The Simpsons: Homer For the Holidays

Enjoy the holidays with America's favorite family... in comic book form!

While most would incorporate the Simpsons with Halloween because of their annual Treehouse of Horror episodes, Christmas is synonymous with Bart, Lisa, Marge, Maggie & Homer. That's because their first full-length episode ever was a festive tale titled 'Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.' Technically, that was really The Simpsons Christmas Special and not the first episode. Yet, both Fox and fans have determined that the holiday special was the pilot and thus considered the premier of The Simpsons animated sitcom. The rest is 35 years plus of television history.

This was one of my last Christmas and holiday themed reads for 2023. If I had realized how much Hanukkah material was in this book, I would have started on this one a few weeks earlier. Of course! Krusty the Clown is Jewish! How could I forget how much of an icon to the Festival of Lights Krusty is. I didn't say he was a positive icon. But so many episodes of The Simpsons involve Krusty's ancestry and faith as a Jew, that it's natural here to have several stories and segments devoted to the celebration of those 8 crazy nights. 

Homer for the Holidays is not the definitive collection of Simpsons holiday comics. This collection was published in 2010. Bongo Comics would continue releasing Simpsons comics for another 8 years. That's not including titles devoted to individual Simpsons characters such as Bart and Lisa. I know off the bat that a Treehouse of Horror story in which Lisa dreams that her live Christmas tree enslaves the people of Springfield wasn't included in this book. And while a couple of New Year's themed adventures are here, there aren't any Thanksgiving stories and Bongo produced at least 1 Turkey Day set issue.

In the past 2 years, Harper Collins, operating under the defunct Bongo imprint, have been releasing omnibuses devoted to all of the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror annuals. I'm hoping that after Volume 3 releases next autumn that maybe an omnibus of November-February holiday tales might be forthcoming. It would save me a lot of time and money and I'd buy it, even though I've already collected and read a sizable chunk of Christmas and Hanukkah Simpsons comics. 

Just something to put out there to the publishing team behind those massive Halloween collections.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Simpsons Winter Wingding #5

    Cold weather and mischief abound in this 2010 winter annual from Bongo Comics. 
    First, the whole town of Springfield gets the flu. Then Homer wins a skiing trip. He gets free plane tickets, but they Simpsons would do better off if they just walked to the lodge thanks to lay-overs and contest restrictions. Lastly, Principal Skinner buys a school bus that can travel in any sort of weather conditions. It's up to Bart, Milhouse, and Nelson to sabotage the new machine or snow days will become a thing of the past.
    I enjoyed this collection of Simpsons stories. But just because there's a festive holiday scene on the cover, it's not a holiday comic. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy this comic during the holidays. I've gotten to enjoy my own snow days recently and this book was a perfect comic to help get in a Winter Wonderland kind of mood. Just add hot cocoa and a comfy blanket.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.
     

Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #1

  How can you best define Leonard Snart? Rogue? Ruthless Killer? Hero? In the Flashpoint universe, he's all three.
   As the costumed vigilante, Citizen Cold, Leonard Snart issues a brand of justice that borders on cold-blooded murder. But armed with an agent, endorsement deals, and presumably a legion of lawyers, Citizen Cold is a media darling. He's also a marked man.
   Without the Flash and the Speed Force, Snart is the sole protector of Central City. With that massive responsibility, Citizen Cold has amassed his own Rogue's Gallery. Snart's no Barry Allen and his relationship with the Rogues is like that of a mongoose and a cobra; there's no love lost between the two parties.
    On top of the death wish Citizen Cold has with the criminal element of Central City, forces are conspiring to reveal his secret identity to the world. Superstar reporter Iris West is publicly poking around searching for clues as to just who Cold is. Now another mystery player has captured photos of the anti-hero out of costume. It looks like it might be time for Snart to make a quick getaway out of town but first, he's got to get a hold of those damning photos.
    In 2010 (when Flashpoint first came out), I thought the twist of having Leonard Snart be a 'good guy' was brilliant. But I wasn't sure how it would work out. Over the course of the past two seasons of the Flash TV series, Wentworth Miller's Captain Cold was a bad guy but he did have a sense of honor. That resulted in Cold and his partner Heatwave, becoming begrudging heroic rogues on DC's Legends of Tomorrow.
    But Citizen Cold is no Captain Cold.
    What Citizen Cold lacks from his pre-Flashpoint counterpart Captain Cold is having the Flash around to act as an incredibly fast Jiminy Cricket. This Snart has no conscience and with his ego, he's is a slimier version of Guy Gardner.
   What is Snart's motivation in becoming a 'hero?' Right now, it's implied that he's just in it for himself. But I refuse to believe that that's the only reason. I can't wait for issue #2 to get some more answers to this puzzle!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars Adventures: The Will of Darth Vader

 

  In a hit-and-run attack, the Rebellion has struck a major blow in the plans of the Empire and they don't even know it. Their latest raid has yielded a major piece of equipment, the targeting system for the second Death Star. Desperate to have it back, the Emperor sends out his most trusted agent, Darth Vader.

    But Vader's mission isn't just to return the stolen hardware, but to send a message to the galaxy: that the Empire is not to be trifled with. Getting to the base will pose a challenge, however, as the rebels are holed up in an asteroid field loaded with lasers, mines, and other booby traps. In order to get into the base secretly, Vader kidnaps a smuggler on his way to deliver supplies to the Rebels.

    I'm going to leave my synopsis of the book here. Because what comes next is a big continuity problem for me. Instead of doing away with the smuggler, once he has landed safety on the outskirts of the base, Vader lets the pilot live. Maybe the pilot has struck a nerve with the Dark Lord with all of his talk of free will and being a lackey for the Emperor. Regardless, letting this guy be the Eddie Murphy to Vader's Nick Nolte in a 48-Hours style romp, just doesn't seem to me to be the style of a guy who killed a bunch of younglings at the Jedi Academy.

     That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the story. I thought it was actually kinda funny having Darth Vader play the straight to someone other than Jar Jar Binks. But again, it just seems very uncharacteristic of him.

   Another thing I had an issue with was the book's title 'The Will of Darth Vader.' As I mentioned, Vader is somewhat perplexed by being confronted by someone who challenges his role as Palpatine's puppet. But I think it would've been really cool if this book was set after Return of the Jedi and Luke and Leia are summoned to Mustafar to hear the reading of Vader's will after his death. Maybe that's just me, but I think that plot would've made for a much more interesting story that fit the established character templates better than this buddy cop farce.

   This work marks the last in the Star Wars Adventures series of mini-graphic novels for me to read. Published by Dark Horse around 2010-11, these books were lots of fun to read and could be completed in one sitting. With Episode VII due in less than 3-weeks, I've been on a tear reading as much Star Wars as possible, as the anticipation is about to make me plotz.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

A Zombie's History of the United States: From the Massacre at Plymouth Rock to the CIA's Secret War on the Undead by Dr. Worm Miller

    You remember learning about these events in American History Class, right?
* President Thomas Jefferson orders William Clark to assassinate an infected Merriweather Lewis  and to destroy his journals before the explorer was to reach Washington and become a zombie.
* The Mexican Army storms the Alamo to find that all of the Texans inside have been massacred by the walking dead.
* The US Army drafts nearly indestructible zombie-human hybrids to storm the beaches of Normandy.

    A Zombie's History of the United States is an in-depth look at the impact the undead have had in the forming of this country. The book also reveals the conspiracy to not just eradicate the menace from America but to erase the undead from the pages of history books worldwide. Now thanks to Dr. Worm Miller and the University of Minnesota's Zombie Studies Department, the story of the American zombie can finally be told.

   Okay, folks, I'm not delusional. A Zombie's History is a work of fiction and is a parody of history books and conspiracy theories. Last summer, I won a drawing for my local library's adult summer reading program. I got to pick 3 free books as my prize. This book was one of them.

   I'm not crazy about zombies, honestly.  But I can't pass up a good zombie book or comic! Yet, while some would literally die to become a walker, I would not. I constantly tell my wife that if somebody starts ambling to me moaning for brains, I'm going for the head! And I'll ask questions later!

   This book from 2010 was a fun read. I majored in history and my focus was modern American history. So, this was the perfect type of read for me. I enjoyed seeing important episodes of American history being given the zombie treatment. It's one reason I am psyched for next year's 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.'

   Speaking of episodes, while I do not think this book would work as a film, I think it could have some success as a TV series, in the style of Comedy Central's 'Drunk History.' I think it could be a horror comedy mockumentary that a cable channel such as SyFy or IFC should seriously consider obtaining the rights to.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.  

Marvel Universe Vs. The Punisher

    

Zombies are the flavor of the month. But unlike the butterscotch ripple at the ice cream parlor, the undead don't seem to be getting shelved anytime soon. Marvel has already had some success with it's no less than 5 incarnations of 'Marvel Zombies.' However, 'Marvel Universe Vs. The Punisher' isn't really a zombie comic book, though it lends heavily from that genre.

    I'd first become familiar with the 2010 miniseries about a year ago. When I saw it, I thought this book was about the Marvel Universe getting fed up with Frank Castle's vigilantism and deciding to take him out once and for all. That assumption couldn't be further from the truth.

  Written by multiple Bram Stoker award winner Jonathan Maberry, 'Marvel Universe Vs. The Punisher' is set in the not too distant future. Castle accidently unleashed a virus when he tries to take out a potential dirty bomb nuke from some Russian mobsters. But the virus doesn't reanimate the dead or turn victims into the undead when they die. Instead, the virus turns people into raving lunatics. I've been told that this idea is very similar to the film '28 Days Later.'  Now, the Punisher is trying to eliminate the super-powered community in order to give the handful of average joe survivors a fighting chance.

    I loved this miniseries. The art by Croatian artist Goran Parlov,was perfectly colored and inked in a John Romita Jr. vein. However, there were several nits in which the art didn't quite match the story. That's not really the fault of the author or artist but more of a mistake on the editorial staff. It's their responsibility to maintain continuity between the prose and the art. On at least 4 instances, they dropped the ball.

Another thing going for this book was the supporting role of Deadpool. He's quickly becoming a favorite of mine and he's very well thought of amongst fans of the Marvel Universe. Deadpool has an amazing healing factor and he's grown to be a fly in the Punisher's ointment on several occasions in this book. He's also the perfect comic relief, with his dark look at life, in this gritty tale.

Before closing, let's discuss the grit. The book was rated MATURE. However, I actually take an issue with this rating. Yes- there's death in this book- from the Punisher's never ending arsenal to the berserker rage of those stricken with this virus. But compared to the carnage in 'The Walking Dead' comics, this stuff is tame. Also, in terms of language, aside from some 'damns' and 'hells', there's nothing R-rated. As for sexual content, there isn't any nudity or sex acts. There is some implied perversity, but I've seen Conan comics from the 70s published by Marvel that was more risque than this mini. I would argue that this book should really be rated "Teen +," which is generally for readers 13 and up.

I destroyed this book in about 90 minutes. It was a wicked awesome ride. I'm actually a little disappointed that there hasn't been a follow-up to this series. (Well, guess what- there are actually 2 sequels to this miniseries but you won't find them if you type in Marvel Universe Vs The Punisher. To read the rest of this series, thus far, look for Marvel Universe Vs. Wolverine and the Marvel Universe Vs. The Avengers) If you like zombie titles, the Punisher, and or Deadpool, this is the book for you. Believe me, you will not be disappointed.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

GI Joe: A Real American Hero #155.5 (Free Comic Book Day, 2010 Edition)

 

Well it took over a decade and a half, but IDW Publishing and Larry Hama joined forces to finally tie up the loose ends left over from the sudden cancellation of the original Marvel version of GI Joe. In the final issue (#155) we saw what was going on with the Joes, mostly Snake Eyes, as the Pit was being mothballed. Well, this issue shows what is happening with Cobra during the exact same time those prior events were taking place.

 

Cobra Commander is awakened to discover that his plan to create a counter revolutionary movement operating “independently” from Cobra has gotten underway. The Capital, Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, and several important US landmarks have been held “hostage.” Though these terrorists are apprehended quickly, it signals the next phase in a plan to take over the US government jointly conducted by Cobra and the Jugglers.

 

You read that right, the Jugglers, who have been giving the Joes fits since the first issue in 1982, are revealed to have been working with Cobra. They don’t want Cobra to take over the nation. But, in order for these Pentagon yahoos to be able to overthrow the President and Congress, they’ve relied on Cobra to undermine the work of the Joes. Thus, that is why the Joes were shut down in issue #155. Now with the Joes out of commission, the Jugglers hope to take over the government to a more McCarthy-era friendly police state, while giving Cobra the scraps of the rest of the civilized world.

 

Meanwhile, another plot thread is addressed while Cobra Commander and the Jugglers are plotting global conquest. When we last saw Storm Shadow, Destro, Zartan, Baroness, and Billy, they were under the mental controller of Doctor Venom’s brainwashing machine. Well, the machine is starting to show some ghosts in the machine meaning that the brainwashing procedure might not be as strong as originally thought. Thus, the wheels begin turning with Destro, Zartan, and Baroness questioning their loyalty to Cobra and their ultimate fate may mean overthrowing the Hooded One.

 

I was excited to research that Hama was finally given a chance to tie up some loose ends. That was my biggest beef with how the Marvel series ended. Thankfully, I had this issue. Man, was it awesome! Sadly, I do not have any further issues. So, you know what that means- I’ve added this series to my wish list.

 

The search begins…

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

 

 

Sgt. Fury & His Howling Commandos #1

Some stories need more than one issue to tell them. This one-shot celebrating Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos is one of those issues. Sent on a mission to recon a Nazi railroad built in Yugoslavia, Fury and Co. end up becoming allies with a Russian spy and run afoul of Baron Zemo, Baron Strucker, and Major Tito. It’s an epic story squashed into 32 pages (give or take.)

 

With few pages and tons of actions, some scenes are over in just a couple of panels. It’s like reading a video montage of a war movie, yet there’s some vital plot work occurring here and not enough time is given to its resolution.

 

A good tale, just much of it is very rushed and makes for uneven reading at times.

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.