Simpsons One-Shot Wonders: Bart Simpson's Pal Milhouse #1

The second of 18 total Simpsons One-Shot Wonders. I knew that there was a Milhouse comic book. I just didn't know that it was part of a rudimentary series of specials devoted to some of Springfield's otherwise minor residents. Professor Frink, Police Chief Wiggum and Jimbo are among those who I've learned were given the singular starring role treatment beginning in 2012. I just don't think Lisa nor Bartman, who starred in 3 of these one-shots, deserved the honors as both of them had series runs at one time or another during Bongo Comics' impressive 25 year run. 

I found this book at this year's 301 Endless Yard Sale. One of my former students and her friends were doing a sale and I found a couple of Simpsons comics that I didn't have for only a buck apiece. I chose to read Milhouse first because of the interesting cover. I remember someone from the show being chased by that airplane a la Cary Grant in North by Northwest and I thought the image of Milhouse as Conan the Barbarian was pretty rad. Unfortunately, the concept of the book doesn't quite seem to match the way Milhouse acts on the TV show.

The general idea behind the 2 main stories is that poor, awkward, nerdy Milhouse is so desperate for friendship that his best friend is his over active imagination. I've been watching The Simpsons ever since their days as filler on The Tracey Ullman Show and while Milhouse is definitely a dweeb, I've never noticed that he got lost inside his own head. Daydream retreats by Homer? Absolutely! By Milhouse? Not so much. Okay, never...

The second story at least seemed a bit more plausible. Milhouse gets thrown into his locker by Nelson. Trapped, Milhouse imagines that the locker has a secret entrance to a gigantic secret headquarters where he's international super spy 00! 

The three back up stories were more on par with canon Milhouse. Bart learns it's his best friend's birthday and arranges to bribe everyone at Springfield Elementary into making it Van Houten's best one yet. But soft-hearted Bart doesn't last for long as he then sets up Milhouse to prank Mrs. Krabappel and eventually rats him out without conscience. Lastly, Milhouse teaches you how to make the best prank phone call ever without getting in trouble for it with Bart acting out all the steps by ringing up Moe's tavern. 

Finally, one-shots editor, Louis Lane talks about the Springfield specials he has in store. A book about Homer when he was a kid was on tap next at the time. The first special starred Ralph Wiggum and the letters page saw Milhouse answering in his school mate's stead. It was funny. Though I clearly didn't understand that inside joke about someone's made up name. I googled it and I still don't get it. Also as a bonus, there's a 'hot rod' type sticker of Milhouse that looks like it was made by Ed ' Big Daddy' Ross, that after 13 years has lost its adhesive quality and yet remains inside the comic as if by magic.

With the news about our bombing of Iranian nuclear sites last night, I felt like I needed something light to read. I got that last night. A couple of laughs as well as a chance to think about something else other than complete and utter nuclear annihilation. It just seemed more like a Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episode instead of a regular season broadcast.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons Treehouse Of Horror Ominous Omnibus, Vol. 2: Deadtime Stories For Boos & Ghouls HC

The second of 3 omnibuses that will collect all of the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Halloween annuals. 

Unfortunately, the editors didn't follow my request to have the stories reprinted in order. (Like Harry N. Abrams Books was going to scrap their format to put the stories in chronological order of printing.) 

Along with material from the 23 annuals, there's material from previous collections and other issues that are Halloween themed or at least spooky in nature. 

Gotta say that I wasn't such a fan of this one. I know with a massive volume, clocking in at around 400 pages of material, it's kinda hard to rate based on material; especially since everything has been cut and pasted into themed chapters. One chapter was about surviving the end of the world. It had a story in which it appears that Flanders doesn't get taken in the Rapture. But it turns out that in reality, Flanders' left-handedness is what keeps him from being abducted by aliens. 

I did like the Old Sea Captain's high seas tales of terror that are anything but. Though I have read them before, I thought both of them were oddball classics. Plus Lisa, Bart, Homer and Grandpa play a round of Mad Libs to varying degrees of success. Another all-time great that I've read before but got a kick out of reading again.

There's one more volume to go and yes, I am going to buy it. 3 volumes at $40 each is still cheaper than trying to get all 23 annuals. Plus once I get volume 3, I'll be able to free up a little bit of shelf space. 

I got to read Simpsons Halloween comics leading up to Halloween. In my opinion, a Simpsons comic book is like a Queen song. Even the worst of either is better than none at all.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars. 

Big Brilliant Book of Bart Simpson

When I've had a particularly hard time, I turn to comics that make me laugh. The various books based on the characters of the all-time great animated sitcoms, The Simpsons, are a good bet for some lighthearted comfort. Well, this past week was particularly hard and thankfully, I had a collection of Bart Simpson books on hand to alleviate some sadness and pain.

This volume (#7) reprints issue #25-28 of Bart Simpson comics. Stories include Bart winning an all-expense paid trip to Krustyland California and as part of the trip, he gets to sit right next to Krusty! On a recent trip to Krusty Burger, Bart learns that he accidentally gave a winning game piece to Ralph; who promptly lost it somewhere in the restaurant. With time running out, Bart must fight illness and the embarrassment of asking sister Lisa for help or he'll miss out on a lifetime supply of video games! Then Bart and Milhouse take on the federal government who wants to cut down the very tree that holds up Bart's beloved tree house. 

There's a lot of sibling rivalry afoot in this book. Along with the Krusty Burger yarn, readers get to enjoy a parody of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Lisa and Bart competing for the job being offered by Groundskeeper Willy. Lisa plays detective once again to solve a couple of Nancy Drew-type mysteries. Milhouse joins Bart and Lisa on an out-of-control high air balloon ride. Of course just about all of these benefits Bart. But when Lisa appears in these stories, she's more of her season 1-4 self, a little bit more mischievous as opposed to vegetarian Lisa who becomes the moral compass of Springfield. I miss that Lisa and I think the writers of these comics missed that version as well.

With this being a Bart centered book, you don't get quite as much Marge or Homer. Maggie is virtually non-existent except for a short that the youngest Simpsons dreams up. But if you are a fan of Milhouse, Nelson and the other students at Springfield Elementary, you are in for a treat. If you absolutely cannot stand Milhouse, this probably is the collection of Simpson Comics for you.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons Comics Hit The Road!

The fantastic cover lets Simpsons fans know that there's a journey of great stories about to begin! 

• The Simpsons are chosen to be a Nielsen Family. Their unique viewing style results in marketers building a brand upon the Simpson name. Tired of being copied, America's favorite family goes through a number of metamorphoses. 
• The Simpsons win a trip to Scotland. Taking Groundskeeper Willie along, the family hopes to restore his honor amongst his overbearing parents and uber-successful older brother. 
•  Lisa tries to save the Aztec Theatre from destruction by organizing a film festival with a headlining film starring Abraham Simpson!

While these were fun stories, it was the shorter stories that were the best. Homer's attempt to show Lisa and her classmates the unseen side of America was a laugh out loud riot! And Comic Book Guy's look at other Bongo Comics titles that nobody wanted was a segment I wish never ended. 

I read Simpsons comic books because they're reads that consistently boost my spirits. They may not be classics like the works of Jack Kirby or Carmine Infantino; but they never fail. My anxiety has been out of control lately and I've needed lighthearted material to help calm some very frayed nerves. These collections have been a god send. 

To whomever sold off that big lot of trades to my favorite comic book store- Thank you! I got a great deal on them as well as lots of laughs. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

 

Big Bad Book of Bart Simpson

Over 115 pages of Simpsons Comics stories and shorts featuring the Bad Boy of Springfield, Bart Simpson. I've several of these collections and I just keep having a ton of fun when I read them. 

The fun starts with a parody of the classic Western TV show/1999 big screen Will Smith clunker Wild, Wild West. Then Bart and Milhouse skip school and have an epic day of fun! Later, it's time for the Springfield Elementary Science Fair. The grand prize is a gift card at the Android's Dungeon and so Bart really goes all out in order to win. Only his experiment might have unleashed mutated alligators throughout the city sewer system. Better call in the national guard...

In the most surprising of surprise returns, Bart and the family visit the local wild animal park to spend some quality time with Stampy. Stampy was the elephant Bart won when he won a call-in contest on the radio in season 5. Thanks to the elephant, Bart and Lisa are able to rescue their little sister, Maggie, from a family of hyenas. 

Lisa fits into a lot of these stories. On at least 2 occasions, Lisa solves mysteries in a style similar to Nancy Drew. In another story, Lisa plays to her mischievous side, telling Bart all sorts of lies about the book he's got to read for a book report. But in typical El Barto fashion, things turn out a-okay for the boy. 

There's a slew of other Springfield characters and there's over a dozen stories in this book. It's just impossible to cover them all without spending all day writing a review. If you love the Simpsons and you're in need of some fresh stories, check out this trade paper collection of Bart-centric tales from Bongo. Affordable collections are out there in used book stores. You just have to look!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Big Beastly Book of Bart Simpson

Once again, I had a time of feeling blue and I needed a pick-me-up. Enter this collection of Simpsons Comics starring everyone's favorite bad boy, Bart Simpson!

Just because these stories star Bart, that doesn't mean that the rest of the Simpson clan are absent. But it does mean that a majority of these adventures do occur at Springfield Elementary and his main foil is Principal Skinner. Barred from the new football team, Bart one-ups Skinner by joining the cheerleading squad... and surprise, surprise- Bart does really well!

Another great story involving sports has Bart and Lisa's little league team suddenly without a coach. So they turn to Professor Frink to lead them and they do really well thanks to the scientist's array of inventions and gadgets. Going all the way to the championship against the West Springfield lineup led by Frink's arch-enemy Doctor Colossus! With the title and personal pride on the line, the Springfield Championship game becomes an arms race between Frink and Colossus. 

There are so many other stories I could talk about. Sticking to the rule of 3, I'll focus lastly on the field trip to the Capital City Historical Museum. Faced with the prospect of being blackballed by the curator should a single student of Springfield Elementary step out of line, Skinner is sweating bullets; especially when Bart and Nelson get handcuffed together in the olde timey jail exhibit. With the head of the museum on their tail, Bart and Nelson are fugitives of exhibition hall justice! Of course, you know Seymour Skinner is going to get blacklisted!

Lots of fun. I so very miss Bongo Comics. Their Simpsons books were so very good. They entertained. They made me laugh. They brought up my spirits. If you love the Simpsons, don't miss out on the adventures of Bart Simpson! That overlooked spin-off is just as good as the regular Simpson books and a must for anyone wanting to collect the whole run of the Springfield Family of comics.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Simpsons Holiday Humdinger

Did you ever have a book that for one reason or another, you didn't read it because you thought you had already read it. Yet, it turns out that nope, you really hadn't?! Well, that's me and The Simpsons Holiday Humdinger.

Because of it's tabloid-size, I kept this book in another part of my collection where I keep books that I've read before. Recently, I've gone on a Simpsons Comics re-reading kick and as I am now into my holiday reads, I figured the time was right to re-read this book. Only, I haven't read this before. 

The Simpsons Holiday Humdinger is over 250 pages of the residents of Springfield celebrating the holidays. Which holidays you ask? Seemingly, all of them! We've got Grandpa getting confused and celebrating Christmas in July. Bart converts to Judaism in order to cash in on the 8 nights of presents found in Hanukkah. Doctor Hibbert explains the special meanings behind the 7 days of Kwanzaa. And then we've got lots of Christmas time fun what with Comic Book Guy marking up the prices of the ultra-hot Itchy & Scratchy interactive toys and Lisa & Bart crafting a new holiday special to replace the Happy Little Elves.

I've read the Bart Hanukkah story somewhere before. Either as part of one of Winter Wingdings annuals or maybe a reprint in the monthly series that ran for an impressive 250 issues. I'm thinking that this collection (along with Homer For The Holidays, which I know for sure that I have never read) are treasuries of old Simpsons comics. But there's also a lot of short 1-4 page gags that I'm really not sure about. The art for those look newer and there's never any sort of credits of the writing/drawing team like on the full-length stories. 

The Treehouse of Horror treasuries seem to be in this similar vein. They've got reprints along with all-new material. So I may need to get all of the Wingdings even if I do ever manage to get Homer For The Holidays. I guess I'm not really complaining. I don't ever seem to get upset if I buy reprints when it comes to my holiday books. 

Sadly, the holiday fun with Bart, Lisa and the rest was over too soon. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons Comics Barn Burner

Thanks to a trip to a funky Wilmington, NC used books shop, I found a couple of treasuries devoted to Matt Groening's comedic genius. I reviewed the Futurama find a few days back. Now, I wanna talk about America's favorite dysfunctional family- The Simpsons!

Five issues from the late great Bongo Comics series are reprinted in this volume. Stories include Bart running afoul of Jimbo and his cronies after getting ratted out to Chief Wiggum, Homer winning the services of Smithers in a poker game with Mr. Burns, and then Homer running for mayor after Mayor Quimby bans beer on Sundays. There's also a clever entry in the long-standing Burns vs. Lisa storyline when the nuclear mogul attempts to turn protected woodlands into an exclusive golf course. 

And then there's the 5th story...

In that tale, Homer sees dollar signs when he creates a boy band made up of Bart, Ralph, Nelson, Rod Flanders and cool guy Roy. Hmmm... This sounds an awful lot like an episode of The Simpsons. And it is!

If you are a longtime fan of the show, you might remember the episode in which Bart, Ralph, Nelson and Milhouse were recruited to form a boy band. Their big hit 'Yvan Eth Noij' turned out to be a ploy by the US Navy to up recruitment rates. While this print story doesn't follow the plot of that episode- and no NSYNC doesn't make a cameo either, its awfully similar to that classic episode. 

So which came first?

 It turns out that the episode beat the comic story by about 2-4 months. I'm not 100% sure as comic books often are released 2 months prior to the cover date as a sort of sales trick with retailers. The Bongo story was released June, 2001. But I am not sure if now defunct Bongo Comics released it's books out of date or not. 

You might want to say that the Bongo story was a rip-off of the cartoon. But in this case, with how close the release dates are to each other, I really don't know. Maybe writer Eric Rogers learned that such an episode was in the works from Fox and so he took inspiration. But based on my knowledge of comic book production history- this whole event could very well be a coincidence!

I loved this collection. As with any grouping of Simpsons comics, the fun was over way too soon. It was a fast read and I was completely to blame as I just can put these fun times reads down. But it was so worth it!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Bongo Comics Free-For-All (FCBD 2017)

Being in lock-down, I've had a chance to go through my massive pile of stuff I need to catalog and file into my collection. That includes almost the entire offering of comics from 2017's Free Comic Book Day. 

One of the things I look forward to the most each FCBD is The Simpsons comic book. With Bongo Comics now defunct, we don't have new Simpsons stuff coming out. So this was a great little present to myself during a very stressful time. 

Once again we get a number of hilarious stories starring Bart, Lisa, Homer and the citizens of Springfield. And once again, the offerings are a thousand times more funnier that what FOX is putting on every Sunday at 8pm EST.

In the main story, Bart injures his back and must use a special backpack- one on wheels. It supposed to be the stuff of elementary school mockery. But of course, El Barto twists things to his advantage. 

Next up, Homer and Bart awake for a late night snack only to wind up facing a possible intruder. 

Lastly, Rod and Todd get separated from Flanders and go on an epic journey through the streets of the fair city. I don't know why, but those two namby-pambies always make me laugh and this was a great capper to another classic freebie from one of my favorite shuttered publishers.

Once again, the only thing Futurama is a back cover gag. I can't understand why Bongo never put stories on the Delivery Express crew in the FCBD books. You would think that they'd want to advertise them. Maybe we now know why Bongo went out of business.

Man, I miss these...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Bart Simpson, Vol. 9: Class Clown

Trying times call for distractions. There's just about no better distraction to me than a comic book. But some comics still hit a little too close to home. Thankfully, that's not been the case with Bongo Comics' various titles based on beloved Simpsons characters. 

In this collection of stories from the Bart Simpsons line, the spiky-haired dude gets into a bunch of hairy situations. My favorites included the resurrection of Truck-a-saurus, a hilarious tree house caper involving Milhouse, Ralph and an ancient text and the various stories devoted to that masked protector of Springfield, Bartman! The Professor Frink short was charming and that story in which Mrs Krabappel is forced to move in with the Simpsons was funny too. Unfortunately, I can't recall any other stories. 

I seem to think that there was a Comic Book Guy adventure and one or two stories devoted to Itchy and Scratchy. But I can't remember. 

Sadly, I didn't find myself laughing out loud that much. I don't think it's because I hated this book. I'm more afraid that the whole Coronavius thing has permeated everyday life so much, that my Ha-Ha distraction ended up being more Hoo-Hum.

Worth Consuming! but I really can't recall if I truly loved this whole book or not...

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons Comics Royale

When I am feeling bogged down by the weight of the world, I turn to humor. Harley Quinn. The Tick. Deadpool. Their insanity helps make my life more sane. And then there's The Simpsons. Sometimes you need the bizarre philosophies of Homer and Bart to help make sense of things. 

This is an unusual collection of Simpsons Comics. It's not a reprint of full issues. Instead, it's a mix of never-before-reprinted tales and all-new comic book material. In this volume we've got a Lisa story of Wonderland proportions, Krusty takes an entourage to Hollywood, and Radioactive Man learns just what happens when you flush the toilet in a state of the art porta-potty.

Sprinkled throughout this edition are a number of essays by Simpsons creator Matt Groening. His advice to those wanting to be cartoonists should be required reading for all first year art students. His reflections on his early life shows the origins of many of the icons of Springfield. But his dictionary of favorite slang words was 4 pages of wasted space. So was his 2-pager about his first bully. I would have rather had more advice or inside scoops on the history of the TV show. If anything, I now want to read some of Groening's first comic strip, Life in Hell. 

Considering that that series started in 1977, my birth year and FAVORITE year, how did I miss this!!!

I wasn't huge on the Lisa story which was surprising since I am a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland. Like I said, some of the essays were lame. So was that Sideshow Mel multi-parter! Plus, not being a direct reprint of the comics themselves and the very unusual pacing of all those verbose interludes made for an odd pacing. 

Yes, this took away a lot of stress from a world full of coronavirus and done to death primaries. But it just wasn't my favorite of Simpsons books either.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons Comics Shake-Up

It's another collection of Simpsons Comics pick-me-ups starring not just everyone's favorite dysfunctional family but the insane residents of Springfield too! 

In this volume:

• Homer becomes a defense attorney who actually wins cases due to his unconventional style of lawyering. But does he have what it takes to bust Bart from a seemingly unbeatable arson charge?
• Mr. Burns frames Homer for selling nuclear materials to enemy agents. While it looks like Homer is going to be doing hard time, he learns that things aren't as bad as they look; even with Sideshow Bob as a jail mate!
• Then the whole Simpsons clan find themselves as the stars of Krusty's new off-Broadway show: Simpsons: The Musical!
• Learn what vacation life is like for Snowball II and Santa's Little Helper when the Simpsons head off on a month-long road trip.
• Lastly, in my favorite story of the bunch, Dr. Nick faces a medical review board and must defend himself as the only doctor in town willing to do the medical work no other self-respecting physician will touch!

That final story was a lot like my all-time favorite episode '23 Short Film About Springfield.' While I love Bart, Homer and Marge, I love it when the episodes focus more on the town folk. It just seems like more unusual and albeit riskier things can be done with those characters than with the Simpsons clan. Although, the creativity of that Attorney Homer story was brilliant! 

Simpsons Comics are always a great pick-me-up during times of great stress. I always seem to find a new collection when I need it most. And right now, as I wait to hear back from a highly desired job interview, I haven't needed a laugh this badly in a very long time. 

Thank you Matt Groening and the staff of Bongo Comics. You will be missed, but not forgotten or unappreciated!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars!

Simpsons Comics Supernova

Another fantastic collection of Simpsons Comics!

The first story is a parody of that classic 80s cartoon (and most recent reboot) DuckTales! Smithers is unable to go on Mr. Burns' annual treasure hunt. Thus, Homer and the kids are hired to help Burns navigate a slew of obstacles such as a giant squid and underwater bandits. 

Next up, Lisa seeks to find a name for herself while Marge is hired to be the next weather girl on the local news. 

Fans then experience a number of parodies as we sit in on the latest meeting of the Springfield Book Club. 

Lastly, Bart, Milhouse and Martin tour the town dump on the hunt for a fabled horde of collectible garbage. 

As I continue to say, Simpsons Comics manages to be what The Simpsons TV show hasn't been in quite a while- funny. Well, this most recent season has been humorous. Maybe it's because all of the talent who used to work at the new defunct Bongo Comics are writing for the show now.

This collection of Simpsons Comics reiterates a pressing need in the comic book industry- namely more Simpsons Comics. Bongo went out of business because of the high cost of shipping and printing. Since Disney now owns The Simpsons, either IDW or Dark Horse needs to take on the role as the main supplier of Springfield hi-jinx. Someone needs to take over the imprint or the last 90 issues or so will never be released in collected form!

Not all of this book was pure comedy gold. For one thing, the table of contents lists a story called 'The Duffman Cometh.' However, that story is nowhere to be found. I'm not sure if Bongo made a publishing error here or not. Could it be that "Duffman' the true name of 'Lisa's Book Club' which I assume was instead published in the previous story's lieu? Or is this proof that another publisher was needed to better navigate the exploits of America's favorite dysfunctional family?

Come on, House of Mouse! You do this! Bring back Simpsons Comics! Do it well and I'll forgive you for the last 2 Star Wars episodes!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Bongo Comics Free-For-All: 2016 Free Comic Book Day Edition

   

If it wasn't bad enough that my beloved Steelers lost to those cheaters in New England, there wasn't a new Simpsons last night. It wasn't a total loss however, as I had an adequate replacement to being without America's favorite family- a never before read Simpsons comic. I knew I hanged on to that book for a reason!
    The comic in question was the 2016 Bongo Comics Free-For-All. In it was a slew of new Simpsons stories including the return of the Pie-Man and his sidekick, The Cupcake Kid. But the duo must come up with new personas when a German pastry-themed villain leads Chief Wiggum to declare all baked goods to be contraband until the foe can be apprehended. By guessing how large the Chief has gotten since he took it upon himself to personally dispose of the illict eats, Springfield may be without cakes, bread, and donuts for quite some time. This is a job for Captain Quiche and his sidekick, Meatball Boy!
     Then with some fake Dracula teeth and some heavy-duty super glue, Bart managed to convince the town that Principal Skinner is a vampire out for the blood of Springfield Elementary students. An educational film on the dangers of video games hosted by Doctor Hibbert, a traffic stop headed by the Springfield PD and a segment called Krusty's Catchphrase Corner round out the book. The Krusty one-pager wasn't just stupid, it was STOOPID and I hated the art.
     Overall not a bad collection of tales. There's hardly any mention of Futurama in this book. Does Bongo even make a comic based on that other Matt Groening property anymore? Doesn't matter, I didn't really even miss it. 

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Simpsons Winter Wingding #3

 It's another winter-themed Simpsons annual from Bongo Comics. This one is from 2008 and unlike the Winter Wingding I reviewed yesterday, this one is filled with some holiday cheer. Well, in the case of Flanders in the first story, it's more like holiday jeer.

   Due to the commercialization of Christmas, Ned decides to ban Christmas, including Santa, in the Flanders homestead. Feeling bad for Rod and Todd, the Simpsons try to bring a little magic to their household by posing as Santa on Christmas Eve. Yet, things get really outta hand when another Santa arrives; this one demanding presents like wallets and jewelry.
    Then in a Hanukkah-themed story, Krusty learns that their aren't any mascots for those eight crazy nights. Seeing dollar signs, the clown forms a focus group in order to create the Jewish version of Santa. What the group, made of Bart, Milhouse, Nelson, and Ralph design is the stuff of nightmares.
    There's two other stories in this volume. Both aren't holiday related and only one really involves winter as a plot device. That story has Homer going to Professor Frink for an experiment. Both hope to hibernate Homey over the winter months in order to lose weight. Cue a plot taken for Weekend At Bernie's (and a forgotten SNL parody ad starring the late Phil Hartman.) The second story has Bart sent to a Scared Straight program at Springfield Jail. Only, instead of being intimidated, Bart becomes the new boss on the cell block.
     4 stories; all very funny. When you need a break from the winter blahs and there's no new episodes of the Simpsons to watch, the Winter Wingdings are perfect. I only hope I can get the rest of annuals in time for next year's holiday festivities. Though you can enjoy these annuals any time of the year (it just helps to read theme during the winter!)

   Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 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.
     

The Simpsons Winter Wingding #2

   Normally if a Christmas special isn't 100% about the holidays, I get quite upset. It's a big pet peeve of mine. But the title to the Simpsons: Winter Wingding doesn't imply that it's supposed to be holiday themed at the least. Instead, with these annual specials, I expect all of these stories to involve cold weather antics starring television's funniest family and their zany neighbors.
    As a bonus, this issue starts out with some holiday fun as Bart wishes for it to be Christmas everyday. Interestingly enough, this issue, while extremely silly, actually has some very good points economically and socially why 365 days of Christmas isn't exactly a good thing. 
    Finishing out this comic are a trio of short stories involving Bart and the Junior Campers going on a bobsled race, Otto the Bus Driver's guide to snowboarding lingo, and the greatest snowball fight in Springfield history.
    I love the Winter Wingdings. They are extremely enjoyable. Plus, they're a great cure for when you need a Simpsons holiday fix and your local TV station is airing a Treehouse of Horror marathon instead.
  
  Worth Consuming!

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

  

Bart Simpson's Manual of Mischief

  

  Ever wanted to be the biggest mischief maker on your block, but didn't know how to go about it? Well, your prayers have been answered with Bart Simpson's Manual of Mischief. Straight from Springfield's most notorious trouble maker under the age of 12, comes a guide to everything you need to become your class clown, your family's super-secret practical joker, and the spray paint scourge of your community.

   Lessons in this manual include:

• Making prank phone calls
• operating in disguise
• practical jokes for the school, home, and workplace
• career choices for up-and-coming mischief makers and much, much more!

   I've read several books in the Vault of Simpsonology series, like the Book of Moe, Comic Book Guy's Book of Pop Culture, and Bart Simpson's Guide to Life. But the Manual of Mischief is the first book I've read that had lots of activities for readers to engage in such as removable bad ass skateboard stickers, fake health food labels for your sugary soda of choice, and a collection of trading cards devoted to the art of sneakery. But, they are not  all easy to do either. I gave up on the disguise kit activity after about 5 minutes of Homer-like frustration trying to get it to work right.

   I only rarely stumble across these books at a used bookstore or in this case, Ollie's Discount Outlet. But when I find them, I snatch them up as they are the perfect rainy day read to boost your spirits. Since this book has things to cut out of it, I expect that this might be a harder book to find in perfect condition, unless you get lucky like I did or go to Amazon where prices as of right now start for copies that are used as low as $0.41! 

   A fun read in the classic Simpsons style that is worth a read, or two, or three. And believe me, I'm going to be trying some of these pranks one day! There's some comic gold in these pages waited to be exploited!

   Worth Consuming

  

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons Comics, Volume 16: Beach Blanket Bongo

   Sideshow Bob's brother Cecil is released from prison on a technicality (Chief Wiggum forgot to process him!) and targets Lisa as his arch-enemy in order to gain some street cred. The Simpsons family win an all-expense paid trip to a garbage atoll in the Pacific, and an eccentric geek without an heir seeks out Springfield's King of the Nerds. Then when Krusty is accidently given a real doctorate, he finds himself the new family physician to the town. Lastly, take a trip through the Springfield Elementary hall of permanent records and learn the shocking origin of one of the town's most stalwart citizens.

   I've read a bunch of Simpsons Comics over the years. Why I don't just commit and collect this series forthright is beyond me... But these are great books to have on hand when you are feeling down and just need a chuckle or two or 300 and by far, this has got to be the best collection of that bunch!

   I loved the insanity of the Doctor Krusty story and a Sideshow Bob adventure is always fun. The garbage vacation story had great moments with Lenny and Carl. But it was the King of the Nerds and the elementary school stories that were the best of the bunch. They were filled with tons of inside jokes, pop culture references, and both were just plain fun. Plus, the story about the Hall of Permanent Records was framed like those old EC Comics horror titles that I love so much.

   Another thing that makes Simpsons Comics so great are the backup features in the back of each issue. They range from the secret files of Professor Frink to advertisements from some of your favorite Springfield stores (Springfield Tire Fire Fire Sale, anyone?) 

    The oddest thing about a Simpsons Comic is where I find them. I hardly ever find them at actual comic shops (other than the odd dollar bin discovery.) I might sometimes find one at a used bookstore, but I almost always find these at thrift stores! Talk about oddities...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Big Beefy Book of Bart Simpson

   My all-time favorite episode of the Simpsons is called '22 Short Films About Springfield.' In that classic episode from 1996, Bart wonders if anything interesting in his hometown. The episode then focuses on all of the supporting characters on the show such as Professor Frink, Milhouse's family, and Comic Book Guy. I love how all of these iconic characters get a chance to shine instead of the Simpson family.

    If ever there was a comic book version of that great episode, it's this collection of issues from Bongo Comics- The Big Beefy Book of Bart Simpson!

Among some of the awesomeness contained within is a time-travelling adventure with Prof. Frink back to the early days of Homer and Marge, the epic search for the Squishee of Death, Computer Hacking 101 with Martin Prince, and much much more insanity.

   There wasn't a moment of this collection that I didn't enjoy though the Bart as Tarzan parody was probably the weakest tale of the bunch and yet I kept laughing and laughing at its goofiness!

    When you need a Simpsons fix and can't watch it on TV or online- the dynamic comic books by Bongo are a near perfect substitute.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.