Between Books - Mickey's Walt Disney World Adventure

Mickey Mouse has a big job. But can he lead the parade without his hat? As a hat dude…I am officially tense.

Mickey’s Walt Disney World Adventure by Cathy Hapka with illustrations by the Disney Storybook Art Team is a hide and seek adventure through the Magic Kingdom. Mickey and Minnie are enjoying a bi,g magical day at the park. Mickey is excited to lead the parade that evening. But he can’t find his drum major hat, an essential part of his uniform to march through the Magic Kingdom. In order ot find it, the duo speed run the park. They see attractions in all of the Magic Kingdom’s lands, bump into friends like Donald and Goofy, and gather clues to the hat’s location. We tour the entire Kingdom and seek an answer to the question, can Mickey find his hat?

I have to admit. Mickey’s Walt Disney World Adventure for a young children’s book, has a lot more words than I expected. I can see how this is a rewarding challenge for a new reader. The illustrations are tied to the action described, are colorful, and engaging. Hapka also gives us a story full of drama, because can Mickey find his most important possession, a hat? I really did feel worried that the parade could be cancelled. And I’m not four!

I do think this Little Golden Book can fill two separate purposes. For a child who has not been in the Magic Kingdom Park before, it does give them a colorful preview of what’s to come, sets some expectations, while still not spoiling any key moments. It can also be used for a child and their family to help remember their memories of their recent visits. It’s a fun and tense way to prepare and recall a future visit.

Mickey’s Walt Disney World Adventure by Cathy Hapka, with illustrations by the Disney Storybook Art Team is a more challenging book than I expected. I was surprised by the number of words on the page, and I can see how it can be a challenge to a reader who’s mastered another Little Golden Book. And as an adult, I was challenged by the drama and tension that was created.

Maybe kids and I get stressed out by the fear of a cancelled parade!  

 

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Cap's Comics - What If ...? Minnie Became Captain Marvel

Regular Giada Perissinotto Cover

Sigh…this is for me not marvelous!

It makes me sad to say it about an all-ages comic, but here we are!

Peach Momoko Cover

“What if…? Minnie Became Captain Marvel” gives us a Disney/Marvel What If tale that seems like a natural. We have the female icon of the Disney Fab Five transformed into Marvel’s most powerful heroine. The story with plot by Steven Behling, who has taken up this adaptation assignment before, script by Luca Barbieri, and art by Giada Perissonota, another returning creator to this line, adapts not Captain Marvel’s origins by a early stories found in 1977’s Ms. Marvel series. The story follows Minnie fresh to a new job as a reporter. Publisher, I think, Scrooge McDuck charges her to discover who is the newest hero saving the city Captain Marvel! Minnie can find nothing, but she also has gaps in her memory. She comes to learn that she is Captain Marvel, spoilers but you read the cover, and recounts her magical origin story. Can Minnie balance her newfound discovery with a new job? 

 

Phil Noto Cover

First, I struggled. I know of Carol Danver’s origins in the old Captain Marvel stories, even before she was a hero. And the past contributions in these comics seem to adapt those stories. No, here we get adaptations of the first issues of the first Ms. Marvel series. That threw me off as the amnesia felt very Thor. But hey, Marvel has been known to reuse a gag, and the summaries I read make it clear that much of the plot can be found in the 70’s pages. But I also found that in those pages we had Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, Kree, A.I.M., and the US Air Force. Those Gerry Conway stories seem to be both fully immersed in the Marvel Universe and the Carol Danvers origin story which is very cosmic…I’ll get back to that point. But the mashing just didn’t work well for me. Scrooge McDuck is really taking the role of J. Jonah Jameson in personality and role. Meanwhile, a new creation, J. Jonah Duck, is taking the role of Robbie Robinson supporting the chief. And yes, Duck does have the distinctive Jameson hair! But I had to view the after matter to confirm his identity as I struggled to find it on the page. I like the idea of Scrooge as Jameson, but I found two versions of J. Jonah on the page confusing. 

 

Skottie Young Cover

Alright, here’s why this really did not work for me. The purpose of this comic is to get more comics readers. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is clear, that Captain Marvel is a cosmic hero. Also if you read the current Captain Marvel comics, she is all cosmic all the time, with her origin getting even more cosmic recently if possible. But for this story, Minnie Marvel’s origin is magic, using a character that did show up in some later Ms. Marvel issues but also not found in those being adapted. So, if a kid or an adult picked up a Danvers comic today they are going to be really confused by her origin in the regular comics which has nothing to do with what’s found here. I mean, who’s Mar-Vell and why should we care? I get that the team saw a chance to use a Duck that could be translated into a C-level Ms. Marvel villain (as I don’t believe she’s ever been found in an issue labeled Captain Marvel). But do the Ducks never meet aliens that can be used? 

Elena Casagrande Cover

Clearly, I have thought more about this than I should! It’s a comic for kids. But I want “What If…? Minnie Became Captain Marvel” to bring more readers to comics. I just question if this new Danver’s origin will cause confusion as it differs a lot from the big screen and the comic heritage. It just fell flat for me.


But hey, what’s next? “What If…? The Mandalorian and Friends Becasme the Fantastic Four?” I mean What If Mickey and his pals did that! Next month, Disney’s first family becomes Marvel’s first family! And despite this issue, I am here for it!