MOON ROACHES
Classification: Alternate
Reality (Earth-80926) extraterrestrial (lunar) cockroaches
Location/Base of Operations: Hidden city on
the dark side of Earth's Moon
Known Members: Bingo (unofficial name)
Affiliations: New York Mayor
Enemies: Lunar-based Rat People;
briefly Max, Sam
First Appearance: Sam & Max Freelance
Police (1992)
Powers/Abilities: Moon Roaches are giant (~50'
tall standing upright) compared to their Earth counterparts. They walk
upright on their back two legs and use their front four legs as "arms",
which they can coordinate to do multiple tasks. They appear to have
basic human intelligence or slightly higher; at least some (it is
assumed) can build a citadel with lethal laser grid as security. While
they have wings, they do not display flight (possibly as their size has
proportionally increased their weight that their wings cannot carry).
They appear to have a chitinous exoskeleton that provides exceptional
durability.
Traits: Moon Roaches are socially similar to
humans in the American suburban environment with apparent jobs
(carrying briefcases or cafe jobs), nourishment (at coffee shops),
occasional clothing to suit a job, and even one smoking a pipe. They
are generally secretive about their existence in their secluded Moon
citadel, but as omnivores, welcome new, diverse and reliable forms of
squishy garbage nutrition.
Type: Bilaterally symmetric insects
Eyes: Two (on head), black, compound
Fingers: Two pincers on each of six legs
Skin color: Brown chitin exoskeleton
Average height: 50'
History:
(Sam & Max Freelance Police (fb) - BTS) - A
colony of giant cockroaches developed on Earth's Moon (which had a
breathable atmosphere) in a deliberately hidden citadel that loosely
paralleled that of suburban America (or at least the inside of a giant
house). The much smaller local Rat People were quietly harvested as
ingredients for the Moon Roaches' food and beverages. The Moon Roaches'
city's doorways were protected by powerful grid-like force fields that
could disintegrate living matter on touch. The Rat People recognized that members
were disappearing, but did not know the reason; only the Rat People's
Mayor suspected.
(Sam & Max Freelance Police) - Anthropomorphic
vigilante police duo Sam and Max were called to the Moon to investigate
anything unusual and were soon directed by the Mayor to investigate the
disappearances. The pair found the citadel and were awestruck by the
immense size of the Moon Roaches and their environment. They randomly
chose a Roach to follow, dubbing him Bingo, and watched him inside a
giant cereal box that paralleled a coffee shop. Sam and Max were aghast
as they saw Rat People used as sweetener for coffee and flavored chunks
in muffins. But the duo's noise alerted Bingo, who gave chase. Sam and
Max fled and Bingo activated the force field grid to keep them out.
Later, peace was reached as Earth's sanitation workers pledged moist
garbage to the Moon Roaches, fulfilling the moon creatures' nutritional
needs so they wouldn't need to eat the lunar Rat People. A visiting
Moon Roach ombudsman received a giant key from the US President as part
of "Fifty-Foot Moon Roach Day". However, an angry lone Earth cockroach
ambushed Sam and Max at their New York office, aiming a pistol at the
pair. The little cockroach was angry that the garbage was going to
foreigners (Moon Roaches) instead of taking care of locals first, and with that Max
stomped on the little Earth bug and killed it.
Comments: Created by Steve Purcell.
So in this reality, Earth cockroaches are sentient at the human level and can handle revolvers... Uh oh...
Check out the Sam & Max Wikipedia page for info on this pop culture phenomenon, from comics to cartoon and video games. Fun and quirky stuff!
This profile was completed 05/30/2026, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary 's celebratory event to represent Sam and Max's stories and characters.
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Moon Roaches have no known connections to:
Bingo was one of the giant cockroaches that lived in
the hidden citadel on Earth's Moon. Earth-based vigilante police
detectives Sam and Max discovered the creatures' citadel loosely
paralleled that of suburban America (or at least the inside of a giant
house). Max randomly chose a cockroach to follow and dubbed him Bingo.
The duo watched him inside a giant cereal box that paralleled a coffee
shop. Sam and Max were aghast as they saw him use little lunar Rat
People as sweetener for coffee and flavored chunks in his muffin. But
the duo's noise alerted Bingo, who gave chase. Sam and Max fled and
Bingo activated the citadel's force field grid to keep them out
--Sam & Max Freelance Police
images: (without ads)
Sam & Max Freelance Police, p18 (main image)
p19, pan3 (coffee shop)
p20, pan4 (Bingo)
Appearances:
Sam & Max Freelance Police (1992) - Steve Purcell (writer, art),
Carl Potts (editor)
First Posted: 09/11/2026
Last updated: 09/08/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
© 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you
like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!