Donald And Kin Kick Off The Countdown To Halloween 2015

Welcome to the Countdown to Halloween 2015 blogathon! To regular visitors—we're always glad to see you knocking on our door, even if you don't have a costume. To new visitors—I hope you find Tulgey Wood to be full of delicious treats, just a few deliciously spooky tricks, and only the best kind of candy! To kick things off here's a classic Halloween cover from Walt Disney Comics Digest, Issue 4, October 1968. Drawn by veteran Duck artist Tony Strobl, Donald and his quacky kin pop out of a carved-up pumpkin to usher in October. Huey, Dewey and Louie are the only Duck family members who seem to be evidencing any Halloween-worthy behavior: one nephew has a slingshot, representing, I guess, spook night mischief; one is popping out in a scary manner; and the other is putting on cat mask. (Coincidentally--or is it?--I selected a cat mask as the Countdown to Halloween blogathon badge for 2015.) I hope this Disney pumpkin adds a touch of spice to October 1st for you—and also inspires you to come back every day this month as Tulgey Wood participates for the fourth consecutive year in this spooky-season blogathon.  Be sure and check out other participating blogs —over 200 as of this writing, including Tulgey Wood—who are "crypt keepers" in this year blogathon.These are the wickedly decorated houses giving out the best treats this year. And as you are having all kinds of Halloween fun all month, visiting the varied "crypt keepers" is also a great way to discover new blogs you will enjoy visiting all year long. Each year I have found new favorites through Countdown to Halloween—a number of them have been added to the blogroll at the right. And be sure and stop by throughout the month right through October 31st itself as we Countdown to Halloween here at Tulgey Wood.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Duck

Today is the official birthday of that wacky quack-up, Donald Duck. To celebrate, here's part of a profile of Donald I wrote for the Disney Standard Character Guidebook, which I had the honor of writing. It's used by Disney Consumer Products and Disney Licensees (Hallmark, Mattel, etc.) in creating art and stories and toys and just about anything involving Mickey and his pals—Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, let's not forget the all-too-often-forgetten Daisy, and of course the birthday boy himself—the most well-known and beloved collection of characters in the world.

Happy B-Day, DD

Now that it's actually Donald's birthday (his 77th), here's a classic Carl Barks cover from Walt Disney's Comics and Stories (#153 June 1953, which was the month of the Duck's 19th birthday) that's centered on cake if not specifically birthday cake. Speaking of covers (and Donald and birthdays), did you read my Donald Duck cover story in Disney twenty-three magazine? It was published in the Summer 2009 issue to commemorate Donald's 75th. If not, you can get a back copy of that ducky issue at DisneyStore.com.

Happy Unbirthday, Donald Duck

Today being Friday the 13th, it seemed appropriate to say Happy Unbirthday to Donald Duck. As a tribute to the wacky quack's penchant for not so much finding trouble as trouble finding him, the Disney Studios for many years stated (tongue in beak) that Donald's birthday was on Friday the 13th—March 13, in fact. Through the years, the Disney Studio reportedly celebrated their fine feathered film star's whenever that unlucky (if not unducky) Friday rolled around, whether it was in March or not. In 1941, Random House gave Donald the star treatment by publishing a "tell-all" biography, The Life of Donald Duck. Random House's co-founder Bennett Cerf always said he wasn't interested in publishing children's books (he changed his mind in the 1950s when Dr. Seuss created The Cat in the Hat) but of course this wasn't a children's book. This hardcover (complete with dust jacket) volume was created for adults (though child friendly), the main audience for Donald's onscreen antics. As Walt Disney so frequently pointed out his films (and related products) were created for everyone, not just kids. This "authorized" biography continues the conceit that the squawking star was hatched on Friday the 13th. But since we all know Donald's official birthday is June 9, 1934, let's wish our lucky Duck a happy unbirthday today, and hope he he has many more unbirthdays filled with of comedic chaos. And if you would like to read a biography of Donald Duck written by me (as well as the bios of nine other favorite Disney characters, also written by Jim Fanning), check out the D23 website.

Fantagraphics To Publish Carl Barks

This news has been all over the internet since early this morning but it's worth repeating: After already announcing this past summer plans to publish Floyd Gottfredson's classic Mickey Mouse comic strip in hard cover volumes (the announcement was the news of the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con), that fantastic publisher of comics Fantagraphics got 2011 off to a ducky start by announcing today that they will publish the complete Disney comic-book work of master comics writer/artist Carl Barks. In a very wise move, Fantagraphics will start with Barks' top-of-the-crop work (rather than starting with Barks' still-evolving first stories), with Volume One (to be published this fall) spotlighting some of the epic Donald Duck book-length adventures and Volume Two to showcase Carl's first epic Uncle Scrooge adventures. For more details and an in-depth interview with editor Gary Groth about the Barks project hurry on over to Robot 6. This of course fits right in with my current Walt Disney's Comics and Stories postings, the past and future home of Carl Barks' Donald comic stories. More to come!

1/1/11

We're celebrating this first day of the New Year here at Tulgey Wood in style with the very first issue of Disney's flagship comic book Walt Disney's Comics and Stories. Issue Number 1 was published in October 1940, and what was inside? In addition to the latest episode of Floyd Gottfredson's Mickey Mouse comic strip reprint serial "Mickey Meets Robinson Crusoe" (originally published in newspapers in 1938 and 1939, and started serially in Walt Disney's Comics' predecssor Mickey Mouse Magazine), there were reprints of Al Taliaferro and Bob Karp's Donald Duck newspaper comic strip, "stories" about the Silly Symphonies The Robber Kitten and Water Babies, puzzles, riddles and even "Mickey's Hints" about such matters as table manners. The cover with that mischievous Duck giving a sly wink as he opened up the "Opening Number" might be an indication Donald knew he had not only taken over for Mickey on the cover of Mickey Mouse Magazine (Donald was on the last four Mickey Mouse covers of that Magazine, of which the new comic book was a continuation) but would also appear on almost every Walt Disney's Comics cover from 1940 through today (although in recent months Mickey has been spotlighted on the cover). On the back cover was a list of winners for the drawing contest from the July issue of Mickey Mouse Magazine, another indication that Walt Disney's Comics is a continuation of Mickey's mag. After you enjoy this primo Disney art (attributed to premier Disney artist Hank Porter), check out my online article about Walt Disney's Comics and Stories at the (free) D23 website. The 1st issue of the number 1 best selling comic book in history just seemed appropriate for 1/1/11—stop by for more about Walt Disney's Comics and Stories in the following days.

Haul Out The Holly

It's December, so to get our seasonal celebration off to a good start here at Tulgey Wood, here comes that ducky holiday bird Donald Duck on the cover of Walt Disney's Christmas Parade (September 1989). In this wonderful art—evocative of crisp snow, icy air, a crystal clear sky with sparkling stars—by Disney comic-book and animation master artist Daan Jippes, Donald knows a tree is the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit—even if the tree contains an unexpected guest. This very Christmasy cover is obviously inspired by Carl Barks' 1948 comic book classic "Christmas on Bear Mountain," though that story does not appear in this particular comic book. Stop by Tulgey Wood all through the Christmas season for all kinds of Yuletide treats, and a few seasonal surprises too.

Donald Duck: Thanksgiving Bird

Here's another Thanksgiving cover from Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, # 63 (December 1945). Drawn by comics great Walt Kelly this fun art reminds us that good ol' Donald has been as much of the Thanksgiving scene as tom turkey. After all Donald has flown many times in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, starting I believe in 1936 when he was soaring to ever greater heights of popularity. As you enjoy turkey (or tofurkey) on Thursday, remember to give thanks for balloon and comic-book star Donald Duck—and stop by on Thanksgiving Day for another rarely-seen photo of the Donald Macy's balloon from the 1960s.

A Thanksgiving Duck

A turkey gets the best of the Duck on this Thanksgiving-themed cover from the November 1940 issue of Walt Disney's Comics and Stories. This was only the second issue of this long-running title—all the more remarkable given it just published its 700 issue. Word is that the new publisher, Boom! Comics, will start running more comics in the classic tradition of this great comic book that will be celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2010. Reason enough to give thanks.

Hey Kids! No School Tomorrow!

A little known footnote of the Disney theatrical roster, feature- or featurette-length compilations of cartoon shorts were a way to repackage the cartoons and satisfy the demand for Mickey and his pals. Thanksgiving weekend of course means four days of no school so it’s naturally prime time to pack movie theaters full of kiddies. In 1953, when this Thanksgiving cartoonarama were released, the Disney theatrical animated short was on its last legs and the following year Disney entered series television with a regular showcase for his animation. Cartoon compilations like this was another way to showcase classic cartoons while giving theatres the opportunity to tap into the matinee audience, which of course expanded past Saturday afternoon during the Thanksgiving school break. This particular poster offers its own pleasures with that wonderful art—definitely something to be thankful for.