Walt Disney’s Vacation Parade #4

Hold on to your seat, take a deep breath and be prepared.  I’m about to tell you something (especially young comic book readers and collectors) that will shock you.

Ready?  Here goes.  At one time comic book annuals cost a mere 25 cents.

Most annuals or special issues contained a plethora of tales and activities.

Talk about a bargain!

Dell Comics held a number of licenses to popular cartoons such as Disney, Warner Bros. and others.

Of all of the licensed properties the Walt Disney stable of characters were the most popular-especially Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge McDuck.

For several years in succession Dell Comics printed some large Disney Annuals one of which was Walt Disney’s Vacation Parade.

In issue #4 kids were treated to an issue-packed series of tales starring characters: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, The Li’l Bad Wolf, Peter Pan, Chip ‘N’ Dale, Robin Hood, Grandma Duck, Pluto, Bucky Bug, and Huey, Dewey and Louie.

Also included in the issue were puzzles, activities, songs, short prose stories and more.

For a kid that had only pop bottle money and a 50-cent allowance Vacation Parade #4 was a bargain.

The issue was printed in 1953 (the same year I was born) and like the 1950s it reflected a simpler time, old fashioned family values and good clean fun. Something we could use today.

The times weren’t perfect (few things are) but the comic books at least were a pleasant and safe escape.  That is until comic books came under attack by psychiatrist Fredric Wertham.  But that’s a subject for another day.