The Secret of the Black Whale

So I recently purchased the volume: The Forgetful Hero in the Disney Masters collection. There is a prime Mickey Mouse story in it: "The Case of the Cut-off Calls." The story is done by Giorgio Cavazzano and it is a masterpiece. (BTW, the whole volume is worth owning. Excellent work and translation.) I don't currently have access to a scanner so I decided to review a Cavazzano story (well, art only) that is available online. Enter "The Secret of the Black Whale" written by Casty, art by Cavazzano, and translated by ? as neither Inducks or comiXology lists a name. 

The set up is pretty typical: Mickey and Goofy are on vacation in Tierra Del Fuego (a name I recognize due to colonizing it in Europa Universalis 3!). Ever notice how Mickey takes more vacations with Goofy than Minnie? Maybe Goofy pays his own way?

The Italian art varies greatly from the Gottfredson/Murry tradition but I dig the vibrant set-up. The energy pops off the page. Just look at this spread:

Mickey and Goofy decide after being cheated during a short taxi ride to check out the marine museum. Mickey mocks the suggestion thinking there won't be anything interesting in it. You would think that Mickey would learn that adventure happens everywhere to him! Ah, the joys of limited continuity. They enter the museum and met Estrella Marina, the curator of the museum, a jovial character, and making her first of four appearances in Mickey comics.  

Marina is all about whales. Which as hobbies go is a solid one. After Mickey overcomes his bout of embarrassment, a little bit of science exposition is given out. If Casty's stories have a lull point, it is usually during the information dumps. They are not bad per say but no one has ever done it as well as Raiders of the Lost Ark. 

Her goal is to decipher what whales and dolphins have to say. As such, it is time for some topical humor: we know what the Miami Dolphins have to say about things! Her goal is gently mocked by the local seaweed farmers. It is a nice touch that the relationship isn't stormily contentious or rooted in gender roles, but basically lighthearted teasing between blue collar workers and their eccentric friend.

Captain Jonah (I got that reference!) explains that he quit whale hunting because Nero the Black Whale arrived and conquered (i.e. destroyed) all the whaling ships while fiddling. OK, the fiddling didn't happen. 

Then the villain of the piece (his appearance gives it away), De Bolt, arrives on the scene. If you ranked Casty's villains, this barnacle is near the bottom. He comes off as more of a rejected Captain Planet villain. Then again, most villains of environmental parables aren't three dimensional characters, but just the living personifications of greed. It is the nature of the genre. Displaying the villains as something more than just lusting moneybags can undercut the green moral. It is simpler to show monetary lust than having a villain with the motivation to offer jobs, has a sympathetic background, trying to balance two worlds, etc. Casty's "The World to Come" handled its environmental story with greater care. 

The next morning discloses that a massive wave (conveyed by some epic art) has raided the town. The seaweed farmers talk about how Nero arrived and left destruction in his wake. Some of the troupe disagree. The farmers in response decide to head for the open seas to find out. They don't allow Marina to come along but she, Mickey, and Goofy sneak aboard. As following in the grand tradition of unsuccessful stowaways, Goofy's sneeze immediately gives them away. 

Captain Jonah threatens to throw them off the ship but Marina calls his bluff. She pulls out her laptop and discovers that the whale songs are irregular. Nero arrives one night and everyone remarks in alarm that Nero could have sunk them but for some reason he didn't. Marina also inquires and Jonah cheekily wonders why she doesn't ask her laptop. 

The crew wakes up the next morning to discover a giant cruise ship with a Nero-sized indent in the side of the hull. 

Marina obtains a photo of Nero to discover that only the whale is huge but it has shark teeth! It is either a new species or the scientists from the Jurassic Park movies have been hired by Sea World. Either way, it is troubling news. Of immediate worry is the rapids that toss the tiny ships around massive icebergs. Fortunately, the story doesn't reenact Titanic (there is a parody idea for the Italian comics!) and the ships emerges to some amazing art. 

Similar to "Mighty Whale Hunter," (of which this story is a spiritual sibling), there is a secret hidden in the icebergs. Cavazzano's work jumps off the pages. 

Jonah decides to reveal the massive secret: Nero is fake news! Once upon a time during an expedition, the seaweed farmers were saved by dolphins and meeting with the whales was enough to make them forsake the business forever. Like many recent converts, they decide to start a jihad on whaling by building a complex fake whale. (Bug's Life homage?) Having sunk all the whaling ships (without any apparent deaths. Impressive luck), they retire to hide Nero. 

Admittedly, this is a bit convenient. I mean, I respect the idea being presented: near death experience leads to conversion. A watery Road of Damascus. And I am certainly no fan of whaling. But I have a hard time believing that hardened seamen would just drop their line of income with nary a complaint and quite frankly their wanton destruction of other whaling ships shouldn't be seen as a positive. Eco-terror is still terror. Destroying other boats was dangerous and illegal. They didn't even give the other whalers a chance to see the light. PETA, eat your hearts out. 

Well, it turns out De Bolt followed the "heroes" to the secret cove. He, of course, immediately goes into Captain Planet villain territory to distract that the "heroes" sunk more boats than Doctor Vulture. (Fortunately for him, Bill Walsh didn't write this tale or he would be marked for a watery grave!) Despite his crew abandoning ship at the sight of Nero, De Bolt pulls a Cutler Beckett/Captain Ahab and chases the mechanical whale. Nero traps him in an ice gully and breaks the ice raining icy death upon the whale hunter. He is fished out of the water by the seaweed farmers.

One final secret is revealed. Nero, for this adventure, was not being controlled by humans but the whales and dolphins. Somehow, they are smart enough (and possess the necessary legs and thumbs) to operate the complicated machinery previously shown. Marina's program reveals that it can translate the words of the whales. Estrella's celebration leads to her knocking the laptop into the icy depths. But it is all good: she found a new way to listen to whales. Mickey and Goofy head out satisfied with another vacation.

Generally, Casty's stories immediately rank in my favorites list and in my reread slots. This story just doesn't. The environmental plot is hackneyed. The villain is a caricature. Mickey and Goofy take a backseat during the action. The whales operating Nero is impossible to swallow. 

It is hard to believe, but "Mighty Whale Hunter" despite being written in the last 1930s does a better job of balancing the ethical issues of whaling and economical reality. Mickey in that story wrestles with trying to ensure the whale is saved while helping his boss. The dynamic heightens the action and reveals the depth of his character. I am supposed to buy that the converted seaweed farmers are good guys as they sink the other whalers' ships just because they saw the light. C.S. Lewis was right again about moral busybodies. Casty's "The World to Come" integrates its environmental theme much better. 

There are some redeeming factors. Marina is a great supporting character. She is vibrant and engaging. Cavazzano's art is fascinating. Casty includes some fun jokes. It is not be the best catch but it isn't a shipwreck. 

One ear up. One ear down.