Matt Groening

A native of Portland, Oregon, Groening later moved to Los Angeles where he wrote and self-published the comic strip Life in Hell while working at a record store. Groening made his first cartoon sale Forbidden Words in 1978. His break came at his next job The Los Angeles Reader when Groening showed his cartoons to his editor who liked them enough to give him a spot in the paper. Life in Hell became so popular that James L. Brooks later contacted Groening wanting him to fill some space during a FOX television show. Groening decided to make up new characters rather than using those from Life in Hell, and he created in animation The Simpsons.

I>The Simpsons started in 1990 and has since run over 400 episodes, earning Groening nine Primetime Emmy Awards. As well as being the executive producer and creative consultant for The Simpsons, Groening is the creator and executive producer of another animated show called Futurama. He formed Bongo Comic Group and "Zongo Comics" and oversees all of the licensing and merchandising of The Simpsons. A couple Groening books in print are Simpsons' Comics Extravaganza and The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family.