When it comes to being geeky, there are few people who “get it” in the way the writers of “The Simpsons” do. They are geeks themselves, of course, so they understand the intricacies of all things geeky.
It’s that understanding that makes “The Simpsons Library of Wisdom — Comic Book Guy’s Book of Pop Culture” so enjoyable, yet so stinging, at the same time.
The book consists of 50 or so double-page spreads, each dedicated to a new topic that’s vital to the life of Comic Book Guy, the proprietor of The Android’s Dungeon, Springfield, U.S.A.’s most renowned comic-book shop.
Among the topics:
- CBG’s Comic Book/Sci Fi Convention Survival Tactics (Tips include “It is considered bad form to address a Klingon in English”)
- The Amazing World of Collectible Food
(The odds favor Captain Crunch to win the Great Cereal Box Wars. Why?
He’s “armed with a sword and supported by a small crew of scurvy
sailors.”) - Romance Tips (Under Grooming: “Pull hair into a single ponytail. Later, you may remove the scrunchy to release your inner Tarzan.”)
- What’s on CBG’s Mind?
(Several things, including: “WWJJD? What would J’onn J’onzz Do?” “Name
rank, and serial number in the KISS army,” “Pros and Cons of Mouth
Wash,” and, of course, “42.”)
While “CBG’s Book of Pop
Culture” keeps you laughing, I can’t help but feel a little bullied by
it too. On nearly every page, I winced a bit because they are so
dead-on with their critique of geek culture.
Why? They’re better than the kids at school who used to pick on me
for reading comics, because they know what they’re talking about, and
sometimes the truth hurts.
The Simpsons Library of Wisdom — Comic Book Guy’s Book of Pop Culture
Bongo Entertainment/Harper
Written by: Evan Dorkin, James W. Bates, et al
Art by: Karen Bates, John Costanza, Mike DeCarlo, et al
$9.95
2005
ISBN 978-0-06-074821-0
Four Stars out of Four (OK, I give I give! Mercy!).
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