The Don Rosa Library

In 2014 Fantagraphics Publishing began releasing the Don Rosa Library with its first volume The Son of the Sun. They have released two volumes each year, and in November of this year they will release the tenth and final volume of this collection, titled The Old Castle’s Other Secret. With this final release the volume will contain the complete collection of Don Rosa’s Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck stories. Don Rosa wrote 88 stories between 1987 and 2006.

Volume 7:The Treasure of the Ten Avatars

Don Rosa Library Vol. 7 is 226 pages, and it includes stories published between 1996 and 1998. Volume 7 was released on July 25th, 2017. These collections are great for Don Rosa fans because not only does the volume contain eight great stories but there is also some great behind the scenes content. The additional content in the back of the book offers commentary by Don Rosa himself.

You can purchase Volume 7 from a local bookstore, but it is often easier to find it online. The collection can be found at amazon.com either by itself or in an economical box set that includes Volume 8: Escape from Forbidden Valley. This box set can often be found on Amazon at an amazing price. The end of this review will include links to purchase from amazon.com.

Included Stories

There are 8 Disney Duck stories included in the Don Rosa Library Vol. 6:

The Once and Future Duck

The Treasure of the Ten Avatars

A Matter of Some Gravity

The Vigilante of Pizen Bluff

A Little Something Special

Gyro’s Beagletrap

Attack of the Hideous Space-Vermints

The Last Lord Of Eldorado

The first story in Volume 7 is The Once and Future Duck. In this story Huey, Dewey, and Louie visit the home of Gyro Gearloose to find Donald testing a new invention that is supposed to help domestic life by providing a do-over option via time travel. Of course things go wrong, and the whole crew find themselves stuck in the age of King Arthur. There is a bit of a mix up, and Donald ends up pulling an Ironman to save everyone.

The Treasure of the Ten Avatars is one of those classic globe trotting stories that takes readers around the world and teaches us a little about history. To me, these are the stories that Rosa is masterful at crafting. Scrooge, the boys, Donald, and Chowdirhead travel through dangerous jungle in search of a lost city. However, once hey find it they must solve the riddles of the Ten Avatars to survive.

Rosa creates great historical stories, but I feel like he has the most fun creating stories about destroying the laws of nature. A Matter of Some Gravity is one of my favorites of these Duck Sci-Fi stories. Magica De Spell is the villain of this tale and she takes on Scrooge and Donald with a spell that reverses gravity for the ducks. As she gets away with Scrooge’s Number One Dime, he and Donald must climb Scrooge’s office, scale Killmotor Hill, and drive old 313 literally down Duckburg to catch her!

One of Don Rosa’s The Life and Times Of Scrooge McDuck is included in Volume 7. The Vigilante of Pizen Bluff expands on Scrooge McDuck’s time in the Wild West. In the story we are re-introduced to Scrooge’s Uncle Angus “Pothole” McDuck! Scrooge finds out that Angus has joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Scrooge visits his uncle only to be rustled into a pose chase after the Dalton gang.

In A Little Something Special Duckburg celebrates the 50th Anniversary Of Scrooge’s arrival in Duckburg, but things are not as they appear. This story includes some of my favorites twists and turns from Rosa’s stories. So I’m going to be careful not to spoil any of them.

Don Rosa prefers to write longer stories about Scrooge and Donald, but every now and then he still had to put out a single page story for the publishers. Gyro’s Beagletrap may be his shortest and least seen story. Alone there isn’t much to it, but if you read the commentary in the back of the book you may see there was more meaning to the visual gag.

I don’t know that I’ve read a more far-out there Don Rosa Uncle Scrooge story than Attack of the Hideous Space-Vermints. The story is the result of another request by Rosa’s editor. This time they wanted another space story. When Scrooge McDuck’s Money Bin is hijacked by some alien tech, Scrooge, Donald, and the boys take off after it in one of Gyro’s classic inventions. Once they find the bin, their situation goes from bad to worse when they cross paths with unknown entities.

The Last Lord Of Eldorado takes readers on another world traveling adventure with Scrooge, Donald, and the boys. The adventure begins when a mysterious golden plague is found by the team at the site of a sunken ship. The plaque leads them in search of a mystery that gains the attention of Flinthesrt Glomgold! Glomgold then begins pursuing the family trying to find an opportunity to get ahead of them. The story is full of historical facts and fun adventure!

Final Thoughts

I know Pirate has said it over and over again, but these Collection keep getting better with every story. Volume 7 contains great stories from a great writer/artist who truly has a passion for writing Ducks. I’ve always loved DuckTales and now I understand why so many of you DuckNuts love Rosa’s work with the characters.

WHOLE-HEARTEDLY RECOMMEND

You can order the book at the following link:

Don Rosa Library Vol. 6: The Universal Solvent

Don Rosa Library Vol. 5 and 6 Combo Pack

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