Simpsons Comics: "No Cause for Alarm" (#163)

Not only the first comic book review posted, but also our first comic book purchased back in 2009.

The Simpsons has made us laugh since childhood; We'd watch it everyday on FOX after Home Improvement. Even though it took us ten (10) years to launch it, you're not only looking at, and reading, our first comic book review but also the very first comic book we've purchased! We bought this at the now-defunct bookstore Borders back in 2009, being the first comic book bought outside of Bazooka Comics—comics we loved reading and collecting during our youth. Anyway, this is issue number 163, and from the beginning, we were already laughing.

This issue was all about Homer, and for those who already know the series, let alone the long-running TV show, would know of the kooky thought-process of Homer. Basically, Homer wanted to implement a way to be more "productive" at work until an alarm sounded. That sent the entire city to a panic. This panic was so immense that many people thought the world was ending (literally). Let's say it was almost similar to the panic that occurred last year with the dock workers' strike of 2024 leading citizens to storm at grocery stores and stock up. As those went on, a tired and sleepy Mr. Burns confronted Homer asking him what happened. Homer was able to fix the issue, but his clumsiness did it again, thus sending everyone to another panic while claiming that the system needs fixing. In contrast, neighbor Ned Flanders asked Marge Simpson about the trouble from the nuclear plant—the place Homer works at. Optimistic, and not a slight sign of fear, Marge reminded Ned that everything will be okay and that Homer will fix it. As mass panic continues, Kwik-E-Mart, Moe's and the TV news saw sales and ratings higher than they've ever seen, to the point where Moe himself said,

"The end of the world should come more often!" — Moe

It all sounds familiar, from the lockdowns of 2020 to the panic shopping of 2024.

Many things led to another, up when Homer decided it's time to install an alarm system in their house due to increased burglary. Confused with the alarm system he got from work, Homer did a lousy job containing the loud sirens that residents kept telling him to fix and shut it off. After all the hilarious ups and downs, all alarms were contained, both at the nuclear plant and his home, and everything was settled. Oddly enough, people like Apu and Moe told Homer that he ought to "end the world more often," as their locale generated sales they may never get again.

We didn't want to mention nor give away too much but this comic issue kept us laughing, having gone back and reading this sixteen (16) years later. Never thought that a similar scenario, without the loud blaring sound that'll make an entire city and its people panic, would play out after all that's happened since 2020.

The artwork is excellent, representing that seen on their hit TV show and their official movie. The writing, the timing of the punchlines all worked wonderfully. We basically have nothing bad to say about this issue.

Now, yes, this is issue number 163 and not the very first. Since this was the one available at the bookstore upon purchase, we will shop and review more Simpsons Comics in the near future! It is one of our favorite all-time animated series, and venturing into the comics makes this even more fun.

Highly recommended!

Kris Caballero

Founder of KCU Network and KCU Plus, Kris has been writing since he managed a personal blog made back in late 2005. Officially back to doing computer programming (software development) and video production, Kris enjoys reading books on Mathematics, Quantum Computing, Philosophy, playing old video/DOS games, digital video archiving, and listening to sports, public radio and classical music.

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