Comics Review: Simpsons Illustrated #27

Grab some balloons and float to this new review of the latest issue of Simpsons Illustrated.

 

 

Spoilers Ahead

“Hotfoot in the Park”

What is it about amusement parks that make people go crazy? So posits this issue’s leadoff story, “Hotfoot in the Park.” Although, considering that this is Springfield, I guess the whole town is already crazy, and this is just what happens when many Springfieldians gather in one place.

Lisa utilizes her advanced math skills to correctly guess every amount of jelly beans, peanuts, pig’s feet, etc., in a series of guessing jars, which drives the carnival barker out of business, prompting her to open her own park, which runs on academic achievement. Bart is annoyed that a coupon on an issue of “Radioactive Man” is not as valuable as advertised, so he complains the next day to Comic Book Guy. A mishap results in the Dungeon being burned down, which somehow leads to Homer being named the new head firefighter. Will a certain son of a police chief save the day?

“Hotfoot in the Park” features some pretty solid Storytelling 101, as each thread develops on its own with maximum intensity, but with each one also converging together. Providing the biggest laughs are the sign gags populating the amusement park, but this story is undone a bit by wordy dialogue that fails to capture exactly each characters’ specific tone of voice.

“Fort Knocks”

Bart and Milhouse are shooed out of the house by Marge on chore duty. They are in a fort-building mood today, and as luck would have it, they find an oversize cardboard box on the curb. But that makes them a prime target for Jimbo and the other bullies to commandeer their space. A chase ensues, and Bart and Milhouse find escape and satisfaction in an unlikely location. This story is the definition of page-filler, but it is inoffensive – and breezy – enough that there is no need to complain a great deal.

“Hot Air Buffoon”

Lisa is working on her science fair project: a hot air balloon! Bart and Milhouse are eager to get airborne, but not only is Lisa wary of them cramping her space, she also does not know how to navigate the balloon yet, so they would be in trouble even if she were to liftoff with them. Naturally, that is exactly what happens.

This story earns a lot of gravity via the tension that can always be wrung from hanging precariously many feet up in the air. And that tends to set up satisfying bursts of ingenuity as resolution. I would have pressed for this story to be even longer, so as to drag that tension out, making it even more visceral.