2023 will mark 100 years of the Walt Disney Company. It was in 1923 that a young Walter Elias Disney arrived in Los Angeles, and began work on his animation studio. One that would become the world’s largest entertainment company. Today, a large part of that company’s success is thanks to Marvel Comics, which Disney gained in 2009. So next year, as part of the Disney 100 celebration, Marvel has announced they are releasing a series of variant covers to several titles, reimagining iconic comic book covers of the past, only with Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters. You can check out the first three of these down below:
Amazing Spider-Man #17 Disney100 Variant
Cover by Lorenzo Pastrovicchio/Colors by Valeria de Sanctis (Arcania Studios) On Sale 1/11/23
This cover features Mickey Mouse as Captain America, in his triumphant return in 1964’s Avengers #4. This was the issue where Namor the Sub-Mariner finds the sleeping Cap in a block of ice, and revives the World War II super soldier in the present day. This is the moment that Avengers really took off and became a hit.
Amazing Spider-Man #19 Disney100 Variant
Cover by Giada Perissinotto/Colors by Chiara di Francia (Arcania Studios) On Sale 2/8/23
The comic that really started the Marvel Age was Fantastic Four #1, from 1961. They recreate the iconic Jack Kirby cover, only with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy standing in for Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Girl, the Thing, and the Human Torch, respectively. We can hear Goofy say “Flame on!” just looking at this image.
Amazing Spider-Man #21 Disney100 Variant
Cover by Vitale Mangiatordi/Colors by Valeria de Sanctis (Arcania Studios) On Sale 3/8/23
What happens if Goofy gets hit with a burst of gamma radiation? Well, he becomes a raging Hulk, of course. This cover recreates 1962’s The Incredible Hulk #1. This was yet another home run from the dream team of Stan Lee and Jackie Kirby. The only detail this Disney-fied version changed is that Goofy Hulk is green. In that original issue, the Hulk was actually gray. Goofy looks better in green anyway.
More Disney100 variant covers will arrive next year. We foresee an X-Men #1 and an Amazing Fantasy #15 on the horizon. As Stan Lee would say, “Excelsior!” Only, say that in Mickey Mouse’s voice.
