Gear up for a steampunk adventure with Mickey and friends — it’s Mickey Mouse Versus the Mouseton Society of Evil! This oversized, 56-page book is part of Fantagraphics’ Disney Originals series, and it features an exciting story set in the year 2128. Let’s check it out!
Content Guide
It’s Disney, so it’s pretty squeaky-clean.
Synopsis
Our story opens with a bank heist perpetrated by The Blot, one of Mickey’s archnemeses and a character made famous by comics great Floyd Gottfredson.
Mickey (or “Space Ranger MØU-53,” as he’s also called in this story) responds to the distress signal. He swiftly delivers The Blot to justice, but wonders if the villain’s capture was a bit too easy. The Blot is sent to the @LT@CRZ prison colony, where he is held alongside a who’s-who of Disney baddies — the Beagle Brothers, Pete, Spectrus, and more.
After shrinking down to a tiny size, it becomes clear that The Blot’s motive was actually to get captured, so that he could spring his criminal compatriots from jail. After miniaturizing the rest of them as well, the crew escapes @LT@CRZ in an outbound shuttle.
Back on the home planet (and with everyone returned to their normal size), they rendezvous with Emil Eagle, whose giant crab-robot is terrorizing the city. The Blot reveals his grand plan to take over the city’s communications hub and use Spectrus’s powers to influence its residents.
Meanwhile, Mickey appears to get stripped of his space ranger status for having failed to stop the crab-bot. We learn, however, that this is actually part of a coordinated ploy to stop the so-called Mouseton Society of Evil. By pretending Mickey is no longer a threat, the police hope the baddies will feel emboldened and slip up.
Since his enemies are forming a team, Mickey does the same, rounding up Donald, Goofy, Minnie, and Pluto. They make a plan to divide and conquer. Minnie and Goofy take on Pete and Doctor Vulter, who are trying to steal giant batteries to power their weapon, while Mickey and Pluto race to The Blot’s lair. Donald stays behind as mission control.
A series of twists leads to an exciting climax, featuring an alien chase on a distant planet, an appearance by a deep-cut Disney comics character, and some further action that you’ll have to discover for yourself.
Conclusion
This book is a fun, breezy read full of humorous moments, punny wit, and homages to classic Disney comics. The futuristic setting is a departure from typical Mickey adventures, but the story remains grounded in the Disney style. (This is something I love about these characters — they are so versatile that they can work in almost any setting.)
The art is well done, with strong line work and a muted color palette. Dynamic character expressions add feeling to the story, and the oversized pages make splash panels even more effective. It’s odd that some characters are drawn without the traditional whites in their eyes (see the image of Mickey and gang above), but it doesn’t detract from the story. Just a stylistic choice that wasn’t for me.
The story moves along at a good pace, though the ending feels slightly rushed. I don’t want to spoil it, so I won’t go into specifics, but suffice it to say I would have liked the third act to have stretched out a little longer. I appreciate that the narrative has a deeper message about overuse of phones and social media, and I suspect it will likely resonate with many readers.
Overall, Mickey Mouse Versus the Mouseton Society of Evil is a fun romp, good for kids and adults alike. It’s rooted in classic Disney comics, and the influence shows. If you’re a fan of Mickey and friends, check this one out. It’s a fun adventure.
The reviewer was given a copy of this title from the publisher.