Treasure: Wee Willie Winkie visits Fleetway

[jehanbosch]

Hi Phil
Thanks to the late Bob Hayden i became very interested in UK Disney comics during the 1970s.
I even managed to obtain a subscription on the then current "Mickey and Donald".
When Fleetway (?) axed the subscriptions Bob became my supplier of UK Disney.
From the data I gathered Disney was fairly popular in the UK in the 1950s and again in the 1970s.
During the interval of the 60s American Disney comics were circulated as well as some obscure British publications.
In the 1980s everything collapsed. But so did the US comics.
The lack of success was once explained as that the Disney comics were not adventurous enough and lacked the naughty boys the UK comics excel in.
In that case the UK DIsneys should have reprinted very early Mickey Mouse strips as well as the early Barks in which Donald Duck has a running fight with his nephews.
But as i recall in the UK "MIckey Mouse"of 1958 Mickey is struggling with HIS naughty nephews..
Best, J.

[blaing]

That Mickey comic (the second one before this post) was an Australian reprint published by Wogan publishing (which was the successor to Disney's Australian representative's W. G. Publicattions (W. G. in this case being Walt's representative in Australia from the mid 1940's until the late 1980's, Walter Granger))

[jehanbosch]

Hi
You do not have Australian Peter Pan on sale do you?
Best, Johan

[blaing]

I'm afraid not. Sorry.

[philcom55]

Presumably you're aware of the gorgeous full-colour Peter Pan strip Ron Nielson drew for Mickey Mouse Weekly Jehan? It's such a shame that Disney decided to publish their own British comic in 1958 as neither Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse or Zip were ever as good as the original title in my opinion. Of course, Disney material had been regularly appearing in the UK in comics like Boys and Girls Own Evening World even before MMW was launched.

[jehanbosch]

Hi Phil
I am very much aware of the special Peter Pan strip in Mickey Mouse Weekly of 1953.
Because i am desperately trying to obtain all instalments.
However, there exists a Peter Pan sequel in MMW of 1953-1954 i know nothing about.
I think the title is "Peter Pan and the Treasure of Joshua Slugg". Have to look it up.
And i have not even seen a scan of it!!!
However, there exists yet another British Disney comic adaptation of Peter Pan.
But it tells the original story of Peter Pan, not that of the movie!!!
In Disney style you will find illustrations of Wendy's house in Neverland as well of the Neverbird.
Two UK real picture books follow the same original story with Disney type illustrations.
Peter Pan is that movie that was most often brought into comic books, more than any other Disney movie.
I know nothing of other UK comics with Disney illustrations.
Nevertheless Bob sold me a lot of MMW, even from before and during the War.
Best, Johan

[philcom55]

Here's an example of the Joshua Slogg story Jehan (sadly not in colour).



I think Peter might've also appeared in Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse as well as Tiny Tots and/or Playhour (possibly an early version of the adaptation that was serialized in Treasure?).

[jehanbosch]

Hi Phil
I can not thank you enough for divulging Joshua Sloggs' Secret.
By the same artist i think?
Peter Pan did appear in the UK "Mickey Mouse" of 1958-59 in a very British serial "Peter Pan and Hook the Crook".
It were one page gags and not a continuing story.
Peter and the Lost Boys were almost as naughty as the pirates.
Last year my computer crashed; otherwise i could give you a scan.
I bought my copies from the long gone "Derek and Sandy" store.
Peter Pan also appeared in about half of the issues of "Disneyland".
But i can give you a scan of the cover of the mystery booklet - which i have.
If my overburdened laptop allows me..
You can find scans on Michael Sporn's pages
http://www.michaelspornanimation.com/splog/?p=4414
Thanks again and best, Johan

[matrix]

Phil said... "I think Peter might've also appeared in Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse as well as Tiny Tots and/or Playhour (possibly an early version of the adaptation that was serialized in Treasure?)."

Correct Phil! 'Playhour' first, and 'Tiny Tots' when they combined.

Starting on 29th November 1958, and ending on the 28th February 1959.

First example below with lovely work by Nadir Quinto.

[philcom55]

That's excellent - thanks for showing it Matrix! Leonard Matthews sure got a lot of mileage out of some of those Playhour stories.

[jehanbosch]

Hi
I did some research. It turns out ALL 55 issues of "Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse" feature the "Peter Pan and Captain Hook the Crook" episodes but the comic lasted only 1958-1959 after "Mickey Mouse Weekly" ceased its publication in December 1957. Regretfully i did not find a scan...
I did locate a colour scan of the very first episode of the movie adaptation in "Mickey Mouse Weekly" of April 4, 1953.
It is kind of small.. Plus an outtake..
Best, J.

[Phoenix]

I would put money on this thread having more illustrations uploaded than any other in the history of Comics UK.

[jehanbosch]

Hi
Having so much fun with illustrations i am going to show you the weirdest scan of disney's Peter Pan ever..
Since i collect almost everything about Peter Pan i also collect playing cards.
The scan shown is of cards fabricated in the Argentine..
Can anyone beat this?
Best, J.

[suebutcher]

As a sidetrack from literary characters, is the John Noakes who drew the feature "Who They Are" in Treasure actually John "Blue Peter" Noakes?

[philcom55]

I hadn't noticed John Noakes' name in Treasure, but I guess writing for Fleetway was marginally less dangerous in those days than climbing Nelson's Column for the BBC!

Here's an example of 'Peter Pan and Captain Hook - the Crook!' from Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse.



...Personally I always thought that Captain Hook (and Tinkerbell) were the REAL stars of Peter Pan! Incidentally, here's another version of the Good (?) Captain that Jehan might not have seen from Look & Learn's 'Famous Faces from Famous Books' series.