Floyd Gottfredson May has extended into June, just for you, my loyal subscribers. More Floyd is never a bad thing.
First, some housekeeping. A special shout-out to GeoX for plugging this blog at Duck Comic Revue. DCR served as one of the major inspirations for this project. The Disney Comics family is small but vibrant!
The Seven Ghosts
Lesson Learned: When going to business, make sure you pick partners that make you look better
So many great reactions
"The Seven Ghosts" starts directly after "Foreign Legion" ends. Mickey thanks Minnie for the pie and the generous welcome only to see her freak out about leaving the door open when he makes a joke about turning up like a ghost. Clarabelle, Donald Duck, and the whole town also turn tail when confronted about the topic.
Mickey, concerned, decides to do the not-so-smart thing and ask Goofy what is going on. Goofy, hearing fake news about Mickey's apparent demise, thinks he is a ghost and tries to prove it by kicking Mickey in the shin. After that bit of slapstick, Goofy says he knows the source and takes Mickey to Colonel Bassett's house.
Goofy's fourth wall break is 10/10
Mickey meets the ghost and Goofy gives us the best shit-eating grin in Disney history. Mickey decides to play civic hero because he is the only one in Mouseton who knows how to function normally and Mystery Inc. won't be invented for 33 years. Unfortunately, this is the pre-Chief O'Hara police force, which means Detective Casey-level egos without any competence.
The unnamed sergeant tries denial over admitting that Mouseton is infested with ghosts. His comedic shaking and underling's comment undercuts his claims.
Today's readers are used to Mickey's unofficial/official role with the police force but in the early serials, he was definitely more of a vigilante, struggling against a corrupt and inept establishment.
Elite character
Mickey enlists Goofy into starting a detective agency and Donald catches the duo as they are furnishing their office. Mickey uses a little reverse psychology to fill out their trio. Donald takes the bait and the lineup is complete.
Colonel Bassett responds to the call. He is a loveable stereotype of the Southern Big Daddy and is responsible for many of the serial's laughs, especially since his largest complaint about the ghosts is their lack of genteel manners. The mansion might burn down but decorum must be maintained!
Lack of chase scenes
The trio head to the manor and a ghost immediately shows up to issue a threat. Mickey stands his ground and says he and Goofy aren't scared. The ghost calls out Donald, who was hiding in the bear rug after the lights turned out.
Interestingly, this story served as the foundation for Donald's cowardice flaw in The Three Musketeers movie. For some, it proved a controversial move. However, it had canonical basis and really worked well in one of modern Disney's best movies. I wore out my DVD copy.
Following the time-honored tradition of Fred Jones, the trio split up and display character-based interactions to the ghosts. Donald hears noises and hides, Mickey becomes frustrated by his inability to find a secret panel, and Goofy has a comedic knock-knock joke.
The ghost reappears to Mickey and feeds an entertaining backstory about being undead and the terrible unemployment situation (topical humor for the 1930s). Some great lines are shared:
"For there's one thing that nobody can do and that is fight ghosts!"
"Bein' a ghost isn't all it's cracked up to be! I almost wish I was alive again."
Shoot first, ask second: 1930s Mouseton
The ghost hands over a gun to Mickey and issues a direct challenge to shoot. Mickey, not hampered by soccer moms in the 1930s, fires. The bullet goes straight through the specter and he disappears with a laugh. Goofy and Donald hear the shot and come barreling into the room. Goofy (!) makes the suggestion that the gun was full of blanks. But no, they were real bullets.
NRA Mickey
Mickey suggests that Colonel Bassett had something to do with the ghosts as he keeps conveniently reappearing after they vanish. He interrogates Bassett again and the Colonel reveals that the ghosts ordered the attic off-limits. Mickey also says he is going to take a pot shot at the next ghost (I love 1930s Mickey).
Meanwhile, Donald is more interested in eating flapjacks but trips and spills flour - which may or may not be a plot point. The ghost reappears and Mickey immediately shoots. The quartet discovers the bullet right through the ghost into the wall. The rest of the group consider the possibility of real ghosts before Mickey sees the footprints in the spilled flour.
The ghost reappears and, for some reason, despite being incorporeal, he is displeased at being shot at. I thought the dead would above such earthly concerns. Mickey turns meek, begs forgiveness, and asks for parley with the other ghosts. The phantom agrees and after he leaves, Mickey tells Goofy his plan. He, Donald, and the Colonel are to stall while Mickey hunts for clues.
1930s Mickey acts, not reacts
The seven ghosts finally appear together on the printed page and Mickey hops out the window. As the trio keeps the group busy, Mickey heads to the attic. He finds a traffic gun and uses it to signal out the window. To his surprise, a ship responds.
It is always real estate fraud or smuggling
He heads down to the beach but plunges into the ground when the drain pipe proves incapable of holding the weight of a small, humanoid mouse. Mickey discovers a stash of weapons, grabs some guns (because, again, this was the 1930s), and sees a boat heading for shore. He realizes that the entire operation is covering for smuggling. (Hanna-Barbara clearly harvested inspiration from this serial)
Always watch your back
Mickey finds the secret panels and plans a trap for the villains. Unlike Fred, Daphne, and Velma, he decides to capture the ghosts himself and not subject his good friends into being bait for maniacs in a mask. Ever realize that trio always condemned Shaggy and Scooby for being cowards but they always ran from the ghosts and refused to be bait? Bunch of hypocrites!
He makes his move and, of course, Goofy ruins the ambush by announcing his presence (Mickey will never learn this lesson: don't involve Goofy!). Mickey reacts in time and uses his pepper gun to distract the ghosts and hold them at gunpoint.
The ploy worked but the cavalry arrives - for the bad guys! The boat crew has Mickey at their mercy and things look bad for the Mouse when more cavalry gallops in! Yes, the police sergeant and his posse stroll into the room. Mickey called in backup before confronting the villains.
Insufferable gloater
The sergeant seizes credit and attempts to take over the interrogation. The head ghost repeatedly mocks and Mickey suggests, as the main character and the hero, that he asks the questions. The unmasked ghost proves cooperative to the idea, and respecting the convention that the captured villain tells all, reveals how everything worked: from the blank in the gun, to the ghost jumping aside as Mickey shot, and how the cloaks disappeared in the dark.
The phantom in Scooby Doo didn't pull that!
He uses the demonstration to escape and everyone, except Mickey, panics. The Mouse steals the sergeant's gun (that won't fly in 2026), breaks another window, and dashes into the hidden cave. He catches the bad guy in the act and the man gives up the ghost.
Colonel Bassett punches the sergeant for not being a gentleman and then kicks him out.
Donald is just great
Bassett hands over the $5000 check and the trip divides it into $1,667 - which Donald thinks can pay for a new car, clothes, a house, a boat, and a trip around the world with enough left over for investment. That wouldn't fly even in the Great Depression!
"The Seven Ghosts" continued Gottfredson and company's mid-1930s hot streak. The trio played well with each other - the genesis of their animated adventures - is clearly present. The Scooby Doo setup works well for a plot.
Two Ears Up!
