Between Books - Dream Chasing: My Four Decades of Success and Failure with Walt Disney Imagineering

This book is safe!

There’s no controversy on the page. No one really fights internally. And you are left with questions about how an overfilled work schedule impacts families. Honestly, it’s just a safe read that gives one insight into the development of Disney theme parks, especially in Asia.

Dream Chasing: My Four Decades of Success and Failure with Walt Disney Imagineering by Bob Weis outlines the former Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) President’s career. The book opens with brief chapters on Weis’ family, school days, and college which includes his decision to move from drama into architecture. Having been an expert popcorn salesman at Disneyland, Weis hoped to translate his passion for theme parks and design education into a position at WDI’s predecessor WED, a journey that was not immediate. Eventually, he would be recruited onto the Tokyo Disneyland Team, which was mean and lean with most Imagineers focussed on EPCOT. This put the young Weis in a position to manage international projects and gain valuable experience in leading artistic teams. The success he found would lead to decades of projects around the world like Epcot enhancements, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Tokyo DisneySea. He would also leave Disney for several years and lead his own design firm, allowing him to experience placemaking outside of Disney parks until he was asked to return. And he sat at a key seat as he watched a Disney project that was never to be in Disney’s America. With his decades of global and team experience, Weis was asked in 2016 to become the President of WDI and would lead the team till his retirement through the difficult moment of COVID-19, while trying to maintain the artistic standards taught to him by past leaders like Marty Sklar.

So, this book is really safe. I feel part of this is due to this being an official Disney Editions book, a press that would not seek to stir controversy in corporate history. So, even when critical Weis remains kind. And I’m sure many Disney fans were hoping that he would critique Bob Chapek, a relationship fans believed led to Weis’ retirement. I also believe that Weis and his personality are not seeking to be critical of those he worked with just out of discretion. So when noting difficult personalities that he may have worked with during his decades, he also includes a positive that they brought to the working environment.

I did find the book’s organization at times to be much more a loose set of essays than an interwoven story. Some chapters are only two pages long and may give more of a feeling than details of projects. I’d say if you were looking for detailed history, you will find it here in chapters on topics like Disney’s America and all that went wrong or the development of Hollywood’s Studios, typically in longer chapters. But at times I wondered if some of these quick hits would have done better in combination chapters.

Weis to be fair was really really busy. Disney literally sent him throughout the world. And while one gets the sense that he loved his work and the travel it provided, you also get hints of the cost…family. There are relationships hinted to in partners and children, that Weis tells us enough to know they cherished them but may have also had strain. As he points out in Tokyo, his partner at the time was often left alone while Weis started his day in the dark and ended it in the dark. Honestly, I think there is a lot that can be said about the cost of work-life balance, and I would have loved to hear more from a successful manager and leader about what he has learned even when his relationships have been strained.

Dream Chasing: My Four Decades of Success and Failure with Walt Disney Imagineering by Bob Weis is a collection of essays about leading in Imagineering, especially with projects that American fans may not have experienced…and didn’t with Disney’s America. I think that Disney parks fans will find this to be an essential read for those who want to dig deeper into the parks globally, but non or casual fans may not find it as engaging. 

 

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Between Books - Wolverine by Benjamin Percy Vol. 4

 

Is Wolverine by Benjamin Percy Vol. 4 good Deadpool?

Likely not the question you expected to see. Wolverine by Benjamin Percy Vol. 4 by writer Benjamin Percy and primarily artists Adam Kubert and Federico Vicentini combine two arcs into one volume. The first arc has us follow Wolverine, the hero of Krakoa the independent Mutant nation-state, as he attempts to reclaim a missing item, his severed hand. During this quest, he is helped or hindered by Deadpool who wants to reclaim his spot on X-Force which has turned their backs on him as a non-Mutant. The two brawl across the page as they seek the find the answers to a conspiracy that has links deep in X-Men history. In the second story, Wolverine is judged for his worthiness as part of the A.X.E. Judgement Day event featuring the Avengers, the X-Men and the Eternals. No Deadpools appear in this story! The volume ends with a short story, “Bar Brawl” featuring the art of several artists including legends of the medium, that looks back on Wolverine’s history and character.

This is a book about Logan? But does it meet our standards of good Deadpool?

• Community: A large part of the plot is that Deadpool misses community. He felt like he was an essential member of X-Force, but now in the Krakoan age of the X-Men he is not wanted or included. Why is he annoying Wolverine? He wants his community back even if he’s not a Mutant. I also love that Percy brings back Blind Al, who I’ve not seen in a while on the page, and reinforces her role within his close community. This Deadpool arc is all about community and getting back within it.

• BetterUp: I won’t spoil it all, but why does Wade want community so bad? The reason is he knows that his communities make him better. So even though X-Force is the black ops of the Mutant world, it is one where Wade can do unpleasant things and still grow as a person.

• Laugh Away the Pain: Clap, clap, clap! Percy gets Deadpool and how Wade should be used as an anti-hero. Again, I don’t want to spoil too much here, but Percy puts words right into Wilson’s mouth that could be my thesis for how humor should be used in a Deadpool story. The humor is truly a mechanism to hide dark painful truth.

• Your Pal Wade: Gosh, I thought this was a Wolverine book? For about 60% of it, this is truly a Deadpool book. And Wade fully knows we are here and he’s putting on a show for us by taking over the recaps and intro pages all to make his pals chuckle. And we do snicker at his schoolboy humor. Wade you’re the MAN!

This Wolverine story is some of the best Deadpool I have read in quite some time! It also does a great job of preparing us or reminding us of Deadpool & Wolverine if for some reason we thought we needed to be reminded of how great that story is. We get what movie fans want and need, the two old “friends” bickering and hacking at each other, often with results that you cannot even show in an R-rated movie due to their brutal nature and special effects needs. I fully endorse Wolverine by Benjamin Percy Vol. 4 not just as good Deadpool but great Deadpool!

We should likely add a thought or two about the second member or Red and Yellow, Wolverine. Percy uses both arcs in this volume to really center us on Logan’s thoughts of warrior hood and honor. Can someone who is effectively a murderer with knives in his hands be a hero and have honor? Percy struggles with this, especially as a Sentinel judges all life on Earth. In the end, Percy gave us an answer that I found satisfying and that I had a lot of agreement with. 

Spoilers, I really do like Benjamin Percy’s writing. I have an autographed copy of an issue from his Green Arrow run, a title that I own exactly one Arrow issue despite decades of publications. Wolverine by Benjamin Percy Vol. 4 is a great example of Percy’s management of action sequences that are exciting but also, wait for it, say something about the hero. He also writes such good Deadpool, I want Marvel to hand the title over to him for a few years! 

 

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Between Books - Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel's Tween Empire

 

“These are... A gift. Probably from the cable company. We're getting the Disney Channel now. Merry Christmas.” Scott Calvin, The Santa Clause

In 1994, this line hit a little different. The Disney Channel was along with pay channels like HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime for those who paid extra for the cable packages. That was something I was not going to do as a young adult, especially since the programming was meant for really really young kids. That left my young adult years only seeing the Disney Channel on preview weekends, where those pay channels would try to get more subscribers by showing off their finest shows, so maybe I’d catch a classic Disney movie that weekend. For me, the Disney Channel was a luxury that as a kid my family would have never paid for or couldn’t pay for being off a cable network. The channel's founding in 1983 was a non-issue for me, with Michael Eisner showcasing Disney programming on Sunday nights being more important to my childhood.

But Santa Scott’s line in 1994 did point out a major change as the Disney Channel joined the basic cable lineup. As a parent, I had a first-row seat to some of the Disney channel’s most iconic shows like Wizards of Waverly Place, Hannah Montana, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and High School Musical. I’ll admit, I didn’t hate it, with some of these tween shows still giving me a little chuckle.

Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel's Tween Empire by Ashley Spencer is a journalistic history of the Disney Channel’s rise and the creation of media superstars that became more than household names. Spencer outlines the creation of the channel and the addition of experienced executives who began to channel Nickelodeon for kid’s television as they moved from a pay to a basic channel. The channel began to be taken more seriously as creators from network sitcoms were forced to find work outside of primetime. This combined with new likable actors began to create a slate of shows that became popular beyond their 22-minute programs. The real rise began with Even Stevens and Lizzie McGuire, which began to show Disney executives the possibilities of the future, while they made plenty of mistakes with handling talent and non-program opportunities. By the time of Hannah Montana and High School Musical, Disney had learned how to best capture the multiple outlets their stars could dominate. Finally, the Disney Channel with the Jonas Brothers looked to capitalize on star power already made in place of creating their own superstars. In the end, the story of the Disney Channel is one of learning as the success of the channel and how to properly manage young stars evolved over time. And finally, it is the story of a Disney outlet that received little respect as it grew from a niche outlet to the superstar factory it became for well over a decade.

Spencer’s writing is extremely engaging and interesting. Disney High was one of those hard-to-put-down books, as Spencer was able to pull me directly into the story of the Disney Channel. It is a must-read story for me. I think that is true for both Disney and non-Disney fans, as Spencer presents a story that is easy to enter and stay with for everyone.

One thing that Disney High reminds us of is that Disney executives can be harsh. The sad part of the story of the Disney Channel is that financially executives had to be aware of the budget. And they took cost-cutting measures that were often impersonal and hurtful to creators and crew. For example, the goal was to reach a set number of episodes, so the program could be syndicated for a quarter. At that point, unless the show was a super success, the program would be canceled. Or shows would be extended episodes for a season to avoid pay increases or the show would be rebranded for the same reason. It was not atypical for a showrunner to be let go before their salary would become budget unfriendly even if they were nominated for an Emmy.

Another recurring theme in the book is the mix of managing young talent. Being in the public eye could often create physical and mental health challenges for the kid stars. At the same time, for some of the actors who had difficult home lives, the set and their cast families were safe heavens. But even in those safe heavens, Disney was still budget-conscious and could get into protracted negotiations with the kids’ representation. Due to image standards, Disney may not have been as supportive in situations where the kids were victims but needed to be seen by the public as apologetic for making typical teen mistakes. While externally, I think we still joke about the stereotype of the Disney Channel star, in the end, Disney was a large organization where there were wins and losses on how to best support kids. And sadly some of those losses left emotional scars on youngsters. And every Disney Channel star has a story that goes beyond the generalization.

Despite being a little too old for the peak of the Disney Channel, I still look on it fondly as a parent who used this entertainment to bring the family together. Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel's Tween Empire by Ashley Spencer allowed me to be thoroughly engaged as I looked back on that time, feeling both joy and sadness. In the end, she shares a story of the growth of an important, yet often ignored, media outlet. Readers also get views of the people who made that growth happen and were caught up in the momentum of the machine. For me, it is the stories of the kids, cast, and crew that made me continue to feel attached to the entertainment they created and for which I hope they continue to be proud of on their resumes.

 

Review Copy Provided for Review

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Between Books - Star Wars: The HIgh Republic Beware the Nameless

I promise I am not trying to hate read the High Republic!

Star Wars: The High Republic Beware the Nameless by Zoraida Córdova is a book for ages 8 to 12, which brings me to some questions about the architecture of the High Republic blueprint. These questions range from who is the intended audience and when and how you reveal important plot points.

Star Wars: The High Republic Beware the Nameless by Zoraida Córdova is a straightforward mid-reader adventure tale. Padawan Ram Jomaram, who we’ve met before, is given the mission to capture some of the Nihil’s Nameless. It appears he has been successful enough in the past to get an important mission but not enough to be promoted to Knight. His mission team is a group of young padawans and the daughter of the senator. Boom, we get a switch-up and the youngsters of this group are separated from Ram and go on their own adventure where they meet a young inquisitive Hutt, fight the Nameless, and attempt to save survivors of a Nihil attack.

Overall, the story is meant for high elementary and middle school readers, and the action revolves around them in a story that has plenty of adventure targeted to that age range. So I won’t hate review this! I did leave the book wondering about what the kids are reading and the line between adolescent and adult. When I was in Middle School, I tended to read adventure stories, so I think Córdova’s story is mostly appropriate to the age range. But it also felt like it was right on the line as a tense and brutal story. We’ve seen the Nameless in adult-aged books kill Jedi and it is harsh. This harshness does return here, spoiler not everyone you meet will make it. So I did question if the level of violence was a good fit for the intended audience. But this is from someone who was this age before books like The Hunger Games with it’s fill of even more horrific violence. When I place it in that light, it does seem like something one would find for this reading group. I will say as an older reader, it felt more straightforward without twists and turns than the stories targeted for older readers.

Let’s focus on the book for just one more moment. I do think that one of the hardest things to do in the High Republic is introduce new characters. Córdova is really successful with the introduction of Churo the Hutt. Churo has a name every Disney fan will love. He also is a character that is one of the easiest aliens to imagine in your mind. He is highly likable and easy to cheer for, he has a lot of anxiety, more than a Hutt should have. Córdova in this story provides Churo a complete arc that tells a whole chapter of his life here, while also making us want to turn the page and see what the next chapter of his book is titled. For a project that overall has failed to make me like more than a character or two, it was refreshing to have one new entry stand out.

Yoda takes a seat and chats with the kids.

Let’s get away from the book for a second. I learned a lot about the Nameless in this book. I feel like there were aspects of what the Jedi know about the Nameless, the impacts of the Nameless attacks, and even how the Jedi see the Nameless that while hinted at in the adult High Republic books were clarified more strongly in this text. I found myself wondering if this text, outside of the main adult story line, was the place where readers should be looking for these clarifications. Are there going to be adults who never read this book due to the listed age range? Maybe Córdova hoped to give clarity to a youth reader, but I kept thinking shouldn’t Avar Kriss be discovering this? Even the fact there was a Nameless hunt felt like it should have been placed in the main story. And then the newest High Republic threat the Blight showed up, and I felt yet again I was getting more information than I got in the adult books where we watched heroes study the infection. Good on you Córdova, but the architects may have missed some of their strongest impact points.

Star Wars: The High Republic Beware the Nameless by Zoraida Córdova is a fine youth adventure story. I think the younger you are the better you will enjoy it. Córdova does give us a young new hero that I think is easy for readers of all ages to understand and enjoy. But I did walk away with more questions about how the High Republic is designed and more clarity on the Nameless. 

 

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Dreaming Disney - Galactic Empire

How big of a Star Wars fan am I? Big enough to use my Republic credits for tickets to a metal music show where grown men cosplayed and played heavy metal versions of Star Wars theme songs and instrumental pieces! Yeah, I’m a nerd!

Galactic Empire is a five-piece band that rocks the galaxy. As noted they primarily play Star Wars themes but with a heavy rock edge. The five members dress up as their own Star Wars characters. We get Dark Vader, a Sith Lord on lead guitar. Don’t forget the Mandalorian drummer, Boba Sett. We get an alien, a bounty hunter, and a trooper to fill out the band…a band that plays the Emperor’s favorite hits!

I personally began listening to them online. They showed up in a music feed as a suggestion, a suggestion where the Force was strong! I read a lot of books with instrumentals playing in the background. When I read a Star Wars book, I play themed music. And Galactic Empire spiced up the mix from the regular orchestral John Williams themes I was playing when visiting a galaxy far far away.

I recently attended a Galactic Empire concert live. I pulled the Between Bride into this wildness who stared with awe and fear as I jammed out to “Cantina Band” a smidge more than a grown man should. I think the first question about going to a Galactic Empire concert is literally, will I fit in? I found the crowd to be nerds like me mostly! Some were Star Wars bounding, some wore Star Wars novelty shirts like me, while others were clearly metal fans. But almost everyone was really there to have a good time. It never felt as overwhelming as a convention, and reminded it most of when I saw Dick Dale playing in a grimy college bar with just a mix of open-minded fans.

Now, here’s my biggest complaint. They did move away from just Star Wars anthems. They played the “Indiana Jones Theme” which they have also released. But they also played “Main Theme” from Pirates of the Caribbean and “The Avengers Main Theme” which were true bangers, and I really want to be able to access recordings of them when reading in other genres. But perhaps, those tunes are the dark side! 

The band Galactic Empire is fun. They dress up and don’t take themselves too seriously while making some really fun music. Would I go again, yes! And I really do hope they continue to put out metal versions of some of my favorite Disney themes, including those from other galaxies. 

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Between Books - Directing at Disney

What does a director of an animated film do? What did Walt Disney do as “director” as he opened his 1923 cartoon studio? What do directors do today? Honestly, it may be more complicated than you think!

Directing at Disney: The Original Directors of Walt’s Animated Films by Don Peri and Pete Doctor outlines the history of animation directors from pre-Disney Brothers Studios to the retirement of one of the original Nine Old Men Woolie Reitherman. Peri and Doctor start the book dropping us into early 20th-century animation, a time when animators were assigned scenes and largely were unsupervised by studio leadership in scene production. Walt Disney, as the visionary creative force behind his studio, took on a bigger role at his shop, dictating and approving the shots in his cartoon shorts. As the studio grew, Ub Iwerks, would take on a more supervisory role taking some of the roles from Disney that we would label directorial today. As this division of labor was more defined as the studio grew, Walt Disney filled the role of creative visionary with directors taking on the coordination and supervisory roles. And while not called directors, Iwerks and Burt Gillett took on these direction roles allowing Disney to focus his attention elsewhere. Director Dave Hand would fight to even better define the role of Disney directors in organization and authority, with the hope that the organization could create an efficient creative machine…but Disney would often interfere with the efficiencies Hand desired through his personality. Peri and Doctor provide chapters to highlight other key Disney directors such as Ben Sharpsteen, and Wilfred Jackson, up until Reitherman, detailing the evolution of organizational, supervisory, and creative roles including the differences between directors, sequence directors, and other directing roles. Much of this evolution follows the trail of creative vision, moving fully from Disney as a producer to Reitherman as director providing his own stories much like modern Disney directors do today.

There is a lot to love about this book. It easily could have slid into a reference-type book with a dull narrative. The tools of a reference book are here, with eye-catching illustrations that detail complicated organizational relationships and appendixes that list out titles and credits for directing-type positions. But Peri and Doctor run from reference only and use their chapters to provide us with biographical stories that clearly show roles, authority, and change. They often come with personality. For example, Sharpsteen is a figure that I have often seen animators complain about as a company man who was macro-managing. Peri and Doctor don’t run from this characterization. But they do place in the context of the needs of the studio at the time and Sharpsteen’s personality. What others may have seen as overbearing, Sharpsteen saw as parental. This personality element makes this more than a bland reference that sits on a shelf just to answer a trivia question or comparison data. It is a story of people working within a changing organization, and often struggling with this change.

There is a line between publicity and history that can sometimes be merged in the corporate press of a major firm. I can see how modern leadership would have loved a book that came out and said, “Everything was fine.” But the book to me illustrates the tension. Walt Disney’s interests changed. The book details the lives of individuals who had opinions of their own about how to best make animated films and shorts and often did not agree with each other. Some personalities fell out of favor with Walt Disney himself. Maybe because of Doctor’s authority within modern Disney, I feel a story is told that does not make heroes out of legends or hide the tension. For example, Dave Hand who loved structure as seen by his reproduced organization chart, did have personality conflicts with Walt Disney. This led to a falling out that left Hand outside of the studio. How others saw directors like Sharpsteen and Reitherman is clear. Maybe along with Doctor’s current personal authority within the company, this tension between guidance and authority is found in his journey, and something he was very well aware of, as being a leader is not always about being beloved.

Directing at Disney: The Original Directors of Walt’s Animated Films by Don Peri and Pete Doctor is a gorgeously illustrated book telling a story of organizational evolution and the personalities that helped build the changing role of animation directors. It is a frank discussion about change within a corporate body and the tensions that this creates. Peri and Doctor note the years they worked on this volume, and it was well-spent by providing a book that allows us to see the directors and not just the trivia.

Oswald Opines - Marvelous Missteps?

Captain America: New World Order

 

Marvel Cinematic Universe movies are expensive! The reality is to make a profit they need to bring in not just hardcore fans, but also those with just general interest.

Also, in our post-pandemic world, it has become more difficult to convince moviegoers to leave their couch and visit a theater. I’m shocked to say that at this moment there are two movies I have seen in the theater with Deadpool and Wolverine and Beatlejuice Beatlejuice. I’m honestly not sure I couldn’t have waited for Tim Burton’s latest even with me enjoying it. There is a chance that I will be catching two in-theater movies during the Thanksgiving weekend, but that’s due to the occasion and family plans.

Here is my worry.

I feel like before Avengers: Endgame there were generally a story and cast linkage that kept moviegoers coming. Yes, Guardians of the Galaxy was risky, but even there we had an Infinity Stone to bring the skeptical into the story. By the time that Doctor Strange hit the screen there was some trust to get moviegoers who knew nothing about the Sorcerer Supreme would go and view the film.  

Now, in the shadow Deadpool and Wolverine, I have worries. The next films have no cast or story connections to the only MCU movie of 2024! So I don’t think Logan or Wade can halo the next MCU film to a massive hit.

This got me thinking about what’s next. We have Captain America: Brave New World and I think this will be a hard sell. Let’s take a look!

 

First, we have politics. I’m not sure that with real-life politics and tension this is going to pull fans to the movies. Let’s add, that I’m not sure that even those who have watched Falcon and the Winter Soldier are going to be fully immersed in the complexities of their political difficulties. I don’t even know what I should be tracking as important with the complications of Disney+’s Secret Invasion which best might be forgotten like Kang. Harrison Ford may have replaced the alien-hating President from that series. But who knows and who cares? I don’t even know if need to see this as a sequel to one specific Disney+ mini-series, which I’m not sure how many watched. And I’m vague because I’m not sure what series it is a sequel to!

February 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World has three things going for it. First, the title indicates to viewers that this film is a continuation of the Chris Evan’s franchise. Second, it features Anthony Mackie who helps that feeling by giving us a familiar face we can cheer for and who was present before Avengers: Endgame. And finally, as Disney fans we all love Harrison Ford, and find ourselves amused with the fact he was willing to join the franchise. I think, or maybe hope, that Captain America: Brave New World will perform okay, with it being the next film after a hit and some familiar faces, even if many fans don’t understand or want to understand the political atmosphere post-Snap (sorry it’s the Snap not Blip to me). 

Thunderbolts*

Now, the next release for May 2025, really has me worried with Thunderbolts*. 

When I watched this trailer with family who have matched most of the MCU, they kept saying, who, what, and when. This is also someone who has fatigue in tracking all MCU threads. Also…not to be mean, but this is another Disney+ sequel. Black Widow, sadly, was a Disney+ movie. Falcon and the Winter Soldier, with Bucky the one pre-Endgame hero was Disney+, and that’s the only place we have seen John Walker. And poor Ghost, by this viewer, was forgotten from Ant-Man and the Wasp. Honestly, most of these anti-heroes except for Bucky, Red Guardian, and Belova Widow were at the back of my mind. And let’s toss in the fact that Bob is really not a known hero, he’s not a cult favorite, and he’s really not “fun”. Many are going to look at the trailer and compare it to Suicide Squad which was not a good time for everyone. I just think this is going to be a harder sell to broad audiences. So I worry that Thunderbolts* is not going to do well, I worry we are looking at our next Eternals unless Han Solo can give them a halo effect!


So Robert Downey Jr. is coming back, now as Doctor Doom. There are a lot of people who are saying this is a bad move. This is a necessary move. This is the type of casting that will remind average fans of his days as Iron Man. He is an award-winning actor who’s done great things since leaving the MCU. He’s also a face and name that audiences connect with the franchise. Is it odd that is he playing someone else, yeah sure. But is it familiar to see him doing press for the MCU, yes..yes it is. The MCU needs to be a little less risky and experimental at the moment as it reasserts itself!


To have nice things, we need people to pay for them. I worry that the MCU isn’t going to grab the attention of moviegoers in this current resistance to theater seats unless they do something drastic. Bringing back familiar faces that audiences love could be that piece to move us back. And if we learned anything from Deadpool and Wolverine we need permission to have fun again in our tights and bed sheets. I believe that by the time we get to the Avengers movies that Kevin Fiege will have us back on course. But first, we may have to allow a downturn again.

Between Books - The Origins of Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventures

 

I feel like Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventures is under-represented within Disney fandom. The films are not available on Disney+. It feels to me like they are only really mentioned in some publicity for the yearly Disney Nature feature offering. We need to squint to connect some intellectual property in the parks. Yet telling the stories of nature has historically been a long-existing theme for the Walt Disney Company as seen in the mentioned Disney Nature brand and an entire theme park in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

The Origins of Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventures by Didier Ghez, the second volume of the film monograph series of the Hyperion Historical Alliance, dives deep into the origins of this Disney theme, beginning as early as the development of Bambi. Ghez addresses head-on the myth that the True-Life Adventures and the release of the first short in 1948, Seal Island, started with a brief interaction between Walt Disney and Disney Legend Cinematographer Alfred Milotte. Instead, we start in the 1930s with the production of the 1942 animated forest feature. Artist Maurice “Jake” Day was charged with capturing live-action references and images from his native Maine. Day’s trips into the wild, provided reference that helped Disney executives begin to see the possibilities of nature documentaries. With production in the early 1940s focused heavily on educational films during World War II, this interest continued as the studio attempted to find ways to monetize the educational market. This exploration would lead to Alfred Milotte and his wife, assistant, and fellow Disney Legend Elma Milotte being contracted to film material in Alaska in 1943.

Ghez provides us with an in-depth view of the Milottes in their production process in Alaska, brilliantly weaving together his own narrative with original journals and letters. The reader follows the pair as they learn to film to Hollywood standards and struggle with practices like using a slate in atypical conditions. The pages, and images, help us watch the two grow as they explore a world that for much of the 1940s was a true frontier for most Americans, with some of them seeming familiar to us who today catch episodes of The Deadliest Catch. Ghez chronicles for us how those at the studio viewed the filmed material and struggled with determining how to use the hours of unedited reels the duo in the field created. The final decision was to focus on one shorter segment, not long enough for a feature but an adequate story for a theatrical short. The book concludes with the production of additional True-Life Adventures and their legacy. An appendix provides the reader with the credits of the True-Life Adventures series.

It is a very well-written and engaging book. You at times feel like you have joined some of these expeditions and share in their logistical hurdles. How will we get to that remote island the reader asks, throwing themselves into the wilderness journey. I also found myself sympathizing with the Milottes as they read the criticisms of production supervisor Ben Sharpsteen. As Sharpsteen wrote, safely and warmly from California, Ghez’s writing can place us in the Milottes’ shoes as they are just trying to get to their far-flung locations while the studio is worried about angles, coverage, and proper use of slates (which of course did not work well in frigid temperatures). Ghez is able to get us here through his well-placed reproduced primary sources where through journal or letter the participants in their own words bring us back in time while using his added narration to set scenes and provide transitions.

Another strength of the book is the well-placed use of illustrations and images. The Hyperion Historical Alliance prides itself in not just narrative history, but sharing visual artifacts. Therefore there are several still pictures, archival illustrations, and even pages of storyboards that help the reader to better immerse themselves into the subject. The total package of words and images shows a high value to editorial skills for the finished text.

The book is very origins-heavy, which makes sense as that’s what the title promises! One may ask for additional information about what happened next in more detail. But that feels like a potential follow-up and not a piece that has to fall within the scope of this title as it is not meant to be a comprehensive history.

The Origins of Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventures by Didier Ghez is an excellent and engaging book on what is often a forgotten Disney live-action endeavor. Ghez’s words and pictures pull us into a story, one that is part studio history and part adventure tale. It also helps us to better see the story of the Milottes up close where we can see their contributions to film history.


Addendum: While text is available on Amazon, I purchased my copy at Stuart Ng Books website which offered an autographed copy. Additionally, other autographed Hyperion Historical Alliance publications were available there online.

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Cap's Comics - What If…? Donald Duck Became The Mighty Thor

Lorenzo Pastrovicchio Cover

This summer we have been graced with Marvel comics that celebrated Disney classic characters with them taking the roles of Thanos and Wolverine. But summer has to end! Let’s end it with one last adventure.

“What If…? Donald Duck Became The Mighty Thor” with plot by Steve Behling, script by Riccardo Secchi, and art by Giada Perissinotto gives us one more look at the 90-year-old duck taking up the mantle of a Marvel hero. In this one-shot comic, Donald Duck takes his nephews on a Norwegian vacation to an ancient archaeological Viking site so they can earn their Junior Woodchuck medal for Ancient Viking Relic Explorers. While scrounging for priceless Viking heirlooms, the Earth is invaded by the Stone Ducks of Saturn who land on this ancient site. Donald seeking shelter from the danger finds an old wooden cane which when knocked grants a worthy one, wow Donald look at you, the power of the ancient Norse God Thor. Equipped with these new abilities, the Mighty Donald is the only hero who can save us all! 

Phil Noto Donald Duck Thor Cover

Of the three Disney specials we got this summer, this one is the most all-ages and maybe a little bit more kid-focused than the rest. There is a little less inside adult humor to me, with this offering being more of a kids-friendly brawl and fight story. The biggest Easter Egg for adults is the story’s heavy parallels to the original Journey into Mystery #83 story “The Mighty Thor and the Stone Men from Saturn” which was Stan Lee’s, Larry Lieber’s, and Jack Kirby’s debut of their Norse hero in 1962. The story in many cases is beat-for-beat of the original Marvel classic. And maybe this is why it seems more kid-friendly, with it being a very 1960s plot at a time when comics were more kid-focused. I do like the changes, with movie star Korg’s Stone Men being turned into Stone Ducks, which fit the story well.

Donald Duck is a good uncle and a horrible archeologist! 

Peach Momoko Cover

Perissinotto has given us art for two of these stories now. The art here is very approachable and inviting. One of the changes you will notice here is the writing duties shared. The plot was provided by Behling who has written a handful of young reader books for Disney, many using Stitch. The script, just like you would see in a movie with the frame-by-frame and line-by-line framework for the artist, was developed by Secchi. Secchi does not have many comic credits, but he has written Disney classic characters with an issue of Disney Hero Squad: Ultrahumans served up to readers over a decade ago at Boom! Studios. It’s not uncommon to see plot and script duties separated. One of my favorite examples is DC’s Justice League International. But much of the vigorous debate in the Marvel world is that often Stan Lee provided plots while his artists like Jack Kirby really did the scripting at various levels of detail. Which at times, did not make it clear who was responsible for what among the old masters. Overall, the team does a nice job, as I think kids would appreciate this story which may seem familiar if they have seen any of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

However, I do wonder if the inclusion of an editor’s letter and some concept development pages in the end hint they may have been a little short in story? 

Walter Simonson Cover

“What If…? Donald Duck Became The Mighty Thor” with plot by Steve Behling, script by Riccardo Secchi, and art by Giada Perissinotto reminds us that summer always comes to an end! I have as a Disney and Marvel fan gotten a chuckle out of these one-shot comics. I have appreciated how on different levels there is something here for kids and adults, much like this issue. 

Skottie Young Cover

Turning the last page…wait, Minnie becomes Captain Marvel in November! Yes, please!

Between Books - The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt's Favorite Ride Second Edition

Two things can be true at once!

FACT: The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt’s Favorite Ride Second Edition is an interesting, fun, and factual chronicle of The Jungle Cruise which highlights the impact that cast members have had on the evolution of the beloved attraction.

FACT: The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt’s Favorite Ride Second Edition is a poorly delivered and executed book that has numerous misprints, odd prints, repetitions, and miscellaneous errors that distract from the reader’s experience while lowering the ability for a fan, like me, to claim it’s a truly authoritative history of the attraction.

The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt’s Favorite Ride by David “Dr. Skipper” Marley is a book that had not joined my Between Books yet. But with the printing of a second edition, I jumped online to Dr. Marley’s Etsy page to buy an autographed copy. It is likely the most excited I have been about a book in the mail for the last several years.

The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt’s Favorite Ride Second Edition by David “Dr. Skipper” Marley provides a historical account of the development, growth, and current state. Marley, a trained and practicing historian, uses the narrative history of the attraction, his own history with the boat ride, and oral histories to offer an entertaining and interesting account of the Disney original. The chapters are typically long and cover long stretches of park history. The book starts in Anaheim, but includes development and growth for the versions in Orlando Tokyo, and Hong Kong while addressing why some parks like Paris lack a jungle cruise. The book ends with a current state survey of the attraction, post inclusion edits and a world with a Jungle Cruise big budget movie. Marley, being a former skipper, does an excellent job of using the collective memory of the skippers and demonstrating the impact the attraction had on these cast members and the legacies they have left.

I for the most part really enjoyed this book. I am running around with my newest fun fact, The Jungle Cruise in the Magic Kingdom park is on the ground level of the park. It’s on the same floor as the utilidors! I mean it feels like the mind should realize that as we walk down the incline, but it took the book to point it out. There were numerous factual discoveries like these that I enjoyed. The text is generally entertaining, which can be in question when written by an academic. I did enjoy the use of interviews and skipper quotes throughout the text. Marley provides a text that often tickled this fan boy’s heart. He writes in a conversational style that is entertaining and often sparks joy.

Now the other truth. This book is an editing mess. If it was a Kindle book I would expect an update correcting the editing and printing errors that frankly gets in the way of the journey. These mistakes(shortened list for time) include,

• Printing errors that include incomplete letters and odd or inconsistent spacing

• Editing mistakes including incorrect or inconsistent use of punctuation (double or misspaced periods), use of italics, conflicting factual claims in the same sentence

• At least 3 instances with reprinted paragraphs printed on a span of 2 to 3 pages

• Gaps in sources, for example Marley clearly has an opinion about the movie, but his discussion of the budget and reactions lack cited sources

I did not expect this from a second edition, though mistakes can occur like this in self-published books. While I don’t have the first edition, it does seem from other comments that the editing mistakes, and thank you to an editor, occurred in the firs edition. I get it! Authors can simply get to close to their work. I will admit that both me and an editor missed numerous instances of the word “solider” in place of “soldier” in a past project. I am not super detailed writer, and I”m sure this blog is full of mistakes. But the problems become an obstacle to digging into the story of the jungle. I’d love to see Marley write a history for Disney Press, but his frank discussion would likely not fit within the publishing house’s goals. What I would really want is a publisher to work with Marley and fashion a really well done and executed third edition. Because at the moment, any endorsement I would make about this book includes the caveat, it is not edited or printed well. So you need to think carefully if the $40 is worth it to you.

Hey authors, I’m willing to read through drafts or proofs to help find obvious mistakes, because if I can see mistakes more critical readers will definitely find plenty.

Jungle Cruise I love you, but sometimes your books seem to be hindered by publication and editing. The Jungle Cruise: The Wild History of Walt’s Favorite Ride by David “Dr. Skipper” Marley is an interesting and often entertaining reflection on the Jungle Cruise and their skippers important to our fandom. It is also a inadequately produced volume, which has errors that limits the text’s authority. I found both enjoyment and frustration on these pages…because two things can be true.

 

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Dreaming Disney - The Jungle

It was sad news. Tales From the Jungle Crews which has really slowed in posting episodes the last few years is being fully retired, and the episodes will no longer be available. That’s a real kick in the pants as I’m still hungry for new chapters. With this turn, we must ask ourselves where do Disney fans hungry for Jungle stories go now?

Luckily, I adventured to The Jungle podcast. The official description is “Two former Jungle Skips talk Disney, Theme Parks, & Pop Culture. However, in true Skipper fashion, the conversation frequently heads into uncharted waters. Hosted by David "Dr. Skipper" Marley (Author, Disney Historian) & Trevor Kelly (Crooner, Senior Art Director).” The podcast drops every two weeks. The format is basically chit-chat between two long-term friends that focuses primarily on Disney news, Disneyland, Tiki events, and since we have two former Skippers, the Jungle Cruise. The chat is generally light-hearted with some fun opinions. The two know each other very well and able to get a little silly, which let’s be honest we can all use a little silly.

I mentioned that these two are two Disneyland former skippers. Dr. David Marley is a historian who currently teaches history courses. He has also written a number of books about the Jungle Cruise and is a speaker who appears at several Tiki events discussing I assume the Jungle Cruise. Trevor Kelly, is a crooner and podcaster that I listened to years ago on a show called Joey and Trevor Talk to Each Other, which much like The Jungle was two skippers chatting, or as I remember it more like shooting the poop. The Jungle is very much that type of show, where the topics could be the two mulling the latest Disney or Disneyland news, telling stories of their days in the jungle, or just them talking about whatever moves them that day. It’s that chit-chat type of format that for me is what I like. It’s chat going on in the background where I feel like someone is talking with me, even if I’m not live or in the room with them. It does not fill the gap left by Tales From the Jungle Crews, a show that transformed from chit-chat to one of the best oral history podcasts you can find. But it does give fans a little Jungle Crews content in an easy-to-digest format. And living so far from Disneyland, I like hearing local takes on the happenings around the park and the Disneyland Jungle Cruise. 

The Jungle is a fun chat between two friends. It’s a bonus they are informed former skippers who bring up the Jungle Cruise on the regular. The Jungle is fun mostly Disney talk that definitely provides me the coffee chat that I need, in a safe I’m still an introvert way, on a Monday morning.

Between Books - Star Wars: The High Republic Tempation of the Force

The world has changed! Star Wars: The Acolyte has introduced scores of new eyes to the High Republic. It is rumored that the series won’t be coming back for a season 2, largely due to honestly toxic Star Wars culture and not due to story pacing or plot concerns. We’ve now seen Vernestra Rwoh in the flesh, and even rightfully I will argue been too obsessed with birthdays. So it’s a perfect time to jump back into the High Republic Between Books, and maybe even reflect on if the High Republic show changes my thoughts on the literature.

Star Wars: The High Republic Temptation of the Force by Tessa Gratton continues the epic space battle (or star war) between the Republic and the Jedi versus warlord Marchion Ro and his Nihil forces. Much of the focus of the book is Jedi Masters Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann as they seek a way to save those trapped within the Occlusion Zone ruled by the Nihil. They seek to combine technology and the Force to better understand hyperspace and how they can free the captive. Meanwhile, a new blight is visiting planets and leaving death in its wake. Marchion Ro and Jedi Knights Bell Zettifar and Burryaga seek to understand the relationship the blight has with the Force, the Jedi killing Nameless, and another almost forgotten adversary. Also, Jedi Master Porter Engle focuses on his own mission of…revenge? All of these events move forward to a stopping point that allows us to face all these problems in a future book.

First and foremost, some of these books have just exhausted me. Out of all of the High Republic books this has likely been my favorite. We have spent enough time with Avar, Elzar, Marchion Ro, and the rest of the supporting cast that we have enough knowledge to follow along with them and have some investment. I just had the feeling that this is a story that is pushing forward to conclusion. But there are so many elements that I feel many of them take from the rest of the story. This is a story laid out by a committee! I wonder if Gratton had permission to just create an Avar and Elzar story if it may have had better pacing and been a little more satisfying. We’ve seen so many characters culled from the story since Light of the Jedi, that I really wonder if less is showing to be more.

It does feel like there is so much story to serve. I thought Gratton had us on a path to a conclusion for the whole arc. But she’s not able to get there due to all of the elements. Those elements include an adversary that was introduced in the first phase of the project and then largely disappeared. Also, in this book, we begin to see the pay off to why the time jump backward was written. But even then, I don’t find that connection to matter much to me. Honestly, I think Marchion Ro is a really villainous villain. What I would like to see happening is the Jedi focussing on fighting him. I also could use a little more time with him and less with his subordinates. If we were given a High Republic arc that was basic Marchion Ro is bad, Jedi are good, Jedi need to stop him… we could have a pretty fun adventure. George Lucas is famous for “faster, more intense” and this principle could have helped the whole High Republic instead of building a lot of lore and worlds. Just give us Jedi are good, villains are bad, let's throw them against each other. I often tried to read this book in that light, which helped me as the pace seemed to slightly build up.

Gratton does give us a piece that I really enjoyed, Jedi in love! We have seen many times how love is seen by Jedi as a road to attachment. Avar and Elzar have a strong, long-standing relationship that is really complicated among the Jedi. This gives them moments to discuss love, and if it is a road to the Dark Side. They, for the first time, discuss how love can be freeing, love can be a road to the Light Side, and it does not need to be a prison. I’d agrue that Kanan Jarrus was the best of all Jedi, and he pushed into love. I appreciate that Gratton’s view of love aligns better with what I think many of us feel than the horrible tragic quality many other Star Wars books treat love as being. I love, it makes me better! It seems a few Jedi may actually agree.

So, I’ve seen Star Wars: The Acolyte which for this book likely mostly impacts my take on Vern. Vern is older, much older, and a little more cynical and political as a leader among the Jedi. So while Vern bounces around the sides of this story, I do see her less youthful and more hard-edged. I’m judging her for some of the opinions she’s expressing in glances. I think the writers would prefer I see these moments as how she got to that point on the show. But…due to recency bias, she’s already changed on the page.

Yoda appears in a fancy robe! I mean, Yoda is sprinkled lightly into the story.

Star Wars: The High Republic Temptation of the Force by Tessa Gratton is a fast-paced mostly adventure novel that moves quickly to the conclusion of this battle. The best portions of the story focus on Jedi seeking to defeat the villain. But sadly, the weight of the entire High Republic and the lore has slowed the pace. And overall, for a Star Wars project that I have been somewhat critical of…for story reasons…Temptation of the Force is likely my favorite offering yet. There is a nice little adventure in here. 

 

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Caps Comics - What If...? Donald Duck Became Wolverine

Regular Giada Perissinotto Cover

Shared birthday parties…I’m not a fan. Someone gets less attention than they should! In sharing a party between 90-year-old Donald Duck and the 50-year-old Wolverine, who will get less love. 

 Phil Noto Donald Duck Wolverine Cover

“What If…? Donald Duck Became Wolverine” is a fun mashup of Donald Duck and Wolverine written by Luca Barbieri with art by Giada Perissanotto. The story is pretty simple all-ages Marvel fun. Pete-Skull has taken control of Duckburg, including Uncle Scrooge’s Money Bin. There’s only one hero who can save us from this evil. Sleeping on Grandma Duck’s Farm is that duck hero…Donald-Wolverine. Another hero comes to the farm to recruit the reluctant angry clawed duck. The duo, then trio, go on a voyage to face Pete-Skull, where we discover Wolverine-Duck’s real superpower.

Peach Momoko Cover

Alright, I had to hide some secrets. Perissanotto’s art gives us some really fun Marvel-Disney crossovers. It’s too giddy joy to spill the beans on these images. The combo of Disney characters and Marvel costuming is just fun. I will reveal, that there is a wonderful splash page of Donald in Wolverine variant costumes that is super fun and I would love to frame on my wall. Donald’s feathers/hair is just so on-model for Wolverine and makes me giggle whenever he is in the frame. These images are more fun than the Disney 100 variant covers, which always were on the wrong comic. 

Ron Lim  Cover

This is written for Marvel fans. The story elements to me are a Marvel tale with Donald’s world and supporting cast tipping the hat to Marvel and not the other way around. I think the biggest gap among the cameos is no Watcher. “The What If…?” brand is really led by the Watcher, and we need an introduction from the Watcher to really setup the story and the world we are visiting within the multiverse. Oh geez, if only Donald-Wolverine had appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine with his perfectly styled feathers that would have made this all over-the-top. 

Skottie Young Variant Cover

“What If…? Donald Duck Became Wolverine” is Luca Barbieri’s first Marvel comic. He is an Italian writer who we should not be shocked to see wrote a few issues of Topolino, you know Mickey Mouse, and Wizards of Mickey. This is also Perissanotto’s first Marvel comic, though Perissanotto has provided Marvel variant covers. We should not be shocked that Perissanotto is also Italian and shares in the deep Mickey Mouse Italian comics tradition. I think it is brilliant that with this batch of recent Mice and Ducks Marvel is leaning into the Italian expertise instead of grabbing American Marvel artists and writers, other than Jason Aaron. 

D23 Variant Comic Set

“What If…? Donald Duck Became Wolverine” is an all-ages comic that is fun for kids and adult Marvel fans. I have enjoyed this recent wave of Marvel Disney comics and love there is more to come. It sounds like collectors are also enjoying these waves, with variant covers fetching big money on eBay. We also know that in the party between a Duck and the Canuck…the Duck wins as this is a Duck party from page one.

Between Books - George Pérez

We’re Disney Adults…we’re used to our favorite art not being taken seriously!

I’ve long been a fan of the late George Pérez. If anything, I thought he may have packed too much into his comic pages. But to me, he was a master comic book artist who helped inspire the look and storytelling of two of the most important comic book movies of all time, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Apparently, there was more criticism of Pérez than I believed.

George Pérez by Patrick L. Hamilton is a biographical monograph that takes comic book art and the work of George Pérez seriously. The text opens with a discussion of who Pérez was as an artist and criticisms of his work. This includes the fact that he was often considered slow as an artist and did not complete to the end all of his comic assignments. Additionally, Hamilton points out the primary of writers over artists in praise of comic book work. Let’s be honest, Stan Lee jumps to the top of more minds than Jack Kirby. Hamilton next outlines artistic visual choices that Pérez took in order to populate a full world around his characters and use the page to create vibrant action. The final two chapters discuss how Pérez depicted disabled characters such as the Teen Titans Cyborg and Jericho along with female characters like Wonder Woman and Scarlet Witch. Hamiltons shows his readers a common thread in his depictions! Pérez looked to draw reality into his characters and sought to avoid comic book troupes. Along with the discussion of the artist’s life, Hamilton includes a number of color and black-and-white images that demonstrate Pérez’’s artist endeavors.

Really the opening, with it’s criticism, was eye opening to me. As a comic fan, I know all about the obstacles that slower artists, often many of them the best, face in reaching deadlines. Pérez was one of those artists. But I think as shown in the visual examples found on the page, that his lack of speed was a tradeoff to realism. Pérez drew people and places that were vibrant and full. His backgrounds were filled with the clutter we find in our own homes. And his characters acted out like we would expect them to behave in the real world. Hamilton shows how Pérez grew to bind his reality to our real world. And I think it was all for the better, knowing how the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is bound to reality, has used Pérez art as one of the guides to put comic pages into live action.

George Pérez by Patrick L. Hamilton is a trend I love. Academics are taking pop culture seriously as part of culture. This text is a serious academic work that can be used, and likely will be used, in college courses on art and sociology. It is published by an academic press! This is not a silly book about silly books. And you will feel like someone is taking beloved pop culture seriously.

For Disney fans, you will need to expect some discussion of DC comics, as comic creators often do shift from one company to another. For those who want to understand the evolution of an artist or get to know George Pérez and his legacy better, this is a short yet serious read that can challenge one about what they believe about silly comic art. I wish that when I was an undergraduate, or when I taught, that I had monographs like this available to better connect students to material they were familiar with while making serious points about culture and society. 

 

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Review Copy Provided for Review