The original concept for Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion was a walk-through “Museum of the Weird” featuring spooky exhibits (as always, the best place to read about this is Long Forgotten, far and away the top site for Haunted Mansion history, theory and context). This has been revived for a Marvel/Disney series of comics that pick up on the “New Weird” genre motifs and also kicks off a new series of comics based on Disney attractions and their storied histories.
This is pretty danged awesome. Spooky wunderkammers, surreal horror, and theme-parks? Please add me to your mailing list.
“Disney Kingdoms: Seekers of the Weird #1″ has been announced as the first comic series published under the all-new Disney Kingdoms banner. Created in close partnership with Walt Disney Imagineering, the Disney Kingdoms line will feature exciting adventures expanding upon existing beloved lands, attractions, characters, and worlds of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.“Disney Kingdoms is the ultimate team-up for fans of Disney and Marvel,” said Editor Bill Rosemann. “Working hand-in-hand with the world-famous Walt Disney Imagineers, Marvel’s best and brightest creators will unleash entire worlds inspired by and built around the attractions and characters that you’ve always known—but will experience for the very first time.”
Beginning in January 2014, “Seekers of the Weird” will be the first all-new adventure inspired by Disney’s legendary – but never built – “Museum of the Weird” attraction dreamed up by famous Imagineer Rolly Crump in 1965. The Museum of the Weird was to be home to a collection of mystical curiosities said to have been unearthed from all corners of the globe, originally conceived as a spooky walk-through attraction connected to The Haunted Mansion. Crump’s innovative designs were left on the drawing board, now resurrected in comic form.
FIRST LOOK: Marvel’s “Seekers of the Weird” comic to launch new Disney Kingdoms series inspired by theme parks [Ricky Brigante/Inside the Magic]
(via Hollywood Reporter)