Disney-comics digest #331.

[David A Gerstein]

	Dear Folks,

Ole about "An education for Thursday":

> And in December, 1950
> came a follow-up (panels are shown on the back of Norwegian issue)
> where Mickey and Goofy, the Great Totem, visit Thursday and Friday,
> by Bill Wright alone?

Harry Fluks about that follow-up:

>Could this be the story "Tom-tom Island" from Mickey Mouse Four Color 304,
>drawn by Riley Thompson?

	OWOO!!  Riley Thompson drew that?  After watching "The Little
Whirlwind," "Mickey's Birthday Party" and "The Nifty Nineties" (that,
btw, is the other "drunk" MM -- not "Symphony Hour"), I thought that
Thompson only deserved praise in my book.

	"Tom-Tom Island" ranks among the worst Disney comics ever to
appear in English, in my opinion.  Mickey travels to Tom-Tom Island on
an invitation from Friday and Thursday, to discover that F and T are
only two of an entire race of identical natives.  Forget about their
long friendship -- the natives, now that they have Mickey and Goofy
there, hope to devour them.
	"An Education for Thursday" is one of the most prejudiced MM
stories of all time, but compared to it, "Tom-Tom Island" is
practically a _Mein Kampf_ in its racist tone.

	"The Little Whirlwind" is a sudden departure from all MM
cartoons done before it since about 1934.  It is a solo vehicle for
Mickey -- the only one in its era -- and is absolutely magnificent.
The film Mickey suddenly acts 100% like the FG Mouse, and I think
that's why it stands out as the best and most interesting MM of the
period.  Certainly the only film Mickey with any real depth.  The
lobotomy was completely reversed, if only for one film.  Mickey calls
Minnie "Toots," even.  I love it!

	David Gerstein
	"Boopa-Doopa Um Tota!"
	<David.A.Gerstein at Williams.edu>