I promised to try and review some newer titles in time for Christmas. But I just couldn't pass this up. In the past year, I've found several Disney holiday comics for $3 or less at stores such as Dollar General and the Dollar Store. Not to mention that there's dozens of Disney holiday comics to be found at your local comic shop. If you live in the Durham area, I recommend searching the Disney section at Books Do Furnish a Room. They also carry the current selection of Archie Christmas-themed comics, of which I will be reviewing next week.
For a very long time, Gemstone published the Disney titles. That's now changed over to Marvel, now that Disney is their parent company. However, they don't seem to release very much in comics form nowadays.
Gemstone losing the licensing rights is one reason you can find Disney comics for cheap. Another is that many of the Christmas-themed books were comprised of reprints. With no artists or writers to pay, the cost of books was lower. Also, first run stuff is more sought after than reprinted material. But that doesn't mean that these books are not worth owning or reading. Let's look at the book I read.
In this treasury from 1988, Donald and his nephews deal with some new residents living in his Christmas Tree, later Huey, Dewey, and Louie must figure out what Donald wants for Christmas if their going to receive the only item on their wish list. Then Minnie tries to spread some holiday cheer to the animals of the forest while Mickey and Goofy deliver a ceramic Santa to a mysterious client. Then Jiminy Cricket helps Thumper outfox a wolf, so they can make it to Christmas Dinner with the Seven Dwarfs and Uncle Scrooge tries to recall one good deed he did in the previous year in hopes Santa will visit him. Along with a few one-page gags starring the nephews and Goofy, there are two tales starring characters I've never heard of before.
One is a fellow named Bucky Bug. He and a friend build a house out of discarded candy while annoyingly talking in verse. Then we meet the Three Little Kittens who've taken up residence with a young girl, but can't seem to keep out of trouble. Neither of these tales is Christmas or other holiday related. Yet, with 9 out the 11 or so stories being holiday themed I will excuse this oversight (and frequent pet peeve of mine.) Plus, with material dated from 1950-1988, only the Bucky Bug story feels dated. The rest were fresh and relevant to me as I am sure they were when first published.
I think I paid $4 or less for this book online and as I mentioned before there are Disney comic treasuries galore to be found at discount stores and comic shops nationwide. You just gotta search. You and your kids will be glad you did.
Worth Consuming
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
For a very long time, Gemstone published the Disney titles. That's now changed over to Marvel, now that Disney is their parent company. However, they don't seem to release very much in comics form nowadays.
Gemstone losing the licensing rights is one reason you can find Disney comics for cheap. Another is that many of the Christmas-themed books were comprised of reprints. With no artists or writers to pay, the cost of books was lower. Also, first run stuff is more sought after than reprinted material. But that doesn't mean that these books are not worth owning or reading. Let's look at the book I read.
In this treasury from 1988, Donald and his nephews deal with some new residents living in his Christmas Tree, later Huey, Dewey, and Louie must figure out what Donald wants for Christmas if their going to receive the only item on their wish list. Then Minnie tries to spread some holiday cheer to the animals of the forest while Mickey and Goofy deliver a ceramic Santa to a mysterious client. Then Jiminy Cricket helps Thumper outfox a wolf, so they can make it to Christmas Dinner with the Seven Dwarfs and Uncle Scrooge tries to recall one good deed he did in the previous year in hopes Santa will visit him. Along with a few one-page gags starring the nephews and Goofy, there are two tales starring characters I've never heard of before.
One is a fellow named Bucky Bug. He and a friend build a house out of discarded candy while annoyingly talking in verse. Then we meet the Three Little Kittens who've taken up residence with a young girl, but can't seem to keep out of trouble. Neither of these tales is Christmas or other holiday related. Yet, with 9 out the 11 or so stories being holiday themed I will excuse this oversight (and frequent pet peeve of mine.) Plus, with material dated from 1950-1988, only the Bucky Bug story feels dated. The rest were fresh and relevant to me as I am sure they were when first published.
I think I paid $4 or less for this book online and as I mentioned before there are Disney comic treasuries galore to be found at discount stores and comic shops nationwide. You just gotta search. You and your kids will be glad you did.
Worth Consuming
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
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