The Simpsons Comic Strips were a series of comic strips that appeared in many newspapers around the United States. There are 80 comic strips known to have appeared in newspapers, with others appearing in UK issues of Simpsons Comics, including The Unpossible World of Ralph Wiggum. The Simpsons creator Matt Groening said he created them as a way for himself and his friends to express their opinions on current events and people in power. They first appeared in newspaper comic sections in mid-1992, just months after Bart Simpson was introduced into television history via an episode of The Tracey Ullman Show. The Simpsons creator Matt Groening said he came up with the idea while working at The Oregonian in Portland, Oregon. He wanted to create something that would make fun of both politics and sports journalists who he felt had been overly critical of George Bush's presidency. The first strip was so well received by readers that it ran for three years straight. It eventually grew into one of the most popular comics in the world. In 1993, The Simpsons became their own separate entity when they moved over to Fox Broadcasting Company. This means that now instead of being just a cartoon, they now also have their own TV show. The new show takes place in Springfield Elementary School where Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie live. It follows them as they deal with issues such as school life, family problems and making money.