Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade (Gemstone)

(Gemstone, 2003-2006, 2008)
™ and ©2003 Walt Disney Productions

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:

Notes

Writer

Artist

#1

December, 2003
Cover Price: $8.95
3 copies available from $8.00

Carl Barks, Gail Renard, Stefan Petrucha, Pat McGreal, Carol McGreal

Carl Barks, Paul Murry, Lee Hooper, Marçal Abella Bresco, César Ferioli, Ignasi Calvet Esteban

#2 Variation A (Train Cover A)

November, 2004
Cover Price: $8.95
2 copies available from $8.00

Carl Barks, Del Connell, Vic Lockman, Carl Fallberg

Carl Barks, Don Rosa, Paul Murry, Bill Wright, Gil Turner

#3

November, 2005
Cover Price: $8.95
1 copy available for $8.50

Carl Barks, Romano Scarpa, Marco Rota, Del Connell, Tony Isabella, David Gerstein

Carl Barks, Romano Scarpa, Gil Turner, Marco Rota, Jack Bradbury, Daan Jippes