Mmmmm...Simpsony.

It's All-Simpsons Week here at Comics Oughta Be Fun, 'coz Matt Groening and his crazy crew at Bongo comics shipped three, count 'em, three Simpsons comics this week. I almost always find Simpsons comics a heckuva lotta fun, so you can bet I rushed right home to read 'n' review these! (I would have got this up a little while earlier except I had to watch a re-run of The Simpsons on Channel Five...it was the one with Stop the Planet of the Apes: I Want to Get Off! Help me, Doctor Zaius! I laffed and laffed and laffed.)

Golly, I love this show. Anyway, onto the comics!:

BART SIMPSON #25: This comic is fun. The Bart Simpson book seems to be intended for a slightly younger audience (and hey, I'm a little stuffed bull, aren't I?), so there's less of the sharp biting humor of the TV show and even the regular comic in favor of gags and adventure, but there's still plenty of fun for all ages in Bart. The first story is my favorite: it's by Tom "Tennessee" Peyer (hey, I remember him from his "Sideshow" and "Captain 'Cuse" days in the Syracuse New Times. When will Lee Alexander's Cat make an appearance in your comics, Tom? Huh? Lee Alexander's Cat?). Bart goes to work for Comic Book Guy and that's where the fun begins, especially for us comic fans, because it's chock-a-block fulla comics and sci-fi references: Green Arrow's Arrow Cave, Jonathan "Riker" Frakes, Mark Waid, the Pocket Universe, and the splash panel is a homage to the cover of Amazing Spider-Man #50. Best of all, it's still a funny story even if you don't get all the comics references! The other two stories are fun too, but if you're at all a comics fan who doesn't mind giggling a bit at your own hobby, this is a fun issue.


SIMPSONS #109: This comic is fun. But weird! Mr. Burns tries to rewrite history by erecting a museum of Burns history. Homer pursues a feud with Artie Pie. And quite possibly one of the greatest captions in comics this year: "Meanwhile, back at the "B" story..." All this and a Wacky Races joke, too! It's a little over the top but never stops being quirky and funny. I've said it before and I'll say it again...wait a minute, I'm not certain I've said it before. Let me check. (.......................) No. No, I haven't said it before. But I'll say it now: there's no comic that more captures the spirit, chaotic adventure, and humor of the great Dell and Gold Key funny animal comics of the Silver Age than today's Simpsons Comics. They're not quite a Carl Barks story, but they're the best modern equivalent—even the cover gag looks like something Huey, Dewey, and Louie would do with Donald! Well, if Donald was morbidly obese.


SIMPSONS SUPER SPECTACULAR #1: This comic is fun. Now here's a nifty idea: an anthology series of Simpsons superhero stories! If you liked the comic book story in this week's Bart Simpson, you'll love Simpsons Super Spectacular! (Or, at least, to keep truth in advertising, if you liked the comic book story in this week's Bart Simpson, you'll also like Simpsons Super Spectacular.) There's a Homer as Pie Man story called "Holy Cow!! Has Pie Man Turned Evil?" (Pie Man: "Yup.") Luckily it's just an evil Pie Man that Homer must stop! Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Then Bartman steps into a parallel universe ("The Borders is a Barnes and Noble!") where Lisa is a supervillain, plus a flip-book comic (Gosh! I love flip-books!) featuring two stories of Radioactive Man! Tell me what other comic has such thrills, chills, spills, uh...um...(looking in the Krusty Burger scene to see if there are any pickles)...dills and all-out Bills (okay, just one: Bill Morrison)? None! That's why SIMPSONS SUPER SPECTACULAR #1 is the most fun comic of the week!