Random Happenstance

The other day on Twitter, it came up that Disney told Don Rosa they were no longer going to reprint two of his Uncle Scrooge stories, which is going to mean future editions of the Complete Times of Scrooge McDuck would not be complete. I ordered a cheap used one right away for myself; even though hard-core Scrooge fans seem mildly confused as to what that's about. (There's a character called "Bombie" who might possibly be, or be construed as, some kind of ethnic stereotype or mockery.) But, it seemed like those are comics that I should appreciate while I can, right? Kind of like the recent Groo books;  he said to transition to it somehow, so why not look at a random old one in my pile here? 

From 1993, Groo the Wanderer #103, "Jailbirds" Story and art by Sergio Aragonés, with co-plot and dialog by Mark Evanier, letters by Stan Sakai, colors by Tom Luth. (I don't always mention letters and colors credits, but Sakai and Luth were still usually on Groo now! Luth wasn't on the current Gods Against Groo, but had been on the Groo meets Tarzan book in 2021.) 

As was fairly common for Groo, he was lost, which implies he was heading somewhere with purpose. Although he's too slow to catch any lizards for supper, his trusty companion Rufferto catches several; and they meet some fellow travelers, who have their own dog, Oso. What kind of dog Rufferto was supposed to be, I don't recall; but Oso is obviously a pit bull-ish type, and seems a bit quick-tempered.

Dinner is interrupted by a fray, as a posse has caught up with the travelers, who were a band of bandits. Groo restrains himself from hurting the posse, since he was no criminal, and then captures the bandits. Rufferto and Oso had been hunting lizards, and are separated from their masters, and have to track them down. 

In the usual roundabout fashion, Groo ends up with a new job, taking the bandits to another town's jail. That jail was full up though, so Groo was going to have to take them back. Eventually realizing Groo was somehow too stupid to be talked into letting them go, and so dumb tricking him would only backfire, the bandits lament their life of crime. Which gives Groo a surprisingly decent idea!

Groo eventually is found by Rufferto and Oso, the latter of whom would stick around for another issue or two. 

I don't always buy Groo new off the racks, but picked up the last few issues: it's damning with faint praise, but it's consistent as all get out. I don't think I've ever read a really off one, and they're up to what Marvel legacy numbering would ballpark as #196! Man, I hope they've got another couple hundred in them.