There were two reasons that I ordered this book new. 1) It advertised as an anthology series that offers many of the later issues of Simpsons Comics that had never been collected before. 2) Each book was to include a papercraft model of popular establishments from the town of Springfield. Characters included. Being involved in the miniature dollhouse and book nook hobby, I was really excited about that. Yes, I know that would mean cutting up a page or two from this book but I wasn't planning on this thing becoming so rare that it would one day pay for a month or two of retirement. What I didn't expect was to learn upon delivery of this book that it wasn't a new release!
When I opened this compendium, it listed the publishing year as 2013. With a couple of bad creases on the cover and a couple interior pages, I was a tad confused, thinking that maybe I was sent the wrong book. So I went all over the Internet, scouring comic book store websites, used book sites, and even Amazon. I even went to the Library of Congress. What I discovered is that despite being sold as a new release, nothing changed. Nothing. The advertising blurb from earlier this year was the same as the year that it was first published! Same ISBN. Same everything. But for some reason, HarperCollins didn't add that this was second print, despite retailers selling this book as a completely new release.
I'm wondering if Amazon had a few leftover issues on hand and that's what I was sent instead of the new print because nothing had changed. Sure, I am glad that I own this book. I needed those missing issues. It just that had I known that I could have bought a used issue way cheaper than what I did new, I would have gone that route.
I expect that the other 6 volumes are going to be the same way. Unfortunately, HarperCollins never published the last 20 or so issues in any collection. I'm hoping that possibly once the publisher re-issues the original 7 compendiums that they'll issue an 8th that wraps up the series.
One thing that is maddening is how HarperCollins published the Simpsons books out of order. Sure, very few issues had a cliffhanger and you don't really have to read them in order as they're not canon. I do appreciate that these editions include issues from the spin-off books like the Ralph Wiggum one-shot and issues from the Bart Simpson title.This volume includes the Simpsons Summer Shindig special and the Radioactive Man: The Official Movie Adaptation. Unfortunately, my wishlist/inventory is a giant mess right now. But once I complete the total Bongo run, it should be much cleaner.
The Radioactive Man faux movie adaptation was great. If you loved the Tim Burton Batman films, you'll love the Springfield themed parody. A joining of the various incarnations of Bart over the multiverse was pretty cool. It was also pretty violent and bloody for a Simpsons story that wasn't from the Treehouse of Horror.
Keeping with the multiverse theme, 'Crime Spree on Springfield 2' was fantastic. It has Batman and Milhouse as House Boy, finding a shortcut to Shelbyville and discovering their slightly off, yet strangely familiar counterparts.
I enjoyed reading the book immensely. I was very confused when I received it. But I think that I have figured out that I can save money seeking out the first edition volumes. So I won't be waiting on the re-releases. I just hope those missing issues get the Omnibus treatment real soon.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
