Post by Monkey_Feyerabend on Sept 17, 2018 9:33:27 GMT
Your guess is correct, deb . Since the beginning of the series Glénat declared that in terms of royalties this special ´invited artists' would have received a different treatment than regular Disney comics creators, without specifing the details. I keep looking at these beautiful albums in comics shops. But other than the Loisel one, which attracted me for the art, I have not read none. I am happy for their existance, but have other reading priorities right now. Notice that the forthcoming album is the second having a regular Italian Disney comics artist, Fabrizio Petrossi. He lives in France and has been drawing Mickey stories for Egmont (in a pretty standard style) for decades. Compare the very daring style he offers in this French title to the anonymous - almost marchandise-like - style of his Danish stories and you will understand why I often suspect Egmont to be too restictive on the liberty of the artstyle.
Petrossi's early Italian art is beautiful and looks like a cross between Scarpa and De Vita, but I never took to his Egmont style either. I have to check out the new book. I couldn't find the Camboni one anywhere, even if I really would have liked to buy it. Well, I'll have to order it, I guess.
In this Glénat series they also released a regular Italian Disney parody, published last year on Topolino and actually even in France last summer on Super Picsou Géant: Enna-Cavazzano's Mickey Mouse version of Ballad of the Salt Sea, a 'graphic novel' by Hugo Pratt from 1967 (although they were not yet called like that in those days) introducing the famous adventurer Corto Maltese, arguably the most read Italian comics of all times. I read it in the cheap version on Super Picsou Géant. Worth a read only if you love the original and want to compare. Mickey plays the role of Corto Maltese while Pete is Rasputin, of course!
As concerns the other French stuff, I do want to read them, but I always postpose buying them because I already read too much Disney comics (still completing Barks and Gottfredson reading, by the way), so when I want to read other stuff I do go far away from Disney. Anyway, Cosey's one is on my radar.
I read the one by Loisel, for I could not resist to MM and Horace depicted in that gorgeous art style. Let me copy here my comment (spoiler-free) from inducks. Happy to hear what others think about it.
Super impressive art. Never seen something like that in a Disney comic. Actually, from an artistic point of view this work is out of standard for any kind of funny animals comics. MUCH LESS interesting from the writing point of view. In particular for the staging, which is often too much diluted: Loisel sacrifices the good mis-en-scène in order to have fun in drawing complex and hyper-dynamic panels. When choosing to use the strip format Loisel was playing with fire. And maybe he got a little bit burnt. The plot is good, although it may be interpreted as sexist here and there, so I am not sure that everyone is going to love it, especially in the United States, if they ever publish it there. To be clear: I do understand that in those sexist bits Loisel is trying to *denounce* and mock old-time sexism (he is "keeping it real", so to speak), and I like it. I fear that not everyone will be able to realize it.
Remark: one year ago I asked to Artibani on fb what was his opinion on these French experiments. He shares my view on Loisel's and liked Tebo's one (La Jeunesse de Mickey). But he did not appreciate much Craziest Adventures and A Mysterious Melody. Not for a lack of quality, but rather because in his view the authors did not put enough effort into being close enough to the characters's regular range of personalities (I am rephrasing his opinion, I do not remember his words precisely, so please do not take this as a quote).
For what my opinion is worth, I thought the author of A Mysterious Melody pretty captured the characters' personalities. Maybe not 100% but none of the characters have been consistently portrayed since the inception of Disney comics. Even Gottfredson's Mickey changed.
In this Glénat series they also released a regular Italian Disney parody, published last year on Topolino and actually even in France last summer on Super Picsou Géant: Enna-Cavazzano's Mickey Mouse version of Ballad of the Salt Sea, a 'graphic novel' by Hugo Pratt from 1967 (although they were not yet called like that in those days) introducing the famous adventurer Corto Maltese, arguably the most read Italian comics of all times. I read it in the cheap version on Super Picsou Géant. Worth a read only if you love the original and want to compare. Mickey plays the role of Corto Maltese while Pete is Rasputin, of course!
As concerns the other French stuff, I do want to read them, but I always postpose buying them because I already read too much Disney comics (still completing Barks and Gottfredson reading, by the way), so when I want to read other stuff I do go far away from Disney. Anyway, Cosey's one is on my radar.
I read the one by Loisel, for I could not resist to MM and Horace depicted in that gorgeous art style. Let me copy here my comment (spoiler-free) from inducks. Happy to hear what others think about it. Remark: one year ago I asked to Artibani on fb what was his opinion on these French experiments. He shares my view on Loisel's and liked Tebo's one (La Jeunesse de Mickey). But he did not appreciate much Craziest Adventures and A Mysterious Melody. Not for a lack of quality, but rather because in his view the authors did not put enough effort into being close enough to the characters's regular range of personalities (I am rephrasing his opinion, I do not remember his words precisely, so please do not take this as a quote).
For what my opinion is worth, I thought the author of A Mysterious Melody pretty captured the characters' personalities. Maybe not 100% but none of the characters have been consistently portrayed since the inception of Disney comics. Even Gottfredson's Mickey changed.
Actually, I think I agree with Artibani here overall (provided you're remembering correctly). Even A Mysterious Melody - which I personally liked much better than Craziest Adventures - felt like a pastiche on Mickey and the gang more than the "real" thing.
I personally wasn't the biggest fan of how Cosey drew the characters either -- basically as human figures with animal heads on top. You may argue it's an artistic choice, but the feeling I got was that Cosey didn't quite know how to draw funny animal characters like these properly, so he just drew their bodies the way he draws realistic humans.
The point of the series was to give the artists free rein (within reason) to draw the books in their own style. If you’re just going to ask them to turn out something that slavishly sticks to the 1971 character licensing model sheets or the current Topolino style guide, what’s the point of hiring artists outside of the Disney system?
The point of the series was to give the artists free rein (within reason) to draw the books in their own style. If you’re just going to ask them to turn out something that slavishly sticks to the 1971 character licensing model sheets or the current Topolino style guide, what’s the point of hiring artists outside of the Disney system?
Completely true, deb. Though, here's the thing: when distinctive artists are given free rein to do Mickey comics their own way, it can also vary vastly from book to book how much you end up liking the result. I was simply offering my personal feelings about the two albums I've read. And despite what I said about "A Mysterious Melody", I did enjoy it overall. ("Craziest Adventures" was where I just didn't get all the hype... maybe I should give it another chance sometime in the future.)
To compare with something else: the classic Belgian comics series Spirou has gotten its own series - or several series, as the case is now - of new interpretations by a wide range of different comics artists. (In fact, series like the new Spirou experiments was obviously what inspired Glenat's Disney albums.) In the case of the experimental Spirous, it has varied vastly how much mileage I have gotten out of each book. So much, in fact, that I consider some of the experiments among the best Spirou albums to come out in many decades, and others so uninteresting that they didn't feel worth the price tag.
F DBG 4 Zombo Coffee Disney by Glénat 4, 2016 Story by Régis Loisel Art by Régis Loisel Coloring by François Lapierre 68 pages
Those of you who follows my reviews will have noticed that I tend to avoid 'regular' Disney comics. And there's a reason for that. It's not that I don't like the average Disney comic. But therein lies the venom: average. Crudely spoken, the overwhelming majority of Disney comics are stuck inside a Gottfredson-Barks-Disney ghetto --- especially in the Northern European countries. Whether we're talking Jippes, Vicar, Branca, Heymans, or Gulien; Casty or Ferioli, it's obvious that they all take their inspiration from the same handful of stories.
Sure, different creators have their own ways of bringing out certain aspects of certain characters, but by and large the Duckburg of 2022 is not too far removed from the Duckburg of 1952. Gottfredson, Barks, and Taliaferro are rightly regarded as great artists for their work in fleshing out Disney comics, but artists since then have found it structurally difficult to innovate and make it stick. Don Rosa is the exception that proves this rule.
So when I found out about Glénat's graphic novel series some time ago, I was naturally intrigued. I don't often venture into the world of comics outside of Disney, but there are obviously many interesting developments that could easily be incorporated into our family-friendly funny animal kingdom. Let's see what we can learn.
Zombo Coffee is the first of seven albums translated into Flemish. It's published in an oblong format, printed two tiers of newspaper-sized strips per page. Unlike Gottfredson though, it doesn't need to stop for a gag every four panels, allowing the story's leisurely pace to flow from page to page. The art is closely modeled after early Gottfredson, albeit not as clean as your typical art deco comic strip. This might be distracting to Disney veterans, who are used to a clear line, but it's not too distracting thanks to the excellent use of color. The colors are warm and fresh and never dull, as usual a highlight of contemporary French production.
The story has its flaws, but I can overlook them because they capture the spirit of those 1931-33 comics so well: excitable, adventurous, nostalgic. I can't think of any artist who has come this close to matching early Gottfredson. Oftentimes, throwbacks to the pie-eyed era still have one foot in the present, like Mickey's Get a Horse! or the Paul Rudish shorts. If anything, this comic swings in the other direction. The Depression is major plot point, as are the era's oppressive gender roles.
I like the new characters in this story. Loisel is fond of cranes and so am I. His Mickey and Horace are very brawny in this comic, which is era-appropriate, but it doesn't fully gel with the Mickey ethos of brains over brawns. Still, nothing wrong with a bit of cartoon violence. Minnie and Clarabelle both get a supporting role, albeit not in the most flattering of lights. Goofy gets the worst deal in my opinion: the others treat him as though he has a learning disability, which gets a big no-no from me in terms of character relationships. Goofy may be slightly neurodivergent, but it is imperative that we treat him just the same!
I like Zombo Coffee. I like its idiosyncratic style, I like the effort that went into its preparation, I like the presentation and publicity. I believe there is much future in Disney graphic novels, when handled correctly. And I'm glad that this more grown-up series is kept at a distance from regular production. Next time: Mickey's Youth by Tebo
F DBG 3-1 Gold Fever Disney by Glénat 3, 2016 Story by Tebo Art by Tebo 19 pages
Tebo's take on Mickey Mouse is quite a departure from regular Disney. In his book Mickey's Youth, Mickey is an old man telling stories to his smart alec grandson Norbert. The characters look super deformed, the stories are all pointless and Mickey largely makes them up as he goes along. Oh, and he lies to make himself look better. Although a great inventor and explorer, this Mickey is also prone to bouts of hunger in dramatic situations. The best comparison would be some of the sillier Italian stories. It's not characteristically Mickey as we know him, but it's still quite funny in how pointless it is.
In Gold Fever, Mickey recounts his days as a cowboy looking for lost treasure. As a "ballerina" (city slicker), the townsfolk don't take him seriously, so he always carries a stick of dynamite to show he's serious business. Mickey gets into a scrap with Pete and finds himself playing a deadly cup game with a Comahawk Injun (Goofy in a ridiculous outfit). There are some shenanigans with a train and a spider monster, before revealing that Mickey made it all up. We end the scene with young Mickey in stomach cramps after choosing bad yoghurt in his game with Goofy. F DBG 3-2 Prisoners in the Bayou Disney by Glénat 3, 2016 Story by Tebo Art by Tebo 12 pages
When young Mickey plans to explore the underwater world in his submarine, he gets captured by Pete's pet alligator. Mickey is taken prisoner to work as Pete's house slave, where he meets the equally enslaved Minnie. Mickey gets himself into a scrap with Pete and manages to escape with Minnie, while Pete finds himself among the alligators. Minnie provides some extra comments on the story when Mickey gets sidetracked. It hasn't quite got the same punch as the others, but it's a fun origin story. F DBG 3-3 Messenger of the Peace Disney by Glénat 3, 2016 Story by Tebo Art by Tebo 14 pages
At the end of the Great War, flying ace Mickey is sent on a dangerous mission to let the last enemy general know of the Armistice. This squadron is out of reach due to all communication networks failing. Even the pigeons haven't returned! As it turns out, Captain Pete is sabotaging all the telegraph lines because he doesn't want the war to end. Mickey gets himself into a scrap with Pete and gets the message delivered to the General, who is more than happy to go on holiday. This story has some good flying action and Goofy as Mickey's mechanic, which is a lot of fun. It also shows Pete at his silliest, singing about the beauty of war. The moral of the story: if you to grow a big garden, tend to your telegraph poles. F DBG 3-4 Chocolate Outlaw Disney by Glénat 3, 2016 Story by Tebo Art by Tebo 14 pages
During Prohibition, when the President outlawed the consumption of chocolate due to an amusing incident that he's very embarrassed about, Mickey and Minnie run a bootleg chocolate bar plant in town. However, garlic-breath Pete finds out about their operations in his umpteenth attempt to court Minnie. Mickey gets himself into a scrap with Pete, who finds himself having to go through the plant's entire production process before being delivered at his gangster hideout, encased in chocolate. This story plays around a little with the panel layout, making it more dynamic than the usual progression of panels. I also like the topic, as bootlegging, along with smuggling, are the two criminal activities that can still be made to look cool in fiction. F DBG 3-5 The Race to the Stars Disney by Glénat 3, 2016 Story by Tebo Art by Tebo 10 pages
Mickey and Donald are sent on a space mission to plant their flag on the moon before the other country. But when they arrive, but find the place populated with Martians (sic!). On their way back home, they face off against a scary tentacle space monster. Mickey gets himself into a scrap with Pet never mind, they ward off the space octopus with a party trick plastic octopus, and go home. F DBG 3-6 Epilogue Disney by Glénat 3, 2016 Story by Tebo Art by Tebo 6 pages
Norbert comes home to find Mickey missing. A note reads "Away on a trip with my time machine. If I'm not back by noon, I'm lost and you have to rescue me." And with that, Norbert gets into one of Mickey's contraptions, and *poof!*
The end. Next time: Mickey and the Lost Ocean by Denis-Pierre Filippi and Silvio Camboni
Last Edit: Sept 1, 2021 9:29:36 GMT by That Duckfan
F DBG 5 Mickey and the Lost Ocean Disney by Glénat 5, 2018 Story by Denis-Pierre Filippi Art by Silvio Camboni Coloring by Gaspard Yvan, assisted by Jessica Bodart 56 pages
{Spoiler: full story synopsis}Year Seventeen. Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy are out on tundra of the frozen north, techno-scavengers looking for something valuable. The remains of a flyer buried deep under the ice shows the promised of buried gold: coralite, a precious and scarce fuel that runs the technology of this steampunk world. Mickey attempts to secure a tank by way of Minnie's autoscope, a VR-controlled remote unit. However, their attempt is cut short by Pete's airship, equipped with giant claws that can go straight through the ice. After winning a scavenging competition with the help of their autoscope, Mickey and his crew are introduced to Dr. Einmug and his assistent Portis. Einmug explains that he needs their expertise to uncover a deadly weapon at the bottom of the ocean floor. On his way down, Mickey encounters Pete, and the two have a remote-controlled scuffle. Once on the ocean floor, Mickey finds no weapons, but a massive untouched field... of coralite! He then loses consciousness.
Upon waking up, Mickey finds himself in a treehouse high in the jungle. Five years have passed. The gang are fugitives from justice, Pete included. They explain the true aim of Mickey's trip: to locate the coralite, and smuggle a device Einmug create to negate the gravity of the seas. It was too late before Einmug realized that his invention worked too well, and raised up all the oceans (and the sealife contained therein) high into the sky. Portis made use of the confusion by taking control of Einmug's base, and has since gained a vital position developing safety equipment against the oceanic storms that terrorize the earth. With their new inventions, Mickey's gang intends to reverse the process. But Portis's men are keen to detect any anomalous electrical activity. Can Mickey's gang restore the polarity of the oceans before they are detected by Portis' drones, or will Pete backstab them once more?
This imaginative, beautifully illustrated epic fantasy has raised the bar in its genre. This is a Disney comic for the 21st century, combining the best of digital art and coloring with the best of the Disney comics tradition! It takes on a contemporary theme such as climate change / environmental disaster, features emotionally mature characters that are grounded in their world, yet reminiscent of the characters we know and love. It takes both from the old and the new. Dr. Einmug and his invention are essentially the same as they were in 1937's Island in the Sky, but the way it's embedded in the story couldn't be more different. The Mickey we see is modern and serious, with Minnie as his full equal. Their contentious relationship with Pete develops in ways that are simply impossible outside of the literary parodies, but there's no broad humor to be found here. Instead, we find a deep lore that I desperately want to see fleshed out in a novelization.
The artwork is just stunning. Is this a Disney comic? It must be the prettiest art I've ever laid my eyes on. Each page is carefully laid out for maximum expression, each panel is filled with gorgeous detail. Since the inking and coloring is all digital, it doesn't invade. The design is just perfect, brimming with imagination and detail from beginning to end. It creates a fully believable world separate from out own, but filled with the same people and their foibles as in our world.
I cannot recommend this story enough. Any serious Disney comic reader should try it at least once. This is where we should take off from Gottfredson and Barks. IDW was publishing The New Stories and Glories of the Duck Dynasty right before the pandemic, which is in the same fantasy ballpark, but this story is so much prettier to look at. I would buy prints from it in a heartbeat.
Frank Angones, Paul Rudish, Eric Goldberg, eat your heart out. This is the New Classic Disney. Next time: Donald's Happiest Adventures by Lewis Trondheim and Nicolas Keramidas
Last Edit: Aug 20, 2021 21:46:36 GMT by That Duckfan
F DBG 4 Zombo Coffee Disney by Glénat 4, 2016 Story by Régis Loisel Art by Régis Loisel Coloring by François Lapierre 68 pages
Those of you who follows my reviews will have noticed that I tend to avoid 'regular' Disney comics. And there's a reason for that. It's not that I don't like the average Disney comic. But therein lies the venom: average. Crudely spoken, the overwhelming majority of Disney comics are stuck inside a Gottfredson-Barks-Disney ghetto --- especially in the Northern European countries. Whether we're talking Jippes, Vicar, Branca, Heymans, or Gulien; Casty or Ferioli, it's obvious that they all take their inspiration from the same handful of stories.
Sure, different creators have their own ways of bringing out certain aspects of certain characters, but by and large the Duckburg of 2022 is not too far removed from the Duckburg of 1952. Gottfredson, Barks, and Taliaferro are rightly regarded as great artists for their work in fleshing out Disney comics, but artists since then have found it structurally difficult to innovate and make it stick. Don Rosa is the exception that proves this rule.
So when I found out about Glénat's graphic novel series some time ago, I was naturally intrigued. I don't often venture into the world of comics outside of Disney, but there are obviously many interesting developments that could easily be incorporated into our family-friendly funny animal kingdom. Let's see what we can learn.
Zombo Coffee is the first of seven albums translated into Flemish. It's published in an oblong format, printed two tiers of newspaper-sized strips per page. Unlike Gottfredson though, it doesn't need to stop for a gag every four panels, allowing the story's leisurely pace to flow from page to page. The art is closely modeled after early Gottfredson, albeit not as clean as your typical art deco comic strip. This might be distracting to Disney veterans, who are used to a clear line, but it's not too distracting thanks to the excellent use of color. The colors are warm and fresh and never dull, as usual a highlight of contemporary French production.
The story has its flaws, but I can overlook them because they capture the spirit of those 1931-33 comics so well: excitable, adventurous, nostalgic. I can't think of any artist who has come this close to matching early Gottfredson. Oftentimes, throwbacks to the pie-eyed era still have one foot in the present, like Mickey's Get a Horse! or the Paul Rudish shorts. If anything, this comic swings in the other direction. The Depression is major plot point, as are the era's oppressive gender roles.
I like the new characters in this story. Loisel is fond of cranes and so am I. His Mickey and Horace are very brawny in this comic, which is era-appropriate, but it doesn't fully gel with the Mickey ethos of brains over brawns. Still, nothing wrong with a bit of cartoon violence. Minnie and Clarabelle both get a supporting role, albeit not in the most flattering of lights. Goofy gets the worst deal in my opinion: the others treat him as though he has a learning disability, which gets a big no-no from me in terms of character relationships. Goofy may be slightly neurodivergent, but it is imperative that we treat him just the same!
I like Zombo Coffee. I like its idiosyncratic style, I like the effort that went into its preparation, I like the presentation and publicity. I believe there is much future in Disney graphic novels, when handled correctly. And I'm glad that this more grown-up series is kept at a distance from regular production.
I agree very much with this review. However, in the way you put it, it sounds as if Loisel was just trying to emulate Gottfredson's style. It would be better to say that this book captures a certain idea of the atmosphere of the early Gottfredson strip. But the style per se is like nothing ever seen in a Mickey or duck comics, and for me that is the greatest value of the book. Great concept art work, and subtle too. People, seriously, check this story to see how great Disney comics (can) look when artists are given the right to put their authentic voice in the work. (See also my 2018 post here above in this thread...)
The treatment of Goofy was really off putting, I agree. The cameo of Donald was also far from necessary to the development of the story. I will notice that in a French interview Loisel stated to have written the plot in a few hours, which gives you an idea of where his priorities actually were: in drawing some old school Gottfredson Mickey-Horace shenanigans. Finally, the strip pace does not always work, with Loisel stretching the action a bit too much for my taste. I mean by that that some slapstick gags would have worked better cutting some intermediate panels, more straight to the point and less 'storyboard-y'. I guess that if you force yourself into a strict strip cage, then you are playing with fire. I appreciate the effort, though.
By the way, hello everyone! I have not been around in this forum recently. Mostly because I have not read any Disney comics in the last two years, so I do not have much to say. As soon as I find the strength to go back exploring the Barks library (or the Gottfredson stories from the late 40's and 50's that I have only read in my childhood!) you may see me pop up again.
I agree very much with this review. However, in the way you put it, it sounds as if Loisel was just trying to emulate Gottfredson's style. It would be better to say that this book captures a certain idea of the atmosphere of the early Gottfredson strip. But the style per se is like nothing ever seen in a Mickey or duck comics, and for me that is the greatest value of the book. Great concept art work, and subtle too. People, seriously, check this story to see how great Disney comics (can) look when artists are given the right to put their authentic voice in the work. (See also my 2018 post here above in this thread...)
Fair point. I don't think it's quite as subtle, but it is pretty unique.
The treatment of Goofy was really off putting, I agree. The cameo of Donald was also far from necessary to the development of the story. I will notice that in a French interview Loisel stated to have written the plot in a few hours, which gives you an idea of where his priorities actually were: in drawing some old school Gottfredson Mickey-Horace shenanigans.
Donald feels really out of place, as this story is more reminiscent of Gottfredson circa 1933, while Donald's model is from 1937.
By the way, hello everyone! I am not been around in this forum recently. Mostly because I have not read any Disney comics in the last two years, so I do not have much to say. As soon as I find the strength to go back exploring the Barks library (or the Gottfredson stories from the late 40's and 50's that I have only read in my childhood!) you may pop up again.
Great to have you back! Your comments are always appreciated.
Great to have you back! Your comments are always appreciated.
I have my doubts about that, generally speaking. Honestly, I am trying to progressively minimise my presence on the internet, with the long term aim of disappearing forever from it. (Unfortunately, it takes time to solve a 20 years long addiction). Anyhow, thanks!
F DBG 6 Donald's Happiest Adventures In Search of Happiness Disney by Glénat 6, 2018 Story by Lewis Trondheim Art by Nicolas Keramidas Coloring by Brigitte Findakly 42 pages
In their second outing for this series, Lewis Trondheim and Nicolas Keramidas take on the adventures of Donald Duck. (The first story was not printed in Belgium, so I this is my first encounter with them.) Much as in Mickey's Craziest Adventures, they make use of a framing device in which purport to have uncovered issues of the long-forgotten 1960s American comic series Donald's Quest. Each episode takes up one page, with a banner inspired by the British Mickey Mouse Weekly stories. The story has a large part for the Brutopian consul from A Cold Bargain, as well as appearances by Doctor Einmug, Chief O'Hara, and Ludwig von Drake. They clearly know their lore, which makes it all the more surprising how much they deviate from it.
In this story, Donald features as the hapless fool tasked with finding an Aztec temple happiness for Uncle Scrooge. Along the way, he meets Gladstone Gander, Grandma Duck and Gus Goose, Ludwig von Drake, gets kidnapped by the Brutopian dictator with Ludwig von Drake, breaks out of jail with Ludwig von Drake, goes back to save Dr. Einmug, accidentally topples the regime, goes to the Himalayas, and returns back home. Oh, and he apprehends Peg-Leg Pete like twice during a robbery, it's a thing apparently. Eventually, he gives Scrooge happiness by telling him he doesn't need to pay for the trip, goes home, and eats a piece of cake in his favorite chair. The end.
The humor in this story is quite different from regular Disney comics. There's a distinct Franco-Belgian flavor to it, something a little absurdist and banal. Donald is often the butt of the joke, but he doesn't suffer any serious damage (to his ego or otherwise), since everybody else is also quite mad. The tone doesn't have the directness you'd expect from a typical Protestant-area Duck comic (USA, Scandinavia, the Netherlands), but the humor is also quite dry for the usual Catholic-area comics (Italy, Brazil, France). I'd certainly expect more comraderie or jolliness from a typical Italian comic.
That doesn't mean it's bad, though, just a different kind of funny. The foreword stresses the openly philosophical element in the story, and while I wouldn't go quite as far, it does put you in a different mindset than your usual Disney comic. It grows on you, moreso than the aesthetically pleasing brawlfest that was Zombo Coffee. Job well done, I'd say. Next time: Mickey through the Ages by Fabrizio Petrossi and Nicolas Dab's
Last Edit: Sept 3, 2021 18:16:13 GMT by That Duckfan
F DBG 7 Mickey through the Ages Disney by Glénat 7, 2018 Story by Dab's Art by Fabrizio Petrossi Coloring by Bruno Tatti, assisted by Merete Jespen 54 pages
On September 7, 1952, the newly launched Journal de Mickey launched a new one-page serial of Mickey stories: Mickey à travers les siècles, or Mickey through the Ages. After ingesting a liquid created by Doctor Durandus, Mickey would travel through history every time he bumped his head. For the next 1347 issues, Mickey would meet the greats and the pits of history, before eventually returning to home on August 6, 1978. The series was quite successful, finding its way into a number of albums and getting resurrected one more time at the turn of the millennium. However, it has thus far never been reprinted in its entirety.
Petrossi and Dab's have created a playful homage to the series in this volume. Thanks to an invention by Professors Malph and Ralph (reminiscent of Ecks and Doublex), Mickey finds himself late for his theater date with Minnie. One moment he finds himself in the Mesozoic, next he's on a train crossing the Rocky Mountains in 1907, with Pete as conductor. Mickey visits the trenches, the sphinx, the Mona Lisa, a caveman, helps Christopher Columbus with his route, land Neil Armstrong on the moon, shares a poetic moment with Blackbeard, and gets thrown to the lions by the Emperor Commodus (Pete again). The professors manage to track him by mobile phone, by which time he's already in Paris at the building of the Eiffel Tower, with Clovis and company, the Vikings, and back in the Mesozoic again.
I've always found Mickey through the Ages an underrecognised series, but it doesn't lend itself well to a single issue. There's little time for Mickey to make an impact before being whisked away to another location, so there's little sense of progress in the story. There's a few nice easter eggs and it's fun to see our heroes in different roles (Horace as Columbus and Pete as Commodus in particular), but it remains a bit aimless. And there's not really a lot to say beyond that. The art style is different, there are some good compositions, but nothing groundbreaking. There are more dramatically satisfying ways to do a historical story. Next time: Horrifikland by Lewis Trondheim and Alexis Nesme
Last Edit: Sept 9, 2021 13:55:56 GMT by That Duckfan