Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #664

January 13, 2006

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Chimera and other stories

It’s a monster of an issue for Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse!

Writers: William Van Horn; Stefan Petrucha; David Gerstein; Gil Turner; Piet Zeeman; Don Rosa
Art: William Van Horn; Francisco Rodriguez Peinado; Vicar; Gil Turner; Freddy Milton; Marsal; Don Rosa
Colors: Susan Daigle-Leach; Egmont; Barry Grossman; Scott Rockwell; Marie Javins; Kneon Transitt; Michael Kraiger
Letters: Willie Schubert; Jon Babcock; Susie Lee
Cover Art: William Van Horn
Publisher: Gemstone Comics

I’m impressed at how well the Gemstone crew pulls together semi-related stories together for an issue like this one, it’s a nice little treat when done properly, and the number of monster/animal stories in this issue helps the whole package come together. We start off with William Van Horn’s “Chimera.” Donald Duck and his nephews head off into the woods to photograph animals in the winter, but when Donald sees a set of tracks that makes him believe they’re on the trail of Bigfoot, he sees dollar signs. This is an unusually cerebral story for a Disney comic, one that’s more about perception than gags, and it works.

Stefan Petrucha and Francisco Peinado follow this with Mickey Mouse in “Snow Beast,” the exact opposite of the preceding tale. When a snow-loving Mickey accidentally unleashes a monster that brings permanent freeze in his wake, he and Minnie need to race to translate the incantation that will put him back in his prison. This is a nice little adventure story for the mouse, and it fits well in this issue.

“All Creatures Great and Small” by David Gerstein and Vicar is one of the stronger stories in the issue. As the nephews make a New Year’s resolution to bid farewell to their legion of pets, Donald makes a resolution to be nicer to the animals. Rather than fessing up to the boys when he discovers their cross-resolutions, Donald decides to play a trick on them, which of course spins wildly out of control.

Another New Year’s tale, “Zeke’s Gold Stars,” follows. This Gil Turner reprint from 1951 follows the Big Bad Wolf as he struggles to keep his New Year’s resolutions, while at the same time, trying to determine whether the reward his mother promised him will be worth the effort. Gladstone Gander’s “Diner Sore” follows, a cute story about the luckiest duck in the world who fears he’s losing his luck when lunch doesn’t come falling into his lap. Fethry Duck and Daisy co-star in “Rhino Plastered,” about the dimwitted Fethry trying to house a rhinoceros in Daisy’s home until they can ship it back to its native land. It’s the sort of loony premise that only plays in a cartoon.

Finally, Don Rosa gives us “The Magnificent Seven (Minus Four) Caballeros Part Two.” Last issue, Donald darted off to Brazil to reunite with his old friends José Carioca and Panchito Pistoles. Together, the Three Caballeros head out to search for a diamond mine, but instead fall into the clutches of an Indian who picked up some nasty habits at a series of colleges. As the Caballeros work to free a menagerie of animals captured by the chief, Donald regales his friends (reluctantly) with his own exploits with Scrooge and the boys, and before this installment of the story ends, they find a path to an amazing treasure all their own.

This is great Rosa – as always he’s created a lush storyline drawn from his own inexhaustible research. On top of his wonderful story, he packs this issue with gags like a sudden Mickey Mouse joke and the stunned reactions of José and Panchito to the Junior Woodchuck’s Guidebook. The little touches – and the big ones, like Donald’s inadvertent battles with wildlife – make Rosa one of the best Duck cartoonists of all time, and I hope we get treated to new adventures from him for a very long time to come.

Rating: 8/10