Mickey Mouse in Shanghai: A Forgotten Chapter of Disney’s Chinese Legacy (1947)

Francesco Tattini shares an intriguing discovery from his time in China: a rare adaptation of the 1935 Mickey Mouse comic Editor-in-Grief, reimagined for Chinese audiences. Originally published in 1947 in the Shanghainese newspaper 正氣日報 (Zhengqi Daily) under the title 米老鼠开报馆 (Mickey Mouse Opens a Newspaper Office), the comic was adapted and re-drawn by artist 凌山 (Ling Shan). Later that same year, it was re-released as an illustrated novel.

In 1950, Beijing’s Sanlian Bookstore (三聯書店) compiled the entire series of newspaper strips into a one-shot comic book, now a highly sought-after collector’s item. The book, written in traditional Chinese, reads from right to left and top to bottom, much like Japanese manga, and even follows the manga-style format of starting from the “last” page to the first.

The comic’s setting is unmistakably Shanghai, with the iconic Bund and the city’s opulent 1930s-40s interiors vividly depicted. Despite its worn condition, this find is a treasure, especially considering its rarity. Even among die-hard Disney collectors in China, few have seen or possess a physical copy. Tattini stumbled upon this gem in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, noting that Disney publications from 1947 to 1951 are far rarer and harder to find than those from the 1930s and 40s.

The comic book itself is over 100 pages long, with a generic cover featuring only text and a stamp and a blank back cover. Its historical and cultural significance, combined with its scarcity, makes it a fascinating piece of Disney’s global legacy.