Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #9 (201)
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeWalt Disney's Comics and Stories #201 (June 1957) is a solid mid-run Dell issue distinguished primarily by a Carl Barks Donald Duck ten-pager — 'The Day Duckburg Got Dyed' — that showcases Barks at the height of his comedic craft, spinning a city-wide catastrophe out of nothing more than a spilled inkblot and a misdirected shipment. The issue also features one of the first appearances of Little Helper (Gyro's lightbulb-headed robot companion, who had only debuted nine months earlier in Uncle Scrooge #15) in the flagship WDC&S title, marking an early milestone in that character's growing role in Duckburg's cast. As part of the Dell era's stable anthology format — rotating Barks Duck stories, Paul Murry Mickey Mouse serials, and supporting strips — the issue represents the mature, well-oiled machine that kept WDC&S one of the best-selling American comics of its era.
Li'l Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs are on a wild chase after a rare Pie-Eyed Peeper, their excitement turning into a surprise encounter with the Big Bad Wolf. When questioned, Li'l Bad Wolf reveals that capturing the bird on camera could win a $40 pair of binoculars—sparking a scramble among the usual suspects, including Brer Bear and even Zeke Wolf, who’s not above a little competition.
A young boy named Jeffrey wanders off while his mother shops, ending up at the market where Pluto is waiting outside. When Jeffrey’s mother goes searching, she finds him with the dog, leading to a misunderstanding that puts Pluto on the defensive.
Mickey and Goofy are called to the remote mountain town of Peaceful Valley when a string of unexplained fires has the local sheriff on edge. With the help of Police Chief O'Hara’s brother, they must uncover the truth behind the blaze—only to find themselves up against a pair of clever crooks, including the slippery Scuttle and his unnamed accomplice, who may be behind the flames.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The issue was published in June 1957 by Dell under the Western Publishing production umbrella, carrying the volume/number designation Vol. 17 #9. Carl Barks wrote and drew the lead Donald Duck story entirely himself, with Garé Barks lettering — the standard arrangement for his WDC&S ten-pagers at this stage of his career. The cover was painted by Paul Murry, who also handled the multi-part Mickey Mouse serial inside; the remaining strips were contributed by a stable of Dell/Western house artists including Gil Turner, Tony Strobl, and Al Taliaferro on the Donald Duck dailies.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published June 1957 by Dell Comics; also catalogued as Vol. 17 #9; a 15¢ price-variant edition was produced alongside the standard 10¢ edition.
- Lead story: Carl Barks' 'The Day Duckburg Got Dyed' — Donald's nephews spill ink on his tablecloth, visit Gyro Gearloose to fix it, and a mix-up with Gyro's experimental dye ends with Duckburg's entire water supply turning red.
- Gyro Gearloose and Little Helper both appear in the Barks lead story; Gyro had debuted in WDC&S #140 (May 1952), while Little Helper had only debuted roughly nine months earlier in Uncle Scrooge #15 (September 1956) in 'The Cat Box' — making this one of his earliest appearances in the WDC&S flagship title.
- Cover art by Paul Murry; interior contributors include Barks, Don Christensen, Carl Fallberg, Gil Turner, Paul Murry, Tony Strobl, Bob Karp, and Al Taliaferro.
- Additional contents: Mickey Mouse and Goofy in 'The Phantom Fires' (part 2 of a 3-part serial, art by Paul Murry); Pluto in 'The Boy Tender'; Li'l Bad Wolf in 'Bird-Brain Pop'; a one-page Dumbo text story 'Dumbo's Rainbow'; and four Donald Duck newspaper daily reprints.
- The Barks 'Day Duckburg Got Dyed' story has been reprinted multiple times, including in The Carl Barks Library vol. 9 (Another Rainbow, 1985), The Carl Barks Library of Walt Disney's Comics and Stories in Color #33 (Gladstone, September 1994), and Fantagraphics' ongoing Complete Carl Barks Disney Library hardcover series.
- Barks scholar trivia noted in the Barks Universe guidebook: Donald's street address is printed on a misdirected package in the story — '13 Quack Street, Duckburg' — a small piece of Duckburg world-building consistent with Barks' habit of embedding incidental details.
- WDC&S was at this point the flagship Dell Disney title and one of the best-selling American comic books of the era; Barks' ten-pagers were its primary creative engine throughout the 1940s–1960s Dell run.
Cast · 12 characters
Full credits
Reprints
Reprinted in Walt Disney's Comics #135 (1957), Le Journal de Mickey #298 (1958), Le Journal de Mickey #301 (1958), Kalle Anka & C:o #8/1958 (1958), Kalle Anka & C:o #9/1958 (1958), Topolino #186 (1958), Donald Duck & Co #12/1958 (1958), Donald Duck & Co #14/1958 (1958), Donald Duck & Co #15/1958 (1958), Donald Duck & Co #19/1959 (1959), Topolino #337 (1962), Donald Duck & Co #17/1967 (1967), Walt Disney's Donald Duck #205 (1973), Walt Disney's Giant Comics #597 (1974), Mickey Mouse #147 (1974), Donald Duck & Co #43/1975 (1975), Walt Disney Comics Digest #56 (1975), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #3 (435) (1976), Walt Disney's Comics #366 (1977), Kalle Ankas bästisar #18 (1983), The Carl Barks Library #9 (1985), The Complete Carl Barks #18 (1986), Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #515 (1987), Disney Comics Album #1 (1990) + 6 more
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