The Classic Comic Strips of Mickey Mouse

One of the more interesting (and certainly welcome!) of recent publishing industry trends has been the reprinting of classic newspaper comic strips in deluxe hardcover volumes.  Fantagraphics Books has been one of the true pioneers in this regard, most especially when they began their Complete Peanuts series back in 2004.  It was in turn very exciting indeed when Fantagraphics announced earlier this year that they would be reprinting classic Disney-related comics and comic strip collections in these same high standard formats.

As part of Free Comic Book Day this past Saturday, Fantagraphics gave us a sneak preview of what we can expect from their upcoming Floyd Gottfredson Mickey Mouse comic strip reprint series.  The 36-page giveaway features the story Pluto the Racer, a collection of strips originally published in 1935.  David Gerstein, one of our favorite Disney scholars provides an introduction, while Floyd Norman, one of our favorite Disney Studio veterans, pens an appreciation of Gottfredson that relates to Norman's own tenure in the Disney Comic Strip Department.

Chances are your local comic book shop may still have some copies available, and certainly the price can't be beat.  The first volume of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse arrives in stores next month and reprints the first two years of the comic strip from 1930 and 1931.  Volume two is set to be released in the fall.