"Infinite Annihilation of the Heroes"

Yes, DC Comics fans, The Simpsons comics are making fun of you.

In a thread on the DC Comics Message Boards -- titled "What should the next Crisis be called?" -- user "dcurep" articulately suggests that some of the entries in the "Events" section of the Super Simpsons Handbook (such as the Infinitely Secret Crossover Crisis, parts I and II) might be poking fun at recurring events in the DC Universe.

So, just for you, I'm posting a couple of pages from Simpsons Super Spectacular #4, released last week, in which Martin Prince describes the plot of "Infinite Annihilation of the Heroes" to Wendell. (Click the images to enlarge).

Simpsons Super Spectacular #4

Bongo Comics released Simpsons Super Spectacular #4 last week. Edited by the inimitable Bill Morrison, the new issue contains three stories:

Bartman in "Shadow Apocalypse of the Sciencester!"
Tom Peyer: Script
Ty Templeton: Pencils
Mike Rote: Inks
Nathan Hamill: Colors
Karen Bates: Letters
"Bartman meets his newest and perhaps least effective nemesis, the sinister genius known as The Sciencester! (Yeah, that's the best we could come up with)."

Bartman vs. Screamapillar in "Scream a Little Scream..."
Nathan Hamill & Jason Ho: Script
Jason Ho: Pencils
Mike Rote: Inks
Nathan Hamill: Colors
Karen Bates: Letters

"The Day Radioactive Man Quit!"
Batton Lash: Script & Pencils
George Broderick: Inks
Art Villanueva: Colors
Karen Bates: Letters
"Radioactive Man becomes aware of the fallout from his nuclear powers and decides to give up super-heroing forever!"

Batton Lash posted this message about his Radioactive Man story in the Supernatural Law blog:

Radioactive Man a la Shelly

Batton here: I've been writing the exploits of Bart Simpson's favorite comic book hero, Radioactive Man, for some time now, and many talented artists have illustrated my scripts. The current issue of Simpsons Super Spectacular (No.4, published by Bongo Comics), however, has the rare Radioactive Man story written and drawn by yours truly. It's a pastiche of a late 50's Batman story, done in the manner of "Bob Kane" (but really Bill Finger and Shelly Moldoff!). The story was inked by George Broderick, Jr (doing his best Charles Paris!). it was fun to do and I hope you will have fun reading it. Headlining the issue are a couple of new Bartman stories, brought to you by Tom Peyer, Ty Templeton, Mike Rote, Nathan Hamill and Jason Ho. So what are you waiting for? Simpsons Super Spectacular No.4 should be available at your local comics store now!

Check out the Super Simpsons Handbook for 3 new entries: The Sciencester, Kid Queasy, and the Cane Gang!

Bernie Wrightson Autograph

I got to meet my favorite horror artist at the Dallas Comic Con on Saturday... the master, Bernie Wrightson. He signed my copy of Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror #11, which contains "Squish Thing," the story he did with Swamp Thing co-creator Len Wein.

Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror #11

I finally tracked down a copy of Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror #11 yesterday... an excellent issue sure to please fans of "The Simpsons" as well as Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan's Tomb of Dracula, Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson's Swamp Thing, and the classic EC horror comics that are spoofed here.

As a result, I've updated the Super Simpsons Handbook with an entry for Squish Thing.

Happy Birthday Adam West!

According to The Simpsons 2005 Fun Calendar, Adam West was born on this day in 1928, making him 77 years old. Above: Adam West drives the Batmobile on the icy streets of Springfield in episode 9F07, "Mr. Plow."

The Batman Family

The couch gag from episodes FABF01, "Today I Am a Clown," and FABF15, "Simple Simpson," which is, of course, the Pieman episode.

The Legion of Springfieldians

Hey kids, remember that great DC Comics tradition, the Legion of Super-Heroes tryouts? Me neither, but Fred Hembeck will be happy to explain it to you. (As always, click on the picture for a larger image).

Treehouse of Horror #10

Coming up in this year's Halloween issue from Bongo: Homer stars in "Squish Thing" (left) by Swamp Thing creators Len Wein & Bernie Wrightson, and Mr. Burns returns as Dracula in "The Sub-Basement of Dracula" by Tomb of Dracula's Gene Colan and Marv Wolfman. The flipside will be "Two Tickets to HECK," a parody of the classic EC Comics horror tales.

For more pictures and info, check out the article at The Pulse.