
The Game Boy #1–4 (1990) comic series was published by Valiant Comics as part of the Nintendo Comics System brand, serving as a spin-off from the main Super Mario Bros. title. The series consists of four issues and is based on the Super Mario Land video game for the Game Boy console.
The main story revolves around Herman Smirch, a bitter employee at an electronics store, who accidentally brings characters and enemies from Super Mario Land (such as Tatanga, Princess Daisy, and their henchmen) into the real world through the power of the Game Boy. Tatanga's attempts to conquer the "world of the giants" (the real world) are met with resistance from Mario, who is summoned from the video game by kids who know how to use the console. Each issue follows a similar formula: Herman, despite trying to stay out of trouble, gets hypnotized to release Tatanga and his troops again, who then try to dominate or fortify a location or vehicle, while Mario and his human allies try to stop their plans.
The comic is notable for its visual contrast between the human characters, drawn in a realistic style, and the video game characters, who are more cartoonish and faithful to the original game art. Tatanga is portrayed as a larger, more muscular villain, and Mario has a more sarcastic and combative personality compared to other Super Mario comics.
There are also more serious and mature elements, such as Herman fleeing authorities for hijacking a plane and Mario dealing with a radioactive leak in a nuclear reactor. The comic includes joke pages styled as headlines from a fictional tabloid called the International Enquisitor.
The four issues are titled:
"In the Palm of Your Hand..." (likely February 1990), where Herman steals a Game Boy and accidentally releases Super Mario Land characters into New York.
"It's a Small World After All" (July 1990), where Tatanga and his henchmen hijack a 747 plane and dream up bigger plans.
"Team Play", showing Herman helping establish a fortress on a Pacific island and involving the USS Nimitz to defeat the villains.
"Pipes is Pipes" (September or October 1990), where Tatanga tries to cause a nuclear accident and Mario must intervene.
The main writers were George Caragonne and Mark McClellan. The artists changed over the issues, with Art Nichols in charge of the first three.