Wednesday, November 26, 2003

Recommended Reading

Here's an article by Eric J. Greenberg on the impact of Jews in comic books, with special focus on Joe Kubert. The piece has a few errors in it (Captain Marvel was created by C.C. Beck and Bill Parker, not Beck and Otto Binder; Bob Kane's real name was Bob Kahn), but it's otherwise pretty good.

• Posted at 2:30 PM · LINK

Currently at The Hill

There's lots of good stuff to read over at Jim Hill Media, like this profile of Sub-Mariner creator Bill Everett, this piece about Mickey Mouse's relationship with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and this rundown of musicals that Disney may or may not bring to Broadway. Alas, they no longer have columns by my pal Jim Korkis, but he's been replaced by another expert on animation history, Jackson "Pop Culture" King. Here's King's latest. Good stuff.

• Posted at 1:49 AM · LINK

Lost Treasures

Here's a tip that will make some animation buff very happy...and don't thank me. Leonard Maltin just told me about it. Disney Home Video has been releasing a series called "Walt Disney Treasures," which feature rare Disney films and cartoons on DVD. These are the ones that come packed in those little tin boxes, and they are starting to go out of print. As they do, they begin selling on eBay for...well, for a lot more than Carl Gottlieb's pants. If you missed them, you missed some terrific, must-have video gems. Obtaining the first seven now could run you $350 and up.

There is, however, an alternative. Disney has put together a slipcased set of the first seven called "The Walt Disney Treasure Chest." You don't get the tin boxes but you do get the first seven DVDs in a cardboard sleeve for $124.99. What's the catch? Just this: You have to belong to Costco. This set seems to have been produced only for them as a Christmas item. It may not be available anywhere else and it may not be available once Costco finishes selling whatever quantity they've purchased. It should be in the Costco stores any day now if it isn't already there, or you can pay postage and get one from the Costco website (Do a search for "Disney Treasure"). If you aren't a member, you can either pay 5% extra or join Costco, which costs $45.

By the way: Costco is also selling that new Pioneer DVD-TiVo I mentioned recently for $779.99. If you've been thinking of getting one, that's a pretty good price. I'm still quite happy with mine.

• Posted at 12:09 AM · LINK