Matt Groening, a renowned cartoonist, grew up in Portland, Oregon, where his disdain for school led him to discover his passion for drawing as an escape from the monotony of academia.
As the 1980s unfolded, Groening made the bold decision to relocate to Los Angeles, where he would go on to create a comic strip that would become an integral part of his artistic identity - "Life in Hell".
The strip, which initially gained popularity through its publication in the newspaper where Groening worked, eventually caught the attention of James L. Brooks, the renowned television producer, who was on the hunt for a filler for the popular television show, The Tracey Ullman Show, which premiered in 1987.
In 1988, Brooks chanced upon a framed "Life in Hell" strip on his wall and, intrigued by its unique humor and charm, decided to reach out to Groening with a proposal. The result was a series of animated shorts that would go on to revolutionize the world of television animation and catapult Groening to international fame - The Simpsons, which premiered in 1989.