Uncle Scrooge #31, from IDW, is mostly about magic and is a magically fun book to read.

There are two main stories in the issue, both pitting Uncle Scrooge against Magica De Spell, the witch. Magica is after Uncle Scrooge’s first dime. It’s his pride and joy, kept under lock and key. But she’s devious, and has help from other witches!

This issue’s stories are all reprints, beautifully translated from their previous European printings in Danish, Dutch and Italian. You’d never know they weren’t originally written in English, as the translations read smoothly.

I’m also impressed with the artwork of the two main stories. It’s as if Carl Barks, the legendary “good duck artist” provided character model sheets to the new generation of Disney artists. Their ducks, secondary characters, and even passersby look like they were illustrated by Barks.

The two shorter stories are excellent too, they just don’t have the same scope and space needed to really get established before they wrap up.

Highly recommended for family fun reading… at least 36 pages of comic content for $3.99, which is very good value for the money these days.

By Alan Spinney

After a career of graphic design, art direction and copywriting, I still have a passion for words and pictures. I love it when a comic book comes together; the story is tight, and the drawings lead me forward. Art with words... the toughest storytelling technique to get right. Was this comic book worth your money? Let's see!!

2 thoughts on “Comic Review: Uncle Scrooge #31 (IDW)”
  1. Thanks for the review! But do note—when you say “all reprints,” your readers may presume that the stories have appeared in North America before.
    My IDW colleagues and mostly choose stories that are new to this country; this is their first appearance here in any form.

    They’re only “reprints” in the way that an English dub of a current foreign film is a “re-release”; which is to say, not much. Even longtime US and Canadian viewers/readers won’t see anything they’ve seen before.

  2. Hi David, thanks for the clarification, you are right; I should have pointed out that the stories had not previously appeared in North America. I’ll make sure that’s clearly said in my next review. Thanks for taking time to comment on my review. And keep up the good work, these stories are great reading!!

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