Uncle Scrooge and Scotty

 

When Jenny Blake Isabella, comics writer and Patron of this Blog, suggested a meeting between these two, I had to chuckle at the thought.  This issue should really include a sound chip, as it would need to be heard as well as read!

Uncle Scrooge and Snoopy

 

I'm a huge fan of the Apollo program and love learning new details about the 11 missions.  Also being a lifelong fan of comics, it always pleased me that Snoopy had an association with the space program, even becoming NASA's mascot. It's cool to see two of your passions join forces.

Legion Subs and Star Trek (& Much More!)

 

I was a big fan of anthology comics, whether they included new material, reprints, or a mix of both.  They were always a great value, and would sometimes even introduce me to a new character or two.  Sadly, they seem to have fallen by the wayside.  DC tried a new line of 100-Page Giants for sale in Walmart, but those seem to have been discontinued.  I do not know how well they sold, but apparently they have been replaced with comic book 4-packs.

Superman and Donald Duck

 

As far as Disney characters went, I thought that Mickey Mouse had the best adventures, Goofy was the funniest and Donald Duck was the most relatable.  Nothing he tried ever went according to plan, he had tons of energy and felt every emotion to the ultimate degree, not unlike me as a child.  How could I not root for the guy?

The Joker and Uncle Scrooge

Even though Scrooge McDuck was created back in 1947, he was rarely featured in animation for several decades.  It wasn't until the mid 80's with Duck Tales and Mickey's Christmas Carol that he became a true cartoon star.  I'm going to have to look around Disney+ to see if they have 1967's Scrooge McDuck and Money available to watch.

Gyro Gearloose and Daffy Duck

Merry Christmas!  I'd like to take this time to thank all of the visitors to this blog for regularly checking out the covers and offering up your comments, suggestions and encouragement.  It's great to read the daily feedback and discussions that ensue both here on the blog and on the Facebook Fan Page and Twitter feed.  I may not respond to every suggestion (mainly because the answer is always the same - "Maybe, if I can find the right concept and images"), but I do read and appreciate them all. The biggest thank you goes out to the Patrons of this Blog, your support has helped it to continue. Next year it will hit its 10th Anniversary, and you have helped it get to this point.  I hope that everyone is surrounded by their loved ones today and your holidays are filled with joy. Here's looking forward to 2020!

Uncle Scrooge and The Phantom Stranger

Regular visitors to this blog know that Jim Aparo is my all time favorite artist (I'd say Joe Kubert is the best, but Aparo is my favorite).  In addition to his amazing interior work, I was always struck by his covers.  He really shined on DC's mystery titles.  His moody visuals and strong use of light and shadow really made the covers for Adventure Comics featuring The Spectre, Phantom Stranger and spookier Batman or Phantom stories really stand out on the racks.

Uncle Scrooge Vs. Superman

Justice League was not as well crafted as Wonder Woman, but it was a marked improvement over Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice.  I found the plot and villain to be very generic, I wish there had been more surprises there.  The Flash's costume did not work at all for me and I felt Quicksilver had better speed effects.  Ezra Miller was engaging I guess, but did not look or sound like any Barry Allen I ever read in the comics.  Same for Jason Mamoa - an entertaining performance, but he didn't look or behave like Aquaman from the comics.  I thought that Cyborg was well done, but it should have been Green Lantern or Martian Manhunter in his place, let him graduate to the JLA, not found it.  The action was great, even though much of it under the red skies looked pretty video-gamey.  The saving grace for the movie is Superman.  When he finally returns, we get to see the hero we have been waiting three movies for (hard not to smile during the first credits scene).  So, even though the movie suffered from the director switch and is far from perfect, it leaves things in a place that gives me optimism for the future.

Duck Avenger Vs. Captain Carrot

Captain Carrot was another character that I hoped would show up on Batman : The Brave and the Bold that we never got to see.  Batman visited some offbeat worlds on that show so why not Earth-C to encounter The Zoo Crew?  They never showed up on any of DC's animated shorts, either.  Maybe, like Young Justice, one of those cartoons will return one of these days and we will get another chance..

Gyro Gearloose, Dynomutt and Inspector Gadget

Inspector Gadget was a little past my cartoon watching prime, but I can understand the appeal that he has.  He definitely reminds me of one of my childhood favorites, Dynomutt.  Changeable robotic limbs and an array of hidden gizmos made the Scooby-esque pooch very appealing to my young eyes, not to mention the fact that he was partnered with the very cool looking Blue Falcon.

Richie Rich and Uncle Scrooge

I get suggestions for team ups all the time, from the obvious to the obscure.  That said, I am amazed that nobody ever suggested this one to me though, it seems like a natural.  When looking for images to create a cover with, I came up with a few options and couldn't decide which I liked best - so I used them all!

Gyro Gearloose Joins Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew

He may never have quite reached the popularity of Donald Duck or even Uncle Scrooge, but I always thought that Gyro Gearloose was pretty darn cool.  I have always been fascinated by unique inventions, so I would naturally gravitate to stories featuring this master tinkerer.  It was always interesting to me to see what new devices he would come up with.

Phoney Bone and Uncle Scrooge

This was a suggestion from a friend and I thought it made for the perfect pairing.  You just know that Scrooge McDuck's riches would be just the temptation for Phoney to concoct one of his schemes.  Jeff's Smith's Bone shared a lot of the things that made Carl Barks' duck stories so great - simplified yet expressive characters set against lovingly detailed scenery in stories packed with action, humor and heart.  It's another reason why I really look forward to the eventual CGI films chronicling the Bone story line.  Hopefully the first film is still on track for a 2013 release.