Panini Verlags GmbH from Nettetal, a German enterprise of Italian Panini-Group started a new series of hardcovers. Fitting title for the first issue : SpongeBob Squarepants: Totally Loopy! (SpongeBob Schwammkopf: Total verrückt!) 32 vibrantly vivid pages through which our two heroes swirl and twirl.

Doesn't matter if SpongeBob is testing his battery-powered foot-massager, uses a teensy-weensy bit too much of his hair tonic or just wants to go to the fun-fair during working hours – all with the purest motives, but always Bikini Bottoms out!

No mercy for Squidward, once the Dreamteam plays Romeo and Juliet in the middle of the night. Not the foggiest what it's all about – but it’s all loud!

Two further editions have been released: Endless Source of Joy (Steter Quell der Freude) and Stay Cool! (Immer locker bleiben!). Benjamin Beck, chief editor of the series reveals “in 2010 we are planning to produce a volume every quarter”.

The books lie invitingly in the hand, voluptuous to touch, gorgeous large-sized pages, lovingly-lettered (Repro/Graphics: Letter Factory, Michael Beck). Swoon.

Definitely editions for the seasoned scuba diver. One should have already snorkelled into the curious world of SpongeBob to really savour and understand the quirky humour without needing a life belt. Blubb!

The comics are based on the TV-series of the indentical-tentacle name, which celebrated its 10th anniversary on 1 May 2009. How about another piece of that tempting anchovy-pie? These cartoons are produced by Nickelodeon, an American Children’s TV Channel. All in all, they created 236 episodes in seven seasons. There is no TV-day worldwide without any reruns. Presently there are heated discussions in progress about an eight season – soon to be released?

The material used for these Paninis came from Nickelodeon Magazine, a glossy which the TV-Station publishes itself. Groan! To be precise, I have to say published, cause after a very successful 16 years, it finally dehydrated. In December 2009, number 159, the final issue, was printed. Bigboy 56 wrote on Nick Magazine Message Board: "Well, I did find an unofficial SpongeBob magazine. But it isn't the same". Hug you 56 times, Bigboy.

American Stephen Hillenburg, copyright 1961, is Sponge’s Dad. I would like to know if Junior inherited his blue eyes, his rosy puffy cheeks or even his squared look from him.

Before Hillenburg created the world of Bikini Bottom he worked as a marine biologist in present-day Orange County Institute. So that guy is surely in the know!

Humankind carries on busting a gut researching, investing shoals of money. Thick-glassed scholars are exalting their 3-D models, rejoicing in the various subterrainean visions they behold on their sonar maps. Bizarre landscapes: pebbly basins, wide sandy plains, gargantuan mountains ... Worship!

Hey, slow down, lads! It only takes a measly nine Euros (curren-sea fanatics say that's about six Dollars) and a visit to Mister Comicothek. Immediately, one is immersed in SpongeBob SquarePants: Totally Loopy! Even the most expert nautician will be smitten with amazement.

Ha! Good old Grandma would be enthralled to read all this. And she would certainly conclude with her dry humour: “Why be easy when it’s possible to be complicated?”

The Author
Mika Robit, born 1958, has been dealing for decades intensively with comics, their production, their creators. He himself has both an enviable collection and an extensive archive of some rare materials at his disposal. In 1985 and 1986, he was on the staff of WHAM!, the legendary print magazine. On Radio RPR, he supervised the series Talking in Bubbles.  He met many of the great comic artists, including Carl Barks, Albert Uderzo, Morris, Will Eisner and Don Lawrence. He did a series of filmed interviews with those Masters of Ninth Art for Comix, a TV program, produced in the Netherlands and broadcasted by RTL in Germany.

The Translators
Beate Ross lives as a freelance writer in Ottawa, Canada. She was born in the German town of Lahr. In 1983, she moved to Canada. At Fernmeldedienst der Deutschen Bundespost, nowadays Deutsche Telekom AG, she completed an education in Communication Management. Early on, she realised that the emerging Internet entails a variety of new ways to bring literature to readers. Her websites My Little Poetic Corner and Ma Bébèl were dedicated in particular to the experimental side of poetry on the Net. For years, she was administrator and moderator of a Millenium Gate forum based upon the classic Science Fiction TV series Star Trek. She speaks German, English and French.

Margot Sennett Freedman works as a counsellor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. She obtained her Bachelor of Journalism and Media Studies degree from Rhodes University (Grahamstown) in 1984. She speaks four of the (eleven official) languages of her country: English, Afrikaans, Zulu and Xhosa, as well as French. She has also had poetry published both locally and nationally, including the annual anthology The English Academy Review of South Africa and journals like New Coin, Fidelities and Botsotso. She was downright delighted to work on The Ocean Floor is Roaring, because her daughters Jessica and Emily are devoted fans of the world of SpongeBob SquarePants.