Disney Masters #4
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeThis fourth volume of Fantagraphics' Disney Masters series spotlights the work of Dutch and Danish cartoonists Daan Jippes and Freddy Milton, collecting their collaborative Donald Duck adventure 'The Great Survival Test' along with additional short stories. The collection showcases the duo's distinctive, detail-rich art style and their knack for placing Donald in humorous, high-stakes wilderness scenarios, offering a European take on the classic Disney duck universe.
In "The Great Survival Test," Donald Duck finds himself caught between two worlds when he takes a job as a proofreader for Dr. Primly Allworth, a self-styled guardian of morality who crusades against comic books—ironically, while profiting from his own bland, sanitized children's tales. Written by Daan Jippes, Fred Milton, and Geoffrey Blum, and illustrated by Jippes and Milton with inks by Milton, this story sees Huey, Dewey, and Louie deliver a clever, chaotic reckoning that puts both the moralizer and his temporary ally in their place. The cover by Daan Jippes captures the story’s sharp satire with a bold, expressive design.
In "The Success Test," Donald Duck and his cousin Gladstone Gander are pitted against each other in a bizarre business contest sponsored by the Duckburg Times. Given wildly impractical assets—a rusting ferry boat and a mud-barge—each must prove they can turn their unlikely tools into a profitable enterprise.
Donald Duck, Duckburg’s most meticulous cleaner, takes on his toughest challenge yet: restoring Big Beth, the city’s four-faced clock tower, to pristine condition. But when even his best efforts can’t keep up with the clock’s stubborn grime, the real question becomes: who’s really cleaning whom?
In "The Do-Gooder's League," Donald Duck is desperate to keep his spot in the flashy but empty-headed Do-Gooder's League, a group that boasts about helping the poor while doing almost nothing. With nearly all his belongings pawned to cover dues and just ten dollars short, he faces expulsion—and the loss of his prized high hat—unless he can steal from his own nephews’ savings.
In "Copious Quantities of Cod Liver Oil," Donald Duck faces off against Gladstone Gander in a high-stakes showdown of luck versus hustle, all while trying to meet Uncle Scrooge’s impossible deadline: selling 600 barrels of cod-liver oil in a week. With Donald betting his hard work against Gladstone’s legendary luck, the challenge comes down to one simple bottle—sold in one hour, or the loser must handle the entire stock.
In "Allworth and No Play," Dr. Primly Allworth, a self-righteous crusader against comic books, preaches morality while secretly profiting from his bland children's stories. When out-of-work Donald takes a job as his proofreader, the clever nephews—Huey, Dewey, and Louie—have a few tricks up their sleeves to teach both him and the Doc a lesson in the real value of fun.
In "Going to Sea," Donald Duck's wild imagination turns a simple daydream into a maritime mishap when he accidentally runs a massive tanker aground. With gold paint sloshing dangerously close to spilling, the Junior Woodchucks spring into action to save the day—just in time.
In "Rewarding Formula," Donald Duck stumbles into an unexpected challenge when he tries to claim a reward for returning a lost wallet—only to find himself pitted against a mysterious, reclusive scientist whose mind works in ways Donald can't fathom. With his blunt, no-nonsense approach clashing against intricate logic, Donald must navigate a puzzle that’s far more complicated than a simple return.
When ruthless developer Slashburn J. Clearcut sets his sights on bulldozing a nature preserve for a flashy new golf course, the land itself has other plans—turning his ambition into a very sticky situation. In this clever, nature-versus-nature tale from Disney Masters #4, the great outdoors delivers a surprisingly literal round of golf to the man who thought he was in control.
Daisy Duck finds herself honored when the Duckburg Needlepoint Club entrusts her with flying their prized Coat of Arms outside her home. But when Huey, Dewey, and Louie’s model airplane takes an unexpected dive, the delicate banner is torn to shreds just as the club is set to gather. With the pieces scattered by the wind, Daisy and the trio race against the clock to collect every last fragment before the meeting begins.
In "The Right Man on the Wrong Spot," Grandma Duck sends her perpetually lazy farmhand Gus Goose to Duckburg with the hope he’ll finally grow up and earn a real job. What follows is a whirlwind of misadventures where Gus stumbles into a series of criminal schemes—posing as a photographer, a counterfeiter, an armored car thief, and even a Brutopian spy—without ever realizing he’s been part of the chaos.
Donald Duck’s latest job hunt takes a wild turn when he’s offered a chance in distant Pickleburg—so wild, in fact, that he’ll have to dodge more than just traffic to make it on time. With a mix of determination and questionable choices, he’s racing through the countryside, one misstep at a time.
Donald Duck’s latest gig as a bookie’s runner goes sideways when he forgets to turn in a winning bet—now he’s fleeing a gym packed with furious boxers, scrambling through chaos with nothing but his wits and a knack for trouble.
In "The Briefcase Case," Donald Duck takes on a high-stakes bet with Gladstone Gander: prove he can land a glamorous job without lugging a briefcase like the rest of the working world. But when he lands a courier gig—complete with a briefcase chained to his wrist—his quest for dignity turns into a frantic, awkward chase to deliver the package without being spotted by Gladstone, who’s watching from the sidelines with a smirk.
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↩ Reprints Donald Duck #4/1982 (1982), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #511 (1986), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #512 (1986), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #513 (1986), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #514 (1987), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #515 (1987), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #516 (1987), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #517 (1987), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #518 (1987), Donald Duck #258 (1987), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #525 (1987), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #532 (1988), Donald Duck #300 (1997), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #619 (1997), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #670 (2006), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #679 (2007), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #717 (2011), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #721 (2015), Donald Duck #31/1979
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