Love Is Hell

Life in Hell #1

by Matt Groening

The first in a series of cartoon books containing the much sought-after Life in Hell cartoon strips from the 80s and 90s which were the basis for The Simpsons. Matt Groening gives his comic treatment to the trauma of separation, the hell of heartbreak and the mess of marriage. The perfect antidote for Valentine's Day, this clever compendium of cartoon strips has advice including Forbidden conversation topics in bed (local elections, septic tanks, chores, your partner's shortcomings) 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, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comedy, Cartoon, Graphic Novels Comics

Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

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

[Seth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best of the "Life in Hell" strip. This book showcases Groening at his absolute funniest. You might even learn a lil' something. "Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come."

[Megan Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

How much longer will my friends stand for me bringing up 80s Matt Groening comics whenever the opportunity presents itself? I read these on vacation, and they were great poolside content. Funny, sharp, dense, and relevant.

[Robu-sensei · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sister gave me Love Is Hell many years ago, after I broke up with my first girlfriend. It was the best present in the world: not only did it keep me laughing continuously for about a month, it gave me the perspective I needed to recover from the trauma. The 10th Anniversary Edition contains some hilarious material not in the original (which I duly re-gifted, years later, to a poor soul who needed it much more than I did), including the best single page in the book, "Akbar & Jeff's Sea Village," an obvious parody of Sea World. "Visit Our Exciting Kiddie Tidepool Playground! Feel for clams! eels! kelp! baby lampreys! microscopic parasites! U-Grap—U-Keep!"

[Ori Fienberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of strips is a masterpiece. Matt Groening used to be much more edgy, biting, spiteful, and dead-on. Of course, that's not for everyone. A fabulous book to give someone who's just gone through an annoying break-up.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with classic Matt Groening wit and sarcasm. Not that I really know what "classic Matt Groening" means, since I couldn't even wipe myself when this book was published. But it makes me laugh the way The Simpsons did when I was 10, so that's close, right?

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great!!! Hilarious.
I love Matt Groening :D

[Diogo Oliveira · Rating 5 out of 5]

i picked up this book when i was 13 and i was so UNAWRE of how relatable this was going to be lmao

[Raul · Rating 1 out of 5]

Un desastre absolut

[Félix D'Jesús · Rating 4 out of 5]

hilarious XD

[Drew Canole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty bland witty musings on love. A few chuckles but more of a slog than anything.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

My new goal is to get all of the old Life in Hell books from Amazon Marketplace. Life in Hell holds a special place in my heart. On frequent visits to my aunt's house, I would go upstairs and goof off in my cousins' bedrooms because they had all moved out but left a lot of their junk there. My cousin Jenny was a big Life in Hell fan (my parents would get her a Life in Hell calender every single year for Christmas until we couldn't find them anymore). Even though my parents were pretty liberal, especially regarding Matt Groening productions (our "Family Show" was The Simpsons the entire time I was growing up), I felt super stealthy sitting in a closet reading all of the Life in Hell comics. I haven't read them since, like, 6th grade or so and therefore have no idea how I currently feel about them but at the time it seemed so appropriate. It seemed like the comic were made for me to sneak and enjoy surreptitiously, as though that was there whole purpose and they were of no use to most adults.

[João Moura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ora aqui está um livro ideal para o Dia dos Namorados que aí vem...ou então, e falando mais a sério, para quem acabou de passar por um processo complicado de fim de relação...Provavelmente o amor nunca foi tão satirizado como neste livro de banda desenhada(infelizmente a preto e branco) nem tão hilariante...também da mente de Matt Groening, criador dos Simpsons, não se esperava outra coisa...Os traços lembram as personagens da série, mas aqui tratam-se de coelhos (que outro animal escolher para personificar o amor?) que lidam e dão exemplos e conselhos de como lidar com tao poderoso sentimento! Para ler numa rajada! E para não levar a sério, claro!

[April Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, got his start with a funny and smart cartoon strip entitled Life In Hell that featured rabbits in the starring roles. This is a collection of the cartoons from the strip that center on love and relationships. There's a surprising amount of insight and pathos in these hilarious strips.

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haven't read this since I was in college in the late 80's. I remember loving it then, but it has definitely lost it's luster in the last 25 years. "Love Is Hell" is definitely worth revisiting, but I think the rest can be skipped..... unless you just want to see the early workings of the mind that brought us "The Simpsons."

[Alane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reader beware. I think this one may have shaped me in the way that you sometimes shape cheapo silly puddy thinking it is a temporary shape but then it drops off your dresser and is found months later covered in dust and still shaped inexpertly and embarrassingly set. Love this book to pieces but blame it eternally for my being romantically awkwardly and inexpertly set.

[Miro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excepting the thematically divorced part with children, this is a lovely, if a bit predictable, collection of (would-be) insights in love. But Groening's vocabulary inspires such mirth.

Your Guide to Modern Love!!! <3

[Juan Fuentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunque los Simpsons han devorado a su creador, este tiene otras obras, en general mucho más ácidas y crueles. Este cómic es un buen ejemplo, donde se dedica a demostrar lo que promete el título. Se complementa con otras historias cortas.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

The public library had these four books and I read them sometime in high school. I wound up buying them from the library later when they were getting rid of them.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some funny, funny stuff in here that has withstood the test of time. Read it and spot your friends, your family, your lover, yourself - and laugh!

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better known for "The Simpsons", this is from the lesser known "Life is Hell" series, which originated as a comic strip.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes. It definitely is.

[JAW! · Rating 5 out of 5]

we all shiver in the looming shadow of MG. why bother writing any more books? after a work like this, what is left to say?

[Ram · Rating 3 out of 5]

I disagree.

[bluetyson]

isbn,original

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is sooooo funny! and aren't "relationships" fun?!?

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was amused by this and quite enjoyed it.

[Beatlesfan685]

would like to read. supposed to be good and it's by the creator of the simpsons, matt groening

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is this an example of "laugh 'til it hurts" or "it'll hurt until you laugh"?? Either way, great morbid fun.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Groening. It feeds my malicious frivolity.

[mlady_rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I owned this back in college way before "The Simpsons" were on the map.