Recommended Disney Comics For New Reader

[bats]

Jul 27, 2023 19:18:47 GMT abracax said:

Jul 27, 2023 18:04:25 GMT bats said:

Feel free to share your impressions of the comics you read, it'd be fun to see a fresh perspective on them.

I believe I have read issues 1-4 of the original Dell comics. Plus the early story with Scrooge’s first appearance: Christmas On Bear Mountain. Along with Voodoo Hoodoo.

I thought Only A Poor Man was a great intro. Very entertaining. Introduced me to the Beagle Boys. #3 and #4 I found to be the weakest of stories thus far. Not to say they were bad. They were enjoyable. Just a bit formulaic with the ships and various characters trying to steal Scrooge's gold. My favourites so far are Back To The Klondike and Voodoo Hoodoo. I particularly found Donald's fear of being cursed, amusing. Probably when I read the unabridged version of Back To The Klondike, I'll like that one even more so.

Interesting that you found Uncle Scrooge #3 (the horseradish story) to be somewhat weak, that one's often hailed as one of the big classics. 
Only A Poor Old Man is not the first appearance of the Beagle Boys, but it IS the first one to feature them as actual characters rather than a looming, mostly-off panel threat, so it's as good an introduction as any.

Jul 27, 2023 20:13:45 GMT Mesterius said:

Please do share the titles of #3 and #4 while you're at it. Not all of us remember which stories were in which issues by heart.  

They're not named in the original books themselves, but #3 is The Horseradish Story and The Round Money Bin and #4 is The Menehune Mystery (which I agree is somewhat formulaic).

[Mesterius]

The Menehune Mystery I do consider a bit weak; even as a kid I found it frustrating that the ducks were helpless for so much of the time. I think The Horseradish Story is pretty great, though.

[That Duckfan]

The Horseradish Story is often not mentioned in the same breath as Only A Poor Old Man and Back to the Klondike, but I think it's one of the best ever Barks Scrooge stories. It further strengthens Scrooge's determination, and his morality: that page where he saves Chisel McSue's life is a bona fide classic, one of the best Barks ever did.
He would re-use the idea much later in The Great Wig Mystery, but IMO to much lesser effect. McSue is a great villain, smug but not overbearingly so. In contrast, Barks' pig villain is often too mean to be likeable, his appearance in the wig story being a case in point.

I also think The Horseradish Story is a great story art-wise, possibly the last great story from Barks' peak.

[Mesterius]

Jul 27, 2023 20:41:31 GMT That Duckfan said:

The Horseradish Story is often not mentioned in the same breath as Only A Poor Old Man and Back to the Klondike, but I think it's one of the best ever Barks Scrooge stories. It further strengthens Scrooge's determination, and his morality: that page where he saves Chisel McSue's life is a bona fide classic, one of the best Barks ever did.
He would re-use the idea much later in The Great Wig Mystery, but IMO to much lesser effect. McSue is a great villain, smug but not overbearingly so. In contrast, Barks' pig villain is often too mean to be likeable, his appearance in the wig story being a case in point.

By the time of "The Great Wig Mystery" in 1964, Barks' work had been suffering for years from his editors beating down on the content in his stories. This started in the mid-50s, out of Western Publishing's paranoia for the Comics Code; and a decade later, the effects could really be felt (not only in Barks' stories, but in all the kids' comics Western produced). Western started reacting more and more to main characters doing things that could be seen as unsympathetic. For example, they nixed Donald Duck stories about conflicts between Donald and his nephews after receiving a concerned letter from a mother about this.

In the 1960s stories, Scrooge as a character (as well as Donald) tends to be softened and simplified compared with Barks' golden age. Scrooge by this time is mostly a straight heroic figure, despite his miserly side. And on the other side of the spectre, you find his antagonists, who - in direct contrast to Scrooge - are very often ALL BAD; utterly ruthless and without likable traits. The pig character as used in "The Great Wig Mystery" is an example of this. Compare this to how the same basic pig villain is used in Barks' hilarious "Forbidden Valley" story from 1956 -- despite being evil, he actually has sides there that makes him rather human; the entire story feels extremely ironic.

This is not to say there isn't much entertainment to be found in many of Barks' 1960s comics -- there definitely is. But you can notice the difference from earlier decades in many ways.

[abracax]

Maybe it was because I read #4 after #3, that I thought less of The Horseradish Story as #4 was a similar story. I did enjoy The Horseradish Story. Perhaps I should re-read it. I thought it had an excellent beginning and end but dragged a little in the middle when they were searching for the wreckage. Sometimes you return to things with a fresh perspective though. Great strip nevertheless and way better than #4. But yeah, it's all good stuff so far.

[Spectrus]

Once you've got Ducks coming out of your ears, it might not be a bad idea to give the Disney Masters volumes by Romano Scarpa, Massimo De Vita and Casty a try. De Vita's "Ice Sword" is very popular in several European countries and it may be one of the best Disney comics in the fantasy realm. Particularly since De Vita's fantasy world isn't airbrushed and glossy but rather gritty. (It's often said to be influenced by Lord of the Rings but De Vita was actually more into the original Nordic tales, which influenced Tolkien as well.)

Here's page one from one of the German printings:

[abracax]

Jul 28, 2023 12:56:56 GMT Spectrus said:

Once you've got Ducks coming out of your ears, it might not be a bad idea to give the Disney Masters volumes by Romano Scarpa, Massimo De Vita and Casty a try. De Vita's "Ice Sword" is very popular in several European countries and it may be one of the best Disney comics in the fantasy realm. Particularly since De Vita's fantasy world isn't airbrushed and glossy but rather gritty. (It's often said to be influenced by Lord of the Rings but De Vita was actually more into the original Nordic tales, which influenced Tolkien as well.)

Here's page one from one of the German printings:

That looks great! Cheers for the recommendation. I do like a bit of grittiness over airbrushing. This take on Norse mythology really appeals to me. Definitely going to check this out!

[abracax]

So I received 6 books/comics this morning. Lost In The Andes, The Old Castle's Secret, Back To The Klondike, Only A Poor Man, and I've just taken receipt of Fantagraphics Lo$ from Amazon. Both books in the slipcase.

In terms of condition, the comics are great. Apart from Old Castle's Secret, which had a fair bit of ageing on the pages, some tears, and stains. In fact, on one of the pages there looked to be some dried mucus. Grim... might get back to the seller about this one, as it was described as very good. Falls mainly in the acceptable category in my book.

With Amazon I had to laugh. I bought it from Amazon UK but it shipped from their US arm. It came in a box with no packing whatsoever to protect it. Needless to say it has taken a few bumps, causing some dings on the slipcase. I'm gonna let this one slide, as if I opt to return it, I'll have to print off a label to ship it back to the US and wait for them to receive it in order to get a refund. Then I'll have to buy it again and it may come in worse condition. Damage is not too severe, so I'll keep this one. Product is great though. Excellent quality. Nice heavy books. Fantagraphics did an amazing job with this.

Now I'll let you know what printings I bought of these comics and what I think of the colouring and quality of paper. The list is, as follows:

1. Donald Duck Adventures #20 (Apr '90) - "The Old Castle's Secret" & "The Amazon Queen" (Gladstone I series)

2. Donald Duck Adventures #33 (Aug '95) - "The Golden Helmet" (Gladstone II series)

3. Donald Duck Adventures #3 (Feb '88) - "Lost In The Andes" (Gladstone I series)

4. Uncle Scrooge #4 - "Back To The Klondike" (Gladstone I Comic Album series)

5. Uncle Scrooge Adventures in Color #1 - "Only A Poor Man" (Carl Barks Library In Color)


Having appraised some pages of all of these books, I have to say the clear winner is... the Carl Barks Library In Color. But you already knew that, right? Printed in a large book with quality thick paper, the colouring is excellent. And really brings out the best in Bark's fantastic artwork. Stellar printing.

Second place is a tough one. I'm tempted to call it a tie. Those 2 editions are: Gladstone I Comic Series and Gladstone II series. With the former you have a book like the Carl Barks Library In Color. Same sized book. Same quality thick paper. But... the colouring is a bit more washed-out in comparison to the Carl Bark's Library In Color version. Whereas with the Gladstone II, you have a cheaper product. It's a standard comic book. Lower grade paper, akin to pages in a newspaper. However, the colouring used here is great. It has real vibrancy. For that reason I think I favour the Gladstone II, so that sits in second. With Gladstone I Comic Series a close third.

4th place? You guessed it. Gladstone I series. These remind me of the Dell printings I have been reading online. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if they were the same. Maybe someone who knows can tell me? Though, I believe that the Gladstone I does look better. More refined. With superior colouring. Essentially what you are getting is a standard cheap comic, with low-grade paper and washed-out colours. It does have the vintage look though. So my view may be a point of contention. If you want a comic that looks similar to how it was originally printed, much like a Dell, but don't want to pay a lot of money. This could be the series for you. In my opinion it doesn't do justice to Barks' amazing artwork. It still looks good. Of course it does. It can look much better however.

Needless to say, I will be looking for the Carl Barks Library In Color editions and grab them for a decent price where possible. As well as the Gladstone II series. It's unfortunate that Gladstone never reprinted the stories from the first run in their second series. I'm tempted to see how Disney's printings compare, when they took over for a short period between when Gladstone did them. It will be good when INDUCKS is back up so I can look at getting good copies of the stories I'm after.

I've read only read The Old Castle's Secret thus far, but I can already say this is one of my favourites hitherto. Love the gothic/ghost story plot. And the castle setting really works well. I've had a check and the Back To The Klondike edition is uncut. Looking forward to reading this, and maybe uncut it might go even further up in my estimation.

[Matilda]

So glad you’ll get to read Only a Poor Old Man, Back to the Klondike uncut, and The Old Castle’s Secret before you read the Life & Times. That’s a great basic foundation! And of course Lost in the Andes is a classic among classics.

On the quality of publications…. The Gladstone I comic *is* of course itself a vintage comic, which has lost vibrancy of color etc over the years since it came out, just as any inexpensive traditional “floppy” comic book will. They had to use cheap paper, and it has not aged well. But I’m with you on the Gladstone Library in Color albums, I think the coloring is mostly excellent. And the size and paper quality.

[abracax]

Jul 28, 2023 22:38:55 GMT Matilda said:

So glad you’ll get to read Only a Poor Old Man, Back to the Klondike uncut, and The Old Castle’s Secret before you read the Life & Times. That’s a great basic foundation! And of course Lost in the Andes is a classic among classics.

On the quality of publications…. The Gladstone I comic *is* of course itself a vintage comic, which has lost vibrancy of color etc over the years since it came out, just as any inexpensive traditional “floppy” comic book will. They had to use cheap paper, and it has not aged well. But I’m with you on the Gladstone Library in Color albums, I think the coloring is mostly excellent. And the size and paper quality.

I think you may be right. Age is a factor, and the Gladstone I is an older comic than the II series. Even so, I think a better job was done on the Gladstone II. I think they are different. Could be wrong though.

Incidentally, I read #5 of the Dell comic online. "The Secret Of Atlantis". I think this is easily one of the best stories I've read. A sea tale that tops the Horseradish Story in my opinion. I found the pie fight to be particularly humorous. Is Barks' best comics at the beginning of his Uncle Scrooge run? I can't see how they can get much better.

[Mesterius]

Jul 29, 2023 8:16:59 GMT abracax said:

Jul 28, 2023 22:38:55 GMT Matilda said:

So glad you’ll get to read Only a Poor Old Man, Back to the Klondike uncut, and The Old Castle’s Secret before you read the Life & Times. That’s a great basic foundation! And of course Lost in the Andes is a classic among classics.

On the quality of publications…. The Gladstone I comic *is* of course itself a vintage comic, which has lost vibrancy of color etc over the years since it came out, just as any inexpensive traditional “floppy” comic book will. They had to use cheap paper, and it has not aged well. But I’m with you on the Gladstone Library in Color albums, I think the coloring is mostly excellent. And the size and paper quality.

I think you may be right. Age is a factor, and the Gladstone I is an older comic than the II series. Even so, I think a better job was done on the Gladstone II. I think they are different. Could be wrong though.

Age isn't the main factor here. It's the cheapness of the paper used in Gladstone I (1986-1990). If the same paper type had been used in Gladstone II, those books would show the same flaws today.

The Disney comics run, as well as the subsequent Gladstone II, used much higher-quality pager, as well as digital computer coloring.

(Speaking of color, the classic reprints published in Gladstone I appear to have often reused the original color printing files of Western Publishing, or if not, close approximations thereof.)

[abracax]

Jul 29, 2023 12:23:38 GMT Mesterius said:

Jul 29, 2023 8:16:59 GMT abracax said:

I think you may be right. Age is a factor, and the Gladstone I is an older comic than the II series. Even so, I think a better job was done on the Gladstone II. I think they are different. Could be wrong though.

Age isn't the main factor here. It's the cheapness of the paper used in Gladstone I (1986-1990). If the same paper type had been used in Gladstone II, those books would show the same flaws today.

The Disney comics run, as well as the subsequent Gladstone II, used much higher-quality pager, as well as digital computer coloring.

(Speaking of color, the classic reprints published in Gladstone I appear to have often reused the original color printing files of Western Publishing, or if not, close approximations thereof.)

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. I did think the Gladstone II was far superior even accounting for age. I'd like to pick more of these up but I don't think they reprinted the stories from the Gladstone I run. Which is a shame.

[Ramapith]

Jul 29, 2023 13:35:15 GMT abracax said:

I did think the Gladstone II was far superior even accounting for age. I'd like to pick more of these up but I don't think they reprinted the stories from the Gladstone I run. Which is a shame.

In all honesty, speaking as a Disney comics editor... there are so many *thousands* of new-to-USA/UK Disney stories out there that I'm wary of spending too much time/space reprinting things that previous publishers have recently released. And this sentiment held true even when the Gladstone II comics were new!

There actually were some Gladstone I reprints during Gladstone II. Some readers during that period already wanted to see them, and Gladstone CEO Bruce Hamilton actually loved that idea—because the more space he spent on recent reprints, the less he needed to pay to have more foreign stories translated! So the "nostalgic" reprints were really a double-edged sword. As a reader, I couldn't see as much new material, and as a translator, I didn't get as much work!

These days, of course, I do reprint some Gladstone I and II material—and even some Gemstone material. But mainly because enough time has passed that the original printings are harder to find... and I always want to balance it with at least as much material that's new to our market.

[bats]

Jul 29, 2023 8:16:59 GMT abracax said:

Incidentally, I read #5 of the Dell comic online. "The Secret Of Atlantis". I think this is easily one of the best stories I've read. A sea tale that tops the Horseradish Story in my opinion. I found the pie fight to be particularly humorous. Is Barks' best comics at the beginning of his Uncle Scrooge run? I can't see how they can get much better.

Not necessarily in the actual Uncle Scrooge books themselves, but yes, the general consensus is that Barks' best comics are the ones he wrote from 1947 to 1956. The 5 Uncle Scrooge issues you've read are from 1952-1954, so right in the middle of that era.

[abracax]

Ah nice. I guess the late 40's stuff is the Donald Duck stuff. I'll probably read another issue tonight. #6 is "Tralla La". Believe I had some recommendations for this one.