By Seaberry

Disney’s Hero Squad Ultraheroes #3
Written by Alessandro Ferrari & Ivan Saidenberg
Art by Antonella Dalena & Carlos Edgard Herrero
Colors by Magic Eye Studios & Mickey Clausen
Letters by Deron Bennett
BOOM! Studios
Price: $2.99
Release Date: March 31, 2010

Disney’s Hero Squad Ultraheroes #3 my first time reading any of the new Disney comics from BOOM! Studios, as well as my first time reading any Disney comics in several years. I was interested to see what kind of comics Disney were producing for the younger readers, and I was not disappointed.

In the first story, “Good and Evil,” we see the Duck Avenger (Donald Duck’s superhero identity) track down the Phantom Blot in a sewer. Apparently, the Ultraheroes have been battling Emil Eagle’s Sinister 7 over devices called Ultrapods. The Duck Avenger and Phantom Blot engage in a very interesting and humorous battle over the Ultrapods. The battle will delight kids, as well as any parents or other adult Disney fans with all the counterattacks staged by Duck Avenger and the Phantom Blot.

The main subplot in the story sees Mickey on the trail of Scrooge McDuck’s Money Bin. It was cool to read about Mickey Mouse in a story, and I have always loved the concept of the Money Bin. The character development and interaction between the Duck Avenger and the rest the Phantom Blot as well as the interaction between the heroes and villains are very interesting and add a human element to the story. The Ultrapods are an interesting plot device that hearkens back to the cartoons of my youth. I always loved the stories when the good guys and bad guys tried to get control of devices that could decide the fate of the world.

The backup story is the simply named “Origin of the Red Bat.” I believe that this is a reprint of an older story that appeared in Disney comics published overseas. Donald Duck and Fethry are working for Scrooge McDuck’s newspaper. Desperate for a story, they come across an invitation to a masked ball and decide to attend, which results in Fethry donning the Red Bat costume for the first time. There was not a whole lot of superhero action in this story, but it was an interesting initial segment. I as unfamiliar with the character of Fethry/Red Duck, but I found him to be an interesting character with some similarities to Drake Mallard/Darkwing Duck. There was also a nice Beagle Boys cameo in the story as well. My only complaint is that I wish they had taken the time to recolor it, because the old coloring style in the second story looked a little drab compared to the bright, vibrant hues in the first story.

I really enjoyed the stories of the Ultraheroes. The dialogue may be simple, but it’s still fun. I found a few winks and nods at classic superhero conventions that older fans will appreciate. The battle between the Sinister 7 and the Ultraheroes could be the basis of a very interesting cartoon. I also found myself recalling the Disney comics published by Whitman comics that I read when I was a small child. Those who complain about the “Big Two” comic companies not offering enough kid-friendly material can rest assured that the team of Disney and BOOM! Studios has lots of interesting and creative material for comics readers of all ages. I am looking forward to the next issue.