Explore Amphibia with Matt Braly: A Belated Comic-Con Farewell and an Exciting New Voyage
When Amphibia wrapped its third and final season in 2022, the series never had the chance to say goodbye to fans at San Diego Comic-Con. That changed this year, as creator Matt Braly and members of the show’s creative team took the stage for a heartwarming and often hilarious farewell panel presented by TOKYOPOP. Moderated by Kae Winters, the conversation included storyboard artists Danny Lin and Drew Applegate and editor Andy Rogers, with discussions centered around Marcy’s Journal, The Art of Amphibia, and the upcoming comic book continuation Amphibia: Strange Voyage.
One of the first tie-in projects discussed was Marcy’s Journal: A Guide to Amphibia, which came together just as the show was concluding. Because production on the book overlapped with the series finale, the creative team was able to respond to fan feedback and incorporate answers to long-standing questions—particularly those related to the ten-year time skip that concludes the story.
Braly explained that Marcy’s journal existed in the show’s world, so bringing it to life as a real, physical book was a dream come true. With help from TOKYOPOP, the team recreated key pages seen onscreen, invented new puzzles, designed original art, and even included a flipbook animation of Marcy tripping in the page corners. A custom font was created to match Marcy’s handwriting, and a beautifully illustrated map of Amphibia by Braly himself was added as a hardcover exclusive.
Also on display was The Art of Amphibia, another dream project for Braly and the crew. Rare for a TV show, the art book offers fans a look at unseen development work, from storyboards and character concepts to collaborative “draw pile" chaos created during the pandemic lockdown. For TOKYOPOP, this was their first art book—made even more special by the enthusiastic participation of the Amphibia team.
The panel’s biggest surprise was an exclusive first look at Amphibia: Strange Voyage, a new comic book series launching next year from TOKYOPOP. Set one year after the series finale, the story follows Sprig, Polly, Ivy, Maddie, and Grime as they embark on a voyage to a newly discovered continent aboard a boat called The Sea Snail.
Braly teased new tech-powered gadgets designed by Polly, including Mega Man-style gloves and a remote-controlled “ladybug" weapon for Sprig. Importantly, her inventions are powerful but limited, reinforcing that she’s still a kid scientist—brilliant but not all-powerful. Sprig, meanwhile, struggles with Anne’s absence and clings to his phone while Ivy yearns for their own adventure, showing the emotional weight that lingers in Anne’s wake.
The comics will be released as individual issues before being collected into full-color graphic novels. Illustrator Beatrice Bovo, a lifelong Amphibia fan, shared a heartfelt letter read aloud by the panel, expressing her shock and joy at being invited to help shape the future of the show she adored. Her designs for the core four adventurers struck a perfect balance between familiarity and evolution, with nods to their growth and readiness for this next chapter.
During the Q&A session, Braly confirmed that Strange Voyage will continue the show’s tradition of sneaky pop culture references, including potential homages to Sonic the Hedgehog. He also responded to a fan’s question about the Gideon plush in Season 3, explaining that while there’s no official canon connection to Gravity Falls, he hopes for a crossover someday.
Other highlights included:
- Anne’s glowing blue powers were inspired by Braly’s love of anime, especially Dragon Ball.
- The show’s original title, “Amphibiland," was scrapped for being too long and clunky.
- Character designs drew influence from ‘90s cartoons like Pepper Ann and Betty Spaghetti dolls.
- Darcy’s chilling performance was a product of both voice direction and storyboard artistry, often enhanced by voice modulation during remote pitch sessions.
When asked about future animation plans, Braly was cautiously optimistic. While a new series isn’t currently planned, he’s actively exploring a possible Amphibia special or mini-series. “Not a television show per se," he said, “but I do think it would be fun to return to the characters and world in a very unexpected way."
The panel closed with a group photo and a giveaway announcement: a limited number of prints signed by Braly would be available at the TOKYOPOP booth—if you knew the secret phrase, “Sprig against the world."
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