Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade (Gemstone)

Clearly, the feature attraction is supposed to be Carl Barks’ “A Letter to Santa,” which, while a well-deserved classic, does feature a stunningly out-of-character moment for Uncle Scrooge (his steam-shovel battle with Donald gets him fined a million dollars — and he doesn’t blink), but there’s plenty more good stuff here.

While the other reprints don’t hold up well, the new-to-us European stories manage to entertain without hitting us over the head with a “message.”

The best of them is Petrucha and Ferioli’s “’Tis the Season,” which provides Mickey Mouse a door into summer which comes with both intriguing consequences and a terrific punchline. Ferioli is quickly becoming the definitive Mouse artist, with his amazing ability to make the ’30s-style Mickey seem fresh, crafting a world where Horace Horsecollar can mix with contemporary characters like Doc Static or Mickey’s cute female neighbor. This is a gift with something for everyone in the family.

— S.A. Bennett

Jump to issue:

#1

Dec 2003

Cover: $8.95

W: Carl Barks, Gail Renard, Stefan Petrucha, Pat McGreal, Carol McGreal · A: Carl Barks, Paul Murry, Lee Hooper, Marçal Abella Bresco, César Ferioli, Ignasi Calvet Esteban

Reprints from Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade (Dell) #1, 2, 3, Four Color Comics (2nd Series) #367

3 copies from $6.50
#2 Variation A

Train Cover A

Nov 2004

Cover: $8.95

W: Carl Barks, Del Connell, Vic Lockman, Carl Fallberg · A: Carl Barks, Don Rosa, Paul Murry, Bill Wright, Gil Turner

Reprints from Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade (Dell) #2, 5, Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #196, 268, Four Color Comics (2nd Series) #256, 1073

2 copies from $6.50
#3

Nov 2005

Cover: $8.95

W: Carl Barks, Romano Scarpa, Marco Rota, Del Connell, Tony Isabella, David Gerstein · A: Carl Barks, Romano Scarpa, Gil Turner, Marco Rota, Jack Bradbury, Daan Jippes

Reprints from Four Color Comics (2nd Series) #203, Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade (Dell) #3, Dell Giants #26

1 copy for $6.95