Comic References


 * For information about comics starring Mario, visit the publications page.

Foxtrot
10/14/1990 - The Sunday strip published on this date revolves around Jason playing Super Mario Bros., all the while Paige demands he turn the game off so she can watch Star Search. This strip is reprinted in the collection Eight Yards, Down and Out.

1/14-19,21-26/1991 - A two-week storyline where Jason gets upset that his friend Marcus has beaten Super Mario Bros. first. Attempting to beat the game himself, Jason stays up all night playing it, so Andy takes it away for two weeks, despite his complaints. She eventually gives it back to him a week early because Roger wouldn't stop playing it himself. This storyline is reprinted in Eight Yards, Down and Out.

9/??/91 - Jason begs Andy to buy him a Super Nintendo, one of his reasons being "it's got the latest Mario cartridge", and if she doesn't buy it, "I'll be stuck playing dumb ol' Mario 3 forever!" Reprinted in Bury My Heart at Fun Fun Mountain.

7/??/92 - Andy unplugs Jason's NES while he's playing Mario Bros. in order to make him come to dinner. This leads to Jason becoming so furious that he kicks his NES and destroys it. Reprinted in Say Hello to Cactus Flats.

12/17/93 - At the end of an unrelated storyline, Jason bothers Peter by holding up a game cartridge and saying, "Super Mario Universe 2 awaits..." Reprinted in Take Us to Your Mall.

2/??/97 - Jason plays a game titled Super Earthworm Mario Country 3 and has trouble finding a Blue Star in a level called the Rainbow Sewer. Paige infuriates him by suggesting he triple-jump to a ledge with a secret door (she knows this from reading the strategy guide). Reprinted in Come Closer, Roger, There's a Mosquito on Your Nose.

12/13/2005 - As part of a storyline where Jason attempts to do his own remake of King Kong, Peter wears a Donkey Kong mask and tie. Reprinted in Houston, You Have a Problem.

04/01/2006 - How Come I'm Always Luigi? is released. The cover shows Jason and Marcus pretending to be Mario and Luigi (based on a week of strips where the boys imitate video game scenarios while playing in the snow).

Howard & Nester
October 1988 - Howard gives a tip for Super Mario Bros. 2.

June 1990 - Howard and Nester debug Super Mario Bros. 3

Both these strips can be seen at The Howard & Nester Comics Archive.

Sally Forth
10/27/06 - New storyline has Sally and Ted dressed as the Super Mario Bros. for a Halloween party. Unfortunately, no one has any idea who they are supposed to be, and the closest guess is "an affront to the Italian Defamation League?" Also, a Donkey Kong-like costume can be seen in the background of one of the strips. The strips can be seen here.

Simpsons Comics
Issue #110: Bad News Bearer

Near the beginning, Bart is seen playing a Donkey Kong-like game, while Milhouse tells him what to do:

Milhouse: Come on, Bart, jump over those cement-filled barrels and make it to the top of the Gorilla Mafia ladder! Bart: I know Milhouse! I know!

Bart: Aaaah! He got me!

While on screen the characters speak:

DK (in a blue tux): I'm a legitimate business monkey!

Mario: You-a-Italian stereo-types demean us all! Mama Mia!

Near the end, Ned Flanders, after coming home from the hospital after becoming uncouncious because he played too many video games, says he'll make a mushroom pizza. In the next panel, a Toad-like being appears by Ned. In the next full page panel, Ned is Luigi, chasing him. The Simpsons are also computer Game characters. Homer is DK, Bart is Mario, Marge is Lara Croft & Lisa is Sonic the Hedgehog. Marge: Get him, Homer!

Homer: I'm on it!

Bart: Mama Mia!

Issue #130: Marge the Sellout

Marge gets into the habit of auctioning off all of the family's possessions online. She soon auctions off Bart's old video games to the chef character Luigi Risotto. After Luigi wins the auction, the next panel reveals that he has a brother; a plumber who's dressed up like Mario. The "Mario" character asks Luigi to help him fix a leaky pipe, to which Luigi responds "Hold your mushrooms! I'm-a coming!".