Walt Disney’s Donald and Mickey in Metropolis and Faust 

Book Description:

In the tradition of The Prince and the Pauper and Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Disney’s top stars dive back into wild spoofs of great literature! Donald meets demons in the perilous past ― then Mickey gets roboticized in the far-flung future!

First, it’s Goethe… Duckburg style! Long ago in medieval Europe, alchemist “Dr. Donaldus Faustus” (Donald Duck) can’t stand the feud between his uncle, Duke Scrooge MacDuich, and the brawling Beagle Barons. Donald turns to wacky Witch Hazel and demons of the underworld to help him make peace… but these magic misfits just might prefer war! 

Next, in a retelling of Fritz Lang’s classic film, the future city of “Mousetropolis” is powered by the world’s highest-tech factory. But that factory runs on the low-tech muscle of poverty-stricken peasants… and “undercover boss” Mictor (Mickey Mouse) discovers a plot to replace them with robots if they object! The Phantom Blot is in charge―and Minnie’s next in line to go metal!

Included Stories

There are 3 stories that were all orignally published in Italy included in the 224 pages of Walt Disney’s Donald and Mickey in Metropolis and Faust :

• Mousetropolis
• Dr. Donaldus Faust, M.D.
• The Continuing Adventures of Dr. Donaldus Faust, M.D.

Review

Mousetropolis is the Mickey and Friends take on the 1927 film Metropolis. The story takes place in the high tech city in the year 2026. I have never seen the original subject material, but the story was action packed and very entertaining. This adaptation was well written and the gorgeous art by Paolo Mottura was cinematic and stunning. Mousetropolis both made me want to see the original movie that it was based on, but I also think I just witnessed the best version of it possible with the cast of Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pete, and the Phantom Blot. Minnie as the character Minerva was a major highlight, and she really slayed in this one. This comic felt like a major animated movie experience similar to when Mickey and Friends recreated The Prince and the Pauper and Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers.

Faust was a multi segment poem written in 1790, 1806, and 1832 by German author, Johann Wolfgang Goethe. Dr. Donaldus Faust, M.D. and The Continuing Adventures of Dr. Donaldus Faust, M.D. places our favorite Disney Ducks into the epic story played out by the poems. A decade long fight breaks out between Duke Scrooge MacDuich and the Beagle Barons. An old alchemist, Dr. Donaldus Faust worked to create a peace serum to end the war, but Mephistopheles and Witch Hazel never want the war to end. It is always great to get more Witch Hazel representation. Mephistopheles trades Faust and age serum in exchange for a promise that he will take arms on one side to lead that side to victory. Hades will get Donaldus Faust’s soul if he does not comply. Mephistopheles and Hazel also ducknap the fair Daisette to fuel additional fire in the war. Donaldus Faust is able to defeat Mephistopheles, save Daisette, and end the war. Hades doesn’t want Faust’s soul to spoil Hell so he sends him back as an old duck back to the land of the living. Who gets stuck with all the bad luck?…no one, but Dr. Donaldus Faust. The good news is that after you read and enjoy Dr. Donaldus Faust, M.D., you get to follow it up with another story starring the same cast of characters in The Continuing Adventures of Dr. Donaldus Faust, M.D. Hades orders Mephistopheles to redeem himself by getting the war between Duke Scrooge MacDuich and the Beagle Barons going again. Witch Hazel has a new hottie disguise which she uses to easily manipulate Donaldus to help steal Scrooge MacDuich’s fortune to blame on the Beagle Barons. The deed is done in exchange for Donaldus Faust to once again have the age elixir to become his young hero self again. Donaldus leads a demon army against the Beagle Barons. All the magic disappears when Hazel’s potion goes stale.

David Gerstein has a commentary page that summarizes Metropolis and the director of the film because David as a historian always wants us to have the complete knowledge on the subject matter. We get the same bonus content commentary treatment from Claudio Riva on the story and author of Faust. We are also treated to bio one pagers on the creative authors and illustrators (Francesco Artibani, Paolo Mottura, Carlo Chendi, and Luciano Bottaro) that worked on the stories in this book.

A big thank you to Fantagraphics for allowing us to go through this Italian Disney Comics journey.

Order: Walt Disney’s Donald and Mickey in Metropolis and Faust 

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