The Trouble With Trilogies

The Trouble With Trilogies is the fifty-fifth comic issue, released 25 May, 2011 in the US.

Act I
Low on fuel, the Planet Express ship is about to crash on one of three nearby planets. Evidently the Dark Matter balls and liquorice jawbreakers were mixed up, which also explains why Fry is on the ground. The crew open the three Mom's Discount Escape Pods, which put them in suspended animation until they each arrive on a planet.

Fry's pod lands on a planet resembling the old west, and due to knocking out the local lawbreaker is offered the position of sheriff, he refuses but accepts the role of deputy. Black Bart warns that his brothers will be there the next day to burn the town to the ground. The sheriff proves himself too much of a coward to stand up to the Barts, so Fry helps him become the greatest coward there is. When the Barts arrive, the sheriff has already brunt the town to the ground and shot himself, so they leave. The townsfolk forgive the sheriff as they had been jerks to him and Fry sets off to find his friends.

Act II
Bender's pod lands in the back of a truck and he catches and drinks a Molotov cocktail being thrown at the vehicle then belches flame at the Muppet who threw it. Max, the driver, takes him to Thunderdome, where he quickly ends up in a fight. Afterwards, Bender is made the leader and is sent out to fight Wylee. After being motivated by beer, Bender fights and easily outwits Wylee. He then heads out of town.

Act III
Leela lands in a jungle, where Cameroon of the Naive easily talks her into helping fight off their enemies. After failing to control her dragon with her ponytail, Leela crashes through the window of the enemy ship, learning that the war was actually just so that the Naive would continue needing to buy the invaders scrunchies.

Fry and Bender arrive, having landed on the same planet a few days apart. Both had given advice to the society before wandering off which resulted in the drastic cultural change over the short time, the blue skin being explained with body paint. The Naive reveal the rebuilt and refuelled Planet Express ship and give the crew five minutes to leave.

Allusions

 * The main plots of the issue are based on a western (possibly '), ' and .
 * Lord Manumahnuh is based on the Muppet.
 * Plaid Max is based on Mel Gibson's character from .
 * The panel featuring the Max brothers features a cameo by Homer Simpson in the background.
 * Master Blaster references the character from Mad Max and the  character Blaster.
 * Wylee is based on from Looney Tunes.
 * The dragons pictured include ', ' and a dragon from .
 * A man in the background at the ICU is likely to have been based on Hawkeye Pierce from .
 * Cameroon's name is most likely a reference to, creator of , one of the films that are parodied in this issue.

Goofs

 * Dark Matter is still being used as fuel despite having been inert since Into the Wild Green Yonder, however as no other points of continuity are evident, this comic may simply be set before that film.

Special Features

 * This issue features the last of the six black light posters, however it is the first not to have been used as a cover for a previous comic or comic collection. Instead it comes from a page of the 2003 calendar. The poster features Mom's head with an octopus-like body attacking the staff of Planet Express who are riding in a hover-convertable.

Characters
(In alphabetical order)
 * Bender
 * Debut: Black Bart
 * Debut: Blue Bart
 * Debut: Cameroon
 * Debut: Disco Sparkle Bart
 * Fry
 * Leela
 * Debut: Lord Manumahnuh
 * Debut: Mad Max
 * Debut: Master Blaster
 * Debut: Plaid Max
 * Debut: Rad Max
 * Debut: Red Bart
 * Debut: Sad Max
 * Debut: Sheriff
 * Debut: Yellow Bart
 * Debut: Wylee

Comic Credits

 * Script
 * Ian Boothby
 * Pencils
 * Tone Rodriguez
 * Inks
 * Dan Davis
 * Colors
 * Robert Stanley
 * Letters
 * Karen Bates