Akbar and Jeff's Guide to Life

Life in Hell #6

by Matt Groening

Who the hell are Akbar and Jeff?* Find out the astonishing answer in this book featuring the original syndicated comic strips by genius Matt Groening. *The funniest (and gayest) dudes from the Simpsons-inspiring Life in Hell cartoon series. What are you waiting for? Meet Akbar and Jeff and unlock some of their secrets to make your hellish life more laughable. These comic strips may not make you as rich or as happy as Akhbar and Jeff themselves -- they aren't giving all their secrets away -- but you'll certainly get value for money learning from this dastardly duo in comic strips Akbar and Masters of 1000 disguises, Akbar and Jeff"s liposuction hut, The 77 Moods of Akbar and Jeff, plus lots more cartoons with fezzes in them. Find out what makes this twosome tick in page after page of hilarious adventures of Akbar and Jeff. Life in Hell was the syndicated newspaper cartoon strip by Matt Groening which ran in the States during the 80s and early 90s. Asked to turn the characters into TV animation, Groening instead developed The Simpsons, retaining many of the characteristics of Binky, Bongo, Sheba, Jeff and Akbar in the series. In a world where The Simpsons and Futurama are as popular as ever, these hellish cartoons featuring Matt Groening's zany brand of comic genius are simply gold dust.

Genres: Comics, Humor, Cartoon, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Comic Strips, LGBT

48 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 1989

About the author

Matthew Abram Groening is an American cartoonist, television producer and writer from Portland, Oregon.

Groening is best known as the creator of The Simpsons. He is also the creator of Futurama and the author of the weekly comic strip Life in Hell. Groening distributed Life in Hell in the book corner of Licorice Pizza, a record store in which he worked.

He made his first professional cartoon sale to the avant-garde Wet magazine in 1978. The cartoon is still carried in 250 weekly newspapers.

Reviews

[Megan Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was crazy about this book. The way Groening plays with repetition and simplicity is really perfect. I'm not a huge Simpson's fan, but you can definitely see the through-line from these early comics to the show. I had a blast reading them, and often laughed out loud. We should all talk about early att Groening comics more!!!!!

[Lisa Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first introduced to Akbar & Jeff in 1996 by my high school drama teacher. Along with School Is Hell, Life Is Hell, and Work Is Hell, Akbar & Jeff's Guide to Life provides us with a glimpse of Matt Groening's genius in the pre-Simpsons days. In fact, some of the characters are clearly the nascent versions of America's favorite yellow family. And as a bonus, the fez-wearing, Ziggyesque pair are homosexual partners. Sold!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Matt Groening goes, I find Akbar and Jeff the hardest to laugh at. Not that it isn't funny, there's just way less to the humor than the other things Groening has done. Go for the "xxx is Hell" series instead.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, mindless fun.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I <3 Akbar! I <3 Jeff! Hadn't thought about this book in ages but I'm going to pull it off the shelf and read it again.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Childhood favorite revisited.

[SmarterLilac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akbar and Jeff were the first fictional same sex couple I can remember encountering in life. Thanks, Mr. Groening!

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in college.

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only knew about The Simpsons, Futurama and Disenchanted as Matt Groening's works. Akbar and Jeff is my intro to Life in Hell (I have not read Life in Hell yet.) It's a good light read and a collectible IMHO because Groening does not make their books anymore. The slice-of-life comics stories are different from The Simpsons. It tells simple stories of Akbar and Jeff's life.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stuff, what’s not to like?