Simpsons Comics Thread

[noaizuma]

Bongo is nominated for several Eisner awards this year for the Simpsons/Futurama Crossover Crisis hardcover; The Comicbook Guy Comic Book mini-series (both written by Ian Boothby); and for the Peter Kuper short in Bart Simpson.

The first two I found quite enjoyable but the latter didnt impress me, however in all fairness I've never been a big fan of Kuper's work in Mad.

[ArchiveGuy]

Free Comic Book Day! - Bongo Writer Appearances! - Saturday, May 7, 2011

As we've all come to know, Bongo offers reprints of various elements from Simpsons and Futurama in their Free Comic Book Day offering - it's certainly a must have for us collecting completists, and not a bad day to visit Jeff Albertson. (Don't believe it will include a Spongebob sampling...) My local shop usually has someone of note signing something, although not from Bongo. Following below is the notice that will appear on my comics page below a banner for Free Comic Book Day, which naturally links to http://www.freecomicbookday.com/. If perchance you don't know where to go, they have a store locator here: http://www.freecomicbookday.com/fcbd_locator.asp and that includes another link to the international list of the stores participating in forty different countries. There's also a link to previews of the comics, including Bongo's offerring: http://www.freecomicbookday.com/comics.asp.

Bongo / Simpson / Futurama artist appearances, as listed on my comic list;

If free comics are heavenly, Bongo artist signed free comics are Paradise!
Tone Rodriguez appearing at Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery in Canoga Park, CA!
Ty Templeton & Ken Wheaton appearing at Paradise Comics in Toronto, Ontario!
Lastly, Billy West of Futurama & Ren & Stimpy fame and no small Fry when it comes to voiceover, will appear at Packrat Comics in Hillard, Ohio.

BruceAttachment 1937Attachment 1938

[biffwestwood]

I picked up todays issue of Simpsons Comics and I found out in it that beginning this June, Bart Simpson Comics will now be published monthly beginning with issue #60.

[noaizuma]

I picked up todays issue of Simpsons Comics and I found out in it that beginning this June, Bart Simpson Comics will now be published monthly beginning with issue #60.

cool thanks for the info

[noaizuma]

Review: Simpsons Comics #176. 2 out of 5



Nobody's Purrfect Story- Chuck Dixon E. Blackburn Pencils- Phil Ortiz

This issue features a storyline eerily similar to this seasons episode "Midsummers Nice Dream", exchanging the concept of Marge helping out the crazy cat lady with her hording ways; with that of Lisa helping her out to earn some extra credit to help her get into a good collage.

The basic concept seemed fine, but Mr. Blackburn fails repeatedly to give any emotional depth to the scenes between Homer and Lisa. This would be quite forgivable except the content we are given is neither funny nor delivered effectively for a comic book format, as Mr. Ortiz has numerous occasions where he has to use 2 pannels to deliver exposition that should easily fit in 1. Mr. Ortiz's artwork is definitely not without merit, but all to often the characters don't display the exaggerated body language and emotions necessary to help them pop off the backgrounds.


my favorite gag in this issue.


pussy galore ha ha ha.

Overall my impression of the issue is that there is a lot of misused space. Some pannels needed more room, whilst others had too much. The whole issue feels like it could have been done in a zippy 20 pgs instead of the 25 it used. Those extra 5 pgs could have been used for more variation on the Homer jokes and/or to help add a better sense of pacing to the story overall.

[noaizuma]

Review: Bart Simpson Comics #58 2 out of 5



This comic has fast become one of my favorites. With the likes of Carol Lay and Sergio Aragones as practically regulars on the book, I greatly look forward to the grab bag, spastic feel that this title has had of late. The short format has - by and large - forced the creative talent to dispense with the often bloated and mis-matched pacing of it's sister publication, in favor of a get-in-get-out series of one-off story arcs. I think this works beautifully well, especially with the children of Springfield, who are so often the titles focus.

That is why this issue was such a let down. In all fairness this is more so due to my continually building high opinion of it, then to a drastic decrease in actual quality. This issue consisted of...

1. Pranks A Lot! by Carol Lay 15pgs.


Lay decides to take a break from telling Lisa centered stories (which she does very well), to shine the spot light on Bart. The major problem's this short has is that Bart dosn't have the emotional core that Lisa has had in Lay's other earlier stories. This in and of itself isnt an issue (these are COMIC books after all) but when the main crux of the story involves Bart becoming a master prankster, one would hope that the pranks were clever and comedic in their own right...they are'nt. This leaves the reader looking for something within the content other then jokes such as character growth. Hopefully Lay's next piece will bring her back to form.

2. Rod & Todd Pray-off script - Tony Digerolamo pencils - Phil Ortiz 4 pgs.


This is a little piece in which Rod an Todd pray about things they wish would happen. The story isnt bad but it feels like it should have been 3 pgs. instead. I know, I know that sounds really nit-picky but in gag comics you're pacing is a major element of delivery. There is SOOOO much empty space in 3 of the pgs. I wonder what happened behind the scenes there.

3. Bart Vs. Bart story - Mary Trainor art - Mike Rote 2 pgs.


A cute piece about Bart fighting with his reflection in the mirror. Nice palate cleanser.

4. It's The Thoughtlessness That Counts by - Even Dorkin 1 pg.


Bart sells some of Millhouse's stuff to buy him a present. This was kinda wasted as a 1 pager. I would have liked to have seen this as a 2 pager ala Bart Vs. Bart.

5. Maggie's Crib by - Sergio Aragones 3 pgs.


Last but not lest we get 2 Sergio tales this month. A 1 pager were Maggie gets scared of a thunder storm, and a 2 pager where the family is perplexed by a rubix cube. As always great stuff.

I think over all this issue suffered from simply too much content. I think a better format would have been for Lay's 15 pgs. Sergio and Trainor's 2 pagers then finishing up with a 6 pager. I'm hopping though that We'll be able to see Sergio and Lay in every issue moving forward as this title transitions to a monthly book, but only time will tell.

[noaizuma]

A little late I know, but, Simpson's comic releases for April


Simpsons Comics # 177 available - 4/20



Bart Simpson Comics # 59 available - 4/27



Simpsons Classics # 28 available - 4/27 (collects Simpsons Comics # 55 & 56)



On a side note Sergio's new comic published by Bongo (titled "Sergio Aragones Funnies") is available for pre-order at Mid-town Comics, and should be in the Previews coming out on 4/27. Dropping on 7/27 with a price point of $3.50.

[noaizuma]

Review: Simpsons Comics # 177 ( 3.5 out of 5 )



Through A Mug Darkly ( story - Chuck Dixon ) ( pencils - Phil Ortiz ) 25 pgs.

What a difference a month can make. While last issue had me barely caring for the exposition, and mildly confused by the art work, this outing with our favorite yellow family was a veritable spring picnic.

The concept is a simple one. Homer, whilst addled by a pernicious flu bug, imagines a world devoid of his favorite amber toned beverage of inebriation. Nearly beside himself with grief, Homer embarks on a quest to discover a pilsner-powered, parched-palette, pacifier.

The first thing to jump out at me was how improved the art was in this title; so much so that I actually thought that it must be a new creative team. I however was merrily surprised to discover that the team was exactly the same one that brought us last months lackluster issue. Ive examined these two issue back and forth several times now, and can only find minor differences. This gives credence to the importance of every lines place when dealing with the simplistic designs of the simpson world.



observe in the above image how Homer has a much more pronounced and exaggerated set of facial expressions. This was one of my criticisms of the previous issue. One dosent even need to read the dialog to get the total sense of emotion. It was an honest joy to see the dozens of like-wise, expressive character loaded though-out.



Then these two panels help show off the polar opposite of visually derived humor vs. dialog driven yucks. The fact that both of these panels work at advancing a narrative AND provide drastically different styles of comedic delivery, bespeaks a writer/artist team well at sink with each other. You'll also notice how this go around, the characters arent fighting with the background for visual clarity, that along with a much improved word-balloon placement, helps the whole book feel lighter and less claustrophobic.

Now to be-sure the issue wasnt ALL roses. There were still some problems with the pacing, though significantly less so then last issue. Homer spending several pages observing with surprise all of the new non-alcoholic norms was a bit thin and probably would have been funnier if the time was spent on his attempt, and subsequent failure, at making his own still in the basement. My only other complaint was that the bookend's of the plot felt thin and unsubstantial, leaving the ending landing like a thud. That however is no reason to not enjoy the rest of the ride.

So until next time I'll leave you with my favorite gag, this go round. It seriously had me nearly wetting myself with laughter.



"booby traps...we'll worry about those when your older." LMAO

[D'ohmer]

I don't read too many Simpsons comics, but I have read some memmorable ones that I forget the names of. I remember one where Bart plays a prank on the entire town by making them think a volcano will erupt. I also remember a HOMR clone where Homer becomes smarter through surgery.

[Captain Squid]

Picked up Simpsons Comics Meltdown today:



Issues include: 91, 92, 93, 94 and 95.

I was bummed to find that they did not include the cover art for the individual issues.

[noaizuma]

Picked up Simpsons Comics Meltdown today...I was bummed to find that they did not include the cover art for the individual issues.

yeah that's one of the reasons that I didnt get it. I actually dont like the collections much. You dont get the covers OR the letters pages. On top of that you're really not saving any money vs. buying the old back issues.

Why dont you post a review of the book Captain Squid!

[Dark Homer]

wow how insensitive to the people of japan

bongo should be ashamed of themselves

[noaizuma]

in all fairness this was already being printed in late February, not to mention the actual finalization was probably sometime in December. Yay it's in poor taste, but I dont expect them to recall 50,000 books.

[Captain Squid]

yeah that's one of the reasons that I didnt get it. I actually dont like the collections much. You dont get the covers OR the letters pages. On top of that you're really not saving any money vs. buying the old back issues.

Why dont you post a review of the book Captain Squid!

I'm not one to write reviews, but I'll say that it's a good collection. Not GREAT, as there is little original art aside from the cover and a table of contents written on a hot dog package. So no characters at a barbecue art inbetween issues, just goes from one issue to the next. However, I was happy to see them return to regular issues (the last TPB was a compilation of issues dealing with parodies of literature) and there are no skipped issues. The retail price is more than buying the back issues, however the amazon.com price is only $9. Far less than buying the individual issues, which are usually $3+ at comic book stores.

I'm a big TPB fan, have all the regular Simpsons Comics collections. I've found it easier to buy those a few times a year rather than running to the comic shop every month. I'm 75 issues behind, but I'm cool with that. I skip the other collections (THOH, Christmas, Bart Simpson) as I collect the individual issues of THOH and Winter Wing Ding, and am not a big fan of Bart Simpson Comics.

Still, I need to get The Simpsons Holiday Humdinger as I discovered they put two missing TPB issues into that one, as they are holiday themed.

[yodazone]

SERGIO ARAGONES FUNNIES #1



Written and art by Sergio Aragones

Matt Groening presents an all-new monthly series by the world's most famous and most honored cartoonist, Sergio Aragonés! Each issue offers an assortment of autobiographical anecdotes, perplexing puzzles, slap-happy short stories, as well as Sergio's unique and hilarious pantomimes and gags. With this new series, the world's most beloved cartoonist continues to prove that humor is truly a universal language!

32 pages, $3.50

[noaizuma]

...The retail price is more than buying the back issues, however the amazon.com price is only $9. Far less than buying the individual issues, which are usually $3+ at comic book stores...I'm a big TPB fan, have all the regular Simpsons Comics collections. I've found it easier to buy those a few times a year rather than running to the comic shop every month...

I was saying cover price to cover price of buying it in the store. I pre-order my single issues at a 35% discount (the same as most Amazon pre-orders), so in that regard its a wash as well. But I can defiantly see your view point if all you get are a few comics a month, it would be easier to just pick up the collection's when they come out. Also some people just prefer reading TP's too single issues, so that's totaly an understandable opinion. One of the big reason's I'm doing the reviews is in hopes that it might give people a little knowledge about the content of issues that have just hit the stands (or hit the stands within a few months), so maybe the people who casually read them will decide that "this" is an issue worth getting, versus "that" issue which I doubt I'll like.

[noaizuma]

I'm not one to write reviews, but I'll say that it's a good collection. Not GREAT, as there is little original art aside from the cover and a table of contents written on a hot dog package. So no characters at a barbecue art inbetween issues, just goes from one issue to the next. However, I was happy to see them return to regular issues (the last TPB was a compilation of issues dealing with parodies of literature) and there are no skipped issues...Still, I need to get The Simpsons Holiday Humdinger as I discovered they put two missing TPB issues into that one, as they are holiday themed.

Yah the actual issues themselves were pretty good and in all fairness thous issues might be a bit harder to find by now. I picked up the Humdinger TP and can attest to it actually having a fair bit of additional art inside, though most of the stories didnt get me to excited (in fact if memory serves, two of the stories were published the previous month in that seasons Winter Wingding).

[Charlie]

Still, I need to get The Simpsons Holiday Humdinger as I discovered they put two missing TPB issues into that one, as they are holiday themed.

That's right, they put #52 and #79 (plus #15 which already appeared in Simpsons Comics Strike Back, plus the Itchy & Scratchy Holiday Hijinx special) into Humdinger. After they did that, that's how it became fairly obvious they were going to end up releasing what became Simpsons Comics Gets Some Fancy Book Learnin', as all those issues, #62, #70, #76, #81, etc, all got skipped when the issues around them were all reprinted - I don't mind that they make these special books or anything, but on the other hand it'd be nice for them to just be released in chronological order; only release them in their own special books if they are a crossover (like how #5 was put in Bartman: Best of the Best! as it tied in with I&S and Bartman comics, and I'm sure they'll do the same when they reprint "The Best Radioactive Man Event Ever").

I just think that casual readers will be confused looking at the covers they show in the books... say - for instance - in Simpsons Comics Barn Burner, I'd be wondering why it suddenly goes from #61 to #63. If anything I'd say that's why Bongo stopped listing the individual comic issues in the table of contents, and why they don't include cover images inside anymore as maybe they're planning more of these 'themed' books and don't want to confuse people further. I still think it's a bit of an oddity how they totally skipped #87 in the standard paperbacks and only released it in the hardcover Futurama crossover collection, I guess if people aren't Futurama fans yet want all the Simpsons Comics reprinted they'll have to suck it up and pay extra for this, huh? Not to mention that, for some reason, "Kent's State" (short story from #59), was left out of Barn Burner (#57-#63, minus #62) and wasn't released until (I believe), Dollars to Donuts (#78-#84, minus #79 and #81), for apparently no reason at all. And since the removal of the covers has also gone across to the Bart Simpson reprints, they've even gone as far as shuffling around some of the stories, so they're not even in the original order they were all released in. It's kind of a shambles, in my honest opinion.

Sorry for the rant, you've just got me thinking a lot about it now.

[Charlie]

Yah the actual issues themselves were pretty good and in all fairness thous issues might be a bit harder to find by now. I picked up the Humdinger TP and can attest to it actually having a fair bit of additional art inside, though most of the stories didnt get me to excited (in fact if memory serves, two of the stories were published the previous month in that seasons Winter Wingding).

You're possibly thinking of Homer For The Holidays, the other, more recent, Winter/Christmas-themed book; Holiday Humdinger came out back in 2004, before Winter Wingding was published

[yodazone]

I picked up todays issue of Simpsons Comics and I found out in it that beginning this June, Bart Simpson Comics will now be published monthly beginning with issue #60.

Seems like Bongo is expanding the line bigger than ever this year. Simpsons and now Bart are going monthly. The next "Funnies" series is coming out as a monthly. Spongebob is coming out regularly. And I saw a twitter post somewhere that Gene Simmons was talking to Bongo about a new KISS comic.

I'd like to see the "Zongo" imprint return and a monthly output for "Futurama" now.

[yodazone]

I scored 2 more issues of the rare German Bongo variants from 2008 & 2009 that were limited to 666 and 777:



And this German Avengers variant limited to 888 that features a "Simpsonized" Avengers short story by Bill Morrison:



And finally found the first Bongo hardcover from 1993 with a nice dust jacket:

[noaizuma]

You're possibly thinking of Homer For The Holidays...

ha ha yes That's what I was talking about sorry about the confusion. Thanks for clearing that up Charlie.

[yodazone]

I found the Simpsons Butterfinger ashcan with the original wrapping. It also included some artwork on the inside cardboard tray:

[Dark Homer]

neat

[noaizuma]

ya thats pretty cool

[Charlie]

That's neat.

I recently came across some old comics too - a mint condition copy of #1 with the "Bart barcode", a mint #5 with the trading card still stapled inside in it's plastic wrapping, a near-mint #10, Itchy and Scratchy #1, mint with poster still stapled inside, Itchy and Scratchy #3 with decoder card still stapled inside and wrapped. Also found an excellent condition copy of Simpsons Comics and Stories. Very, very happy to finally have original copies of these.

[Diversity Pumpkin]

Maaan, I remember when the comics were worse than the series. Now they're so much better. I think it's a mixture of the show drastically declining and the fact that I have more of an interest in art and cartoons now.

The first 54 comics are so are definately the best in terms of writing though, I think.

[Charlie]

Nothing can beat the first 50 or so, definitely. There actually is some form of quality drop after they went back to being monthly, in my opinion (#51 onwards). The way I have always seen it is up until #69 they were relatively stable, maybe a few more duds in the last 15 or so of those issues. There's a huge drop in quality between #20 and #29, in my opinion, with #26 (Get Off The Bus) and #27 (They Saved Homer's Brain) being the only really good ones. The same thing happened after #50, but it was more of a gradual decline - some of the stories were downright absurd (Smithers being the King of Sweden, for example). I've always seen #70 (ironically the first issue I read) as being the start of a landslide, and not just a small one; those ones you see on the news where a 500-feet high cliff has collapsed in a span of two minutes. An even worse drop in quality than the show, tbh. I really can't handle the majority of the issues between #70 and #95. There are some decent premises, but the writing comes off as so forced and unrealistic in places, not to mention John Costanza's art (to be fair to him, he has improved... slightly). #84 (The Principal of the Thing) and #87 (Hail to the Cat) are probably the only ones I like out of this period. Nothing against Ian Boothby, but it was around this time he started writing the majority of the comics, and it shows. I think he was running on empty in the ideas department, which is why we got five issues within a year that involved "the Simpsons sitting around telling stories" - three of which were released back to back (Greek stories in #70, Shakespeare plays in #76, Christmas tales in #79, unemployment stories in #80 and classic stories in #81).

Though once it got near #100, I thought the quality improved again and, you're right, the comics lately (possibly the last few years or so), have been pretty good. There's only one issue I don't like all that much, which is one I've complained about before (animal stories, where Grampa has implied sex with Santa's Little Helper). If anything, I find that it's Bart Simpson that is currently experiencing a drop in quality these days.

[Diversity Pumpkin]

Yeah, I remember some were really bad. I noticed Ian was writing less plots and just creating gag-filled stories, the "Up All Night" issue sticking out in mind. I think the art in that one was really good though, if I'm remembering correctly.

I've never read Bart Simpson comics in a while, but I really think the first 4 issues of that series were up to my standards of being entertained. Haha I sound like such a critic, but they just seemed stronger and more "fun". I remember dissembling those comics so the Radio-Active Man issue was seperate... Not sure if that's what they intended for us to do, but 'eh...

[mbruno]

That's right, they put #52 and #79 (plus #15 which already appeared in Simpsons Comics Strike Back, plus the Itchy & Scratchy Holiday Hijinx special) into Humdinger. After they did that, that's how it became fairly obvious they were going to end up releasing what became Simpsons Comics Gets Some Fancy Book Learnin', as all those issues, #62, #70, #76, #81, etc, all got skipped when the issues around them were all reprinted - I don't mind that they make these special books or anything, but on the other hand it'd be nice for them to just be released in chronological order; only release them in their own special books if they are a crossover (like how #5 was put in Bartman: Best of the Best! as it tied in with I&S and Bartman comics, and I'm sure they'll do the same when they reprint "The Best Radioactive Man Event Ever").

Of course, #81 still has yet to be collected for some reason. I've always thought it strange that it wasn't included in Simpsons Comics Gets Some Fancy Book Learnin'.