BASEMENT BOOKSHELF: “The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Vol. 1” by Matt Groening
Halloween is my favorite holiday and with most holidays, it comes with traditions. One of my annual traditions to celebrate the night where the veil between the living and the dead is to watch The Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror episodes, even if it came on after Halloween. These episodes were always fun, and they are among my favorites of the long running series.
As much of a fan I am of the animated series, I never followed the Treehouse of Horror comic books. I have always been a fan of comic books but when this series first started, it was during a phase in my life where I no longer read comic books. Despite this, the release of “The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Vol. 1: Scary Tales & Scarier Tentacles” was something I got excited about. Now, in one place, I could read all of the stories I have missed.
The Treehouse of Horror started as an annual Halloween tradition on The Simpsons, beginning during the second season in 1990. In the fall of 1995, the first of 23 comics were produced by Bongo, telling new stories written and illustrated by some of the biggest names in comics, including Michael Allred (Madman), Sergio Aragonés (MAD magazine), Kyle Baker (Nat Turner), Jeffrey Brown (Star Wars: Darth Vader and Son), and Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother), as well as celebrities such as Mark Hamill, Thomas Lennon, and Patton Oswalt. Collected for the first time in a deluxe hardcover slipcase with an all-new die-cut cover, these award-winning comics place the world’s most beloved animated family in exciting horror, science-fiction, and supernatural settings, making this series the perfect gift for the Halloween season and Simpsons fans of all ages. The volume also includes an introduction from Bart Simpson.
The original comic book series featured great covers as well as stories. This collection is divided into sections (Invasions from Beyond, Technology Run Amok, Trick or Terror, Chilling Killer Thrills, From the Shadows, and Parallel Parables) and features great parodies and original stories. The artwork varies, not in quality but in style, much like was seen on the animated episodes.
Like the animated series, this Omnibus is now going to be an annual tradition for me each October. I am assuming future volumes are in the works, since this is volume one. If they can maintain the quality of volume one, then this is a series I will keep collecting. You cannot go wrong with The Simpsons and Halloween and this large book proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Don’t forget to read other entries in my BASEMENT BOOK SHELF series!
~David Albaugh
