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Gladstone Publishing

From Alfawiki
Gladstone Publishing
Company typeDivision
IndustryPublishing
PredecessorAnother Rainbow Publishing
Founded1986
FounderBruce Hamilton, Russ Cochran
Defunct1998
FateLost Disney license; ceased new Disney comic publications in US
Headquarters
United States
ProductsDisney comics, EC Comics reprints
Websitewww.gladstonepublishing.com

Gladstone Publishing was a U.S.-based publisher known for releasing Disney comics between 1986 and 1990, and then again from 1993 through 1998. It began as a division of Another Rainbow Publishing, which was established by Bruce Hamilton and Russ Cochran to produce the Carl Barks Library along with limited-edition lithographs showcasing Carl Barks' Disney duck artwork. The company’s name pays homage to the character Gladstone Gander.

Gladstone primarily focused on republishing classic Donald Duck tales by Barks and Mickey Mouse stories by Floyd Gottfredson. Additionally, it played a key role in introducing contemporary Disney comic artists such as Don Rosa, William Van Horn, and Pat Block, with some of Van Horn’s scripts written by his frequent partner John Lustig. The publisher also brought European Disney comics to an American audience, translating works from companies like Egmont, Oberon, and Mondadori, featuring creators including Romano Scarpa, Marco Rota, Daan Jippes, and Freddy Milton.

Appealing both to collectors and newsstand buyers, Gladstone set itself apart by incorporating in-depth articles—mainly authored by associate editor Geoffrey Blum—and by providing story credits, a practice not common among earlier license holders such as Western Publishing. Although the company is no longer active, it still offers back issues through its website.

First generation (1986–1990)

Second generation (1993–1998)

  • Walt Disney's Comics and Stories
  • Donald and Mickey
  • Uncle Scrooge
  • Uncle Scrooge Adventures
  • Donald Duck
  • Donald Duck Adventures
  • Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse
  • Walt Disney Giant
  • Walt Disney's Comics and Stories Penny Pincher
  • Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck
  • The Adventurous Uncle Scrooge McDuck

This second publishing period concluded in 1998 due to a market downturn reminiscent of the 1991 collapse of Disney Comics. Following this contraction, only two series—Walt Disney's Comics and Stories and Uncle Scrooge—continued publication, shifting to a prestige format.

Softcover albums

Throughout its initial operation, Gladstone released 28 standard albums alongside seven giant-size albums, predominantly reprinting works by Carl Barks and Floyd Gottfredson. In 1990, the company introduced The Carl Barks Library in Color, which reissued nearly all of Barks’ Disney duck stories. The collection included:

  • Walt Disney Comics and Stories – Comic Albums #1–51 (accompanied by trading cards)
  • Uncle Scrooge Adventures – Comic Albums #1–56 (with trading cards)
  • Donald Duck Adventures – Comic Albums #1–25 (with trading cards)
  • Gyro Gearloose – Comic Albums #1–6
  • Uncle Scrooge – One-Pagers – Comic Albums #1 & 2
  • Donald Duck 1940s Christmas Giveaways

Gladstone also published three album series showcasing stories by Don Rosa and William Van Horn:

  • The Don Rosa Library of Uncle Scrooge Adventures in Color #1–4 contained the initial twelve chapters of The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck
  • Don Rosa Library #5–8 presented his early Uncle Scrooge narratives
  • The William Van Horn Library #1–4 compiled his stories from Gladstone’s first publishing phase

After losing the Disney license in 1998, Gladstone halted new Disney comic publications in the United States until 2003, when the rights were transferred to Gemstone Publishing.

EC Comics reprints

From 1990 to 1991, Gladstone collaborated with EC enthusiast and publisher Russ Cochran to reissue four EC Comics series, merging two titles into each publication. This effort produced six editions of The Vault of Horror (August 1990 – June 1991), six editions of Tales from the Crypt (July 1990 – May 1991), four editions of Weird Science (September 1990 – March 1991), and two editions of The Haunt of Fear (May/July 1991). After releasing four issues, Weird Science was succeeded by The Haunt of Fear, which incorporated material from The Vault of Horror and introduced the series Weird Fantasy. Meanwhile, Tales from the Crypt continued to feature Crime SuspenStories as its companion segment.

Subsequently, Cochran and the EC reprint series moved to Gemstone Publishing, headed by Steven A Geppi, CEO of Diamond Comics. Gemstone not only reissued the EC titles originally published by Gladstone but also took over the Disney comics license formerly held by Gladstone, retaining key editorial personnel who had been part of Gladstone’s team.

References

  • "A Gander at Gladstone" by Roger Ash. Back Issue! no. 23 (August 2007) pp. 35–41.

External links

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