Bongo Comics Free-For-All 2008

From the Random Stack of Unread Comics via Free Comic Book Day 2008.

Title: Bongo Comics Free-For-All
Date: 2008
Publisher: Bongo Comics
Writer: Ian Boothby, John Bates, Chuck Dixon
Penciler: John Delaney, James Lloyd, Nina Matsumoto
Inker: Andrew Pepoy, Mike Rote
Colorist: Chris Ungar, Art Villanueva
Letterer: Karen Bates
Editor: Bill Morrison
Cover: Matt Groening, Bill Morrison, Mike Rote

Ashcan-format full-color freeby for FCBD 2008, containing three stories.

The first one features Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson in their superhero identities as Stretch Dude, Clobber Girl, and Bouncing Battle Baby. It's a good quick-paced story that is pretty standard superhero fare, but it's loaded with good jokes and excellent comedic timing, so that the not-that-original plot never overstays its welcome.

The second story features Bart going on a "stink strike" by refusing to take a bath. Not surprisingly, he ends up discovering that there is someone in the household who is more than capable at beating him at his own game.

The third story is the strangest of the bunch. It's a manga interpretation of The Simpsons, really a parody of manga tropes, and much like the baseball game that it features, it's hit-or-miss. Some of the jokes are brilliant, while others felt mean-spirited or crossed the line into playing to stereotypes.

I did love Nina Matsumoto's manga interpretations of the Simpsons characters.

A mixed bag overall. It didn't have me ready to go out and buy more Simpsons comics, but it did provide some decent humor.

Rating: 5.5/10

Simpsons One-Shot Wonders: Ralph Wiggum Comics

Live review! I'm over at fellow comic collector (and creator!) Joe McGlone's place and as usual, he's got comics all over the apartment. He wanted me to give this one a look, so here we go.

Title: Simpsons One-Shot Wonders: Ralph Wiggum Comics
Date: 2012
Publisher: Bongo Comics
Writer: Mary Trainor, Sergio Aragones, Carol Lay, Jesse McCann
Penciler: Mike Kazaleh, Sergio Aragones, Carol Lay, James Lloyd
Inker: Mike Kazaleh, Sergio Aragones, Carol Lay, Andrew Pepoy
Colorist: Nathan Hamill, Art Villanueva
Letterer: Karen Bates
Editor: Bill Morrison

"It's my first tissue!" exclaims Ralph on the cover. That pretty much sets the tone for this collection.

The first story features Ralph in a home alone scenario, wrecking his house in record time. It did get an out-loud laugh out of me, but it got repetitive pretty quick, which was a problem with Ralph's actions throughout this book. His dialogue is better able to deliver humor and surprises, than the more visual slapstick gags.

Next up was a wordless one-page strip by Sergio Aragones.

The third story had Ralph missing the school bus and ending up as the replacing Brockman as the Channel 6 news broadcaster for an afternoon. This one was pretty amusing.

Aragones then returns for a Where's Waldo style feature and then a short story involving Ralph's attempt to make a costume for a school contest. You could see the ending of this one coming a mile away.

Last up was a somewhat surreal story involving Ralph and an angry leprechaun. No, really.

There were some really funny jokes in here, but they were scattered between rather tedious fare. Aragones' artwork is always a great, however.

Rating: 5.5/10