DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!
Should you ever find yourself returning from a grueling space mission - with 265,348,121,456 7/8 miles to go, be sure you've stopped off at some galactic comic-book shop to pick up a copy of WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES # 740 from IDW to pass the time on the homeward voyage!
Now, wouldn't it be better to read a great comic like this, than to be all nervous, anxious, and upset like Donald?
...Sure it would!
And, besides... You'd get to enjoy an outstanding -- and by the cover's own admission -- "Oversized Issue", chock full of "Donald Duck Adventure-Type-Goodness"!
"Prisoners of Zartac 2" (2008, 40 pages) is another great entry in the "TNT" Donald Duck subseries, written by Lars Jensen and everyone's favorite Archival Editor David Gerstein, and drawn by Flemming Andersen -- the creative team on every "TNT" story published in the USA to date! ...I'd wager to guess every "TNT" story - PERIOD!
"TNT", also known as the "Tamers of Nonhuman Threats", originally developed in the Disney comics of Denmark about 2000, made its American comic book debut in Gemstone's DONALD DUCK ADVENTURES digest # 4 in 2004.
It is an ongoing subseries concerning Donald Duck and his Cousin Fethry's adventures working for the "Tamers of Nonhuman Threats", a sort of "Men in Black" secret organization that battles supernatural menaces on Earth and, occasionally, outer space -- all while keeping the general public blissfully unaware of its covert and dangerous activities.
"TNT" stories continued to appear over the run of Gemstone's DONALD DUCK ADVENTURES and, more recently have been published in the current IDW comics, such as THIS ONE...
...THIS ONE...
...THIS ONE...
...THIS ONE...
Our story this time, finds TNT Agent Donald Duck bored and anxious to return to Earth after a space mission. Strikingly similar to Doctor Zachary Smith, the rascally villain from the classic TV series LOST IN SPACE...
...He changes the pre-programmed Earth-course to something that would get him home faster...
...And, with not dissimilar results!
Perhaps he could no longer bear to be "space-couped-up" with obsessively annoying Fethry, and his latest Fad-of-the-Month, psychology!
They crash land on a prison planet...
...Full of dangerous foes...
...One old friend!
...AND OH, WHAT A WONDERFUL REFERENCE TO SOMETHING THAT'S COMING UP!
>Cough! Rebo! Cough!<
Even if *I* can't talk much about it, I'll let AMAZON do it for me! RIGHT HERE! ...Aw, g'wan! Take a look! You won't be sorry!
75 pages of lead-story fun and adventure, and I'm doing the translation and dialogue, folks! There's also a sequel with same by Jonathan Gray, which I, too, will enjoy, once this book published! ...Can't wait!
But, back to our story... You know? The one that only tangentially mentions REBO? That one?
There's dangers galore...
...Donald's epic attack of guilt...
...And a surprise for readers of prior TNT stories, but, we're not going to spoil THAT for you! ...Even though it was spoiled for me before I got to read the issue for myself! Darn it all!
Get your copy of WALT DISNEY'S COMICS AND STORIES # 740 from IDW, before some enthusiastic and well-meaning Archival Editor in YOUR acquaintance spoils the issue for YOU, and enjoy it for yourselves! 😜
A four-page GOOFY reprint from DONALD DUCK # 64 (1959), drawn by Jack Bradbury (and likely written by Vic Lockman) rounds out the issue!
Just remember, I do not speak for IDW, or anyone in its employ. I speak strictly for myself as both a long-time fan and as a dialogue creator – and those opinions are strictly my own.
Then, let's meet up in the Comments Section, where I promise that no Nonhuman Threats (or SPOILERS of the surprise, at least from your humble Blogger) are lurking, for another spirited and fun discussion of another great IDW Disney comic book!
"Oversized" comments are always welcome - and may be met with "Oversized" replies! ...Just no oversized SPOILERS, please!
20 comments:
Question for you. Were they purposefully paying tribute to Lost in Space? Or was that a happy accident?
Marc:
Knowing ONE of the writers VERY WELL, I think I can rather safely assume it was nothing more than a “Happy Accident”. Though, like Doctor Smith, Donald does have his troubles with impulse control.
I just like tying together things that I like, when such coincidences occur.
...I'd wager to guess every "TNT" story - PERIOD!
Just about, as a matter of fact. The only exception I can think of is this little fanmade beauty: http://modmad.tumblr.com/post/164709580530/gonna-be-honest-not-my-best-work-but-with-the
Finally made it to my local CBS last weekend (Comic Book Shop, not the network with the big eye) and among other things located this issue!
While a relative newcomer to the TNT adventures of Donald and Fethry, I find the stories and the concept intriguing and compelling. What I like best about it is that the comedy is still intact and so are the personalities of the duck cousins. This one in particular plays up the "conscience-stricken" aspect of Donald which came out so brilliantly in Barks' "Luck of the North." Donald is so very impulsive, and yet he had a reasonable need/desire at the outset, which was to get home in a relatively quick time. Can't fault him too much for that. So right away he becomes "relatable" to the reader, a sort of "everyduck" for whom one is pulling to experience some sort of reprieve, vindication, or success. We've all had those moments of "well, that was a bad idea!" and yet Donald's moment has dire consequences attached to it.
Donald and Fethry play well off each other. They make a good combination, sort of like when Donald and Daffy teamed up on the "Hungarian Rhapsody." They can be abrasive toward each other but they also complement each other. Like the classic "buddy" comedies, the two of them bring their own brand of dynamite to the table. Maybe that's another reason why it's called TNT!
I love the cameo of Pedro the mail plane in the first panel. I wouldn't at all mind an expansion of Donald's delightful daydream into a full-length story! There's certainly plenty of story potential packed into that one splash panel.
Achille:
If this is Sarah Jolley, if seen her work and it’s VERY good!
Here, in particular, it even exhibits something akin to that “Very Early Gold Key Look”, exemplified by UNCLE SCROOGE # 40 (1962). Odd balloons, no panel borders, and nearly everything covered in one solid color.
HERE is Achille’s link. Everyone go check it out.
Scarecrow:
It’s a very fine (and admittedly subjective) line some of these concepts walk in relation to each of our individual views of what the comics Donald Duck (the Carl Barks Donald Duck, by way of Al Taliferro) IS and what he IS NOT – and what his “world” or “universe” SHOULD include and what it SHOULD NOT!
Strictly for me, “TNT” is on the very edge of what is “My Donald”, because it is grounded in what is still “recognizable Duckburg” and Donald exhibits “recognizable character traits” that harken back to the classic Barks stories. At the same time, it is about something far beyond his being driven to some comically obsessive actions after reading some oddball book, becoming the ultimate expert in some field of endeavor only to epically fail at same, or being reluctantly dragged into adventure by Uncle Scrooge. This works for me but, again, it is on the very edge of that subjective line.
Things like “Duck Avenger” (recently published by IDW) and “Double Duck” (published earlier by Boom! Studios) DO NOT meet the criteria of being acceptably recognized as “My Donald”! And the less said about “Ultraheroes”, the better ALL our lives will be! Read ‘em and you should see why!
Please note that this is a purely subjective attitude on my part, and everyone will see this differently.
This would be a fascinating subject to continue here – or, better yet, in a post of its own – BUT…
Special Announcement: Comment postings and responses, as well as any personal e-mail correspondence I may have with any of you will be temporarily suspended. Don’t worry, it’s for a GOOD reason. All will resume around the middle of November.
Until then, as Dean Martin used to say… “Keep those cards and letters – AND BLOG COMMENTS – coming in!” I so appreciate them, and will address everything when we soon resume!
Thank you, all – and, as Mickey used to say: “See ya real soon!”
Goodness, never thought I'd see my doodle comics mentioned on a blog like this! Thanks Mr. Torvicia, glad you like them. Sorry for not commenting before- I never feel like I have anything to add! But I'm very excited to see more TNT being translated, just love the possibilities it brings to the table :D
Sarah:
Very glad to see you here! Welcome!
Your work is magnificent! When we last got together at New York Comic Con, at the beginning of this month, David Gerstein showed me some of it - a story where Emil Eagle (LOVE that you used him!) set up Scrooge to have Magica and Gladstone de-powered! It was VERY well done!
I hope someone, somewhere gives you your professional start.
…And, I can’t imagine that someone as talented as yourself could have “nothing to add” to this humble Blog! You are always welcome here!
Aw shucks :'D Well if tumblr ever stops being broken I will certainly post more in the future. I may not be being paid, but at least that means 100% creative freedom! Anyway, please know that I am a blog follower, albeit a quiet one, and I appreciate all the work and love you put out there for us! Thank you :D
Sarah:
Well, one thing’s for sure, if I may be perfectly candid, working professionally you would definitely not have “100% creative freedom”! But, to put a positive spin on it, that has often forced me to be MORE CREATIVE than I might otherwise have been! It’s always a trade off!
Appreciate the kind words, and hope you keep following.
But, for now, this closes-out things until Mid-November! See you all then!
LOOK WHAT ARE WE GETING!!!! :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=96&v=FBrPQYTuvMI
Basicaly Scooby-Doo Team-Up THE MOVIE :D :D :D
Pan:
That is one GREAT bit of news! I am SOOOO getting that!
I’ve long said that SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP would make a great TV series a la BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD. And now here is that very thing I wished for!
Everyone check it out… Even Detective Chimp is in it!
HERE is the link!
I know you like it! ^_^
DoubleDuck was abandoned pretty soon in the US, wasn't it? There have been many great spy stories set in that universe ever since... and yes, I also like Duck Avenger in most of his different variants, though it's admittedly more fun to watch his slow evolution from "devilish avenger" to (funny super-)hero as opposed to suddenly be confronted with Ultraheroes (which I thought was OK, but certainly nothing to write home about, and nowhere near as great as the best Duck Avenger comics). One of the few DA comics I didn't like at all though was "Mistaken Identity"...drawn by Flemming Andersen. Which brings me to TNT. And no, I'm not a big fan of TNT but I like a couple of the stories (whereas others are complete rubbish to me).
Now comes a correction: Not all TNT stories were written by Lars Jensen (with or without David Gerstein). The new era has recently begun, the new author is none else but Byron Erickson! And in our anniversary LTB #500, his fourth TNT episode so far has really impressed me, also because Andersen's art has really improved a lot since the start of the series...
Julian:
I think this is where we just come down to “matters of opinion”.
I’ve defined the criteria that make up “My Donald”, and named certain sub-series for the character that DO and DO NOT meet those unquestionably arbitrary parameters.
Duck Avenger, Ultraheroes, and Double Duck decidedly do not. However, Double Duck *might* have squeezed in, had more care been taken by Boom! with the translation and dialogue.
After all, there are the “MIA” stories for Moldfinger and Zantaf that were published here – with the former actually having been published by Boom! And, there had been lots of other “Donald Undercover” sort of stories for many years prior. Those, though, were still “My Donald”! Double Duck, as translated and dialogued by Boom!, failed to convince me of that!
But, the earlier Boom! issues were a disaster in the way they “read”, because Boom did not initially use persons that were familiar with the characters and the type of “feel” and humor that needs to be applied to these stories. Because of that, I did not enjoy reading the earlier Boom! issues – and actually considered the drastic measure of NOT BUYING THEM because of that.
Say, what you will about the IDW (and, before that Gemstone and Gladstone) translations, at least the translators and dialoguers understood and respected the characters – certainly to a degree that earlier Boom! comics failed to do. Those Boom! issues were simply not “good reads”!
Then, things began to slowly change, with the introduction of Casty – for which I’ll be forever grateful to Boom! And, gradually, they began to bring on the persons who would become the mainstays of IDW, like David Gerstein, Jonathan Gray (I don’t think Thad Komorowski did anything for Boom!) and myself.
But, by then, Double Duck was over. Not that I missed it, but It might have been more interesting – and certainly a better read – if David and Jonathan had tried their hand at it.
Congrats to Byron, another great talent, BTW, for carrying on with TNT. I hope we get to see some of those one day.
Of course, since I haven't read the US versions, I can't take into account how good/bad the translations were for DoubleDuck. I've recently re-read my German version of the original four-parter and it's absolutely hilarious (while still being a great spy story in the vein of James Bond, with suspense and action). The Topolino readers commented that some of the jokes were even better in the translation! And that's not a given, since Vitaliano's dialogues are renowned for their fantastic humour.
Here's a list of the DoubleDuck stories with info which were printed in Germany and which in the US: https://inducks.org/comp2.php?code=&keyw=&keywt=i&exactpg=&pg1=&pg2=&bro2=&bro3=&kind=0&rowsperpage=0&columnsperpage=0&hero=&xapp=&univ=&xa2=&creat=&creat2=&plot=&plot2=&writ=&writ2=&art=&art2=&ink=&ink2=&pub1=&pub2=&ser=DoppelDuck&xref=&mref=&xrefd=&repabb=&repabbc=al&imgmode=1&vdesc2=on&vdesc=en&vde=on&vus=on&sort1=auto
The key story, IMO, is "Una missione lunga tre giorni", because it finally explains how Donald became a secret agent (those ever-elusive "three days"). Believe me, it's not only unbelievably funny (Donald wants to give a pot with two spouts to Daisy - that's how it starts!), but also constructed very well. Donald certainly had no intention to do it. That gives the whole thing more credibility in my eyes.
In the end, there's also the matter of being introduced to something. I love Barks' stories, of course, but the smaller LTB stories are often equally satisfying for me, even if the character traits are clearly different. And here in Germany, ever since LTB 41 (which contained the first four Duck Avenger stories plus framing story) was released in 1976 (way before my time!!), this side of Donald's has been very popular here. I grew up with it. Not everybody likes it, naturally, but I accept it as an extension/more mature version of the earlier Donald. The problem with Egmont producing Duck Avenger stories (at least the first ones produced by Andreas Pihl and the Shaws) is that their characterization of Donald is more like an exaggerated version of Barks' early Donald, and that does not mesh well with a secret identity that's about protecting others and defeating criminals. Hence, nonsense like "Legacy".
Then there's the thing that Francesco Artibani came up with, that DoubleDuck is in the same continuity as PKNA (the modern version of Duck Avenger), which led to the "TimeCrime" crossover... I'm not sure I like that, because it presents certain problems. But you know, we all have our own headcanon and all that.
Julian:
If nothing else, your comments show how important a good translation can be! To that end, we try to do the absolute best we can at IDW. David, Jonathan, Thad, and I all have a life-long love for the characters and, even if some may occasionally disagree with our approach, there is never any doubt as to our efforts to make these stories read as well as possible for the audience we serve.
And, yes… I’ll freely admit that certain likes, dislikes, and the contents of one’s personal headcanon, are very much influenced by “what one grew up on”! I’d go as far as admitting that may be why I love Super Goof, and have no use for Duck Avenger. …Though I still maintain that Super Goof is still “MY Goofy” and Duck Avenger AND Double Duck are NOT “MY Donald”! Whatever that may mean! …Though a better translation, along the lines you describe having read in German, *might* have helped Double Duck rate higher for me.
Have you read PKNA? It's regarded as the best thing created by Disney comics here in Italy.
Ali:
PKNA should be the "Duck Avenger" series that we got here from IDW. It was good for what it was, but I'm probably too much of a traditionalist to fully appreciate it - as my comments above indicate.
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