COMIC BOOK COMPULSIVE — Donald and Mickey Annual 1974
Let’s start the new year right with something short and fairly awful, Donald and Mickey Annual 1974 from Fleetway in the UK. Some of the contents are reprints of American Disney material, some appear to be European (and not very good). And then there’s this insanely off model Mickey Mouse story I’m going to go ahead was drawn by British hands. I make that assumption because I keep seeing examples of Mickey in the UK that are just appalling; it’s like either the artists didn’t care or were working from zero reference material. I mean, check out the Mickey on the cover; he’s positively Soviet looking.
And then check out how Mickey is drawn in this sort story, “Making a Splash!”.
And for bonus ick points, here’s a close-up of Mickey without his shoes. Maybe it’s just me, but I always find it extra ooky whenever I see either Mickey or Goofy appears sans shoes or socks.
And then there’s this activity page; OK, sure, Mickey looks just fine…
…but check out what he’s wearing. A long jacket, with a tie? What the hell?
And here’s a How To Draw Mickey page; I wish I could they could shown it to the artist who drew “Making a Splash!”
— Steve Bennett
What’s more shocking is that this would have to be shown to and approved by the relevant Disney department responsible for licensing before publication. Having worked on a comic featuring Hanna-Barbera characters and seeing the mistakes that an inept editor made which were passed by HB, it’s hardly surprising that such off-model material sneaks through when the relevant representatives don’t seem to bother.