Mickey Mouse; Mickey Vs. The Master of The World (1985)

Synopsis: A special stone grants The Phantom Blot the power to become enormous, and it’s up to Mickey and Goofy to reduce his newly gained power.

Mickey contre le maître du monde (F JM 85136) | I.N.D.U.C.K.S.

“Mickey contre le maître du monde” isn’t the best story to read if you have Arachnophobia (as one of the main plot points in the comic centers around a giant spider), but it is a great story to read that kinda gives off halloween vibes but also can be viewed as just a regular Mickey story. It ALSO comes to us from France, and it’s here that we get another unique panel layout than most of the usual Disney comics. Comics that were originally made in France are formatted in a way that still has 4 rows of panels, but unlike others where each row would have 2 panels, France decided to bulk it up alittle and make it 3 panels per row, thus increasing the normal number of panels a page from 8 to 12. This can often make the story either very complex or very crammed, depending on who the artist is. Thankfully, this story’s the former.

So, this is one of hundreds of Mickey stories that puts him and his main…friend...ish?, Goofy, in a mystery that usually climaxes or ends with Mickey solving the puzzle out. This series of kinda detectives Mickey and Goofy comics originally started when our villain of today’s story first appeared; 1939's “Mickey Mouse Outwits the Phantom Blot”. An epic action-packed mystery that Floyd Gottfredson helped paved the way for… slightly less epic action-packed mysteries. So that’s why you have Mickey and Goofy alongside the local police tracking down criminals across their city, Mouseton (yes, both he and Donald live in different towns in the comics, and Yes, Mouseton is a more stupid name for a city than Duckburg).

As for this particular story, it’s alright. I do like how Goofy ISN’T causing nothing but problems for Mickey on their adventure for once (spoilers; that’s gonna be an ongoing thing in these stories). The layouts are solid all throughout and having more than one action scene in this is very cool to see considering it being a 10-pager. Although, I will say, you’d think at this point they would have locked the Blot up in a more protected prison or something, if he keeps escaping to perform his multiple acts of crime.

"Goofy, I know there's this big ass Spider web in the middle of nowhere, but I think you were just dreaming about the big ass spider in question." Then again, the police ACTUALLY trying to investigate is more unbelieve then the spider who belongs in Australia.

Blot, I don't know how you STILL can't figure out how Mickey defeats you if a cage made of slightly thicker popsicle sticks is the toughest container you can put the fancy-dressed mouse in.

Why... are you terrified of a different giant spider if you JUST saw one last night? I don't think your brain grew alongside your body, buddy.

 I've Got MY Crown, Cap'n!

I don’t trust a woman like Betty Boop in being a pirate. Not because I don’t believe she’s incapable of being one, actually it’s kind of the opposite. Whenever she’s written to be an actual character who doesn't just stand around and look “hot”, she can really pull out a good fight. After all, she IS someone from the deep pits of New York who just survived the notorious Roaring Twenties and now has to live through the Great Depression. She kinda HAS to learn to defend for herself in some way, otherwise she’ll either die homeless or get shot.

No, my problem is that she has a hard time focusing on more than one thing, and usually that thing is how to look as expensive and glamorous. She’ll tear a buccaneer’s chest open to keep all the treasure for herself but forgets that her boyfriend’s nearly dying cause he’s pretty much on his own. Then again, I feel like that’s part of the New Yorkian oath; “Thou shall heed help for another company unless it caters to Thou’s own personal needs and nothing more”. If any form of consideration was performed over there, Time Square would end up looking like it was frozen in time for months.

Now, surprisingly, I didn’t actually do the original layout for this. I mainly cleaned it up and inked it. That part goes to my partner, Corey C., whose penciling and craftsmanship I consider near-perfection, with how smooth and solid it looks while still maintaining its own unique look to it. Also, he’s REALLY quick with his work so I, as the good sport that I am, am always… extremely jealous towards considering how long I take to get anything done.

More info on this for some stupid reason; This was based off this one Betty Boop statue I own that’s supposed to be used as a candle holder for Halloween. This is abit of a rant, but I personally find it annoying that, for how much merchandise this girl has every year, she rarely ever has anything of her as the swashbuckling new yorkie she could easily be. Keep in mind, there’s this, there’s ONE plush of her in a captain outfit, and there’s like two table statues of her as one. OH, and there’s also that stupid bobble head that Funko did years ago that doesn't even match what she’s supposed to look like on the box. That’s it. This sounds nitpicky but she usually has like a billion versions of her usual look (Cowgirl, nurse, birthday cake, and witch) that it kinda makes it look like they’re not interested in changing it up for a day. Also yes, we both agreed to make her a dog like she used to instead of making her a human like the candle holder because Poodle Betty > Human Betty.

 Plague Doctor, I Presume?

Whenever people were severely sick during the dark periods of the Middle Ages, it was usually a VERY bad sign when the local plague doctor comes a-knocking at your door. Now, is Jr. sick, you may be asking? Not really. He’s pretty healthy when it comes to avoiding any kinds of diseases or viruses and is one of the few students in his high school who actually bothers to wash their hands, so he gets a gold star for doing the bare minimum. He does, however, have what some scientists have termed “Pathogenus Ludi Electronicii”. An extremely common disease that many folks tend to have, especially when cooped up indoors because the city council refuses to add more sidewalks and instead wants to add another 50 kinds of highways. What happens? It’s when you think purchasing a $600 Nokia N-gage that looks like it’s been beaten with a crowbar is a good investment and not think twice about it.

Tom and The Death Salesman

The sole keeper of souls despises many a-things when it comes to members of society (a.k.a everyone on his never-ending hit-list). Some of whom are those whose weekly schedules regularly follow the seven deadly sins, while others are those who spend more time harassing people he/she can’t stand and REALLY need to go out more and get a life. But the people he hates the most are those who mock and imitate him. You would think committing an act, to him, would be seen as a dishonor to his job (which is to solely maintain the basic foundation of life itself), but confidentiality, it’s much more personal. I mean, as we all know, picking out the correct cloak is a challenge in itself. It has to perfectly match the approved Bear paint at Home Depot paint-card, which is a slightly deep black, so it doesn't come off as grey, but not complete black so it makes him look like he’s nothing but a shadow (he has to show you his presence SOMEHOW).

Also, if you understand what the painting on their wall is, I both congratulate you for having a sharp eye and apologize for reminding you that it used to be a fairly popular children’s game.

 To Dance Around in Your Bones

October has started once again, and everyone’s celebrating for the next 30 days. From the ghosts and ghouls, to the vampires and werewolves, to even the hundreds of skeletons seeking out literally ANYTHING that’s not either dirt and grovel or the wood from their coffins. When they finally disengage from beneath the earth’s unseen soils, the REAL skeleton dance begins. Or rather “dances” because you KNOW their uncovered asses ain’t stopping at just one dance at the ballroom. They’ll keep those records spinning until the groves uncoil themselves so much that they end up becoming home-made Slinkys.

Now if you’re wondering, this piece is based on one of the layouts used on the sheet music cover for the tune “Tain’t no Sin (To Dance Around in Your Bones). Is the song good; depends on which band/orchestra is playing it. Why is the “WAckY FunNY fAce” here; God if I know. Also, I love the fact that the couple on the sheet music cover, you know, the literal dead decomposed skeletons, have bouncy hair just sticking up there like they came back from the local barber shop (something I also drew in the piece if you carefully notice). I would say there's no shame in hiding any bald spots you may have, but they're god-damn skeletons! They have NOTHING on them! They're all bald! Glueing wigs on you is only just gonna make it more noticeable.

 A Witch's Special Delivery

The season of Autumn has finally set up camp for the next couple of months, and everyone who doesn't have the 1st edition completely un-changed (for the worst) holy bible sewed on to them (though a good amount of them DO and still get exiled from most parties) is getting their supplies ready for October, And this includes witches. Spells have to be practiced, Curses have to be checked so they have an overly-complicated method in reversing it, and the cauldron they got at a flea-market decades ago need to be bluewing with potions that looks more appetizing than Campbell’s Chunky Chili Mac soup (seriously, who in the chilly dark pits of hell’s putting that in their mouth; especially when they’re sick?!).

Every kind of mixture, even from the most wicked of witches, needs SOME kind of actually fresh products for it. In comes the severely under-paid delivery boy (or in this case, the grocery boy) to save the day… and more realistically their butt from their being used as a lab rat to test the potions.

If I find someone else on earth besides me who either remembers or even knows the grocery store "Genuardi’s", I’d be a very happy camper for the day.

Treasure Deep in the Dark

You have a better chance in uncovering all kinds of treasure in caverns and caves, where they might’ve been stashed long ago and not underground where they’d be buried like some kind of time capsule, especially if you want said treasures to not be completely scratched and bruised in microseconds because of all the dirt and gravel. Even sand can easily damage what you buried if you’re not careful. But then again, the idea of pirates putting parts of their plunder somewhere that can easily be found (even self-storage units keep everything protected lock and key) confuses the hell out of any historian.

But The Piracy Pimples aren’t real pirates. They’re fictional non-real characters that usually follow what the script or outline of a script tells them to do with all of their backdrops being completely drawn for them to interact in. So of course, the booty’s completely polished and untouched. They can literally hand that treasure chest over to PCGS and they’ll see a perfect rating on its report card with a quickly drawn smiley face on the top. Chef’s kiss.