Show Us Your Ducks! 15 15

[vaillant]

I’m wondering if there’s still some surviving Mickey Mouse fans in the States, it looks you’re all over the ducks…

 

The Gottfredson reprints are nice but limited in audience and other than the game Epic Mickey there has been no compelling reason for folks to connect with Mickey in a long time. He really became a corporate icon in the seventies / eighties and the Disney machine has kept him that way. There have been some surprising marketing moves to make him more relevant lately but he remains more of an Icon than a character to discuss and celebrate.

 

Hi 40Yrs, thank you.

I suspected that when I visited Los Angeles in 1991.

Of course, we abroad we knew Mickey went somewhat "downhill" when Gottfredson stopped developing the classic masterwork storylines side-by-side with his fellow writers, but for us italians is quite an unbelievable perspective, since by God’s grace we had people like Guido Martina and Romano Scarpa which at the time Gottfredson was giving up to produce short gag strips, were just kicking into high gear with absolutely *stunning* stories of both mices and ducks, so to speak.

I assure you these stories, especially after the italian authors' efforts became mature, have nothing to envy to some of Gottfredson's or Barks' production.

In fact, mostly Scarpa early work is very "american" and "universal" at the same time.

People like Scarpa or Giovan Battista Carpi declared many times that the Disney classic animated features, and the work of Gottfredson and Barks have been their core inspiration, in such an high way they tried to "transfigure" them in their work, and I dare to say they managed to get at the same levels.

 

Unfortunately you did not have so much stories published in the US, and mostly they were presented scattered here and there, not in a chronologic fashion, so unless you are a very motivated fan, most people missed a good part of them.

 

But if you read, for example, "Kali's Nail" or "The mystery of Tapiocus VI" you’ll see what I mean. They are quintessential classic, in many ways.

 

 

The following are from the "freudian-inspired" story "Topolino e la collana Chirikawa" (unpublished in the US), which featured a "trip into the depth of the soul" of Mickey Mouse, as he revives fragments of his childhood recalling his very first meeting with Peg-Leg-Pete:

 

This other one is the splash page of another all-time classic (also unpublished in the US): "Topolino imperatore della Calidornia" ("Mickey Mouse, emperor of Calidornia"), a sort of "how the west was won" storyline which explains how a Mickey Mouse ancestor‘s lecacy would actually put Mickey in possession of the whole Californian state ("Calidornia", in the mice geography devised by Scarpa, in an ever-ending homage to the original US roots of the characters):

This eventually shows a never seen before Mickey which risks to be seduced by the very idea of richness and wealthy possessions, whose short-lived daydreaming is broken up by Minnie, because of which Mickey arrives too late to gain possession of the legal document which would make him proprietor of the state.

 

In both stories, Mickey’s sideckick is not Goofy or Eeega Beeva, but an ingenuous character created by Scarpa which is an "enlarged living atom": Atomino Bip-Bip.

Atomino is the creation of Professor Einmug, and debuts in the story "The Delta dimension":

which has been published in the US on Mickey Mouse Adventures (Gemstone) #11 in 2006.

 

It‘s a real pity that Disney USA, Gladstone and Gemstone, put so little effort in publishing those stories, which would delight most people which are fond of the Gottfredson and Barks classics.

Edited July 22, 2012 by vaillant

[Transplant]

It was a treat to see some of your pieces in person back in Feb, tempered only by a slight disappointment that so little of the art from Barks' prime has survived.

 

When folks like you, moondog, and Yellow Kid are willing to travel out in the middle of the desert to see my books, it feels like it hasn't been a complete waste of time. And getting an intensive 3 1/2 day course from you was pretty amazing(!).

[50YrsCollctngCmcs]

I’m wondering if there’s still some surviving Mickey Mouse fans in the States, it looks you’re all over the ducks…

 

The Gottfredson reprints are nice but limited in audience and other than the game Epic Mickey there has been no compelling reason for folks to connect with Mickey in a long time. He really became a corporate icon in the seventies / eighties and the Disney machine has kept him that way. There have been some surprising marketing moves to make him more relevant lately but he remains more of an Icon than a character to discuss and celebrate.

 

Hi 40Yrs, thank you.

I suspected that when I visited Los Angeles in 1991.

Of course, we abroad we knew Mickey went somewhat "downhill" when Gottfredson stopped developing the classic masterwork storylines side-by-side with his fellow writers, but for us italians is quite an unbelievable perspective, since by God’s grace we had people like Guido Martina and Romano Scarpa which at the time Gottfredson was giving up to produce short gag strips, were just kicking into high gear with absolutely *stunning* stories of both mices and ducks, so to speak.

I assure you these stories, especially after the italian authors' efforts became mature, have nothing to envy to some of Gottfredson's or Barks' production.

In fact, mostly Scarpa early work is very "american" and "universal" at the same time.

People like Scarpa or Giovan Battista Carpi declared many times that the Disney classic animated features, and the work of Gottfredson and Barks have been their core inspiration, in such an high way they tried to "transfigure" them in their work, and I dare to say they managed to get at the same levels.

 

Unfortunately you did not have so much stories published in the US, and mostly they were presented scattered here and there, not in a chronologic fashion, so unless you are a very motivated fan, most people missed a good part of them.

 

But if you read, for example, "Kali's Nail" or "The mystery of Tapiocus VI" you’ll see what I mean. They are quintessential classic, in many ways.

 

 

The following are from the "freudian-inspired" story "Topolino e la collana Chirikawa" (unpublished in the US), which featured a "trip into the depth of the soul" of Mickey Mouse, as he revives fragments of his childhood recalling his very first meeting with Peg-Leg-Pete:

 

This other one is the splash page of another all-time classic (also unpublished in the US): "Topolino imperatore della Calidornia" ("Mickey Mouse, emperor of Calidornia"), a sort of "how the west was won" storyline which explains how a Mickey Mouse ancestor‘s lecacy would actually put Mickey in possession of the whole Californian state ("Calidornia", in the mice geography devised by Scarpa, in an ever-ending homage to the original US roots of the characters):

This eventually shows a never seen before Mickey which risks to be seduced by the very idea of richness and wealthy possessions, whose short-lived daydreaming is broken up by Minnie, because of which Mickey arrives too late to gain possession of the legal document which would make him proprietor of the state.

 

In both stories, Mickey’s sideckick is not Goofy or Eeega Beeva, but an ingenuous character created by Scarpa which is an "enlarged living atom": Atomino Bip-Bip.

Atomino is the creation of Professor Einmug, and debuts in the story "The Delta dimension":

which has been published in the US on Mickey Mouse Adventures (Gemstone) #11 in 2006.

 

It‘s a real pity that Disney USA, Gladstone and Gemstone, put so little effort in publishing those stories, which would delight most people which are fond of the Gottfredson and Barks classics.

 

While I have read a number of the reprints in the Gemstone series it is hard to understand the significance or depth of the history involved. I have a beautiful Italian volume of Donald Duck but can't read it unless I painfully try and figure it out. The artwork is beautiful though.

 

I was in Europe in 1982 as a young man and was amazed at the stores selling beutiful graphic novels in France at that time. It simply blew away anything being offered in the US at that time. I was also pretty impressed to see theaters showing only animated Disney cartoons. I stopped in to catch some classics.

 

I would love to be able to read some history of this material.

[AJD]

Picked this up in today's Heritage auction. I'll post it again once it arrives and has been released from its tomb.

 

[Duffman_Comics]

Attachment fail?

[Point Five]

Picked this up in today's Heritage auction. I'll post it again once it arrives and has been released from its tomb.

 

Yay. (thumbs u Looks like a really nice one!

 

 

[vaillant]

 

While I have read a number of the reprints in the Gemstone series it is hard to understand the significance or depth of the history involved. I have a beautiful Italian volume of Donald Duck but can't read it unless I painfully try and figure it out. The artwork is beautiful though.

 

I was in Europe in 1982 as a young man and was amazed at the stores selling beutiful graphic novels in France at that time. It simply blew away anything being offered in the US at that time. I was also pretty impressed to see theaters showing only animated Disney cartoons. I stopped in to catch some classics.

 

I would love to be able to read some history of this material.

 

 

I assume with "reprints" you mean the first foreign editions of a story (I do not use the term because I wouldn’t refer to – say – italian editions of Marvel comics as "reprints" but simply as foreign first editions).

But again, this example fails to explain the relevance since Marvel have not had foreign "schools" picking up the essence of the original productions (with little exceptions).

 

As I said, to properly appreciate the whole italian Disney comics production, you should have been able to read the best stories with a consistent continuity, a thing the various 1980s and 1990s Disney publishers were not able to attain. One of the reasons is precisely the one you mentioned: in 20-30 years of "misuse" Mickey, but also the other characters, were reduced mostly to merchandising icons.

In Italy we have had a never interrupted production starting in the late 1930s, kicking in in the late 1940s, and keeping a high-quality standard up to the 1990s, or at least up to the late 1980s. The last decade of production showed a lack of inspiration on the writers' part, while the artwork continues to be often excellent.

But the artwork alone does not make a good Disney comic, or any good story for what matters.

 

If you’d like to read about the italian school, whose stories – it must be said – have been translated and appreciated in almost the whole world – except USA (where I think the first italian story by Martina/Scarpa has been published in 1987), you should read this book:

 

Published in the early 1990s, it chronicles the whole story, foreword is by Carl Barks. I am a friend of the authors, and a new edition is going to be published soon, it would be great to have some US publisher willing to present it there.

 

 

[tb]

I’m wondering if there’s still some surviving Mickey Mouse fans in the States, it looks you’re all over the ducks…

 

Here's the latest upgrade to my run.

 

Edit: Now that I have copies that I like of all the issues, I've started to aim for streaks of books with consistent CGC grades for fun. With this book, I got a kick out of completing the last 6 months of 1937 in at least CGC 9.4.

 

Edited July 28, 2012 by tb

[adamstrange]

Christmas cover

[Duffman_Comics]

I’m wondering if there’s still some surviving Mickey Mouse fans in the States, it looks you’re all over the ducks…

 

Here's the latest upgrade to my run.

 

 

That old in that condition I have to

[Yellow Kid]

A fantastic copy of one of the greatest covers in the series! Congratulations!

[Theagenes]

I’m wondering if there’s still some surviving Mickey Mouse fans in the States, it looks you’re all over the ducks…

 

Here's the latest upgrade to my run.

 

Edit: Now that I have copies that I like of all the issues, I've started to aim for streaks of books with consistent CGC grades for fun. With this book, I got a kick out of completing the last 6 months of 1937 in at least CGC 9.4.

 

 

Beautiful!

[tb]

I normally stick to the early WDCS, but prices have dropped so much that I couldn't resist this cover. I got to see a CGC 9.4 copy during a Heritage preview a few years ago. It was stunning and only my own strong rule about not buying anything outside my focus kept me from bidding on it. The 9.6 sold for over 40% less than the 9.4 (which actually sold well after the Duck-bubble).

[comicdonna]

I normally stick to the early WDCS, but prices have dropped so much that I couldn't resist this cover. I got to see a CGC 9.4 copy during a Heritage preview a few years ago. It was stunning and only my own strong rule about not buying anything outside my focus kept me from bidding on it. The 9.6 sold for over 40% less than the 9.4 (which actually sold well after the Duck-bubble).

Congratulations tb!

[AJD]

 

Here's the latest upgrade to my run.

 

Edit: Now that I have copies that I like of all the issues, I've started to aim for streaks of books with consistent CGC grades for fun. With this book, I got a kick out of completing the last 6 months of 1937 in at least CGC 9.4.

 

I find the number of different ways to approach collecting fascinating. I'll upgrade from a 4.0 to an 8.0, but I can't imagine ever seeing upgrading an already high-grade book to an even higher one to be more attractive than buying another book I don't have. Other collectors would stick with the 4.0 and buy something else.

 

The beauty of it of course is that it means there's something for us all to chase.

 

P.S. It's awfully hard to argue with tb's choice - those are some lovely books.

[tb]

Thanks, AJD. Re. Mickey Mouse Magazine, I bought this because it was a beautiful example of one of the best known covers. But I have to admit that it's fun to see longer streaks of CGC 9.X copies developing as a side effect, especially for the earliest years.

 

I also ended up with the WDCS 40 below. It has a wonderful "Snow Fun" story by Barks which has always been my favorite among the earlier 10-pagers. I don't plan to collect Barks WDCS, but these two were surprisingly inexpensive and pretty copies.

 

[AJD]

hey, tb, I cost you some extra $$ on that WDC&S #40 - I was the underbidder. I was out having coffee with my wife and didn't get back in time for the live auction (Sunday morning here), only to find I'd been 'sniped'.

 

Good luck to you - but if you see a nice 6.0 or 7.0 on your travels, let me know. (thumbs u

[50YrsCollctngCmcs]

Thanks, AJD. Re. Mickey Mouse Magazine, I bought this because it was a beautiful example of one of the best known covers. But I have to admit that it's fun to see longer streaks of CGC 9.X copies developing as a side effect, especially for the earliest years.

 

I also ended up with the WDCS 40 below. It has a wonderful "Snow Fun" story by Barks which has always been my favorite among the earlier 10-pagers. I don't plan to collect Barks WDCS, but these two were surprisingly inexpensive and pretty copies.

 

 

Beautiful and a great cover! I wish I had more time on my hands to pursue these books but I am afraid it is not in the cards. I am happy with my occasional pick up and living vicariously through others collections on these boards!

[adamstrange]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walt-Disneys-Comics-Stories-40-CGC-6-0-Donald-Duck-Barks-Kelly-Golden-Age-WDC-S-/130739817924?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item1e70b34dc4

[AJD]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walt-Disneys-Comics-Stories-40-CGC-6-0-Donald-Duck-Barks-Kelly-Golden-Age-WDC-S-/130739817924?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item1e70b34dc4

 

Thanks, and I'm watching it now, but I have to say that 'buy the book, not the label' might apply on this one. I have 6.0s with much better eye appeal.