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This issue is about great horror-comedies, ‘Simpsons’ lines that make sense to us now, modern marvels inspired by spite, funny times people got fired, and much more.

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The 25 Greatest Horror-Comedies of All Time

For some, it would seem weird to find anything funny about a horror movie. But the connection between horror and comedy is actually pretty obvious: How often in a horror film does a scary scene cause you to jump — and then laugh at yourself for getting spooked in the first place? Laughing is a way to defang what’s so terrifying, making us feel safe from the ghouls, goblins and other monsters up there on the screen. Plus, there’s an escapist quality to horror movies — similarly, we ride roller coasters eager to be put through the wringer, knowing we won’t die — and pairing terror with humor makes both sensations that much stronger. Laughing and freaking out are the same kind of release.

‘Simpsons’ Quotes That Only Make Sense After You’ve Grown Up

In the entire canon of Western storytelling, there has never been uttered another line as ominous as when Abraham Simpson warned his son, “It’ll happen to you.”

In two months, The Simpsons will turn 34 years old, which is roughly the canonical age Homer Simpson was when the show first premiered in 1989. Any 34-year-old Simpsons fan who grew up alongside the show will likely agree that there are certain lines, gags and grim utterances from the adults of Springfield that will fly right over the heads of an underaged viewer and straight through the heart of an adult audience member. Much like black coffee, fine wine and an early Saturday morning trip to the farmers’ market, some Simpsons jokes don’t hit quite as hard until you have a few decades of life experience behind you.

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