Post by That Duckfan on Mar 3, 2020 0:38:46 GMT
Dutch pocket books have been going into overdrive in recent years. I stopped buying them a couple of years ago, but now a new series has appeared on the market that catches my interest: Donald Duck Classics. I've been fascinated by "classic" literature for years (thanks to Disney comics, certainly), but I often find the writing hard to get through. This seems a lot more digestible, the size is a little bigger than your regular pocket, and there's even some background info on the original stories. I'm glad these volumes are published, so that kids get exposed to these stories. Though what exactly constitutes a classic, well, that's a matter of debate.
I'll be reviewing the first volume here: FRANKENSTEIN.
I TL 3179-4P
Duckenstein, by Mary Shelduck
Topolino 3179-80, 2016
Writing by Bruno Emma
Art by Fabio Celoni
72 p.
This is the kind of stuff that gets me excited about modern Disney comics. The sketchy art and the digitally-painted color palette blend together beautifully to tell an atmospheric retelling of Frankenstein. Emma and Celoni seem to have done only two other collaborations of this kind, Dracula in 2012 and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 2014. Given their appeal (they've even been published in the United States!), they should definitely consider doing another Gothic adventure!
Donald plays the part of Victor Duckenstein, who is picked up by Captain Walton (Gus Goose) near the poles, where he tells his life story. Separated from his beloved Elizabeth by his moody uncle, Victor is forced to take up dorms in Ingolstadt on order to tame his childish fantasies. However, the Ingolstadt professors (Gyro and Ludwig von Drake, naturally) actually help him to further his creation: a man made of... paper-mâché! (Cardboard was apparently a new invention at the time.)
The trouble with the amazing artwork is that the writing remains very much the same as other Italian stories, with plenty of comic moments that cut through the epic tragedy. I say sadly because these moments don't translate as well when the artwork keeps its distinctive art nouveau flourish. It looks more baroque than it really is.
I don't remember Frankenstein well enough to know whether the story follows in the footsteps of the original, but the monster remains broadly sympathetic. Duckenstein eventually finds a new career... as a cartoonist!
I TL 2656-1
Mickey Mouse... at the Scene of the Crime
Topolino 2656, 2006
Writing by Tito Faraci
Art by Georgio Cavazzano (pencils) and Sandro Zemolin (ink)
46 p.
This is one of those Inspector Casey/Brick Boulder stories that Italy seemed to be so fond of around the turn of the millennium. No complaints from me, Casey is one of the most obtuse characters in all of Disneydom, and that makes him a perfect comedic foil. Italian Mouse stories more or less take Pete's criminal activities for granted, allowing for an atmosphere with less tension. All in a day's work, really.
What happens in this story is that a CSI inspector gets dropped into the story, and takes over the usual Pete story with his own ideas about finding out who did it. I have a passing memory of CSI, but that's arguably incidental to the story. Through some impressively twisted logic, the inspector comes to suspect Mickey Mouse was actually framing Pete all this time, and Casey being Casey, he just lets the man walk all over him. Of course, the case still runs by Mickey Mouse rules, and it's kind of fun to see the inspector bumble to the conclusion we knew was coming all along -- thanks to the accidental work of Casey and Brick.
This is some low-hanging fruit, and arguably takes a little long to get to its conclusion, but it's fun to see a character take these stories considerably more seriously than everybody else does.
I TL 2018-1P
The Importance of Being Ernest Duck
Topolino 2018-19, 1994
Writing by Carlo Panaro
Art by Lino Gorlero
52 p.
As someone who doesn't like Oscar Wilde all that much, this was a less painful way of experiencing his writing. It's the old Italian trope of the whole Duck family performing a classic theatre piece, with Donald and Fethry as the main characters. The story is some late Victorian farce about people trying to get married under the name Ernest, something that was undoubtedly ravishing at the time but rather quaint today. The comic doesn't need a whole lot of change, and remains equally baffling. In the end, all of Ernest!Donald's debts are magically whisked away by some random inheritance. Arguably the strangest change made is that Dickie Duck is playing Fethry's love interest -- isn't she supposed to be a teenager? I guess they didn't have any other women on hand.
I TL 2283-1
The Shadow of the Dragon
Topolino 2283, 1999
Writing: Tito Faraci
Art by Paolo Mottura
58 p.
Now here's an interesting story. It doesn't appear to be based a particular story (the source given in the book is an 18th century Samurai code), but it does a great job in evoking a classic Japanese warlord story. The story's use of symbolism, character motivations, and art really give it that quasi-Samurai Jack Asian-inspired animation style. Whereas the previous story was fairly static in terms of camera angles, this story actually takes time to be silent and show some of the movement, similar to what you might encounter in an anime. Despite its relative age, this was the story that wowed me most on first reading, because of that.
Pete is a petty thief during what I can only assume is warlord-era China or Sengoku-era Japan. He hides from the local guards by staying low at a local fisherman's house (Mickey Mouse). Pete likes to recount stories of his daring adventures to Mickey's nephews, but a decidedly guarded Mickey tells him to keep things low. During a random figt sequence, it's revealed that Mickey himself is a skilled fighter, but prefers to leave this in his past. Unfortunately, it's not long before the guards find Pete and threaten to set fire to the entire village. To save Pete from the clutches of the tyrannical governor, Mickey must face an old enemy... the Phantom Blot!
Yeah, this is interesting. Italian stories like to use the Blot as a criminal mastermind, but aren't shy about showing his face. He takes the role of Mickey's nemesis that Pete usually takes in Northern stories. Anyway, it turns out that Mickey and the Blot went to school together, and that the Blot hates Mickey's guts for being a better fighter than he. While Goofy helps to win over the crowds, they defeat the governor. Mickey and Pete face off when Pete decides to take some of the local treasury for his own safekeeping, but ultimately they lay down their arms and celebrate in the square. Poetically, after Pete and Mickey finally say goodbye, Pete is spotted by the same guards who followed him at the beginning of the story, completing the circle.
What is there to say other than that this is a really good story? From the dynamic colors and action poses to the moments of bonding, this story is a triumph from start to finish.
I TL 1913-E
Uncle Scrooge as Big Duck
Topolino 1913, 1992
Writing: Nino Russo
Art: Corrado Mastantuono
42 p.
In what is probably the most bizarre adaptation of this anthology, Scrooge dreams about George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four after threatening to cut his employees' coffee breaks. What follows is an anarcho-capitalist retelling of the famous tale, in which Scrooge orders everyone to work more and more for less and less. Donald takes the place of Winston and Daisy the place of Julia, which puts an interesting spin on their troubled relationship -- Daisy working for a fascist government and that. Eventually, everybody rises up against Big Brother Scrooge and his second-in-command (a vulture-like character), and Scrooge wakes up realizing the importance of employers' rights. It's a little out of character, to say the least.
Funny enough, I think a different story would have fitted better here: in Brother Duck, Donald goes to a Tibetan monastery to wish for a brother, but comes back home to Duckburg finding that he has become the Orwellian Big Brother. It's such a strange segue for a story, but it's arguably got more in common than this story.
That's it for now. If I feel like it, I may come back later and review the second volume: CASABLANCA.
I'll be reviewing the first volume here: FRANKENSTEIN.
I TL 3179-4P
Duckenstein, by Mary Shelduck
Topolino 3179-80, 2016
Writing by Bruno Emma
Art by Fabio Celoni
72 p.
This is the kind of stuff that gets me excited about modern Disney comics. The sketchy art and the digitally-painted color palette blend together beautifully to tell an atmospheric retelling of Frankenstein. Emma and Celoni seem to have done only two other collaborations of this kind, Dracula in 2012 and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 2014. Given their appeal (they've even been published in the United States!), they should definitely consider doing another Gothic adventure!
Donald plays the part of Victor Duckenstein, who is picked up by Captain Walton (Gus Goose) near the poles, where he tells his life story. Separated from his beloved Elizabeth by his moody uncle, Victor is forced to take up dorms in Ingolstadt on order to tame his childish fantasies. However, the Ingolstadt professors (Gyro and Ludwig von Drake, naturally) actually help him to further his creation: a man made of... paper-mâché! (Cardboard was apparently a new invention at the time.)
The trouble with the amazing artwork is that the writing remains very much the same as other Italian stories, with plenty of comic moments that cut through the epic tragedy. I say sadly because these moments don't translate as well when the artwork keeps its distinctive art nouveau flourish. It looks more baroque than it really is.
I don't remember Frankenstein well enough to know whether the story follows in the footsteps of the original, but the monster remains broadly sympathetic. Duckenstein eventually finds a new career... as a cartoonist!
I TL 2656-1
Mickey Mouse... at the Scene of the Crime
Topolino 2656, 2006
Writing by Tito Faraci
Art by Georgio Cavazzano (pencils) and Sandro Zemolin (ink)
46 p.
This is one of those Inspector Casey/Brick Boulder stories that Italy seemed to be so fond of around the turn of the millennium. No complaints from me, Casey is one of the most obtuse characters in all of Disneydom, and that makes him a perfect comedic foil. Italian Mouse stories more or less take Pete's criminal activities for granted, allowing for an atmosphere with less tension. All in a day's work, really.
What happens in this story is that a CSI inspector gets dropped into the story, and takes over the usual Pete story with his own ideas about finding out who did it. I have a passing memory of CSI, but that's arguably incidental to the story. Through some impressively twisted logic, the inspector comes to suspect Mickey Mouse was actually framing Pete all this time, and Casey being Casey, he just lets the man walk all over him. Of course, the case still runs by Mickey Mouse rules, and it's kind of fun to see the inspector bumble to the conclusion we knew was coming all along -- thanks to the accidental work of Casey and Brick.
This is some low-hanging fruit, and arguably takes a little long to get to its conclusion, but it's fun to see a character take these stories considerably more seriously than everybody else does.
I TL 2018-1P
The Importance of Being Ernest Duck
Topolino 2018-19, 1994
Writing by Carlo Panaro
Art by Lino Gorlero
52 p.
As someone who doesn't like Oscar Wilde all that much, this was a less painful way of experiencing his writing. It's the old Italian trope of the whole Duck family performing a classic theatre piece, with Donald and Fethry as the main characters. The story is some late Victorian farce about people trying to get married under the name Ernest, something that was undoubtedly ravishing at the time but rather quaint today. The comic doesn't need a whole lot of change, and remains equally baffling. In the end, all of Ernest!Donald's debts are magically whisked away by some random inheritance. Arguably the strangest change made is that Dickie Duck is playing Fethry's love interest -- isn't she supposed to be a teenager? I guess they didn't have any other women on hand.
I TL 2283-1
The Shadow of the Dragon
Topolino 2283, 1999
Writing: Tito Faraci
Art by Paolo Mottura
58 p.
Now here's an interesting story. It doesn't appear to be based a particular story (the source given in the book is an 18th century Samurai code), but it does a great job in evoking a classic Japanese warlord story. The story's use of symbolism, character motivations, and art really give it that quasi-Samurai Jack Asian-inspired animation style. Whereas the previous story was fairly static in terms of camera angles, this story actually takes time to be silent and show some of the movement, similar to what you might encounter in an anime. Despite its relative age, this was the story that wowed me most on first reading, because of that.
Pete is a petty thief during what I can only assume is warlord-era China or Sengoku-era Japan. He hides from the local guards by staying low at a local fisherman's house (Mickey Mouse). Pete likes to recount stories of his daring adventures to Mickey's nephews, but a decidedly guarded Mickey tells him to keep things low. During a random figt sequence, it's revealed that Mickey himself is a skilled fighter, but prefers to leave this in his past. Unfortunately, it's not long before the guards find Pete and threaten to set fire to the entire village. To save Pete from the clutches of the tyrannical governor, Mickey must face an old enemy... the Phantom Blot!
Yeah, this is interesting. Italian stories like to use the Blot as a criminal mastermind, but aren't shy about showing his face. He takes the role of Mickey's nemesis that Pete usually takes in Northern stories. Anyway, it turns out that Mickey and the Blot went to school together, and that the Blot hates Mickey's guts for being a better fighter than he. While Goofy helps to win over the crowds, they defeat the governor. Mickey and Pete face off when Pete decides to take some of the local treasury for his own safekeeping, but ultimately they lay down their arms and celebrate in the square. Poetically, after Pete and Mickey finally say goodbye, Pete is spotted by the same guards who followed him at the beginning of the story, completing the circle.
What is there to say other than that this is a really good story? From the dynamic colors and action poses to the moments of bonding, this story is a triumph from start to finish.
I TL 1913-E
Uncle Scrooge as Big Duck
Topolino 1913, 1992
Writing: Nino Russo
Art: Corrado Mastantuono
42 p.
In what is probably the most bizarre adaptation of this anthology, Scrooge dreams about George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four after threatening to cut his employees' coffee breaks. What follows is an anarcho-capitalist retelling of the famous tale, in which Scrooge orders everyone to work more and more for less and less. Donald takes the place of Winston and Daisy the place of Julia, which puts an interesting spin on their troubled relationship -- Daisy working for a fascist government and that. Eventually, everybody rises up against Big Brother Scrooge and his second-in-command (a vulture-like character), and Scrooge wakes up realizing the importance of employers' rights. It's a little out of character, to say the least.
Funny enough, I think a different story would have fitted better here: in Brother Duck, Donald goes to a Tibetan monastery to wish for a brother, but comes back home to Duckburg finding that he has become the Orwellian Big Brother. It's such a strange segue for a story, but it's arguably got more in common than this story.
That's it for now. If I feel like it, I may come back later and review the second volume: CASABLANCA.