If anyone says animation is just for kids, they’re sadly mistaken. New York Comic Con (NYCC) proves this point with a panel made for fans of Futurama and Bob’s Burgers.
The Bob’s Burgers and Futurama Animation panel took over the Main Stage on Saturday, Oct. 10. Fans of all generations filled the seats, with many dressed as their favorite characters from the shows.
Kicking off the back-to-back panel was a discussion about Futurama. And, who better to speak on the show than creator Matt Groening, head-writer David X. Cohen, and executive producer Claudia Katz. Joining the creatives were voice actors Billy West (Fry), Katey Sagal (Leela), and Maurice LaMarche (Zoidberg).
At the beginning, fans learn that Futurama Season 14 is now available to stream on Hulu. Guests also got to see a live table reading from the voices of Fry, Leela, and a new character voiced by LaMarche.
After the reading, panelists revealed that the animated series has been renewed for three specials, all airing in 2027 and 2028. To kick off the discussion, Cohen shares an important message with the NYCC audience.
“Futurama is a science fiction show set in the future, but it is still made the old-fashioned way — by human beings!” Cohen says.
The panelists then open the discussion to fans, allowing them to ask questions to the cast and crew. Many fans showed interest in Futurama beyond the TV series, through topics about themed attractions, possible crossovers, and potential games and trading cards. Others wanted to know more about the show’s creative process.
“Futurama started out with David Cohen and me working together on The Simpsons,” Groening shares when asked about the series’ origins. “During lunchtime, we would make up stories about science fiction and how we wanted to do a science fiction TV show.”
These lunchtime talks resulted in two years’ worth of ideas. When they finally pitched it to FOX, Groening joked that “they finally greenlit the show in that meeting because they wanted us to stop talking about it.”
Cohen joins the topic, speaking on how prepared they were for Futurama and its stories. Before the series debut, the duo created Pocket Pal, a tiny robot character who would ride in Fry’s pocket and explain the future to him.
“Around the 30th episode, we realized we never used him, and we didn’t need that kind of character anymore. This is just an example of over-preparation on our part,” Cohen says.
One fan asked LaMarche about the inspiration behind Zoidberg’s voice and noises. At this, LaMarche shares how much of his talent draws from the performances of The Three Stooges.
“I’ve lived with the show my whole life,” LaMarche says. “So, I’ve always snuck in little ‘stooge stuff’ in about everything I’ve ever done. I tried to come up with many noises, Curly just popped out, and that’s what stuck.”
Sagal also received a voice-actor-themed question about her performance in One Piece. In the Netflix series, Sagal plays Dr. Kureha in Season 2. When questioned on whether Futurama’s Leela played a role in the voice, Sagal says it didn’t. But, she does share that she just lands those kinds of roles.
“I’m tending to play these kinds of badass roles,” Sagal explains. “Dr. Kureha was definitely a loner, but with a big heart. Leela also tends to be the loner with the hard shell and warm, big heart.”
The best part of this fan Q&A was the prize guests got for asking. With each question, Matt Groening gave fans an original sketch of the Futurama characters.
To conclude the Futurama section, panelists gave audiences a sneak peek of its 2027 XXXL Holiday Special.
Moving from robots to burgers, NYCC guests also learned more about Bob’s Burgers. In the second half, fans heard from executive producer Loren Bouchard and the cast: H. Jon Benjamin (Bob), John Roberts (Linda), Kristen Schall (Louise), Eugene Mirman (Gene), Dan Mintz (Tina), and Larry Murphy (Teddy).
Audiences got to see many up-and-coming clips for the animated series. Hilarious sneak peeks included moments from their upcoming Christmas short, a teaser for its teacher-appreciation episode, and antics involving Tina and Jimmy Jr. Between clips, fans heard fun anecdotes from the cast and Bouchard’s appreciation for the actors.
“With John doing his Linda voice, and Larry doing his Teddy voice, these are voices that they invented before the show. They are very generous for letting us bring that to Bob’s Burgers,” Bouchard says.
Murphy adds his experience to the discussion, speaking about how he created Teddy’s voice based on past projects. Roberts then chimes in on how Linda came to be.
“My mom was very gracious in allowing me to imitate her most of my life,” Roberts shares. “Now I talk like her all the time — it keeps her memory alive.”
The Bob’s Burgers panel also features a piece of advice for fans. With so many creative individuals at NYCC and beyond, Mintz offers words of wisdom for those passionate about creating.
“You just need to plan for everything at once. Focus on all areas depending on what your goals and skills are, ” Mintz explains. “For example, if your main thing is standup, you should also take acting classes, do improv, and write screenplays. The main thing is that you never know where your path will take you, so don’t plan for just one area.”
The Bob’s Burgers panelists also gave fans a chance to ask questions, with many interested in the show’s future. The panelists assure fans that they’re here to stay and have many surprises coming next year, even if they won’t appear during the fall television slot.
Futurama and Bob’s Burgers both have amazing content coming next year, with current seasons now available on Hulu.
