Merman Donald is a comic story written by Michael T. Gilbert and Henning Cure, and drawn by Massimo Fecchi. It feature Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey and Louie, Daisy Duck, Gyro Gearloose, Gyro's Helper, and, in their debuts, Sharky Smith, Otto, Sparky, Smiley, Goldie, her kids, and an unnamed Jellyfish and Swordfish. Lou and Sam are mentioned.
Plot
Donald Duck, eager to get his hand on sunken treasure, swallows a whole batch of Gyro Gearloose's experimental Aqua-Pills — not counting on how strong the effect proves to be. Now unable to breathe on land until Gyro figures out a cure, Donald exiles himself to the bottom of the sea, but between the surprisingly intelligent and friendly denizen of the ocean and the malevolence of captain Sharky Smith, Donald soon doesn't have time to be lonely or despondent!
References
- Donald Duck wore a Junior Woodchuck Sonar-Tracking Watch while diving, making sure he couldn't become lost or lose contact with Huey, Dewey and Louie Duck on the surface.
- Donald bought a treasure map for five bucks at Lou's Discount Treasure-Map Hut.
- Gyro's Aqua-Pills allow mammals to “extract air from water, like fish”.
- Gyro has also recently completed a Fusion-Powered Deluxe Cocoa-Maker. It is capable of creating various cocoa-beverage from a simple voice request, including “catsup-flavor cocoa”, “butter-brickle butterscotch”, “jalopeno peach” and “swiss cheese cocoa”.
- Donald tries to invite Daisy to a restaurant to eat “Sam's lobster surprise”.
- Sharky Smith uses the Ocean Sweeper to capture rare and protected species of fish for profit, unseen by the Sea Patrol.
- Daisy Duck thinks of Donald as having a “proud, chiseled face”.
- Donald donates the sunken treasure he found to the Fish Protection League.
Continuity
- Otto is introduced unexpectedly rising out of a treasure chest, like a different octopus in The Voluntary Castaway (1964).
Behind the scenes
Merman Donald was first publicated in the the Germany Lustiges Taschenbuch #312, on May the 27th, 2003. It was finally printed in English in Donald Duck Adventures #21.
