What makes a special holiday-themed comic book story? On the one
hand, it speaks to the kid in us: confirming our youthful faith in Santa, Cupid,
and other figures of fable. On the other hand, the special story also allows us
— as grown-ups — to knowingly poke fun at the joys, sorrows, and tensions that
the holidays represent in real life. Take Carl Barks’ “Letter to
Santa,” for example. While Mr. Claus may exist ‘for real’ in Uncle
Scrooge’s world, so do cynical parents buying gifts of their own; and putting
the two elements together results in a timelessly funny confrontation between
elements of fact and fiction.

Having shipped Wednesday, March 9,
Donald Duck and Friends #326 will be available in most comic shops this
week or next. And its standout element is a new holiday tale in the Barks
tradition. “The Easter Mystery,” by Lars Jensen (Donald Duck
TNT stories), Chris Spencer, and Vicar, explains that Duckburg is indeed
visited by an “Easter bunny”… but the real-life details of
this being are unknown. Eggs turn up in Donald’s front yard without
Donald’s having put them there. But does that mean a giant rabbit delivered
them? And what about the eggs in everyone else’s yards? Some mysterious agent is
at work, all right; and Uncle Scrooge, looking for an edge in the egg business,
is determined to get to the bottom of it. Detective work leads the ducks to
Easter Island, where the discoveries and laughs fly fast — and where secrets
are revealed that we won’t tell you until you buy the book!

Our other
featured stories this month are no slouches. In keeping with our fantasy theme,
Mickey Mouse learns that “This Mummy’s No Dummy,” courtesy of writer
Michael T. Gilbert (Mr. Monster). While visiting the Mouseton Museum of
Really Old Stuff, Mickey accidentally awakens a three-thousand-year-old king,
and must help him adjust to life in modern-day suburbia. Suburban conflict is
also the theme of our final story this month: in “Good Neighbors,” a
1943 Carl Barks classic, Donald and Neighbor Jones declare a truce — only to
renew their longtime feud after some tragic incidents with a
football.

Gemstone is your source for new and vintage Disney greats.
Order our titles online at http://www.gemstonepub.com/disney
or http://www.walmart.com. Find
them at your local comics shop. And if you can’t find a comic shop, no need to
ask that helpful bandaged fellow at the museum — call Diamond Comics’ Comic
Shop Locator service at 1-888-COMIC-BOOK.