Book Review: Treehouse of Horror is a Must-Have Nostalgia Trip for Simpsons Fans
Everyone knows that August is the unofficial start to spooky season, and this year The Simpsons is kicking things off in grand style with The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Volume 1: Scary Tales & Scarier Tentacles which hits shelves August 2.
From a certain age up, it’s safe to say most people have fond memories of The Simpsons. Watching it late at night when you were too young to be allowed, making the time to watch it weekly before PVR and streaming were a thing, lining up with your friends to see the Simpsons movie (which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year) in theaters. It’s hard to imagine life without our favorite beloved Springfield family.
An inextricable part of that love has for me always been the Treehouse of Horror episodes that aired around Halloween. For someone squeamish about horror, those episodes were where I could push my comfort level with the unsettling, because they never crossed a line while always remaining amusing and iconic. After all, it was these episodes that gave us Kang and Kodos, who are as recognizable a part of the Simpsons as any other character.
If it sounds like I’m waxing nostalgic in what is supposed to be a book review, it’s because these are the emotions Ominous Omnibus Volume 1 stirred in me. The book is a compilation of Simpsons comics from the 90s, the 00s and even the 2010s, meaning it contains gems for every generation of Simpsons comic readers. Reading through it, I lit up as I came across familiar stories my brother and I used to collect and reread until the spines fell apart while also getting to experience brand new (to me) Treehouse of Horror stories as well, each with such distinctive art styles that really helped set the stories apart.
The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Volume 1: Scary Tales & Scarier Tentacles is an absolute must-have for any fans of the Simpsons, not just because it collects so many familiar spooky tales in one place, but also for the sheer beauty of the book itself. The omnibus is a gorgeous edition — complete with an intro from Bart Simpson himself — well worthy of a place on your shelf, and a spot in your Halloween traditions. Especially if you’ve already rewatched all the Treehouse of Horror episodes to the point of knowing them by heart!
The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Volume 1: Scary Tales & Scarier Tentacles is available August 2, and can be pre-ordered here. Special thank you to Abrams Books for the advance copy for review purposes.
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