Futurama Returns

"Futurama Returns" is the second special edition comic of Futurama. It served as a teaser for the four Direct-to-DVD films at Comic-Con 2007, where it was read aloud by the cast members of the show. For these reasons, "Futurama Returns" is not considered part of the comic canon.

Act I
The crew return from a delivery to find an invitation to the Q&A panel at Packagecon, the big delivery and shipping convention in Space Diego. Meanwhile, the Professor learns that the Box Network has removed Planet Express from the delivery schedule, but he soon discovers an alternative in the Carton Network. The crew, while on their way to Packagecon, get snagged on a cable operated by the Carton Network which pulls them into a vortex. They go back to 31 December, 2999 and are forced to relive the last five years and all of their past deliveries again. Over this time, Fry and Leela realize that they are living in a world of cable reruns.

Act II
Bill Morrison, the moderator of Boxco, introduces the Planet Express Crew. Only to realize that the only member that has showed up is Scruffy.The Package-Con attendees are shocked to discover this and frantically asking questions about them. After a question about DVD sets, Scruffy gets the idea of releasing Hidden Camera Tapes Volumes 1-4, DVD box sets showing what happens behind the scenes of Planet Express in a Big Brother style situation (some things shown include Amy having a shower, Hermes picking his nose, Zoidberg picking through garbage and Cubert going into Farnsworth's safe). The crew grow sick of their loop during their 93rd visit to the Gypsy and ask about the future. The Gypsy informs them of four adventures, the first two of which involve cosmic repercussions, though the Gypsy couldn't, even with her powers of robo-foresight, see the plot of the fourth adventure. Finally, the crew are saved and brought back to the present thanks to the mighty nerd powers of their fans.

Trivia

 * This comic was only available from Comic-Con in 2007 and subsequently eBay and other locations fans might upload to or sell from.
 * The table reading can be watched here, continuing here, as well as in the special features of.
 * The actual comic can be read here.
 * The reading of this comic had actors performing roles the missing cast members would normally fill (i.e. Billy West did Scruffy instead of David Herman as well as the Gypsy-bot instead of Tress MacNeille) and featured Katey Sagal's second ever Futurama character.
 * Teaser images for the first three films, as shown below, were included as part of the comic, these provided information that was not yet known about them.
 * This is the first time a character (Nudar, Yivo, Titanius Anglesmith, Frydo, Leegola and The Great Wizard Greyfarn) has had a debut appearance in a comic before appearing in the main series, of course this is a teaser for the films and not even canon to the comics.
 * However, if the Blobs in "Love and Rocket" were H.G. and Mrs. Blob, then she holds this honour.
 * On Bender's ass, on the first page, there are the words 'Hecho En Mexico'.
 * David X. Cohen and Eric Kaplan (or possibly Schlomo) are pictured as some of the nerds.
 * This comic is set in 3004 as apparent from the Packagecon banner.
 * Carton Network is an obvious parody of Cartoon Network (which shares a channel space with Adult Swim). As is Box Network for the Fox Network.

Outside References

 * Peter Griffin of Family Guy and Maude Flanders from The Simpsons are seen outside the Carton Network building. Comic Book Guy also has a cameo near the end.
 * It is possible that Peter Griffin's cameo is a reference to both 20th Century Fox and Adult Swim, both of which air Futurama and Family Guy.

Characters (Speaking)

 * Bender
 * Bill Morrison
 * Box Executives
 * Eric Kaplan (or possibly Schlomo)
 * Fry
 * Gypsy
 * Internet Nerds
 * Ken Keeler
 * Leela
 * Peter Griffin
 * Professor Farnsworth
 * Scruffy

Comic Credits

 * Inks
 * Mike Rote
 * Script
 * Patric M. Verrone
 * Pencils
 * Jason Ho
 * Letters
 * Karen Bates
 * Colors
 * Nathan Kane
 * Voices (at the Comic-Con reading)
 * Billy West
 * Katey Sagal
 * John DiMaggio
 * Maurice LaMarche
 * Bill Morrison
 * David X. Cohen
 * Ken Keeler
 * At the con but not voicing the comic.
 * Matt Groening
 * Patric M. Verrone
 * Eric Kaplan