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Weekend Reading: NYCC, Donald Duck and The Incredible Hulk

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Conventions, Editorials, Reviews, Television

Lou FerrignoI’ve been thinking over the last couple of years that with blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, podcasts, video and live internet feeds that you can probably have a decent out-of-town convention “experience” without leaving your house.

For example, the New York Comic Con is over and Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter has the best con report: news reports, links, observations and opinions. He didn’t attend, but it’s hard to argue with his analysis.

Incredible: In case you haven’t heard, Marvel is developing a new TV series based on The Incredible Hulk. No doubt a “Get Lou Ferrigno A Role On The Show” Facebook page will be up by the end of the day.

Duck: Jaime Weinman poses a few questions in a post he calls “Disney And The Copyright Police.”


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Comic Book Jobs: Who’s Hiring? Disney

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials

Donald DuckThe vast Empire makes more than just movies and TV shows. They also have a huge presence in book publishing.

Their publishing arm in White Plains, NY, just a train ride away from Manhattan, is looking for a full-time publicist. And how is this comic book related in any way?

A couple of worthwhile reasons. One, “Disney Publishing Worldwide develops original, award-winning content (both Disney and non-Disney branded), including Disney books, magazines and comic books.” And, two, as publicist you’ll help with “publicity strategies and plans, along with execution of media relations plans and author tours and appearances.”


BOOM! Mickey Mouse and Friends #296

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews

Mickey MouseI’ll get this out of the way early: I don’t like Mickey Mouse as a character. I find him the most irritating one in the Disney cartoon universe and his high-pitched voice makes him the Jennifer Tilly of animation for me. So I was all poised to not like the new Boom! Kids comic with him as the star.

Naturally, I’m wrong, again. Mickey Mouse and Friends #296 kicks off Boom!’s launch of the title with a tale by Stefano Ambrosio (translated by Saida Temafonte) and artists Lorenzo Pastrovicchio, Roberto Santillo and Marco Giglione that ties in with Sorcerer’s Apprentice continuity (from Fantasia). Mickey’s still the apprentice to the sorcerer Nereus and still not doing a good job, magically speaking. When Nereus leaves for an emergency, Mickey is tricked out of the drought-suffering village’s magic crystal by Peg-Leg Pete.

Before Nereus returns and realizes what a dope his apprentice is, Mickey has to join a sorcerer’s team in the far-off city of Grand Haven and enter a tournament to try to win the crystal back. Fortunately, he’s found Goofy, a sorcerer who really wants to be an alchemist and herbalist, and Donald Duck, a sorcerer with a pet dragon. Together, the three form their own sorcerer’s team and set out to defeat Pete, who’s determined to stop them (and he’s got Disney’s classic Beagle Boys on his side).


BOOM! Uncle Scrooge #384

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews

Uncle ScroogeI was happy to see that Boom! Kids has an Uncle Scrooge title in their Disney line-up as a companion to their Donald Duck title. The Ducks are my favorite Disney characters, partly because of the way they look (c’mon, they’re ducks!) and partly because they’re the ones that are most likely to take off on some wild adventure.

In “Uncle Scrooge And The Ghostly Carriage,” writer Per-Erik Hedman (and translator Stefania Bronzoni) and artist Wanda Taggino have Uncle Scrooge gathering up his usual crew - Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey and Louie - and his lucky dime. They’re off to Germany to check out “another moneymaking venture,” a castle Scrooge bought “for a steal.” As luck would have it, the castle is haunted and Scrooge’s recurring nemesis, Magica De Spell, sees this as an opportunity to grab that dime. What follows is a ghostly, madcap, door-slamming style French farce of trap doors, hidden staircases, secret bookcase doors, and a ghost.

Taggino draws in the classic Carl Barks/Don Rosa style and infuses the pages with great energy. Hedman’s script is fast-paced and he wraps the whole thing up in 16 pages. The same team has a second story in the issue, “Salt And Gold.” Continuity-wise, it picks up where the previous story ends - Magica is still after the ducks who are now joined by Gyro Gearloose for an adventure in alchemy, a subject near and dear to Scrooge’s greedy heart. It’s a cliffhanger, to be continued next issue.

There’s a cover variant for this issue with a Don Rosa cover. I don’t have that one, but if you’re a collector, I’m sure you’ll want it.

[Artwork: a panel from Uncle Scrooge #384, ©Disney]


BOOM! Donald Duck And Friends #347

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews

Donald DuckI’ve always liked the Disney comics, whether they were published by Gold Key, or Gemstone or Gladstone or Gearloose or whomever. I always thought they were fun comics for kids. I love what Carl Barks did, and the same with Don Rosa. I also like the ones that aren’t by them. I even like the sillier ones like Moby Duck. I liked all the expensive hardcover and trade collections too, but I always wanted to see the comics targeted more towards kids because I think they can help grow a new generation of comic readers.

So I was glad when Boom! picked up the license for their Boom! Kids line of comics (which already includes The Muppets and the Pixar titles). They’re putting them out on a regular schedule, picking up with the old numbering and pricing them at a good $2.99 – aiming them squarely at the kid market. It’s a good, smart play on their part.


DISNEY TEAM-UP: PINOCCHIO and HUEY, DEWEY AND LOUIE!

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews

Pinocchio

Do you remember that time in Star Wars when Luke Skywalker and Han Solo dropped by Harry Potter’s house to see if he wanted to help them defeat Darth Vader and destroy the Death Star? Of course not, because it didn’t happen, except perhaps in Star Wars-Harry Potter Fan Fiction.

That’s what I felt like, though, when I was reading an old copy of Walt Disney Comics Digest (#23, July 1970) I found at a library book sale. I’m flipping through this old digest-sized comic book of classic Disney comics and there between the “Brer Rabbit” story and the “Super Goof” adventure was a tale called “The Magic Brew,” starring Donald Duck’s nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie.

Identical triplets, the three nephews were created by Ted Osborne and official Disney Legend Al Taliaferro. HDL first appeared in a comic strip on October 17, 1937. Their first animated appearance was in the cartoon “Donald’s Nephews,” released on April 15, 1938. You can get all that info and more at the Wikipedia.

So far so good, but the actual plot of “The Magic Brew” is what really threw me.


Disney Star Wars Big Figs

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Movies, Toys

Mickey AnakinIn his relentless quest to make everything Star Wars, George and Lucasfilm has teamed with Disney to create Star Wars Big Figs. In a Limited Edition of 600 each, they come in Mickey as Anakin Skywalker, Minnie as Queen Amidala, Goofy as Jar Jar Binks, and Donald as Darth Maul. Each are numbered and will be available this fall at Disney World and Disneyland, although if you just can’t wait, you can pre-order and pay extra for shipping. You really must be a collector as each retails for $200.00, not a small price to pay for the mice, duck, and dog.

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