Bird’s Eye: We start with Banksy’s extraordinary opening to The Simpsons, a self-criticism of TV culture more scathing than the Red Guard might have exacted. Then it’s on to Japanese drawings of the forbidden city of Kowloon, a maze of tiny apartments. Zoom in on these drawings of the cross-sections; you can get as lost in them as in the city itself. And we end with a look at 13 graffiti masters, and the murals they created.

* The Simpsons Youtube 5 minute (via boingboing)

If you watched last week’s episode of ‘The Simpsons,’ you may have noticed something different about the intro to the show. Famous street artist Banksy directed the “couch gag” for the episode — usually a fun little bit where the family and the couch transform into something weird — and it was as dark as ‘The Simpsons’ has ever gotten…. It’s not surprising that Banksy would create a bleak, anti-corporate message for ‘The Simpsons’ — it’s pretty much his main schtick as an artist — but you definitely have to give a lot of credit to the ‘Simpsons’ team for airing a critical message.

* Kowloon Walled City: Pictures and Cross Section

* 13 Unbelievable Mural Projects