Zombie Coffee

 

This year has been a rich blend of Disney comics for the folks residing in the United States. The Disney Masters remains steady in output and another Glénat publication reached our shores in Zombie Coffee. So, the question must be answered: is Zombie Coffee a smooth mixture of a $5 latte or 99 cent sludge at the local mini mart?

It is a tasty brew. Zombie Coffee by Régis Loisel is a must buy. It has everything that a good Mickey Mouse comic needs. Mickey is active and resourceful. Horace makes for an excellent sidekick. Minnie and Clarabelle provide steady support. Pete and Sylvester, as always, are a great villainous pairing. The comic brims with energy. The artwork does a good job of referencing Gottfredson’s 1930s heyday while retaining its own style. The Glénat line is all about bringing in non-Disney artists to create Disney comics in their image. There is no point in hampering a unique style.  

Blankly speaking, it is my favorite thus far of the Glénat comics translated into English. Mickey’s Craziest Adventures left me cold. It ran on too much of a gimmick. A Mysterious Melody was an excellent character piece, but I am more of a two-fisted reader. The story delivers the pulse pounding action.

Firstly, the few drawbacks:

1. The main villain: Rock Fueler. For the plot to work (without Mickey and Horace being suspicious), Pete and Sylvester couldn’t be the main bad guys. Thus, they are rendered as henchmen. Which is fine. Pete is flexible enough to be the main heavy or an auxiliary adversary. Sylvester is certainly greedy enough to work for financial benefit. Plus, it is the Great Depression! Jobs were scarce. But the villain himself, while entertaining, is pretty one-note. He comes off as more of a capitalist caricature in Soviet propaganda than a fully fleshed out character. He is no Trigger Hawkes. But his name is great, and he entertains.
2. Donald’s appearance. It is superfluous, doesn’t fit the period, and feels like another sign that Mouse comics can’t thrive unless a Duck makes a splashy cameo.
3. For all the praise of following in 1930s Gottfredson’s footsteps, you couldn’t squeeze this story in a FGL volume and have it fit. It is just a touch modern in writing and sensibility.
4. Like Mystery at Hidden River, Sylvester’s lawyering tricks weren’t used. It would have been interesting to see him try to repossess the houses via dubious legal avenues instead of engaging in hands-on sabotage.

Of course, that begs the question about Mickey Mouse comics and the evolution of said comics. By the end of Gottfredson’s run, his Mickey had “evolved” into a sleepy suburban dweller more interested in living a normal life than seeking adventure. With few exceptions, he spent the last years of the daily serials having adventures pop up, quickly trying to deal with them, and then returning to the same dull routine. Scarpa started his stories from that trend (though his Mickey was more vibrant) and some of Casty’s tales follow in that vein. And we all know what most folks think of Murry’s Mickey and his activeness as a character!

Is it healthy to continue to hark back to Gottfredson? I am torn. Evolution is a tricky subject. As a country music fan, I have seen Nashville country music (the stuff you hear on the radio and in the mainstream) parrot non-country elements as “evolution.” Saving Country Music (one of the best music blogs around) correctly demonstrates that Texas Country not Nashville Country is true evolution. Nashville Country has broken away from the roots while Texas Country has extended outwards from the trunk. Mickey’s comics need to find that balance between laboriously following in Gottfredson’s style (the mid-1930s edition of the character remains the best portrayal) while reincorporating elements present in modern day. After all, the 1930s Mickey utilized contemporary components.

Now for the major successes:

1.   Loisel really does nail the meandering, gag-a-day feel of the strip. Even Gottfredson’s best work contained instances where the plot took time to develop. Free from the restraints of a 32-page format, the daily strip could afford to spend time indulging in gags. “Sky Island” (one of Gottfredson’s finest serials) spent weeks having Mickey enjoy his flying before kickstarting the plot.
2. David Gerstein, as always, hits on the translation and dialogue.
3. The camping trip subplot while appearing like padding sets up the plot and provides some laughs.
4. Horace as Mickey’s sidekick. When Goofy finally developed personality other than the Dippy Dawg laugh, he generally assumed the role as Mickey’s #1 partner-in-crime supplanting Horace or Minnie. Murry’s serials confirmed the usage. Here Horace is up for any sort of action. It is a nice tribute to an era where partnerships and formulas weren’t codified.
5. This line: “Ol’ Goof’s always been kinda dippy, hasn’t he?”
6. The fight scenes are dynamic. Loads of energy and action. The pages almost feel animated.
7.  Mickey tanking a wrecking ball to the chest. As Horace said, “Whoa! That’s moxie!” And that is our Mickey!
8. I wish we lived in a timeline where 25 cents were considered outrageous for a burger!
9. Minnie and Clarabelle’s assistance felt organic to their character and not forced.
10. Not entirely sure why the mad scientists avoid prison. They were just as guilty but their comments about fast food are a great closer. Hey, several fast-food chains started during the Depression.

The Glénat series has certainly given Mickey Mouse fans plenty to discuss over the years. Zombie Coffee should be a landmark story for decades to come. It is a tale told firmly and with much spirit.

Two Ears Up!