Monday, February 7, 2011

Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge #400

I wasn't sure what to expect from this 400th issue of Uncle Scrooge - would it include a Don Rosa story, or reprint a classic Carl Barks story?

The answer ends up being neither one - but it's still a special issue, if a bit of an odd duck (sorry).

There may not be a story by Rosa, but thankfully he provides one of three available covers for the issue (the other ones are by Barks and Dan Jippes). You can see which one I picked up - it is, of course, terrific, offering a glimpse of some of Scrooge's greatest adventures.

Barks is represented by three one-page gags starring Scrooge - and the main story is a fanciful tale about a reporter's visit to "The Man Who Drew Ducks." The interview reveals the story behind the "Good Duck Artist" and how he ended up telling Scrooge's story.

It's a neat tale, written by Rudy Salvagnine and drawn by Giorgio Cavazzano, and it honors everyone's favorite duck artist.

There's also a fun story featuring Magica De Spell and her attempts to outwit Scrooge. Written by Byron Erickson and drawn by Dan Jippes (another excellent duck artist), it manages a fresh angle on that classic tussle over Scrooge's "Number One" dime.

Scrooge's stories were always great fun, loaded with adventure and humor and clever plot twists, and it's great to see the old bird still going strong.

Barks may be gone, but as long as there are talented writers and artists ready to carry on the tradition, readers will be able to enjoy more adventures like these far into the future.

Grade: B+

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