Every genre has its giants, upon whose shoulders we in the present stand.  In SF we have Heinlein and Bester; in Fantasy there is Tolkien.  And over here in the funny pages, we have Mickey.  Before we could read, before we could handle the sequential art that is comics, we could watch Mickey Mouse cartoons.  He is older that the pages on which he appears, but he was an early comic strip powerhouse.  It is from Mickey that all those talking comic strip animals, all of Furry Fandom, artistically spring.

The Disney empire has not done all that well by their fore-rodent.  The classic cartoons — the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” sequence from Fantasia, or “Mickey and the Beanstalk” –  enjoy a happy life on DVD, but little new Mickey material has appeared recently. Even in the theme parks he is a rare and exalted figure, although his image is everywhere.   It’s like going to the Vatican and trying to see Jesus Christ.  The Main Mouse is no longer a growing, creative force.

But here at last is a collection of the cream of the comic-book Mickey — classic comic book tales that haven’t been available in years.   We can go back and see a more vital character, having adventures, getting into trouble. This volume is happily arranged chronologically, so that you can see the Master Mouse from the 1930s to the 60s, evolving, developing larger eyes, acquiring long pants, a house, friends and family.  Longtime Disneymaster artist Carl Barks is credited with most of the art. — it will bring tears of nostalgia to your eyes.

This is not the True Mouse, of course — the real Mickey lives on the screen, in antic motion and treble voice.  But the comic book Mickey Mouse is very close, and will keep us happy until new Mickey cartoons are made.   There are rumors of this which make us members of the Mickey Mouse Club a little nervous, so we must cling to these comics!