Boom! starts January off with a bang. I haven’t seen this get the attention it deserves so I’m going to give it a shout-out here. Boom! Studios, as part of their Boom! Kids division, has been publishing the Disney Comics for a while now and the results have been impressive.

Now, in January 2011, with Mickey Mouse And Friends #304, they’re publishing something that’s driving me nuts with anticipation.

In that issue, part of their 70 Years of Walt Disney Comics celebration, they’re reprinting a classic Mickey story written by Bill Walsh (go ahead, check out his IMDB credits; I'll wait) and illustrated by Floyd Gottfredson.

It’s “The Pirate Ghost Ship!” and this will be the first time it’s been printed since 1944. This special 40-page issue  also features two other stories, another Gottfredson classic called “Laundry Blues” and a Goofy story by Romano Scarpa.

As the editor of a mildly infamous comic book called The Uncensored Mouse, I got to see a lot of Gottfredson’s work up close. He’s a terrific adventure cartoonist and worthy of discovery by a modern audience.

Mickey Mouse And Friends #304 is certain to stir up your interest in getting Fantagraphics’ upcoming The Complete Gottfredson Mickey Mouse project which starts in May 2011.So mark your calendar, update your iPhone app or just simply pre-order MMAF #304 through your LCS. I think you'll like it.

[Artwork: One of the two covers to Mickey Mouse And Friends #304, © Disney]