Simpsons Winter Wingding #1

December 1, 2006

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Springfield’s Letters to Santa and other stories

A holiday-packed anthology of Simpsons goodness.

Writers: Paul Dini, Tony Digerolamo, Sarah Dyer, Evan Dorkin, Eric Rogers
Pencils: Phil Ortiz, Jason Ho, Joey Nilges, John Costanza
Inks: Mike DeCarlo, Jason Ho, Andrew Pepoy, Phillis Novin
Colors: Nathan Hamill, Chris Ungar, Nathan Kane, Art Villanueva
Letters: Karen Bates
Editor: Bill Morrison
Cover Art: J. Rote & Serban
Publisher: Bongo Comics

Picking up on the format of the popular Treehouse of Horror specials, the good folks at Bongo comics give us this first anthology of holiday tales from the world of The Simpsons – and for the most part, they’re pretty darn good.

Paul Dini gives us the first story, “Springfield’s Letters to Santa.” As Santa Claus goes through the mail from the worst town on Earth, he makes a drastic claim. This story is a lot of fun – in addition to the peeks into the desires of Springfield’s varied residents, Dini manages to work in several in-jokes. There’s an appearance by a character Futurama fans will no doubt find familiar, and although she’s never mentioned by name, Dini’s own Jingle Belle character plays a nice role in the beginning of the story.

Tony Digerolamo and Jason Ho come in next with an “Angry Dad” strip, based on the episode of the TV show where Bart became a webtoon mogul. This is basically an extended series of gags about Homer making a fool of himself in the winter, and for what it is, it works fine.

Digerolamo and Ho come back for “Hot Cider in the City.” When Bart discovers that Christmas Carolers often get free goodies from the people they sing to, he conjures up a scheme to milk Ned Flanders for all he’s worth. Lisa, as always, is the voice of reason, and although Bart doesn’t really learn a lesson, it’s still a fun story. Digerolamo and Joey Nilges come in next with “Homer’s New Year’s Resolutions,” another short story in which Marge goes through Homer’s past failures at bettering himself, and we see the results of yet another attempt.

Writers Sarah Dyer and Evan Dorkin, with John Costanza’s pencils, bring us “The Gift of the Maccabees,” with Krusty the Clown. On the “All-Singing, All-Dancing, All Shvitzing Krusty Hanukkah Special,” Krusty relates the sad story of a lost love, and how boneheaded gifts on each of the eight nights of Hanukkah led to his heartbreak. This is a twist on the old O. Henry story, but one of the most original twists I’ve yet seen.

The issue wraps with “Snow Falling on Cheaters,” in which a mysterious someone is stealing snowmen from all over town just hours before the town’s big Snowman Competition, and it’s up to Chief Wiggum and his mend to find the perpetrator. Wiggum and company, of course, aren’t the most adept police force in the world, and so it’s kind of a shock when one of their schemes actually works. Sorta.

Overall, this is a fun comic and a nice addition to the Bongo line.

Rating: 8/10