Sequel critics/new British MM

[DAVID.A.GERSTEIN]

      DON:
      You mention "two people who ever voiced a dislike to my face to 
my continuity and sequels (the other Gladstone Duck writer and 
writer/artist)".
      Who writes Ducks for Gladstone?  Ron Fernandez, I guess.  
But he did a sequel to "Trick or Treat" and next fall he's doing a 
sequel to the sequel, from what he told me at the Convention.  And 
is the writer/artist Vic Lockman?  Who else writes AND draws 
Ducks for Gladstone but him?  Do you mean Van Horn?  He's only 
done ONE measly story for Gladstone in Series II.  Everything else 
for Egmont.
      I guess you expected everyone to know who you were referring to 
with the quip above, but doggoned if I can figure it out.

      VAN HORN'S NEW SCROOGE STORY has just seen its first part reach 
British publication.  That's right, for the first time since I've 
been in Britain, they finally decided to print a non-Mickey story 
that was in more than one part.  The English title is "The Pauper's 
Glass."  I like the story (partly because Pegleg Pete appears in a 
single panel on page 7!), but it just doesn't seem to have any 
distinguishing spark.  If we're supposed to not recognize a disguised 
amnesiac Scrooge on page 8, Van Horn has failed, because there is 
little doubt in my mind as to who exactly we're looking at.
      The art is variant.  WH is using pie-eyes again and I think it 
works to the characters' benefit.  On the other hand his HDL look 
downright unattractive nonetheless in many panels.
      But I like the story enough to be eager to see the second part.

      The British also printed the MM story "Phantom Bob Returns" 
this time out.  I think it must have been improved by the Norwegian 
translator, Jorgen.
      We see M+F ending up foodless while MM is away.  I always 
thought they lived with their mom and only visited MM a lot (as in 
the old FG strips).  The writer here would paint MM as a very 
negligent parent indeed.  So the kids are always at his house, and 
whenever he gets caught in an adventure that he hasn't prepared for, 
they go without food?  Ouch!
      The bit about Mickey's friends tearful over his kidnapping and 
then forgetting about looking for him due to various distractions, 
was incredible.  Some friends they are.
      And who's the little girl (well, I think it was a little girl, 
because she was licking a lollipop) who hung around the Blot's house? 
The Blot calls her Alberta on the first page.  Is this the Blot's 
daughter (as in that old Disney Comics story)?  A maid of 
some kind?  Certainly seems to be in on his plot, in any case.  And 
why would a little girl be in on his plot if she wasn't a relation?
      Esteban is capable of such wonderful art.  We've got Egmont's 
art management to blame for the style he is now forced to use in his 
Mickey Mouse stories.
      Next week's MM story is titled "The Prowler" according to an ad 
in this issue.  I'm not looking forward to it.  Sounds like another 
by-the-numbers crook chase.

      The British issue also contains a short Launchpad story, "The 
Stunted Pilot" (D93284, art by Colomer) and a very funny DD gag by 
Santanach (D93028), in which DD "wants to see three guys shovelling 
snow when he gets back" from town -- or so he tells the kids, and 
-- well, that's exactly what he sees.

        David Gerstein
        <9475609 at arran.sms.ed.ac.uk>