TIME Special Edition - SpongeBob SquarePants: The Global Icon, Best Episodes, The Real-Life Bikini-Bottom & More!

Are you ready, kids? As The SpongeBob Movie: The Search for SquarePants hits theaters, TIME celebrates the iconic cartoon character and his Bikini Bottom friends. This special issue is especially special, with dozens of original, rarely seen artworks from creator Stephen Hillenburg, documents from his original pitch to Nickelodeon, and storyboards that show how each episode is developed. The tribute also includes a complete history of the show, a ranking of the best episodes, a guide to the series’ most famous memes, and interviews with the actors who voice SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs, Sandy, and Plankton. (Bonus: exclusive interviews with Mark Hamill, who plays the Flying Dutchman in the new film, and rapper and SpongeBob fan Ice Spice.) Readers can visit the animation lab to learn how SpongeBob SquarePants is put together, discover the truth about dark fan theories, and get the inside story of the Broadway production, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical. This special edition is a must-have to add to your collection!