Oswald art for your walls - A 1UP classic from March 8, 2013

A year ago I had attended the Epic Mickey 2 press junket as the guest of Jim Hill. We were treated to a fantastic breakfast and presentation by Warren Spector and Peter Ong after which we got some hands on time with the game on all the platforms. Afterwards the editors of various game sites were taken on a tour of Disneyland where we got to eat at the exclusive Club 33. I ended up winning an Oswald sketch by Disney artist Stacia Martin.

All of the journalists were promised a limited edition print for visiting the junket. Due to problems in production the painting was not available right away. A few months later Disney honored their promise. They sent out copies of an amazing painting by Shawn Melchor which was also autographed by Warren Spector. All of the major characters from Epic Mickey 2 were featured including Prescott the Gremlin and the Mad Doctor. Each painting came with a certificate of authenticity which was also signed. As the man that writes most of the articles and owns the domain Jim Hill received the painting but decided to send it to me instead. He knew how crazy I was about the rabbit and would proudly display the painting at home with the rest of my Oswald figures.

Over 85 years Oswald had his ups and downs. He was transferred to new owners twice after being created. He contributed greatly to the golden age of animation before falling out of the spotlight. He even made it through many historic events. Oswald survived through the Great Depression, the second World War, 14 US presidents and Duke Nukem. Oswald was absent for the rise of the video generation, cable, satellite, DVD and HD. He also missed the rise and fall of the arcade, the console wars and the transition to 3D gaming. With a Masters in Animation Warren Spector made sure to help make the character memorable to modern gamers while creating the next chapter in his history.

It was not easy to decipher the motivations of the character, especially since both Walt Disney and Walter Lantz weren't around to answer questions. Thanks to Junction Point and writers Marv Wolfman and Peter David the Disney Studios had a greater understanding of the character. They now knew more about him than the ratios and proportions scribbled on a design sheet. They learned what made the him unique, his temperament and personality. They learned why audiences fell for him in 1927. Only when the notes were compiled for Epic Mickey did the studio realize what a great influence Oswald was on his little brother.

Having a unique piece of art related to the Epic Mickey series was something I would cherish. Of course not everyone was lucky enough to win a painting like that and chances were a copy would never turn up on eBay. However fans of Oswald that would like to decorate their walls were still in luck. Disney had been making inexpensive prints featuring the rabbit for a few years. Most recently they had added a tin sign, available at Oswald's Service Station in Disney California Adventure and a print ready for framing in Disneyland. Either of these pieces would be great buys and would be perfect to hang over a fireplace or even garage. Now if only I could get one of the gas pumps from DCA to go along with it...

I hope you have enjoyed this look at rare Oswald merchandise and as always please leave a comment or question. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!