Los Angeles - The dysfunctional cartoon family The Simpsons has been chosen for one of the most iconic honours in the United States. The portraits of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson will all feature on five first class postage stamps, the US Postal Service announced Wednesday.

The stamps are in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the show, which is the US's longest-running prime-time comedy and the first to receive its own stamp while still on the air.

The artwork for the stamps was done by the series creator Matt Groening and will be available for preview from April 9 on the post office website.

"The Simpsons are American icons, quite frankly," the Postal Services' spokesman, Mark Saunders, said in a statement. "We're excited about it, and we think America will be, too. It's a great opportunity for us to reach a new generation of stamp enthusiasts."