Three wonderful Disney-related comic books / graphic novels released this year:

Disney Epic Mickey: The Comics Collection

Uncle Scrooge And The Infinity Dime Gallery Edition

Marvel & Disney: What If...?

 

Great auction coming up this week at Heritage Auctions, which will delight both Disney parks and Disney animation enthusiasts.

 

One of the readers of the Disney History blog just alerted me about the upcoming release of this book and I am very much looking forward to picking it up when the time comes.

Back in the 2000s and early 2010s, when I was still living in Madrid, journalist and historian Jorge Fonte was researching a book about the history of The Walt Disney Company in Spain and Portugal.

Sadly, at the time the book was not released.

Which is why I was delighted to learn that he decided to include many of his findings in his new book (which was released last week): Eso no estaba en mi libro de historia de Disney.

If you read Spanish that one is worth picking up.

I have just received my copy of Xavier "X" Atencio: The Legacy of An Artist, Imagineer, and Disney Legend and, as expected, this book is a "must have."

From cover to cover, it is full of documents that I had never seen before and of fascinating stories. The authors of the book, X.'s two daughters and his granddaughter have really done their homework.

Whether you love the art of Disney animated features or are interested in the behind-the-scenes of Imagineering this book is for you and I would advise that you get your copy right away. 

Pure joy from beginning to end!!!

I love The Nightmare Before Christmas. I am one of many, many fans.

I own all the books ever released about the movie and I just got a copy of The Ultimate Visual History, which will be officially released next month. 

Let's say it as loud as possible: If, like me, you love the movie, this book is a must have, I had high hopes and it exceeded them... by a wide margin! 

From cover to cover it is full of illustrations that I had never seen before; the research is terrific, and the publisher also decided to add artifacts throughout the book, which, literally, add another dimension to all of this.

This is definitely not a nightmare but a real dream before Christmas.

I just received a copy of the hard cover book Walt Disney's Trains: A Grand Circle Tour Through His Life and Legacy and there is something very satisfying about this exhibition catalog.

While I had seen most of the photographs and artwork before, many of the artefacts featured in this publication are new to me and the quality of the layout makes this volume a real feast for the eyes. 

Great addition to your Disney history library. Great gift for the holidays.

I try to get every single book and catalog linked to Disney history that has ever been released anywhere in the world. It is sometimes a real challenge: The "Disney Cats & Dogs" catalog from the 2021 exhibition in Japan and the "Donald Made in Austria" catalog from a 2023 exhibition at a museum in Krems, Austria are case in point, but I finally managed to order copies of both of them. I am not sure yet how that was even doable 🙂 Fun challenges.

 

I loved Disney's Golden Books when I was a kid (they were translated in French) and I rediscovered them when I began conducting research for They Drew as They Pleased--The Hidden Art of Disney, especially when I worked on the chapter about Retta Scott.

And in recent years I have learned to love them again, thanks to new installments in the series like Little Man of Disneyland: A Change of Luck and Santa Stops at Disneyland.

The new book by Taschen, Walt Disney’s Children’s Classics 1937–1953, which collects some of the best of Disney's Golden Books, with a thoughtful and enlightening introduction by Charles Solomon, is a winner, among other thing because it beautifully showcases the art of artists like Dick Kelsey, Al Dempster, Retta Scott, John Hench, etc.

Definitely worth adding to your bookshelf.

 I am so looking forward to Pierre Lambert's upcoming book!

 New Disney auction beginning tomorrow...

Splendid news: The cover of my friend and fellow Disney historian J.B. Kaufman's long-wait new book about the making of Fantasia has been revealed and it is a beauty. The book is available for pre-order on Amazon.

Needless to say, this is a must-have for all Disney history enthusiasts.

Exciting auction coming up on August 7-11, courtesy of Heritage Auctions!

 The Disney Books Network has been updated.

This upcoming book about Milt Kahl by Andreas Deja was just announced by Andreas on his blog and the news was relayed on Facebook by Sandro Cleuzo. 

Needless to say I am very much looking forward to this!!!

Some books change everything. This is the case of The Happiest Place on Earth--The Incredible Story of Walt Disney's Disneyland by Don Hahn and Christopher Merritt.

If you have to own only one book about the creation of Disneyland, this is the one to get.

It is massive, full of artwork and photos that I had never seen before, and the text is meticulously researched and dispels several myths while also telling many new stories.

This is Disney history art its best: incredible illustrations and in-depth research. 

Chris Merritt and Don Hahn are not just immensely talented artists they are also among the best Disney historians alive.

Way to go! More, more!!!

 

This just in from Heritage Auctions:

Join Us!

Reception
Thursday, June 5 | 6 - 8:30 PM
100 Premier Highlights for Preview

Heritage Auctions
9478 West Olympic, First Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

RSVP@HA.com or 310-492-8630

This just in: A new website featuring Disney Legend Marc Davis' personal artwork has been launched by his family and can be accessed at this link. 

I just received my copy of The Art of Elio, and once again this book by Chronicle Books is a winner that deserves to be added to your library.

I was particularly charmed by the concepts for the alien world by Juliette Oberndorfer and Maria Lee and by the designs of the ambassadors Questa and Helix.

The book is pure eye candy and I am hoping that I will also adore the movie itself. Fingers crossed! 

I just received a copy of Adventures in Childhood by Jose Bellido and Kathy Bowrey. It is a very specialized book which deals with intellectual property and children's entertainment.

I am flagging it here because it contains several chapters related to Disney, including a particularly interesting one about the troubled relationship between Disney and the Great Ormond Street Hospital related to Peter Pan.

As always, my friend Jose Bellido and his colleague Kathy Bowrey have really done their homework and I discovered a lot that I did not know in this volume!

 

Back in 2017, Heritage Auctions sold a large collection of documents pertaining to the estate of composer Carl Stalling, including photographs and--most importantly--correspondence between Stalling and Walt Disney.

If you bought this collection at the time and are reading this post, could you please, please email me at didier.ghez@gmail.com?

This just in from Amidi Amidi:

- New Biography Of Iconoclast Disney Director And Animator Ward Kimball To Be Published In 2026

Two excellent books to highlight today. One released last week and one which will be released tomorrow:

Animating the Victorians: Disney's Literary History: The author conducted some research at the Disney Archives about Disney's early plans for Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland and it shows. There is very good new material in this volume.

After Disney: Toil, Trouble, and the Transformation of America's Favorite Media Company: A must-read. This will probably be one of the best Disney history books of the year.

 

I am really looking forward to this upcoming book from my friend and fellow Disney historian Todd James Pierce!
 

Two interesting books are now available for pre-order on Amazon:

- Welcome Aboard: A Celebration of Walt Disney's Trains from The Walt Disney Family Museum 

- The Art of Zootopia 2

Looking forward to reading Christian Renaut's new book!
 

Now available for pre-order on Amazon. Hurrah!
 

Oh, this is exciting!!! The draft cover of Mindy Johnson's upcoming book has just been revealed. From what I understand the book will mostly focus on non-Disney artists but it will also contain many Disney connections (Margaret Winkler being one of them, of course).

Can't wait!!!

Tony White apprenticed to such legends as Richard Williams, Ken Harris and Art Babbitt. This new book is for me!
 

My friend David Peake just found out that the cover of the long-waited book about X. Atencio has been revealed. I am really, really looking forward to this upcoming book, which will be released at the end of the year.

 Oh!!! Ron Clements' long awaited autobiography is now available for pre-order on Amazon!

If you like the Disney movie Hercules and / or if you love the art of Gerald Scarfe, do yourself a favor and pick up right away the newly released Disney's Hercules--The Art of Gerald Scarfe.

Written by Gerald Scarfe himself, this is a massive volume that is filled from cover to cover with never-seen-before pieces of artwork and marvelous tales about their creation.

It is one of the very best Disney art books I have seen in years and a clear must-have from my standpoint.

Way to go Insight Editions!

Happy 2025! I am happy to share that Walt’s People: Volume 30 has just been released by Skyway Press!

Walt’s People: Volume 30 features appearances by SHARON BAIRD remembering ANNETTE FUNICELLO, CARL BARKS, BILL BERG, EDIE CARHART, CLAUDE COATS, WILL EYERSON, HAROLD HELVENSTON, RAY JACOBS, PHYLLIS LAMBERTSON-JACOBSEN, BILL SHEPARD, RUTHIE TOMPSON and PETER WOODS. 

Among the hundreds of stories in this volume: Storyman RALPH WRIGHT remembers how he pitched a sequence for Bambi that featured an anthill and which developed into a large series of highly creative storyboards. 

Director DAVID SWIFT recalls how Walt Disney called him at home and admitted he cried after reading his script for Pollyanna. 

Imagineer, CHRIS BROWN gives a fascinating account of life and work in the Show/Ride Mechanical Engineering Department at WED (now Walt Disney Imagineering). 

TREVOR BRYANT explains how he helped set up Walt Disney Imagineering's Research and Development Department.

I can't wait to buy this upcoming autobiography!

By the way: the Disney Books Network has just been updated. 

I was glad to see that Moana 2 is doing really well at the box office.

I have not watched the movie yet, but I just received The Art of Moana 2 released by Chronicle Books and, as always they did a beautiful job.

I especially enjoyed some of the concept pieces by Joyce Lee and the stunning character designs of Kotu by Kenny Leoncito.

Another excellent instalment in Chronicle Books "Art of" series.

 An auction full of stunning treasures is coming up at Heritage.

 I just ordered this. I will let you know what I think when I get it. I am quite excited about it.

I just received my personal copy of Donald Duck--The Ultimate History by JB Kaufman and David Gerstein.

Like it predecessor "Mickey Mouse --The Ultimate History" it is massive and it is a must-have.

I had a chance to read the full manuscript a few weeks ago and, from cover to cover, it is full of new information and illustrations that I had never seen before.

As you can expect, knowing me, the chapters that I found the most fascinating were those about the abandoned Donald Duck shorts, which are extensive and amazingly detailed.

I realize that this is not a cheap book, but owning is really, really worth it. I am convinced that you will not regret it.

I really hope that both Taschen, JB and David have many more surprises of this caliber for all of us.

Is it just me or are Pierre Lambert's art books getting better and better with each new release!!?

I just received my own copy of his Cinderella and I was absolutely stunned by its content. So much artwork that I had never seen before, including a much larger amount of pre-production art that ever before (at least it feels that way).

This is a must-have if there is one this holiday season. My advice: Get it as soon as you can!

 

Now that Walt Disney and El Grupo in Latin America has been released, we are hard at work on the sequel, which should be released in 2026: the monograph Walt Disney and El Grupo in Mexico and Cuba (1942 - 1944). 

In the context of that (absolutely fascinating) research, I just unearthed this photograph, shot on December 17, 1942, when Walt visited the offices of the radio station XEW. 

It features the Mexican artists Toña "La Negra", Pedro de Lille and Sergio Torres. Sadly, it will not be included in the monograph since it was sold at auction in 2017 and I was unable to locate a high resolution scan. But I thought you may enjoy it.

Did one of you purchase those rare photos of the 1941 Disney strike on eBay a few days ago? If so, could you please email me at didier.ghez@gmail.com? 

Two great books that none of you should miss just popped up this weekend for pre-order on Amazon:

The Happiest Place on Earth: The Incredible Story of Walt Disney's Disneyland by Don Hahn and Christopher Merritt and After Disney: Toil, Trouble, and the Transformation of America's Favorite Company by Neil O'Brien.

 

Two photos of Walt spotted on Facebook yesterday. The caption reads:

[In this photo you can see the famous Walt Disney with his wife Lilian on the island of Matica (in the Dominican Republic in February 1957), on one of his visits to Mr. Rogers at the Hamaca Hotel, located in the Boca Chica Spa. Mr. Roger was the manager of the Hamaca Hotel and creator of the Matica Zoo.]

 

Great video about the multiplane camera by Zach Tolchinsky, complete with an interview of my friend, Disney historian JB Kaufman.

There is one more Disney history book that you should not miss this year: Walt Disney Treasures--Personal Art and Artifacts from The Walt Disney Family Museum.

This is an absolutely gorgeous art book which highlights some of the best items in the collections of The Walt Disney Family Museum.

My favorite sections are the ones that focus on the artifacts owned by Walt and his family, like items from Walt's miniature collection, the saddles Walt used on his trips with the Rancheros Visitadores, Walt's polo paraphernalia, etc.

I was also delighted to discover quite a few photos that I had never seen. 

And the team of the Museum also really did their homework when it comes to the text which is both accurate and informative.

Way to go! This is a book I am bound to read and re-read often. 

DISNEY HISTORY COMPETITION

Ok, let's do something fun! I am launching a Disney History competition that opens now and lasts until Monday at midnight PST.

If you have a document related to Disney history (photograph, written material, piece of artwork, etc.) that you believe I have never seen before and that will really excite me, please email it at Didier.Ghez@gmail.com (and let me know if you allow me to post it online if you win the competition).

On Tuesday next week, I will select the winner, who will receive from Skyway Press the latest 4 copies of "Walt's People," thanks to Skyway Press' owner, my friend and fellow Disney historian, Joe Campana.

I can't wait to discover new pieces of Disney history!