In the title story, Scrooge McDuck foreclosures a bad debt and gains a derelict Venetian opera house. To save a buck, Scrooge sends Donald, Huey, Dewie and Louie to renovate the place. On day one, the ducks learn that the opera house is haunted by the ghost of a famous playwright who fled Italy in disgrace. Supposedly the phantom is looking for a treasure that he buried and left behind for nearly 500 years. And wouldn't you know it; on the first night in the haunted palace, that very ghost has shown up to chase away Donald and his wards!
The second story starred Mickey Mouse and his friend from the future Eega Beeva. In 'The Terrifying World of Tudor', the animals of Earth have begun to act suspiciously. On top of that, the bees have all disappeared. As more animals keep vanishing, Mickey learns that an alien entity has been offering the disappearing breeds the chance to live in paradise, away from menacing mankind. After Pluto and all of his canine kin have disappeared, Mickey is visited by, wouldn't you know it; a blasted 'To be continued next issue...'
Now as much as I hate finding out the I don't own the continuing issue of a story opener that I just read, I hate what happened here even more. This issue was marketed right on the cover as a one-shot. One-shot means one and done. There is no issue #2. Even worse, IDW doesn't tell you where to find the closer. No wonder IDW was stripped of the Disney license after only 5 years with no renewal. If stuff like this was how IDW treated a beloved property, I can imagine that they lost devoted fans and readers pretty quick. Disney is not known for letting their fan base be disappointed for very long.
Upon some further research, I learned that while this issue was labeled as a one-shot, this oversized issue was part of a series of quarterly annuals. Each sold as a one-shot! and yet inside the cover, it is listed as the 3rd issue of Donald & Mickey! So I will be on the lookout for the Donald and Mickey: The Terrifying World of Tudor 'one-shot' for the rest of the story because I really did enjoy the opener and I want to know what happens. Plus, these Disney stories from Italy and Denmark, Sweden and places elsewhere are growing on me. They've got a clean, classic look and they're some of the more imaginative stories being produced in the creativity desert known as the early 21st century.
Lastly, one thing about the art in the first story that just really bugged me. As you can see from the image of the cover, the menace is clearly a human male. This is exactly what the ghost looks like in the story. But when locals tell the legend of the playwright who later haunts the opera house, he looks like one of the Beagle Boys; complete with black bulbous nose. That sort of overlook is irksome to someone who gave up drawing as a teen because I never could get my characters to appear the same!
Worth Consuming but fraught with frustration.
Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.
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