Don’t just swing there… Get hiking, Viking! Hiking to your local comic shop for a copy of
DONALD DUCK # 21 from IDW!
In content, it is exactly like its predecessor, DONALD DUCK# 20, right down to once again (…and, all together now) omitting my cover
credit! This is getting to be a bad habbit, Rabbit!
CUT (to the quick) for the second issue in a row! Oh, woe…
But, to (Ahem!), the issue at hand...
In it, you'll find Part Two (and conclusion) of "Helmet of the Gods", a 2011 Italian adventure written by Carlo Panaro, drawn by Andrea Freccero, with translation and dialogue by the great Jonathan Gray -- whose last name REMAINS short enough to (again) fit into the cover's clearly crowded credits banner.
We still have the same enthusiastic baby whale from last issue...
...who's lost none of his cuteness and enthusiasm since last time!
And we still have our special guest professor/scientist/historian/ antiquarian (and square-egghead) "Oleg Owlson", who still looks like a Funko POP figure!
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| "Pinky, are you POPPING what I'm POPPING?" |
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| "I think so, Brain... But, if Jimmy POPPED CORN and NO ONE CARED, why would he continue to do it?" "Be grateful I don't POP you on the nose, Pinky! |
Oh, Man! If there still were a PINKY AND THE BRAIN comic book, I could write for that too! [End of Pinky and The Brain Digression]
I just called Professor Oleg Owlson a "square-egghead", so I can't help but wonder if he might have hatched from an offshoot of one of Carl Barks' SQUARE EGGS...
...from THIS ULTRA-CLASSIC STORY.
Could be...
Wonder if he had that diving mask custom made?
Anyway, the story takes some interesting twists and turns, which I will not spoil... save for maybe two minor things...
THIS GREAT FULL-PAGE SCENE! (Click to enlarge!)
Can't you just HEAR that unforgettable music score from STAR TREK playing now?!
And, Jonathan's incredible acronym...
...a delight for all fans of FREAKAZOID...
...and that includes Melvin X. Nickelby in "Heads You Win... Tails You Bruise!", from UNCLE SCROOGE # 367 (2007)!
Finally, some wise words from Donald...
Would that ALL our "adventures", both fictional and actual, end similarly!
Such is short-lived for Donald, however, as we move to our second story...
...Yes, it's the second appearance of Princess Oona - who "opens doors" to her own particular brand of adventure!
"Oona's Shopping Maul" (my title, natch) is written by Stefan and Uhn Printz-Pahlson, drawn by the great Victor Arriagada Rios - better known as "Vicar", and with an Americanized English Language script by yours truly.
At least I made it to the INSIDE front cover credits!
Needless to say, Princess Oona proceeds to wreak havoc across modern-day Duckburg...
...in that "Education for Thursday" sort of way...
...But, thankfully minus the unfortunate stereotypes.
Oddly, Oona demonstrates a modicum of discriminating taste when it comes to TV viewing.
Honestly, can you blame her for that last one? Huh?
And pity poor Neighbor Jones, as if living next to Donald isn't rumpus enough.
As the title promises, Donald and Daisy take Oona to the mall.
Followed by an after-shopping snack at "Bertram's Burgers"!
A special shout-out to the first person who can name ALL the stories in which I've used the name "Bertram" in the script! (...It may be more than you think!)
There's plenty more mall-madness to come, but we'll stop here and skip to Donald's dilemma at the end.
"Stay tuned for more soon!", it says. ...But WHERE?
As you may know, this is the last issue of IDW's Donald Duck title - soon to be absorbed by a 48-page quarterly DONALD AND MICKEY title.
As I already have completed the THIRD Oona story, detailing Donald's frustrating attempts to find the Prehistoric Princess a job and a place to live, I presume it will surface in the new DONALD AND MICKEY title.
Funny, but this is not the first Blog post I've done for what looked to be the FINAL ISSUE OF DONALD DUCK, and I'm not about to say this is the final issue either!
But, for now, I'm proud and humbled to have written the final lines of dialogue for the great DONALD DUCK comic book title, that began with this..
...And, at least FOR NOW, ends with THIS!
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.
...Though Eega Beeva is exempted from this!
