Variant Uncle Scrooge #132

No, you’re not looking at an old post. Today we’re going talk about variant covers and, speaking of which, have you spotted what makes this a variant cover? That’s right, the Whitman logo. Now, normally, variant covers can be kind of cool. More often than not, they sport an exciting new image by an impressive creator. Before the Internet became what it is today, variants seemed like a pretty cool thing and I certainly bought one or two myself just because I liked that cover image. Nowadays, with the Internet the way it is, I can usually pull up that same image without having to pay $25 at my LCS. I can see the image anytime I want and I’m no longer sure what the appeal of having a book just for its cover is. And that’s always been the case of the Whitman variants for me. Internet or no, these comics feature the same cover as the standard issue, but with a Whitman logo in place of DC or Marvel or Gold Key or whatever. Yeah, I guess they’re a little more rare, but, seriously, how much does it improve your life to have two comics in your collection that are exactly the same except for the corner logo, let alone to have to pay a premium for the Whitman one? Wait a minute. Now that I think about it, that logo is pretty cute… I retract my argument entirely!

Uncle Scrooge #132

“The Fabulous Philosopher’s Stone” – September 1976

It can be hard to recognize true genius. When I was a lad, Jack Kirby’s art was completely impenetrable to me, but, now, I value his contributions like the king he is. Much of the recognition comes from time and experience. The more comics you read, the more you see how the work of the older guard influenced the new. You begin to see how Kirby built a foundation on which all super-hero comics are based. With someone like Carl Barks, it’s easier to see. A modern reader has to sift through decades of super-hero books to get to Kirby, but there simply aren’t any other comics like Barks’ duck comics. These stories are globe hopping adventure at its best with Scrooge and the boys hopping from one exotic port to another on the hunt for fabulous treasures and artifacts. The stories are skillful, expressive, and hilarious, and rivaled only by classics like Treasure Island and the adventures of Indiana Jones. What’s more, Barks, not content to simply master a genre, does so even while turning the hero archetype on it’s head, casting Scrooge, a character who, on the surface, has all of the characteristics of a good villain, as a protagonist that we can’t help but root for. It’s easy to love brave, selfless Doctor Jones, but greedy, selfish Scrooge? That, my friends, is genius. As for this story, it’s Scrooge in pursuit of the fabled philosopher’s stone, which turns any substance to gold. What more do you want?

Uncle Scrooge #32

“That’s No Fable!” – December – February 1961

Sometimes the quarter bin giveth, sometimes it taketh away, and sometimes it does both. Take for instance this early ‘60s issue of Uncle Scrooge, featuring a classic Carl Barks duck adventure. This particular story sees Scrooge, Donald, and the boys relating how they once discovered the fountain of youth, telling the story with the sort of blasé attitude that only Scrooge could have toward such an adventure. It’s a pretty entertaining story, featuring centuries-old Spanish soldiers and a fountain-affected Scrooge spouting some great “young people” dialog (“Man! Man! That juice is the real end!”). The story quickly builds to a climax where Scrooge, Donald, and the boys need to figure out how to get off a little island in the middle of a small spring that is the actual “fountain,” having lost their raft. Donald is about to dive in, but finds out that, if he swims across, he’ll be turned into an egg before reaching the other side. The implication is that only Scrooge is old enough to survive the crossing and… that’s it. The center pages are missing, denying me the last two to four pages. Like most Barks stories, it’s a supremely well written and drawn adventure story, the likes of which just aren’t told anymore, and missing out on the end is a real bummer that is only slightly eased by a back up story featuring Scrooge trying to avoid being invited to a fancy party, lest he have to buy a new suit.