This is a wonderful vintage cotton hanky with Donald Duck and his three nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie on a nautical adventure. This little piece of Disney history would look wonderful framed in a vintage frame. It is signed C.Walt Disney Productions in the lower left, and measures about 8.5″ square. Aside from a single hole, the condition is very good.

Other Examples

These images are used to show examples of Donald Duck handkerchiefs:

Interesting Facts about Donald Duck

- Hake’s Americana & Collectibles has sold the first Donald Duck model sheet, created in 1934 for the Disney cartoon The Wise Little Hen, for a record-breaking $75,000.

- Donald Duck’s middle name is Fauntleroy.

- Donald Duck comics were never banned in Finland, because the character doesn’t wear pants. That is just an urban legend. In a meeting held in Helsinki regarding youth affairs a candidate for Finland’s liberal party, Markku Holopainen, proposed that the country save money and promote fitness by replacing the Donald Duck comics it was providing to youth with sports magazines, which were cheaper at the time. The proposition was heartily approved by all of those in attendance.

- Donald Duck is the mascot of the University of Oregon.

- Donald has a star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame.

- It has been said that Mickey Mouse represents what we should be, while Donald Duck represents what we are.

- Donald’s temperament is the one thing that stands between Donald and Daisy.

- He usually wears a sailor shirt, cap, and a red or black bow tie, but no trousers (except when he goes swimming).

- Huey, Dewey and Louie Duck are the sons of Della Duck (Donald Duck’s sister) and of her husband (who remains unknown). As identical triplets, Huey, Dewey and Louie are impossible to tell apart.

- Today, Donald Duck is recognized by people of all ages, the world over. His face appears on lunch boxes, T-shirts, and thousands of other products.

Donald Duck’s name in…

Arabic: بطوط (Buttoot)

Bulgarian:  Доналд Дък

Chinese: 唐老鴨 (Tang Lao Ya)

Czech: Kačer Donald

Danish: Anders And

Dutch: Donald Duck

Estonian: Piilupart Donald

Faeroese: Dunnaldur Dunna

Finnish: Aku Ankka

French: Donald Duck

German: Donald Duck

Greek: Ntonalt Ntak – Ντόναλντ Ντακ

Indonesian: Donal Bebek

Italian: Paolino Paperino

Japanese: ドナルドダック (Donarudo Dakku)

Korean: 도널드 덕

Latin: Donaldus Anas

Polish: Kacer Donald – Kaczor Donald

Portuguese: Pato Donald

Russian: Donald Dak – Дональд Дак

Sámi: Vulle Vuojaš

Serbo-Croatian: Paja Patak (Serbia); Pajo Patak (Bosnia/Croatia in ex-YU); Patak Pasko (Croatia today)

Slovene: Jaka Racman

Spanish: El Pato Donald

Swedish: Kalle Anka

Turkish: Vakvak Amca – Donald Amca

Carl Barks

(27/03/1901 – 25/08/2000, EE.UU.)

Carl Barks is the foremost Duck artist of them all, and many consider him as the best comics creator of all time.

Ode to the Disney Ducks

by Carl Barks

They ride tall ships to the far away,

and see the long ago.

They walk where fabled people trod,

and Yetis trod the snow.

They meet the folks who live on stars,

and find them much like us,

With food and love and happiness

the things they most discuss.

The world is full of clans and cults

abuzz as angry bees,

And Junior Woodchucks snapping jeers

at Littlest Chickadees.

The ducks show us that part of life

is to forgive a slight.

That black eyes given in revenge

keep hatred burning bright.

So when our walks in sun or shade

pass graveyards filled by wars,

It’s nice to stop and read of ducks

whose battles leave no scars.

To read of ducks who parody

our vain attempts at glory,

They don’t exist, but somehow leave

us glad we bought their story.

Blake flies solo this week with an in-depth look at the Boom! Kids line of comics featuring the Disney, Pixar, and Muppet characters. Blake looks at each of the series that has been released to date, gives his thoughts on the best and the weakest, and offers a few suggestions for the future of the line. In the picks, check out the Showcase Presents Ambush Bug graphic novel, and the Assault on New Olympus Prologue one-shot! Contact us with comments, suggestions, or anything else at Showcase@comixtreme.com!

2 in 1 Showcase Episode 146: Disney Goes Boom!
Inside This Episode:

hmmm, I stubbled upon this, I really dont know what to think of it.

I have learned to accept the Top Five Unspoken Rules of Disney Animals:

1) Without explanation, animals can speak to each other in English. (Even when they are native Africans: The Lion King).
2) Humans can talk to animals and vice versa.
3) Goofy can walk upright and talk, but Pluto is just a normal dog.
4) When Donald Duck gets out of the shower, he is embarrassed by his nakedness, covering himself up with a towel. However, he never wears pants.
5) As a cartoon, Mickey Mouse is pretty much the size of a real mouse. But at Disney World, he is around 6 feet tall.

It’s all fine as long as these rules are consistent which each other within the Disney Universe. However, I have recently been made aware of a rare exception. A hole in the Disney Theory.

This exception to the rules involves one of my favorite Disney cartoon movies, Robin Hood. I’m referring to the 1973 version where Robin Hood is a fox. It contains an ever-addictive whistling theme which I can’t describe in words and the melancholy ballad “Not in Nottingham”. The movie is full of adventure, action, and romance.
The weird thing about it, though, is that it’s the only animated Disney movie I can think of where there are no humans AND the animals assume the role of humans (in other words the animals are anthropomorphic).

For example, in The Lion King there are no humans, but all the animals act like normal animals (other than the fact they can talk and sing). They live out in the wild and kill and eat other animals. The characters are beasts, not mutants.

But in Robin Hood, the animals wear clothes, eat food at a table, and walk upright, to name a few distinguished human traits. While this in no way discredits the greatness of the film, there’s not an animated Disney movie I can think of before or after its release that follows this formula.

Grumpy, mean, irritating at times but always adorable!

Never read a graphic novel before? Haven’t read a comic book in years?

Here’s some brand new stuff that came out the week of November 4 that I think is worth a look-see for someone with little to no history with comics. That means you should be able to pick any of these up cold without having read anything else. So take a look and see if something doesn’t grab your fancy. If so, follow the publisher links or Amazon.com links to buy yourself a copy. Or, head to your local friendly comic book shop.

Disclaimer: For the most part, I have not read these yet, so I can’t vouch for their quality. But, from what I’ve heard and seen, odds are good they just might appeal to you.

The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics – $40.00
Edited by Art Spiegelman & Françoise Mouly
352 pages; published by Abrams ComicArts; available at Amazon.com

The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics is an unprecedented collection of the greatest comics for children, artfully compiled by two of the best-known creators in publishing and the field of comics–Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly.

This treasury created for young readers focuses on comic books, not strips, and contains humorous stories that range from a single-page to eight or even twenty-two pages, each complete and self-contained. The comics have been culled from the Golden Age of comic books, roughly the 1940s through the early 1960s, and feature the best examples of works by such renowned artists and writers as Carl Barks, John Stanley, Sheldon Mayer, Walt Kelly, Basil Wolverton, and George Carlson, among many, many others.

Organizing the book into five categories (Hey, Kids!; Funny Animals; Fantasyland; Story Time!; and Wacky & Weird), Spiegelman and Mouly use their expertise in the area of comics to frame each category with an introductory essay, and provide brief biographies of the artists. The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics is essential reading for kids of all ages.

Great for kids, and the supplemental essays and historical context should make this entertaining for parents, too. The artists mentioned in the blurb were masters and are still huge influences to modern comic and graphic artists. And it’s sturdy enough for repeated reading. The publisher link above includes a great preview that shows just how charming and delightful this stuff will be to experience. Lots of fun!

Donald Duck and Friends #347 – $2.99
By Fausto Vitaliano & Andrea Freccero
32 pages; published by Boom! Kids

The Quack is back in this first BOOM! Kids issue! He’s no double “o” seven, he’s Double Duck! Donald shows us his dashing, adventurous side as a secret agent on a mission to stop a dangerous ice-melting machine and save the world from rising oceans! This is a Donald Duck like you’ve never seen! A brand new start at a brand new company for one of the world’s most iconic characters and longest-lived, most-published comic book series!

Speaking of those influential artists, you can pretty much draw a direct line from Carl Barks to this new issue (translated from the original Italian edition). Another great comic for kids. Here’s a 5-page preview.

Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 1: The Trial of Sherlock Holmes – $24.99
By Leah Moore, John Reppion & Aaron Campbell
168 pages; published by Dynamite Entertainment; available at Amazon.com

Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic detective Sherlock Holmes returns in all-new adventures! Sherlock finds himself involved in a mystery that has him fighting for his very life and Watson putting the pieces together to either save his friend or condemn him! Written by Leah Moore and John Reppion with reverence and a modern edge, artist Aaron Campbell completes the Victorian mood under the striking and iconic John Cassaday covers. Also contains bonus material such as script pages, annotations, a cover gallery, and a complete Sherlock Holmes short story by Arthur Conan Doyle with new illustrations.

I’ve been looking forward to this. It’s supposed to be a pretty faithful take on Sherlock Holmes. There’s a 10-page preview at the publisher link above.

Like A Dog – $22.99
By Zak Sally
128 pages; published by Fantagraphics Books; available at Amazon.com

One man’s heartfelt and irreverent record of his time on this rock, Zak Sally’s unflinchingly veracious book, Like a Dog, is both direct and oblique, which we find rather miraculous considering the messy and murky waters of human experience it manages to navigate. Like a Dog is among the few comic book testimonials burdened by the yen to understand and articulate the mundane and the magnificent. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself laughing and crying as you claw your way through each hard fought page!

Of all of Sally’s creative pursuits (including a career in music spanning 15+ years), Like a Dog is the one he’s been working a lifetime toward. This hardcover book collects the best of his acclaimed short stories from the past 15 years, created in between band tours and recording sessions, published in his Eisner-nominated self-published seriesRecidivist (the first 2 issues of which are reprinted here in their entirety) and in publications like Mome, The Drama, Your Flesh, Dirty Stories, and more.

Like a Dog spotlights Sally’s uncanny ability to create emotional havoc out of claustrophobic images, situations and dialogue. Stories like “Don’t Move,” “The War Back Home,” and “Two Idiot Brothers” share little in common on the surface but are united by Sally’s forbidding style, creating a sense of dread that permeates almost every page.

Sally also turns his eye towards nonfiction in Like a Dog, including “At the Scaffold,” the story of the imprisonment and trial of Fyodor Dostoyevsky for allegedly subversive behavior, and “The Man Who Killed Wally Wood,” a story about Sally’s brush with a former publisher of the legendary comic artist (who, contrary to the title of this strip, took his own life after a long battle with alcoholism). It also includes two collaborations: “Dread,” written by NEA Fellowship recipient, Edgar Award finalist, and O. Henry Award winning author Brian Evenson (Altmann’s Tongue); and “River Deep, Mountain High,” co-created with fellow cartoonist Chris Cilla.

Like a Dog also includes extensive “liner notes” by the artist, previously unpublished material, an introduction by John Porcellino (King Cat), and other surprises.

I really loved Zak Sally’s Sammy The Mouse, so it sounds like I have a good reason to buy this. And so do you. To give you an idea of what’s in store, there’s a neat Flickr video of someone flipping through the book, which serves as a de facto preview of sorts, and there’s also a 10-page preview as a PDF file.

Stumptown #1 – $3.99
By Greg Rucka & Matthew Southworth
40 pages; published by Oni Press

Superstar writer Greg Rucka (WHITEOUT, DETECTIVE COMICS) embarks on his first creator-owned series since the Eisner Award-winning QUEEN & COUNTRY!

Dex is the proprietor of Stumptown Investigations, and a fairly talented P.I. Unfortunately, she’s less adept at throwing dice than solving cases. Her recent streak has left her beyond broke—she’s into the Confederated Tribes of the Wind Coast for 18 large. But maybe Dex’s luck is about to change. Sue-Lynne, head of the Wind Coast’s casino operation, will clear Dex’ debt if she can locate Sue-Lynne’s missing granddaughter. But is this job Dex’s way out of the hole or a shove down one much much deeper?

I’ve been seeing some good reviews for this. Looks like really nice work! Here’s a 4-page preview. And while it hasn’t officially launched yet, here’s a website for the series.

Burn – $9.99
By Camilla D’Errico & Scott Sanders
160 pages; published by Simon & Schuster’s Simon Pulse; available at Amazon.com

Burn was once human.

He also had a family and friends, until a metallic angel of death took everything from him. This mechanical monster, Shoftiel, was one of many living machines made to help humanity that revolted and declared war on their creators. It tore through Burn’s home and wreaked havoc on his city until the buildings collapsed, crashing down upon them.

Emerging from the rubble, Burn and Shoftiel discover their once separate bodies have become one — neither human nor machine, but a freak union of both. Internally their minds are caught in a raging battle for control. Just as mankind must struggle against the sentients for survival, Burn must find the strength to overcome Shoftiel’s genocidal programming to retain whatever’s left of his humanity.

Here’s a 5-page preview (you have to click through a bunch of “who cares” before you get to the actual story).

I’ve been gone for a while it seems, but I’m having personal health issues I’m dealing with so I didn’t take any orders throughout October and will not be taking orders this month either.  However, this was an exception for me as I made these cupcakes as a gift.  As you can see, the theme of the party was Mickey Mouse and his friends.  The decorations are edible and made of gum paste that I hand cut individually and put together.  While I was working on these, I really wanted to go to Disneyland, especially since the holidays are coming up and you can expect to see wonderful decoration throughout the parks.

Jeg er skikkelig lei av å reise med buss, jeg gjør jo det hver dag. I dag, på bussen, så leste jeg Donald Duck blad og spiste boller. Namnam, vel, det var ikke den værste bussturen jeg har hatt. Men jeg skulle ønske jeg ikke reiste så tidligt, jeg skulle ønske jeg tok en senere buss. Jeg angrer..

Ida kom til bussplassen og vi begge gikk gjennom skolen for å hilse på lærerne. Det var kjempekosligt! Alle var jo så glade for å se oss begge!

På kvelden kom tanta Camilla med Signe, det var jo kjempekoseligt. Vel, det er vel sånn dagen min har vært i dag. Ganske kjedelig egentlig. I morgen skal jeg ut med Ida igjen.

Og jeg er btw kjempeskuffet på alle som ikke møte meg på bussplassen! Jeg forventet et stort velkommen tilbake liksom! Fy faaa**. Da blei liksom heledagen min ødlagt!! Bare på grunn av dere som var på skolen…

I came across this a while ago and I think it’s quite funny.
Not sure who it’s by though.

As was announced a few months ago, Boom! Studios, the company that has been doing a bang-up job with the Muppet and Pixar comics for Disney, has snagged the license to Disney’s classic characters. Last month, they kicked off the classic Disney line by bringing back the four most prominent titles from Disney’s past. I thought today I would look at what they did with each of them.

Mickey Mouse and Friends #296 was the book that kicked off the return, beginning a long serial featuring Mickey, Donald and Goofy as sorcerers. This is a far cry from the usual Mickey fare, which in the past has usually consisted of gag strips, detective stories, or other adventure fare. This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve seen Mickey and company in a fantasy setting, but I’m not really wild about how the concept has taken over the book entirely. In the past, the Disney comics were all anthologies, and dedicating a single title entirely to a long-term storyline… it’s just not the same. On the other hand, Boom! recently announced that this storyline is going to spin out into an ongoing series, so hopefully the space in this title will be filled with more traditional Disney comics.

Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories returned with issue #699 (just one off from the big 700), and the beginning of a new storyline in which the Disney stalwarts are called in, as superheroes, to find the missing Money Bin of Scrooge McDuck — which was stolen with Scrooge in it. Pretty much all of these returns feature stories taken from the European publishers of Disney’s comics, so while this isn’t a brand-new story, it’s new to American audiences. Donald as the Duck Avenger is mostly a new concept — in fact, the only one of these characters I’m sure has shown up as a superhero before (in the American comics, that is) is Goofy, alias Super Goof. I’m okay with the “Justice League”-type concept of bringing the characters together, but I rather miss some of the other long-running serials that used to be a part of this title — comics featuring the likes of Chip ‘n Dale, Scamp, or even solo adventures of Mickey and Donald. Fortunately, like the fantasy story in Mickey’s title, Boom! has announced the superheroes will be spinning off into their own series, which will hopefully allow more classic stories to find a home again.

Uncle Scrooge #384 is the book that’s the most like its old incarnation. This first issue features two short stories, although they clearly take place in a sequence. The stories themselves are pretty old-school as well: Scrooge buys a castle in Germany and sets off with his nephews to search it for treasure. Meanwhile, Magica DeSpell (the witch who’s always out to snare Scrooge’s #1 dime) races after them to… well… try to get her hands on the dime. The story could easily have been popped into any previous run of the title without anyone noticing the difference, and that may be why I really liked this issue. I don’t mind a new approach with these books — clearly, there’s a need to shuffle things around to snare new readers — but that doesn’t mean there should be no room at all for the classic stuff. If this is the only title that understands that… well, I can live with that.

Finally, we’ve got Donald Duck and Friends #347, which I have to admit was probably my favorite of the four. The story is the beginning of a longer serial, but it’s a highly Donald-esque serial. After Daisy blows Donald off for having the temerity to fall asleep in the movies, he finds himself in the company of an attractive young female duck with a startling revelation. Donald has been leading a double life, one even he doesn’t remember. But now, to save the world, Double Duck may have to come out of retirement. The book was silly, funny, and just the sort of thing that we’ve always gotten from Donald’s stories, even if this one lasts longer than the ones we’re used to.

There’s some good stuff here, and really my biggest complaint is that there aren’t enough of the old-school comics available. I’m hoping the fact that two of these books are set to get spinoffs means that Boom! recognizes the desire for the more classic stuff. I’m fine if the new stuff is there. I just don’t want it to be the only thing we have in the pull folder.

File this one under the category, “What? They’re doing what? Are they crazy?”

Word came down in the New York Times Friday that the Walt Disney Company, which pretty much runs the world of entertainment (and Central Florida), is in the process of updating and changing Mickey Mouse.

Yep, Mickey Mouse. The beloved icon of all of our childhoods. According to this story, the company feels that Mickey is not quite cool or hip enough for the young’uns of 2009. So they’re planning on re-engineering Mickey to make him a little more cantankerous and cunning.

What, is he going to start sniping at Minnie that her outfit makes her look fat? Will he begin pummeling Donald Duck for making too much noise?

No. Apparently, because sales of Mickey-related paraphernalia have declined, they just want to tweak Mickey a little, in this video game, Epic Mickey. Give him a little edge.

“I wanted him to be able to be naughty — when you’re playing as Mickey you can misbehave and even be a little selfish,” said Warren Spector, a Disney bigwig.

I’m sorry, but this is a bad, bad idea. Mickey Mouse is who he is. He’s jolly, he’s faithful to his girlfriend, and he’ll always be that way. I don’t want a Mickey Mouse who cuts corners, or who thinks only of himself.

Part of the ultimate joy of Disney World (and believe me, I could write thousands of words about how much I love that place, but I won’t do that here) is the look on children’s faces when they encounter the wholesome image of Mickey and Minnie and all their pals.

You’re going to mess with that formula? Please. Leave Mickey alone, he’s fine the way he is. He’s not supposed to be “edgy.”

What’s next? Goofy goes off his meds and begins beating up people?

Two very different but equally enjoyable YouTubes for this Sunday:

One, I’m stealing from my man Jeff Pearlman’s blog; I thought this was very moving:

And second, since it’s hockey season and I know you need a good “get fired-up” video today, I present the coolest hockey video I know, the Minnesota Wild fight song montage: Sure it’s a little cheesy, but that’s why I love it.

Doubleduck

Written by: Fausto Vitaliano
Art by: Andrea Freccero
Editor: Aaron Sparrow
Assistant Editor: Christopher Burns
Translator: Saida Temofonte
Letterer: Jose Macasocol Jr.
Cover A&B: Andrea Freccero
Designer: Erika Terriquez

I do believe that this is the first-ever “new” issue of a Donald Duck comic I’ve bought. I wasn’t really sure what to expect of this purchase, but after years of having to pass on Gemstone’s Duck comics for pricing, I wanted to pick this up to at least give it a look-see. As usua. I’m not thrilled at the use of variant covers, but at least both ‘regular’ covers were in stock on the lunch hour I used to visit the comic store, so I was afforded a choice between the two (hint: I went with the one you see with this review).

Glancing inside the issue, the interior art is vastly different from the cover art–the cover actually gives Donald an “edgy” sort of look, kinda like what you might expect of a comic called “Donald Duck Extreme.” The interior visuals seem rather soft and simplistic by comparison. However, while the art was really pretty “standard” I liked it. The characters seem to be depicted in what I imagine could be compared to the “house style” for the Archie characters; the “generic” style works well in keeping everyone recognizeable and I could almost visualize character “templates.” One character put me in mind of Herb from Darkwing Duck–I could hear that voice as I read the character’s word balloons.

The story itself is fairly ridiculous: Donald falls asleep at a James Pond movie, so Daisy gets upset and goes off with someone else for the rest of the night. Donald is recognized as “Double Duck,” and eventually comes to find himself with an unlikely situation–and a choice to make.

Though the potential for a lot more violence is there, things are really pretty toned down. This reminds me very much of what I’ve always enjoyed with a lot of the Disney characters, especially the classic “Disney Afternoon” shows: that simple, classic characters can be retooled into other roles that are interesting and yet maintain the essential “character” that draws you to ‘em.

That “347″ on the cover makes this feel like what it is: a leap into the depths of the lake to see how the water is there. It’s a first issue without all the trappings of a traditional debut issue; it’s simply a story per likely standard fare; the reader is assumed to be able to pick it up and enjoy it without it having to be some fresh start.

The story itself and the visual style with numerous panels on every page made for a much more satisfying read, with more story than many other comics these days hold.

This is the first of at least 2 parts, which is a little unfortunate–picking this issue up, one will need to invest in at least one more to complete the story. At the same time, this issue is enjoyable enough that I fully intend to snag the next issue to see where things go.

Recommended.

Story: 8/10
Art: 6/10
Whole: 7/10

Dumb(pi) + horrible =

Has there ever been a worse mascot? Anything would make a better mascot. A half hippo, half mongoose with four wings and a penchant for red foods, answering to Eloise would be a better mascot.

Actually that would be a pretty cool mascot…

On second thought don’t use Eloise, she’s too good to be shilling for hhgreg.  But hhgreg does need to change something. Sure they’ve had Peyton Manning advertising for them, but for the most part their track record is far from shining. Seriously, how long did that mindless series with the two idiotic delivery men last? Too long. Before this they had commercials with nothing special in it. Just a simple ‘what’s on sale’ and that slightly melancholy whistle. It was plain but it worked.  Sometimes that’s more than enough.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have some designing of a certain mascot to get to.

***NEW***

Since commercials have been cutting into our cartoons for years, I’m going to start putting up an actual cartoon as a break from all the ads, every Saturday. Enjoy the show:

The New York Times has a must-read story on the upcoming Wii video game Epic Mickey, including more details about the plot and characters:

Epic Mickey, designed for Nintendo’s Wii console, is set in a “cartoon wasteland” where Disney’s forgotten and retired creations live. The chief inhabitant is Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a cartoon character Walt Disney created in 1927 as a precursor to Mickey but ultimately abandoned in a dispute with Universal Studios. In the game, Oswald has become bitter and envious of Mickey’s popularity. The game also features a disemboweled, robotic Donald Duck and a “twisted, broken, dangerous” version of Disneyland’s “It’s a Small World.” Using paint and thinner thrown from a magic paintbrush, Mickey must stop the Phantom Blot overlord, gain the trust of Oswald and save the day.

Twisted, broken, dangerous, disemboweled? I’m shivering with ghoulish glee!

New York Magazine has a brief piece as well, including a YouTube link to this concept art (yeah, the soundtrack is irritating, but the little on-screen comments are worth it):

I do not think I have to tell you how excited I am that Oswald will play a major role.

Just as interesting, though, is the larger picture of Mickey makeover described in the New York Times article, of which Epic Mickey is just a trial balloon:

“Holy cow, the opportunity to mess with one of the most recognizable icons on Planet Earth,” said Warren Spector, the creative director of Junction Point, a Disney-owned game developer that spearheaded Epic Mickey.

The effort to re-engineer Mickey is still in its early stages, but it involves the top creative and marketing minds in the company, all the way up to Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chief executive.

This may or may not become a regular feature with this blog, but I thought it’d be interesting to try in the short-term. This probably-weekly piece will be brief thoughts I have regarding the comics I’m looking at purchasing, based on the week’s shipping list from Diamond. If nothing else, I’ll be interested in seeing for myself how my expectations, sight-unseen, hold up to what I think of the books after I’ve read and thought on them for a bit.

Now, for the week of November 4th, 2009…

DOOM PATROL #4 (BLACKEST NIGHT)
Only reason I’m planning on getting this issue is that it’s an official Blackest Night tie-in. Also admittedly looking forward the the plastic ring that I’m hoping I’ll be able to get–they may be cheap hunks of plastic, but honestly…they’re just about the coolest promotion I can recall.

SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #9 (OF 12)
Been getting this series, as with the other Superman titles. Almost seems a shame that it’s “only” 12 issues…but at the same time, better a finite-from-the-get-go series than yet ANOTHER supposedly ongoing series getting chopped hardly a year into its run. If anything of New Krypton (the planet) survives the arc, I hope they keep the numbering of this, even if they drop Superman’s name from the title…

HAUNT #2
Picked up the first issue thanks to blatent online promotion of the book. Wasn’t horrible, wasn’t wonderful. But given the “star power” behind it, I want to give it a couple more issues to grow on me…it’s got plenty of potential, and all that.

DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #899
Though I tend to complain a lot about Marvel’s numbering (among many other things), I take the numbering of this as tongue-in-cheek, and given it’s Deadpool (and the nature of the character) I actually find this series’ numbering fairly amusing. The sheer audacity of the “countdown” numbering (as if it’s gonna last the next 5 years, let alone 75-some) fits nicely. The absurdly-high number will also keep this at a higher number than any other of the longest-running and recently-renumbered Marvel books out there.

DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS #347
Speaking of numbering, I love the fact that even though they could simply start the numbering from scratch on these books/concepts, Boom is keeping the old numbering and CONTINUING these Disney books. However, I certainly hope this does NOT have some 2-part cover split across editions of the same issue. I don’t like variants to begin with, but so long as I can get a copy with the cover I prefer of what’s out there, I’ll simmer in relative silence.

All in all, looks to be a decently-small week for me. Also one of the most diverse weeks, with 2 DC books, an Image book, a Marvel book, and a Boom book. Most weeks I seem to be all-DC with maybe one exception, if any.

The Wise Little Hen (A Galinha Sábia, em português) é um curta-metragem produzido por Walt Disney em 1934, como parte da série Silly Symphonies. Diferente da série do Mickey, onde os personagens eram introduzidos e utilizados em vários curtas diferentes, os curtas da série Silly Symphonies não possuiam personagens fixos (com exceção da adaptação de Os Três Porquinhos, que teve várias sequências), mas dois personagens clássicos da Disney fizeram suas estreias aqui: Humphrey the Bear (Urso Colimério, no Brasil), que já apareceu em diversos curtas, desenhos feitos para a TV, longas e HQs desde sua primeira aparição – inclusive, foi protagonista de dois curtas em 1955, pouco antes do estúdio deixar de produzir curta-metragens -, e o mais importante, o pato mais conhecido do mundo: Pato Donald!

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Em sua primeira aparição, Donald Fauntleroy Duck era muito diferente do pato que todos nós conhecemos e amamos: seu bico era bem mais longo e seu corpo muito mais, digamos, “arredondado”. Porém, a roupa de marinheiro se manteve, com algumas ligeiras modificações. Neste curta, Donald não possui um papel muito grande na história, tampouco possui muita personalidade, mas isso não impediu que o personagem se tornasse bastante popular entre o público e os próprios animadores do estúdio. Após sua aparição em The Little Wise Hen, o diretor do curta, Bert Gilett, reintroduziu o personagem em um curta do Mickey lançado no mesmo ano, Orphan’s Benefit, onde Donald aparece pela primeira vez com seu visual clássico e demonstra sua personalidade explosiva que conhecemos atualmente. A personagem título, Little Wise Hen, nunca mais apareceu em animação alguma, mas uma personagem possivelmente baseada nela, Clara Cuck (Clara de Ovos no Brasil), fez sua estreia também em Orphan’s Benefit, enquanto o outro personagem do curta, Peter Pig, fez uma única aparição em The Band Concert, lançado em 1935.

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Espero que gostem da curiosidade e apreciem The Little Wise Hen – que por sinal, é uma animação muito bonitinha e com bastante valor histórico!

Click pe imagine.

Huey Duck, Dewey Duck, Louie Duck, ? Duck, Della Duck, Donald Duck, Gladstone Gander, Fethry Duck, Abner “Whitewater” Duck, Gus Goose, Matilda McDuck, Scrooge McDuck, Hortense McDuck, Quackmore Duck, Goostave gander, Daphne Duck, Lullubelle Loon, Eider Duck, Fanny Coot, Luke Goose, Cuthbert Coot, Downy O’Drake, Fergus McDuck, Jake McDuck, Angus “Pothole” McDuck, Humperdink Duck, Elvira “Grandma” Coot, Casey Coot, Gretchen Grebe, Quackmire McDuck, “Dirty” Dingus McDuck, Molly Mallard, Gertrude Gadwall, Clinton Coot, Sir Roast McDuck, Sir Swamphole McDuck, Hugh “Seafoam” McDuck, Malcolm McDuck, Sir Quackly McDuck, Sir Stuft McDuck, Sir Eider McDuck, Pintail Duck, Cornelius Coot.

Ahh, just the cartoon to start off my Halloween festivities. Past the Pop tarts and lets get the day started!

Adrian Sutil has jokingly suggested that he may create some artwork for Jarno Trulli following the pair’s collision on the first lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix. With the Italian having produced several photos of the incident in Thursday’s press conference at Yas Marina, the German is keen to put the matter behind him.

“Hopefully it is,” he responded when asked by Autosport if the matter has now been consigned to the history books. “He will walk around with his pictures for a few weeks more and tell everybody but…” A shrug of the shoulders by Adrian was accompanied by a final suggestion from the German:

“Maybe I will draw a picture for him with a Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, or a Goofy or whatever…it’s done – I can’t listen to it anymore.”

An economics lesson delivered in an entertaining way. Enjoy.

I just came across this internet gem- my favorite video to watch in school when I was younger.  I especially loved the billiards part (which doesn’t happen until late in the 2nd video, into the 3rd).  Donald thinks he can do it? “There’s nothing to it!”  He’s always good for a laugh.

We’ve actually seen some quality videos recently about groundwater extraction and its cleaning process to become drinking water as well as some videos on wastewater treatment.  If, when I was a kid, I’d seen the wastewater video where they said ‘poo’ and ‘toilet-paper’ a thousand times, that might have been my favorite back then.  But I didn’t, so this Donald the Duck one is.  I did find myself laughing the other day when they kept repeating the word ‘poo’ (full disclosure: I’m nearly 30 years old).

…tracking down some vintage Donald Duck!

Learn more about it here.

Disney vaults,

-Shady