Disney Masters

Fantagraphics launched the Disney Masters Series with Vol. 1: The Delta Dimension in May 2018. Since then they have published a few new volumes in the Disney Masters series each year. Volumes have been alternating between the central character and story being Mickey Mouse related or Donald Duck/Uncle Scrooge.

Fantagraphics presents Disney Masters – acclaimed artists from around the world working in the grand Walt Disney tradition. Many of these stories are new to American readers and appear here for the first time in English. Fresh new artwork, fresh new adventures, and fresh new laughs!

Disney Masters Vol. 3: Mickey Mouse: The Case of the Vanishing Bandits

Book Description:

The circus is in town ― and detective Mickey and “akerbatty” Goofy are up to their elbows in lions, tigers, and scares! A mysterious old lady is following the circus troupe, robbing the cities they visit ― and then poof! ― she’s gone! Is she an evil clown, trying to frame the showmen? Join Mickey on the trail of cops-and-robbers capers ― from shady doings at “The Last Resort” to Black Pete’s raucous wrangles in “The Lost Legion!” Murry’s first seven Mickey serials are all here ― all newly remastered in warm colors of the original Dell comic books!

Disney Masters Vol. 3: Mickey Mouse: The Case of the Vanishing Bandits was released by Fantagraphics in July 2018. The stories included in this volume were originally published in Walt Disney’s Comic and Stories between 1953-1955.

This volume of the Disney Masters series is 184 pages and features Disney Master Paul Murry.

Two short stories about Paul Murray’s life and career are included at the back of this volume.

Disney Masters Vol. 3: The Case of the Vanishing Bandit is available in hardcover and Kindle\Comixology versions. A link to buy this book can be found at the end of this review.

The next four new release volumes in the Disney Masters series have already been announced and are available for preorder:

Disney Masters Vol. 15: Mickey Mouse: New Adventures of the Phantom Blot

Disney Masters Vol. 16: Donald Duck: Jumpin’ Jupiter

Disney Masters Vol. 17: Mickey Mouse: The Man from Alcatraz

Disney Masters Vol. 18: Uncle Scrooge: Pie in the Sky

Included Stories

There are 7 stories included in Disney Masters Vol. 3:

• The Last Resort
• The Lens Hunters
• The Case of the Vanishing Bandit
• The Mysterious Crystal Ball
• The Lost Legion
• The Magic Rope
• Ridin’ the Rails

Goofy and Mickey go on a fishing trip to Whispering Pines Resort in The Last Resort. The resort hasn’t had any customers in two years thanks to some shady characters that are scaring resort guests away to try to buy the property. Mickey and Goofy need to solve this mystery so that they can get some fishing in.

Mickey and Goofy get hired by a producer to make movies with animals in Africa in The Lens Hunters. Animals do not fear Goofy so they help provide the perfect shots. Hoody’s long lost uncle also lives in Africa. He was last seen 15 years ago when he was looking for diamonds.

The circus arrives in Mouseton and with it’s arrival comes The Case of the Vanishing Bandit. Robberies have been occurring in all of the cities that the circus visits. Citizens blame the circus so they have to close up and move on to the next town. Mickey and Goofy get undercover jobs at the circus to try to solve the mystery and clear the circus’ name.

The fortune teller at the carnival convinces Mickey that his crystal ball will show him future crimes being committed so that Mickey can try to stop the crime in The Mysterious Crystal Ball.

Mickey and Goofy were once stationed in Africa as part of the French foreign legion’s Legionnaires. In The Lost Legion, they are sent on a mission as spies to Bakdhor to spy on the Sultan to find out what is his next move. The Sultan is aided by the traitor and Sergeant of the Legionnaires, Sergeant Pete.

Goofy purchased a rope at an auction that turns out to be The Magic Rope. The rope can transport a person to any place he or she wants to be by wailing high and low and wishing to be somewhere.

Mickey and Goofy work on a railroad in Cinder City in Ridin’ the Rails. The city has been down in it’s luck with the ore mine recently shut down. That is until Grandma Duck inherits the mine and plans to reopen it. A group who planned to steal the ore for themselves tries to sabotage the railway to keep the mine from opening.

Final Thoughts

Disney Master artist, Paul Murry started his historic run of Mickey and Goofy serial adventures with Carl Fallberg in 1953 with The Last Resort. This Disney Master volume includes the first seven 3 part stories that he illustrated for Walt Disney Comics and Stories. The stories in this volume all have a mystery to be solved, and Mickey Mouse is the mouse for the job with his pal Goofy. Paul Murry is a Fantagraphics Disney Masters favorite as he is featured in four volumes (3, 7, 13, and 15).

I love the Disney Masters series because we get treated to stories and illustrations from more great Disney comic creators besides the legendary Barks and Rosa. We may have never had a chance to read these stories outside of Fantagraphics’ Disney Masters series.

I am definitely looking forward to reading future volumes of Fantagraphics’ Disney Masters series.

You can purchase Disney Masters Vol. 3 at the link below:

Disney Masters Vol. 3: Mickey Mouse: The Case of the Vanishing Bandit

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