Simpsons Comics Dollars to Donuts

I like most of the Simpsons comic books because, unlike the television series, they have remained consistently funny by creating stories around Simpsons characters instead of relying on celebrity guests. I like how these book often include comics around one-off or lesser used characters. In the case of this collection of strips, you see appearances by Lil' Krusty, Lil' Ned Flanders, and Hank Scorpio. Some reviewers have criticized these collections for having covers which have nothing to do with what's inside (i.e. "Simpsons Bonanza" has no comic dealing with the wild west). Well "Dollars to Donuts" does have strips that feature dollars (actually, a 5 dollar bill) and donuts (they don't play poker with them, though). I dropped a star because this book is not quite as solidly funny as some past comic books. "The Buck Stops Everywhere"--The exciting journey of a $5 bill that changed history. There are A LOT of historical problems and anachronisms in this comic. Mary Todd Lincoln is made to look way more glamorous than she was in real life. Homer posing as President Lincoln??? Yeah, that would work. Photography when Lincoln was a kid? Oh well, it's just a comic. "Kent's State"--Short where Bart makes fun of Kent Brockman during his award ceremony. The ending isn't very funny and is quite predictable. "All Fired Up"--Homer gets fired and finds others in the unemployment office. We learn about the origins of Mel's bone (you'll see Mel in a whole different light). Patty's dismissal started with her cashing in her Laramie frequent smoker points. Groundskeeper Willie is fired and Gil, well, he always gets fired. Police Chief Wiggum and Mayor Quimby also have stories. Good ending. "Asphalt Bungle"--Short about Homer taking a second job as a beggar. He got the idea when he found out a panhandler made the list of richest Springfieldians at #245 making six figures (Come on! How many millionaires are there in Springfield?). "Ned the Simpson"--After being caught in a speed trap, Homer is sentenced to appear in a reality show (it counts as community service in Springfield's fictitious state) "House Swappers" with Ned Flanders, where they end up swapping more than furniture. "Lisa Goes to Camp"--Strange story about Lisa in smart camp where she meets a James Bond wannabe and a kid set on taking over the world. "Homer Effect"--A very fast-moving strip involving Bart and Milhouse being bitten by a radioactive ant (Milhouse really looks sick), the nuclear power plant being closed down as a result, and Homer becoming a wizz at his new job at the donut factory. "'How I Spent My Summer Vacation' by Lisa Simpson" or "'To Hell and Back' by Bart Simpson"--Bart and Lisa have different takes on their summer vacations. "Brain Drain"--Two-pager where Mr. Burns seeks the ideas of his employees to improve the nuclear power plant's image. "The Principal of the Thing"--When the school board promotes Principal Skinner to Superintendent, a new principal is need

I own many Simpsons Comics and Dollars To Donuts is the funniest Simpsons Comics that has been released in a while. It tops the last two issues of Beach Blanket Bongo and Jam Packed Jamboree and those were very funny too. I highly recommend it.

I disagree on the "bottom of the barrel" thing. The comics have constantly been better than the show itself. Though the show is still funny (most of the time) to me, the writers of the comics seem to have the funnier stories or just plain better stories. This collection contains stories from comics I haven't bought yet so I have not read all that is in here, but I know it will be a good read. All the Simpsons Comics weather you buy them on their own or you buy then in collections such as this, are great fun and funny reads!

I've ALSO bought Simpsons comics ever since they've been released in the '90s, and I think they're just as good as they ever were. I loved the stories and thought they were creative, not "bottom of the barrel". I thought they were true gems, and I use the term non-sarcastically.