Wabisabi

 

Donald Duck Visits Japan is a charming and unexpectedly engaging comic.

I assume the purpose behind it is to teach kids about the customs and culture of Japan, but aside from its educational value it is a cute and cozy story.  The Three Caballeros work for a furniture company but are on the Boss's shit list, as they crashed his car during some off-panel hijinks.  Their punishment is to be sent to work in a hotel in Japan for a year, to learn about customer service and research Japanese hospitality techniques.  What this has to do with furniture making is unclear.

The boys learn all about sushi, yokai, and omotenashi, while slowly gaining self-confidence and pride in their work.

Meru Okano's character designs deviate significantly from the characters' classic look, but it suits the manga style while still reading as "Toon".  Supporting characters look like they just stopped over from Animal Crossing.  Donald Duck Visits Japan is a quick and breezy read, kawaii as fuck but might actually teach you something.  Recommended.

Comic Shop News

 

I went to the comic shop today.

I went into these comics completely cold; I didn't even know these titles were coming out until I got to the shop.

  I had a hard time deciding on which covers to get:

(there are a lot of variant covers these days).

None of these comics were quite up my alley, but they were all competently made and enjoyable to read.  Of the three the best was probably Maleficent, a done-in-one of the sorceress's chance encounter with a dim-witted village boy. I assume their story will continue in issue two but I don't care enough to find out. The anime-inspired art by Soo Lee is the real draw here.

Nightmare Before Christmas also had great art but the story was D-U-M- stupid.  Baby Jack Skellington and Baby Oogie Boogie are the best of friends, you see, but they are both about to compete in a contest to see who will become the next Pumpkin King and zzzzzzzzzZZZZZ.  I've read probably every Nightmare Before Christmas comic ever made, and they all suck. 

Gargoyles was good if you are a fan of the TV show- a flashback tale to the good old days when Men and Goyles battled with swords and honor.  If you've never watched the show I doubt this is a good jumping-on point to the franchise.  It's not Watchmen or anything, but it was fine.  Don't get me wrong, I don't want to sound like a Negative Nancy here, it was a pleasant surprise to go to the shop and have actual new comics to buy even if none of them really knocked me out.  Between these and Fantagraphics Disney Afternoon omnibuses it's a good time to be a 90s kid/ Disney Adult.

That Shrek/ Nightmare Before Christmas crossover you've always wanted to see

Just in time for Christmas* here's the best part of Zero's Journey:

*41 days