Editing Sam & Max (section)

===Comic books===
[[Image:Sam & Max Issue 1.jpg|thumb|right|''Sam & Max'' debuted in 1987, in a comic book series initially published by Fishwrap Productions.]]
Sam and Max debuted in the 1987 comic book series ''Sam & Max: Freelance Police'', published by Fishwrap Productions, also the publisher of ''[[Fish Police]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.msu.edu/comics/rri/frri/funanst.htm|title="Funny animal comics" (titles S-T)|publisher=[[Michigan State University]]|access-date=2008-12-06 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070829003238/http://www.lib.msu.edu/comics/rri/frri/funanst.htm |archive-date = August 29, 2007}}</ref> The first comic, "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple", was Steve Purcell's first full story. The comic came about after Purcell agreed to create a full ''Sam & Max'' story for publication alongside Steve Moncuse's ''Fish Police'' series.<ref name="early years 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history1b/ |title=Part 1, cont'd: The Early Years |work=The History of Sam & Max |publisher=[[Telltale Games]] |date=2007-06-12 |access-date=2008-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105051631/http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history1b/ |archive-date=2008-01-05}}</ref> "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple" established many of the key features in the series; the main story of the comic saw the Freelance Police journey to the [[Philippines]] to stop a volcano god [[cult (religious practice)|cult]].<ref name="early years 2" /> "Night of the Gilded Heron-Shark" and "Night of the Cringing Wildebeest" accompanied the main story, focusing on a stand-off with a group of gangsters in Sam and Max's office and an investigation into a carnival refreshment booth respectively.

Over the subsequent years, several other comics were published, often by different publishers, including [[Comico: The Comic Company|Comico Comics]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.atomicavenue.com/atomic/IssueDetail.aspx?ID=44480|title=Sam & Max Freelance Police Special #1|publisher=AtomicAvenue.com|access-date=2009-06-08}}</ref> and [[Epic Comics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookdb.com/title.php?ID=4048|title=''Sam & Max Freelance Police'' (1992)|publisher=Comic Book DB|access-date=2008-12-06}}</ref> "Fair Wind to Java" was originally published in 1988 as a Munden's Bar story in the pages of [[First Comics]]' ''[[Grimjack]]'', featuring the Freelance Police fighting pyramid-building aliens in [[Ancient Egypt]], and was followed in 1989 by "On the Road", a three chapter story showing what Sam and Max do on vacation. In 1990, [[Christmas]]-themed story "The Damned Don't Dance" was released. 1992 saw the release of two further comics: "Bad Day On The Moon" took the Freelance Police to deal with a [[Cockroach|roach]] infestation bothering giant [[rat]]s on the [[Moon]], and was later adapted as a story for the animated TV series, whilst "Beast From The Cereal Aisle" focused on the duo conducting an exorcism at the local supermarket. Two more comics were produced in 1997, "The Kids Take Over" and "Belly Of The Beast". The former has Sam and Max wake up from cryogenic sleep to discover that the entire world is now ruled by children while the latter sees the Freelance Police confronting a vampire abducting children at [[Halloween]].

Purcell joined [[LucasArts]] in 1988 as an artist and [[game designer]], where he was approached about contributing to LucasArts' new quarterly newsletter, ''[[The Adventurer (magazine)|The Adventurer]]'', a publication designed to inform customers about upcoming LucasArts games and company news. From its debut issue in 1990 to 1996, Purcell created twelve comic strips for the newsletter. The strips portrayed a variety of stories, from similar plots as in the comic books to parodies of LucasArts games such as ''[[Monkey Island (series)|Monkey Island]]'' and ''[[Full Throttle (1995 video game)|Full Throttle]]'' and the [[Lucasfilm]] franchises ''[[Star Wars]]'' and ''[[Indiana Jones]]''.<ref name="golden">{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history2|title=Part 2: The Golden Era|work=The History of Sam & Max|publisher=[[Telltale Games]]|date=2007-06-24|access-date=2008-12-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071231125846/http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history2 |archive-date=2007-12-31}}</ref>

In 1995, all of the comics and ''The Adventurer'' strips published to that date were released in a compilation, ''Sam & Max: Surfin' the Highway''. Published by [[Marlowe & Company]], the 154 page book was updated and republished in 1996. This original version of ''Surfin' the Highway'' went out of print in 1997, becoming a high priced collectors item sold through services such as [[eBay]].<ref name="StH">{{cite web|url=http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/36538/Sam-Max-Comic-Book-Series-to-be-Re-issued|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404104206/http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/36538/Sam-Max-Comic-Book-Series-to-be-Re-issued|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 4, 2008|title=''Sam & Max'' Comic Book Series to be Re-issued|publisher=[[IGN]]|work=Voodoo Extreme|first=Gary|last=Lean|date=2008-02-06|access-date=2008-12-04}}</ref> In 2007, a 197-page twenty-year anniversary edition, containing all printed comics and strips as well as a variety of other artwork, was co-designed by Steve Purcell and [[Jake Rodkin]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Surfin the Highway Nominated! |date=21 April 2009 |url=http://spudvisionblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/surfin-highway-nominated.html |publisher=[[Steve Purcell]] |access-date=2011-11-30}}</ref> and published by [[Telltale Games]].<ref name="StH" /> This second publication received an [[Eisner Award]] nomination for "Best Graphic Album – Reprint" in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_main.shtml |title=2009 Eisner Nominations Spotlight Newcomers |publisher=[[Comic-Con International]] |access-date=2009-04-08 |year=2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010161714/http://comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_main.shtml |archive-date=2008-10-10}}</ref>

In December 2005, Purcell started a ''Sam & Max'' [[webcomic]], hosted on the website of Telltale Games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/community/comics/samandmax/issue-1|title=Issue #1|work=Sam & Max - Chapter One: The Big Sleep|publisher=[[Telltale Games]]|first=Steve|last=Purcell|date=2005-12-09|access-date=2008-12-04|archive-date=2009-12-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201013355/http://www.telltalegames.com/community/comics/samandmax/issue-1|url-status=dead}}</ref> Entitled "The Big Sleep", the webcomic began with Sam and Max bursting out of their graves at [[Church of St Mary and St David, Kilpeck|Kilpeck Church]] in [[England]], symbolizing the Freelance Police's return after nearly a decade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/community/comics/samandmax/issue-2|title=Issue #2|work=Sam & Max - Chapter One: The Big Sleep|publisher=[[Telltale Games]]|first=Steve|last=Purcell|date=2005-12-28|access-date=2008-12-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226120924/http://www.telltalegames.com/community/comics/samandmax/issue-2|archive-date=2008-12-26}}</ref> In the twelve page story, Max has to save Sam after [[earwig]]s start a colony in Sam's brain. The webcomic concluded in April 2007,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/community/comics/samandmax/issue-12|title=Issue #12|work=Sam & Max - Chapter One: The Big Sleep|publisher=[[Telltale Games]]|first=Steve|last=Purcell|date=2006-03-18|access-date=2008-12-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226121935/http://www.telltalegames.com/community/comics/samandmax/issue-12|archive-date=2008-12-26}}</ref> and was later awarded the Eisner Award for "[[Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic|Best Digital Comic]]" of 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_07win.shtml |title=2007 Eisner Awards Shine Spotlight on Comic Industry's Best |publisher=[[Comic-Con International]] |access-date=2008-12-04 |year=2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626060301/http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_07win.shtml |archive-date=2010-06-26}}</ref>