BONGO COMICS REVIEW: SIMPSONS#186

Sideshow Bob returns to Springfield in the company of the rightful creator of Itchy and Scratchy, the hobo Chester J. Lampwick, but when the billionaire with a bindle goes missing, Bart suspects a certain sociopathic second banana. Meanwhile, Lisa makes it her mission to save the Springfield Library.

SPOILERS BELOW

I wanted to do a different type of review this issue instead of just talking about the story because Bongo has basically revamped how their issues look, feel, and entertain.  First thing you notice when you feel the issue is the quality of the paper being used, the stock if you will is more of a matte finish then a glossy that is typically used. Now, I could be way off on this assessment but it definitely feels different then previous issues.

The other thing you will notice is that the colors for Sideshow Blob seem a bit more vibrant, and of the times of what not only what you see in Marvel/DC comics, but the drawings/graphics look like they’ve been ripped right out of the TV and put on paper with the shading and attention to detail given to the characters. Other cosmetic differences include the new Bongo logo which I think looks great, and you will also notice ad placements that used to be littered throughout past issues, are instead mostly saved for the back/front covers and a couple of inlets on the last few pages, but not interrupting the story in any way. One final note, Bongo has brought back a lot of features that old school lovers will shed a tear for, like a mail column, a blog from Louis Lane,  a Q&A with scriptwriter Ian Boothby, and a nifty little check list to remind you of what issues come out this month.

Overall, I love all the new changes, and in tandem with a very funny story this month(with one of the best Sideshow Bob gags ever) Bongo is starting off 2012 with a bang! And yes, I’ll be there every step!!