Gemstone Publishing; $8.95

Carl Barks, Don Rosa, and Noel Van Horn
are among the numerous storytellers whose work is collected in this annual
compendium of summer fun featuring Donald Duck, Mickey, Goofy and many of the
other best-loved Disney characters.

The excitement begins with Barks’
contribution, a 1946 classic — “Terror of the River!!” When Donald
becomes owner of a houseboat, he and his nephews truck out on the Ohio River for
a cheap vacation cruise. Dreamy evenings on the water give way, though, to scary
encounters with a giant sea serpent! Trying to capture the beast, Donald gets
swallowed instead… and inside the big snake he finds a truth stranger than
science fiction! Don Rosa’s offering, an incredible new pin-up page illustrating
“Terror of the River!!”, follows right on the heels of Barks’
story.
Noel Van Horn’s contribution is the all-new long Mickey Mouse
adventure “Sandgate!” Visiting the beachfront of Vanishing Sands,
Mickey learns why it got the name: the very sand itself is vanishing from this
beach, bringing the ocean nearer and nearer! Trying to figure out where it’s
going, our Mouse meets his match in landslides, earthquakes, and amazing
abominable sand-men.
Several short adventures feature classic vacation
comedy. “Goofy Gives His All” in an epic by Sarah Kinney and
Francisco Rodriguez — joining the Global Helping Hands and trying to help
rebuild a storm-wracked island community. Unfortunately, he’s got the wrong
island… and ends up trying to rebuild a vacation resort! Pluto’s bone becomes
the subject of “The Not-So-Still Life” in a classic adventure drawn
by Paul Murry. And Big Bad Wolf tries “Fooling the Fairy” in a
vintage 1949 Gil Turner tale… only to learn the hard way that you don’t mess
with magic.
Rounding out the book is “Fall Guy,” a legendary 1965
romp. When Donald and Fethry Duck visit Niagara Falls, geeky Fethry is
determined to go over the falls in a barrel. But somehow, Donald and a park
ranger keep taking the plunge instead. Those of you who know writer Dick
Kinney’s other variation on this theme — the Woody Woodpecker cartoon
Niagara Fools — can probably hear the rain-jacketed tourists in your
head already: “Yaaaaay!”

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 Rite Aid or your local comics shop. And if you can’t find a comic shop,
no need to go asking at Brer Bear’s farm (you don’t want to get near that big,
wooden club… trust us). Call Diamond Comics’ Comic Shop Locator Service at
1-888-COMIC-BOOK.