featured in The Simpsons
[edit] Board Games
The Simpsons has also been used to make special editions of well known games, including Clue, Scrabble, Monopoly, Operation and The Game of Life. In addition to those they have also released a few trivia games, which include the games What Would Homer Do? and Simpsons Jeopardy!.[1] There has also been released various card games such as trump cards and The Simpsons Trading Card Game.[2]
[edit] Video games
With the popularity of The Simpsons, especially among children, it was only natural for the video game industry to turn to the characters and world of Springfield, with the early games starring Bart Simpson. While critical and public reaction has been mixed, several of the Simpsons games did very well commercially. Some of the early notable games includes Konami's arcade game The Simpsons and Acclaim Entertainment's The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants. More modern games include The Simpsons Road Rage and The Simpsons Hit & Run. Electronic Arts is now making Simpsons games for next-gen consoles, one of them being rumoured to be based on the upcoming movie (see below)
At least two Simpsons pinball machines have also been produced; one after the first season, and the other still available. The popularity of The Simpsons has also resulted in several unofficial Simpson mods for the video games Doom, Counter Strike and Duke Nukem 3D.
[edit] Posters
Many posters involving Simpsons characters are available for purchase, as well as posters that have been included for free in the Simpsons comic books. One of the most famous Simpsons posters shows nearly the entire cast of characters which have made an appearance throughout the show. Many of these posters are spoofs of famous images; for example, one poster shows Bart swimming naked underwater staring at a dollar bill, similar to the cover of the Nirvana album Nevermind. On another poster Homer is screaming, similar to the painting The Scream by the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch.
[edit] Action figures
Many characters are available to buy in figurine form, and each figure comes with an accesory. For example, Bart comes with his trademark slingshot and Homer comes with a donut. Toys have also been made of automobiles from the Simpsons, such as the family's car and the school bus, as well as familiar sets from the show, including Principal Skinner's office, Apu's Kwik-e-Mart, and Homer's workstation at the power plant.
