Alice in Wonderland Comic Adaptation in Margriet Magazine from the Netherlands

Previously we've seen serialized adaptations of the Alice film in comic strips and magazine from the US, the UK, Turkey, and Belgium.  It turns out there is another, also based on the Belgian Mickey Magazine adaptation, that appeared in a weekly women's magazine in the Netherlands.

Published from 1938 through the current day, Margriet ran a serialized adaptation in Dutch from December 22, 1951 to April 19, 1952.  While almost exactly the same as their Belgian counterparts, the individual installments do have one unique feature: color scheme.  Each issue (at this time anyway) is two-tone, but the non-black color varies from issue to issue, being one of green, red, or yellow.

Original Art - Walt Disney Comics Digest #46 - April 1974

Something a little more recent, from 1974, the original art for the cover to the Walt Disney Comics Digest issue #46, featuring (you guessed it) an Alice cover!

When Disney was prepping to re-release Alice in 1974, they pumped out almost as much marketing and merchandising as they did in 1951 since it had never been re-released till that time.  This digest contains part of the FC 331 story, which would be continued in a later issue.  But this is the only issue that had Alice on the cover.

Advertising Poster for Dell Four Color 331

I've spoken a number of times here on the blog about the Dell Four Color comic that adapts the film, #331.  It was one of the - if not the - earliest Alice items I collected.  But did you know that Dell issued a poster to advertise its publication?  I acquired this poster in the early 2000s (the naughties) directly from Disney through their Disney Auctioneers program.  Those were the days let me tell ya.  Back when the company was selling treasures from their archive with no oversight whatsoever.

Promotional materials for comic books is nothing new, and companies have done it for decades.  I remember that brief time in the late 1980s when I worked for a comic book distributor  we got all kinds of promotional materials, from posters to flyers to buttons announcing the latest and greatest from all the publishers.  And apparently Dell was no exception. The humongous poster - a whopping 28x44, bigger than a one-sheet - just goes to show exactly how hard everyone was pushing the film.

Le Journal de Mickey #30 from France - Christmas Special

Let's continue the Christmas festivities, shall we?  Here we have issue number 30 of Le Journal de Mickey from France, the Christmas special issue from 1951.  While Le Journal never did a serialization of the film in its original release, this issue has a few Alice things.

First is a full page ad for Les Albums Roses - the French version of Little Golden Books.

In this detail you can see listing for the three Alice titles previously posted here, here, and here.

And a half-page ad for Tobler chocolate, featuring Alice in Wonderland.

The ad is presented as a comic strip (figures) of Alice and Dinah chasing the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole.  The ad also mentions the collectible premiums that I originally posted here.

I have to admit, the art on this is pretty bad, fortunately the art on the premiums is MUCH better.

Mickey Mouse Weekly #621 from England - April 5th, 1952

And so we have reached then end of our series with issue 621, Mickey and Goofy still clowning around, and continuing on for who knows how many more issues, sorry about that.

The Unicorn wants to fight, and Alice directs him to the Walrus as it is he that has stolen the White King's crown.

Alas, we see Alice 'crowned' of sorts, but only because she happens to be underneath the crown when it falls.  And then she wakes up.

All in all, not a bad story, but of course not very faithful to the original, the film was more faithful to Wonderland than this is to Looking Glass.  Still, a lot of fun.

Mickey Mouse Weekly was published for something like 22 years from 1936-1957.  There are these two Alice adaptations, and later there was a series of strips with the Walrus and Carpenter.  I have a few of those, but I have no idea how many were produced.

Mickey Mouse Weekly #620 from England - March 29th, 1952

Issue 620 finds Mickey and Goofy still clown-bent.

Our Alice story continues, with the Walrus evading capture through clever use of glue,

and the Lion and the Unicorn are finally set to duke it out.  Shh...don't tell Sean Connery.

Mickey Mouse Weekly #619 from England - March 22nd, 1952

Issue 619 continue the Clown Island story on the cover.

Our next Alice installment finds Alice looking for help from Old Father William, but alas, he shoos her away.

Next she visits Humpty Dumpty (most people forget that he and Alice know each other), but as expected, he falls and breaks.  And the Walrus, who is apparently strapped for cash, reappears!

Mickey Mouse Weekly #618 from England - March 15th, 1952

We're in the home stretch now folks.  Issue 618 continues the clown-spiracy story with Mickey and Goofy.

The Red Knight and the White Knight fight over Alice as she flees the scene, only to encounter some more old friends, the Walrus and the Carpenter.

The Walrus is obviously guilty of larceny, but I think Alice is about to meet a good egg.

Mickey Mouse Weekly #617 from England - March 8th, 1952

Issue 617 continues the Clown Island story on the cover (it seems to go on forever).

Our story continues with Alice escaping the battle-minded Unicorn, and encountering the White King and Red Queen again.

The White Knight makes his first appearance!  He certainly looks like Sir Giles from The Reluctant Dragon.  And the Red Knight also appears to be scrapping for a fight.

Mickey Mouse Weekly #616 from England - March 1st, 1952

On we blindly stumble with issue 616 from March 1st (1952 being a leap year you know), and bad puns were apparently all rage (a Mic-KEY indeed).

Alice watches as the Tweedles prepare for battle, but the Unicorn wants in as well.

I swear that cape makes the Unicorn looks more like Capt. Unicorn, or Super 'Corn, or some other silly superhero name.

Mickey Mouse Weekly #615 from England - February 23th, 1952

On we march with issue 615.

For some reason, the serialization has been rename to just Alice beginning with this issue.  Perhaps the less than accurate adaptation prompted it, but more likely because it is just shorter.

Alice has finally made it to the train - which looks a lot like Casey Jr. from Dumbo - and is now rocketing towards square 8, but wait, the Unicorn has other ideas.  And, we meet some old friends.

Mickey Mouse Weekly #614 from England - February 16th, 1952

We continue our story in issue 614, Goofy and Mickey are still clowning around.

Alice finally gets to the train station on her way to square 8, only to find a recalcitrant train!

Will she make it?  Stay tuned!

Mickey Mouse Weekly #613 from England - February 9th, 1952

Issue 613 continues our story, Mickey and Goofy are undercover as clowns.

Alice encounters the Red Knight and the Unicorn, who's itching for a fight.

Will Alice catch the train in time to warn the Lion?

Mickey Mouse Weekly #612 from England - February 2nd, 1952

Our story continues in issue 612 with more Clowns on the cover.

We seem to be tracking fairly closely with the story, we see the chess board in the countryside but there are a few oddities...

Mickey Mouse Weekly #611 from England - January 26th, 1952

Our story continues in issue #611

Alice encounters the chess pieces and is told of the Unicorn!

Mickey Mouse Weekly #610 from England - January 19th, 1952

When I first encountered this, I was completely blown away.  Immediately following the feature film serialization in MMW, in the very next issue they followed it up with a entirely new Alice serialization, titled Walt Disney's Alice Through the Looking Glass. 

Cover still features Mickey and Goofy clowning around,

and we begin our new serial as the Carroll book begins, with Alice in her home playing with her kittens, and entering through the large mirror over the fireplace.

Let's see how well it tracks throughout the serialization.

Mickey Mouse Weekly #609 from England - January 12th, 1952

Clowns, blah, blah, shenanigans, blah, blah, let get on to the Alice story, shall we?

Alice beats a hasty retreat from Castle Heart through the maze and back home.

Oh no, its the end of the story! Or is it...

Mickey Mouse Weekly #608 from England - January 5th, 1952

Happy New Year!  Whatever.  The shenanigans continue with Mickey and Goofy headed of to certain doom on Clown Island.

Meanwhile, Alice is in a real pickle, as the entire pack of cards attacks her, with the Cheshire Cat provoking everyone into madness.

Alice better get back home as soon as she can!

Mickey Mouse Weekly #607 from England - December 29th, 1951

Hey look, it's Christmas time!  Oh, yeah, I fell behind didn't I...well Merry Christmas just the same.  And what could be more yuletide-y than a story about creepy-ass clowns.

On the lighter side, Alice is about to be decapitated.  Film at 11.

Ok, not really, but she is a mile high, in direct violation of rule 42.

Mickey Mouse Weekly #606 from England - December 22nd, 1951

This issue begins a long running serial on the cover, Clown Island with Mickey Mouse and Goofy.

Our story continues with the arrival of the Queen of Hearts (and the king), and vigorous croquet ensues.

Just don't have the temerity to win.