PopCultHQ received an advance review copy of Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: Donald’s Happiest Adventures from Fantagraphics. Available Tuesday, February 21st, the creative team for this collection features writer Lewis Trondheim, art from Nicolas Kéramidas, colors by Brigitte Findakly w/ Christina Hwang, and letters by Christina Hwang w/ translation by David Gerstein.
Here’s PopCultHQ’s spoiler-free review of…
Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: ‘Donald’s Happiest Adventures’
Written by Lewis Trondheim
Art by Nicolas Kéramidas
Colors by Brigitte Findakly w/ Christina Hwang
Letters by Christina Hwang
Translated by David Gerstein
ISBN-13: 9781683966661
Hardcover, Full-color, 9.5″ × 12.6″, 48 pages
SRP: $16.99
In Shops: February 21st, 2023
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Acclaimed French cartoonists Lewis Trondheim &
Nicolas Kéramidas present a mind-bending Duckburg graphic novel!
When Donald grouses that money will never buy Uncle Scrooge happiness, Scrooge snaps — and sets Donald on a treasure hunt for happiness itself. A terrible task for an unlucky Duck… or is it? With help from Professor Ludwig Von Drake, deep in the cranky kingdom of Brutopia — the impossible may be possible!
Presented as a “lost” 1960s Disney story — complete with retro-style color — Donald’s Happiest Adventures bristles with wit in the Carl Barks tradition… and bustles with the whole Disney comics cast, including friends and rivals Gladstone Gander, Mickey Mouse, and Pegleg Pete!
Walt Disney’s Donald Duck:
‘Donald’s Happiest Adventures’
Take a trip back to the wonderful world of Disney with this delightful tale featuring everyone’s favorite quick-tempered quacker! Whether you are a fan of classic Disney comics such as Carl Bark’s original Donald Duck work from the 1940s, or more modern age delights such as Don Rosa’s The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck, this book is for you! Everyone shows up from Donald and Uncle Scrooge, to Mickey and Ludwig Von Drake. It’s a laugh a minute! One of the most fantastic, stand-out things is how the story within also has teachable moments that be applied to real life. Deep-diving life lessons AND a fun romp involving Donald and friends!
Writing: Lewis Trondheim was most definitely raised as a Disney kid, or somehow tapped into that inner-child that exists within all who take up the lofty role of writing comics involving Disney characters. Donald is so great in this story! Readers will stay engaged with him and his quest for happiness every step of the way. The script is jam-packed with jokes, great dialogue, and snappy banter. Not to mention (as previously mentioned) the surprisingly profound lesson about what makes a person truly happy in this world. Lewis nailed it all the way with this script.
Art: Taking well-known public figures such as Donald Duck and applying one’s artistic ability to bring that world to life is a serious undertaking. Nicolas Kéramidas set out with the goal to take Lewis’s script and bring it to life and oh boy, did he nail it! Donald’s journey from Duckburg to parts unknown is gorgeously rendered. Every page is a visual smorgasbord. Each detail is dynamite, whether it is little things like Donald’s sailor suit or Mickey’s pants or the vast mountain ranges that our intrepid web-footed hero finds himself atop near the end. If Nicholas ever is attached to more Disney books as an artist, you can bet this reviewer will be picking up a copy.
Colors: Brigitte and Christina were a terrific team as the colorists. Artists have a tricky job to take a script and give it life through their artwork, but colorists have the daunting task to make sure that every single aspect of that art has further form and substance with the color choices. These two give a whole new meaning to the old comic book axiom “four-colored fun.” Like Nicholas’s artwork, the color palette is rich, full of vibrant tones that keep one rooted to the page. Three cheers for Brigitte and Christina!
Letters: Lettering a comic book is a lot of work. And lettering a comic book that is also being translated from another language is even more work. Because now you just aren’t ensuring that a script makes sense to the readers, it involves readership on an international, bi-lingual level. Christina swaps hats moving from colorist to letterer and continues to show that she is a force to be reckoned with in the comics world. Un autre triomphe pour Christina (Another triumph for Christina). And the same sentiment goes for David. He did a smashing job taking Christina’s work for the French market and applying the same dedication for audiences who speak English.
Overall Assessment:
If you are ever feeling sad and blue, here’s a simple lesson you should do. Take time to appreciate all you have, and don’t be mad, be happy and glad. For Donald had a simple quest, find the true source of happiness, easy yes? Not so, not so as you will see, because happiness is different to you and me. This tale is rife with fun for all and Disney fans will have a ball. It’s funny and thoughtful, fantastic, and fine, and worth every penny, nickel, and dime. So don’t delay I have to say, order a copy and take it home, hurray!
PopCultHQ’s Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
Publisher – Fantagraphics
For over 40 years, Fantagraphics has published the very best comics and graphic novels that the medium has to offer. Our mission is to celebrate great cartooning in all of its incarnations, from the form’s early luminaries to contemporary artists currently forging the future of visual storytelling. Not content to rest on our laurels and extensive roster of talented artists, we constantly seek out fresh voices from across the globe. Thus, we honor the rich history of comics while providing a platform for bold new stories, styles, and perspectives that push the boundaries of the medium. Fantagraphics remains peerless in our commitment to be the publisher of the world’s greatest cartoonists.
