Disney-comics digest #253.

Don Rosa 72260.2635 at CompuServe.COM
Sun Feb 27 05:54:24 CET 1994


CHRIS LAWTON:
	Naturally, with being constantly reminded that you're "Mickey's
#1 Fan", I'm beginning to get the impression that you're Mickey's #1
Fan. But now I see you saying that what got you interested in Disney
comics was their ROGER RABBIT -- this implies that the first Mickey
comics you ever saw were those that Disney created in 1990-91. THOSE
were stories that made you Mickey's #1 Fan? *THOSE*???
	I'm also compelled to say something about the idea that Roger
Rabbit attracted someone to "Disney comics". I might have enjoyed WHO
FRAMED ROGER RABBIT as much as the next guy, but I see him as clearly
the anathema to Disney -- the total opposite of all that was Disney.
Roger Rabbit represents the very type of cartoon character that Disney
was so proud to be NOT associated with for 60 years, but which Disney
finally decided to capitulate to and embrace to cater to the modern
American who grew up on Warner Brothers' manic not-so-wholesome
zaniness. I see nothing in Disney's ROGER RABBIT or MICKEY MOUSE comics
that represented Disney comics. (I also question the whole idea of
taking Roger Rabbit, whose appeal was a cartoon character in the world
of live action, and putting him in comic books where he was a comic
character in a world of...comic characters? Wha...?)
	Disney comics ceased publication because people stopped reading
them in DROVES. They took Gladstone's circulations of 80,000 and
decimated them to less than half that. Stores in Oslo that sold 400
issues of Gladstone's Disneys, couldn't sell 1/4 that many Disney
Disneys. Readers around the world recognized Disney's Disneys as having
nothing of the spirit of true Disney comics of the previous 50 years,
and reacted by not buying them. The only people I've noticed who seemed
to like Disney's Disneys were youngsters attracted to their TV titles,
and who thought these were what Disney comics were all about. I can see
a possible anology between this and a fan of old Donald Duck animated
cartoons who thought it would be odd that Dell's Donald comics attracted
ME to Donald, when Dell's comics had little if anything to do with the
Disney Donald.
	Bob Foster was the only guy there that seemed to have read a
Disney comic prior to showing up for work, and when he gained more power
toward the end, things improved. But the damage was done. I doubt that
Gladstone will soon revive the Disney line as I can tell in my
convention travels that American readers clearly feel that Disney comics
are now tainted... soiled... not to be trusted... and they aren't
willing to give them the attention they had in the late 80's before
Disney started mucking about. It's like, "Why should I get interested
again? I'll be betrayed like before!" The decrease in interest in the
wake of Disney's Disneys is quite tangible! Gladstone has a steep uphill
battle -- I'm not even betting the farm that I'll get to see my entire
"Lo$" in English.





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