This is one of the first of (perhaps) many posts to come, ones which unfortunately didn't manage to migrate over from our original instance, i.e. the late, great Lemm.ee. Much thanks to @emuspawn@geostationary.orbiting.observer ("David in Space") for tracking this one down.
In fact, I just realised that some instances seem to have completely archived our original content (while others seemingly did not), and can be searched without even being logged in there. 😀 I also see that Orbiting.Observer perfectly preserved the original comments (which are very interesting), which sadly tended to get lost across various other migrated posts.
Alrighty then, original text follows, with some minor updates:
Sometimes I forget that Disney comics are not just an American thing, but have been thriving in Italy since 1932, specifically via Topolino magazine and associated publications. Interestingly, the published output has not been solely Italian nor American-made, but evidently a mix of original content from both nation’s creators, plus others across Europe.
(right-click as needed)
That's the final, published cover above, from Topolino #3597 (Oct, '24), by Paolo Mottura & Mario Perrotta.
In recent years France’s Glénat publishing house has joined the fun, but has been tending to go in more gonzo directions, not unlike various creators doing guest shots on Lucky Luke.
Mickey et L'Ocean Perdu, thanks to BDT for the images.
Once again, the original comments were really good on that first post, so check 'em out if you want to go a bit more in to the nuts & bolts of these fine comics.
Oh, they’ve made a special cover for the 100th anniversary of Puccini’s death ! That’s lovely.
From what I understand of this interview of a guy who wrote a comic featuring Puccini for this issue (in collaboration with another illustrator), the opera depicted might be La fanciulla del West ? (Funnily enough, the heroin of that opera is called “Minnie”.)
As far as I know, in France, there’s currently (at least) one Mickey Mouse magazine — « Le Journal de Mickey » — and (at least) two Scrooge McDuck magazine — « Picsou Magazine » and « Super Picsou géant ». I read Super Picsou géant occasionally as a kid, and from what I have seen in newspaper stores it still seems fairly popular among kids, but I have no idea who writes and draws the comics inside. I wouldn’t be surprised if some/most of them are translations of Italian comics.
Also, I haven’t read Mickey et L’Ocean Perdu, but I find it funny that its French scenarist has an Italian surname too (or maybe Corsican?).
Edit: WTF, Don Rosa is still alive! I mean, good for him, ha ha, I hope he’s going well. Since I always hear people describing him as a “classic” comic writer, I had mentally filed him in the “famous dead people” category, but it turns out he was only born in 1951 — sorry Don, enjoy your retirement.
C'est vrai...?
(Oui, c'est vrai!) 😊
Still though, I have plenty of relatives alive und kicking, older than Don Rosa. (is it down to the "right enzymes," perhaps?)
I mean, me too, I still have several relatives who lived WWII as children. I just thought he was older, for some reason. I’m actually not very knowledgeable about comics, ha ha. I also used to believe Don Rosa was Italian, but that’s less surprising, considering his surname and Italian origins.
Edit: I’m not sure what the deleted comment was about, but rest assured that you’ve done nothing wrong. 🐱
Oof, you know I wasn't even paying attention about the Puccini aspect when I re-posted this one, being completely focused on the Disney / fumetti angles. In hindsight, I suppose it's a bit insulting to regard that master's work as merely 'light opera' (as in my title), but I was going off the general vibe of the art. (that's my story, and I'm sticking to it, anyway)
I also remember my late mom sometimes blasting Puccini in our home on Saturday mornings, when our little family collectively did household chores. I'll have to pull some of his works up on YT and see if it takes me back.
That would not surprise me at all. Other than someone like Lewis Trondheim doing those side projects, but those are distinctly different, by a different publisher (Glénat). As for who writes and draws, at a guess I'd suppose it's a 'rotating cast' kind of thing, as with Dylan Dog.
Denis-Pierre Filippi? Interesting. I found this, which seems to jibe with other sources I'm seeing:
And of course, it's incredibly common across much of urban Europe for people to have last names deriving from other regions in Europe, right?
Thanks! With my CFS/ME, I tend to try to fight past it by gulping a good bit of coffee and kratom, then speed-rush posts and replies for awhile before I lie back down and rest. I think when I first saw your comment, I got confused for some reason, wrote something which didn't make much sense, and later was dissatisfied with it. Thanks for bearing with me. 😅
Btw, pardon this mini-essay of a comment, but I'm pleased to see it when folks return to this little community. I seem to recall your username from either the old instance (Lemm.ee) or r/bandedessinee, perhaps. Welcome, then, and thanks much for your detailed comment. :D