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Title:
“Ali-Brain and the Forty Thieves”
Writer:
Jesse Leon McCann
Penciller:
Walter Carzon
Inker:
Mike DeCarlo
Letterer:
John Costanza
Colorist:
Demetrius Bassoukos
Cover:
Walter Carzon
& Mike DeCarlo
Release Date:
May 14th, 1997
Cover Price: $1.75 U.S./ $2.50 Canada
Summary:
The mice infiltrate the Forty Thieves to get their
magic lamp.
Description:
An old man tells the mice of a magic lamp in the
Forty Thieves’ cave. They direct the leader’s
visiting cousin, Belly Ben-Button, the wrong way,
and then head to the Forty Thieves, where they pose
as Belly and his manservant. They’re allowed into
the cave and find the lamp, but the real Belly shows
up. They flee but Brain is cornered by the old man,
who wants the lamp. Brain wishes him away, but Pinky
stupidly says he “wishes he could have seen
that.” Brain must use his last wish to save them.
Pages (out of 32):
12
pp.
AYPWIP:
ALI-BRAIN: Pinky, are
you pondering what I’m pondering?
PINKY: [Wearing
jewelry and a veil, and using his finger to
magically cause a little piece of gold to fly
around.]: I think so, Ali-Brain! But isn’t it
cheating to use glue?
Quote of the Story:
[In the cave, after
searching for the lamp for six hours.]
ALI-BRAIN: This is
hopeless, Pinky, we’ll never find it! It’s too
dark in here!
PINKY: Maybe we could
light this lamp I spotted when we came in,
Ali-Brain!
ALI-BRAIN: Pinky,
sometimes I don’t know whether to hug you or
strangle you!
PINKY: Well, if you
want my opinion…
Review:
Nothing special, but all in all an amusing story.
Some more good gags and some jabs at Disney’s Aladdin
make this story worthwhile. Also significant as
Bassoukos’ last coloring job.
Rating:
Title:
“BrainPan”
Writers:
Bobbi JG Weiss & David Cody Weiss
Penciller:
Walter Carzon
Inker:
Mike DeCarlo
Letterer:
John Costanza
Colorist: Prismacolor
Summary:
In a spoof of the classic play, and especially the
Disney version, the mice become BrainPan and
Pinkerbell.
Description:
Thanks to a rejuvenation experiment, the mice become
BrainPan and Pinkerbell, two magical beings who
never grow up. Brain is so rooted in reality that he
still remembers who he is, despite occasional
lapses, but Pinky has completely taken to his new
being. They try to use their powers to make Brain
ruler of the world, but he suffers one of his lapses
and turns the world into a theme park. They fix the
error. But once he’s ruler, the world is too
perfect—everyone’s happy and there’s no
problems for him to solve. Depressed, he asks
Pinkerbell to make him happy, and he/she does—the
mice are back in their cage, plotting to take over
the world.
Pages (out of 32):
12
pp.
AYPWIP:
BRAINPAN: Pinky—er,
that is Pinkerbell—are you pondering what I’m
pondering?
PINKERBELL: Whuu…I
think so, BrainPan! But if running shoes had little
feet, wouldn’t they need their own shoes?
Quote of the Story:
PINKY: [Showing Brain
various microscope slide.]: And this *sniff*
This is my favorite—one of my very own brain
cells!
BRAIN: What a shame
they broke up your matched set.
Review:
The Weisses’ last story, and worthy sendoff for
them. This story is a wonderful flight of fancy for
fans of all ages. There’s not much of the biting
satire and edgy humor that P&tB fans have come
to expect, but it’s still enjoyable. And while
this story is sweet, it never passes the line into
all-out saccharine. Carzon does his usual wonderful
job—the innocence in Brain’s eyes when he
becomes BrainPan is absolutely wonderful. And while
I at first objected to the ending, because it shows
Brain giving up the world’s well-being for his own
happiness, as well as making him look like a
quitter, I think it’s true that Brain wouldn’t
last long if he had nothing to do all day—he likes
to keep busy. Very nice.
Rating:
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