Funnies Talkback: Donald Duck & Friends #318

[Thad]

It all starts in Donald Duck and Friends 318, when Don meets Wilfred Whirlwit, his old-time best pal from high school science class. Poor Wilf's just been turned down for a science lab job--and Donald jokes that he should get even with Duckburg for its lack of respect. Trouble starts when Wilfred is struck by lightning-- and turns into "The Demon Genius," taking Donald's joke seriously and drafting Donald as his helper. Yikes! The shocking story is brought to you by Danish writer Per Hedman and Chilean duck artist Vicar.

Mad science continues with Mickey Mouse's "No Thanks for the Buggy Ride," written and drawn by fan favorite Noel Van Horn. True, Mickey's inventor pal Doc Static is no madman. But his latest creation is surely wacky: a method of bringing life to images from slides. This incredible feat turns nasty when some enlarged, projected insects play havoc with Mickey and Goofy! A short Donald gag story rounds out the remainder of the issue.

So what did everyone think of this issue? Don't think that because I premote the Gemstones on my website that you have to be biased positively.....


-Thad

[Cartoon King]

Overall, not a bad issue. I had considered not purchasing the "and Friends" titles until I read that they were going to start adding classic reprints into the mix come October.

I liked the Mickey story better this time around. Noel Van Horn does better with the newer crop of stories IMO. I find it interesting that the better Mickey stories are actually in the DDAF title as opposed to Mickey's title.:mickey:

To me "Burglar Alarm" was the better of the two Duck stories this ish. I can actually relate to Donald's predicament as I have had to deal with annoying alarms from neighbor's houses on more than one occasion. And they always seem to go off for no apparent reason other than a fly landed on a windowsill. I liked the ending as well. :)

[Thad]

This was a decent issue, the Donald stories being better than average, and a good Mickey story.

I liked the Mickey story better this time around. Noel Van Horn does better with the newer crop of stories IMO. I find it interesting that the better Mickey stories are actually in the DDAF title as opposed to Mickey's title.:mickey:
That's a problem I've noticed as well. At least there'll be no more Morty & Ferdie "Riverside Rovers" (or whatever the team's called) as back-up for awhile...

I personally think the best Mickey writer today is Byron Ericson, the biggest Gottfredson fan I know of. His work can be found in Gemstone's WDCS 637 and 638, MM 258, and Donald Duck Adventures #5 (this one, "The Blot's Birthday Plot", being one of my all-time favorite modern stories).


-Thad

[rodney]

The trouble with the whole '....and friends' title is that the stories would have only in the past been considered as backup stories in the old days.

'The Demon Genius' is a perfect example. Stuck in the back of a book, it wouldn't be so bad, but as the lead story, well, it leaves much to be desired. Vicar's art looks odd in this one. Panel 4 of page 4 looks almost like Robert Crumb. Gary Leach does okay with the dialogue, but this one doesn't rate better than average.

The Mickey story (No Thanks For the Buggy Ride) should have been much longer, but it still would've been nothing more than another big-bugs-little-hero story. Noel Van Horn draws the mouse better than anyone else these days.

The second DD story, Burglar Alarm, is the best story in the book, but could've been stretched to a 10 pager with some more gags. Oh well.

Branca's cover is very nice, as his always are. It seems like he channels the early 1950's Barks in his covers. They're always very attractive.