Sleepwalking Ducks: Society's Greatest Threat

Today we dive back into the world of Disney, particularly into the life of the perennially unlucky superstar, Donald Duck. This time he's sleepwalking, all the while his nephews have to deal with the aftermath.

The artist this time is Riley Thompson (10/5/1912 - 01/26/1960). Born in Alhambra, California, he started as an animator at the Leon Schlesinger studio, working on Porky Pig and Merrie Melodies shorts. In 1936, he went to the Walt Disney Studios to work as an animator on various shorts and on Fantasia.

In 1940, he was promoted to director and for the next 10 years, he directed various Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy cartoons. His filmography includes one of my favorite Mickey cartoons, Symphony Hour.

During the fifties, he did a lot of comic book work, mostly for Disney and Walter Lantz titles. For a short time, he was an animator for the Walter Lantz studio. That was his final job for animation, as he died in 1960 for reasons that I don't know.

Thompson has a very interesting drawing style. It's much cartoonier than his colleagues, and more or reflects the squash and stretch effect of animation. I will have more of his work up soon. Enjoy.

From WDC&S Issue No. 123

Writing: Unknown /Art: Riley Thompson

Until Next Time
Happy Trails

Do the Duck Fair

Here's another piece of Disney delight. Here is the third and final story from the comic Donald Duck and the Flying Horse.

Jack Bradbury was a former Disney animator until leaving the studio to go into comic books. He worked a lot for Dell Comics (the publishers of the Disney comics). His artwork is good in other books, but he is not that good at drawing the Ducks. When I see his work, it always looks like the beaks aren't that well-attached to their faces, like they glued them on wrong.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

From Walt Disney's Donald Duck Issue No. 27

Writing: Unknown Art: Jack Bradbury

Until Next Time
Happy Trails

More DuckTales to come.

Guess Who's Going To Be Dinner?

More Disney goodness!! It just keeps coming. I'm going to give it to you until it comes out your ears. Aren't you glad to have a blogger like me?

Anyway, this story concerns The Big Bad Wolf, his son, and his eternal struggle to get The Three Little Pigs into his oven. Only this time a new player is added into this classic farce.

There's also a nice little cameo from some of the birds from Cinderella

From WDC&S No. 115 (April 1950)

Writing/Art: Gil Turner

Until Next Time

Happy Trails

Bucky Bug Goes To Town

Here is another installment of Eric's Comics Corner. It's more delightful narrative from Walt Disney Company.

The main character this time is Bucky Bug. This series is interesting because these characters only existed in the comics. They originally appeared in the initial Silly Symphonies comic strip. Another fact that I find odd about this comic is everyone speaks in rhymes. I would have a joke for that, but I'm not that funny.

From WDC&S No. 115

Writing: Unknown Artist: Jim Pabian

More delightful Disney comics to come.

A Bit On Manuel Gonzales

Today I am here to talk about one of the artists whose work I posted about earlier. I think it's important that we learn more about the artists who bring the classic Disney characters to life on the comic book page.

Today, it's Manuel Gonzales.

Manuel Gonzales is a Spanish-born artist (born 3/3/1913) who started out as a painter in his native land. He migrated to the United States in the mid-1930s, where he got a job as a staff artist at the Walt Disney Studios in 1936. In 1938, he was given the job of drawing the Mickey Mouse Sunday page when Floyd Gottfredson left it to work exclusively on the dailies.

On the Sunday pages, Gonzales drew the daily life adventures of Mickey and friends, in stark contrast to the grand adventures of Gottfredson's dailies. It seems to adhere closer to the animated shorts. He continued to draw them until his retirement in 1981.

Along with this, he illustrated the newspaper comics versions of such Disney classics as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. He inked a few daily strips of Donald Duck for Al Taliaferro and illustrated a few Disney books for Golden Press and Whitman Publishing.

Manuel Gonzales died in March of 1993.


His artwork is solid and well-drawn, although sometimes his Mickey is a little squat without much on that animated verve of the cartoon Mickey.


His style is somewhat similar to Paul Murry (responsible for the work above), although much more appealing and better drawn than Murry's.


His version of Pluto is wonderful. Pluto is cute and appealing, and it looks solid and three-dimensional.

A good solid artist whose work should be appreciated.

Until Next Time
Happy Trails

Mickey One-Pagers

More treasures from my collection. Here are some Mickey Mouse strips. I find the artwork superb, although the writing to me is a bit pedestrian. Nothing that really sparkles in my eyes. I hope you all enjoy.

Writing: Bill Walsh Art: Manuel Gonzales

WDC&S No. 115

WDC&S No. 123

WDC&S No. 131

Until next time
Happy Trails

Donald vs. Gladstone

Here is more fantastic Disney artwork from my comic book collection. Today, it's a ten pager from "The Good Duck Artist" himself, Carl Barks!! This story is another installment in the eternal struggle between Donald Duck and his everlucky cousin (and nemesis), Gladstone Gander. I hope you enjoy.

"Gladstone's Luck" (WDC&S No. 131)

Writing/Art: Carl Barks

More Disney goodness to come!!

Happy Trails