Mickey Mouse comic finale set in the Grand Duchy

The new story, entitled 'The Secret of the Map', begins in Saarbrücken, where Tick, Trick and Track (Huey, Dewey and Louie) hope to earn a medal from their scout troop, the Junior Woodchucks. To help them, the chief forest ranger provides an encrypted treasure map. Their journey takes them from Saarbrücken, past the Great Bend, the Moselle, and through Trier, where they finally board a train to the Grand Duchy at the conclusion of the story.

When a Mickey Mouse issue with a regional focus is published, it is always particularly well received, says Johannes Kanty, editor-in-chief at Egmont Verlag, which publishes the German-language comic.

It is not a coincidence that this issue starts off in the Saarland area – a number of people working in the Micky Mouse editorial department have a link to the Greater Region.

The drawings are by Ferran Rodriguez, who lives in Barcelona and had not visited the places he drew beforehand. A lot of work was done with photographs, including the picture in which Tick, Trick and Track look out over the Old Town.

© Egmont Ehapa Media / Disney

However, the image of the Old Town – where Luxembourg is clearly recognisable – is the only accurate visual reference. Other depictions, such as the cityscape with two towers, are entirely fictional, as is the castle in which the three characters eventually uncover the treasure.

Overall, it is a fictional narrative that could be set almost anywhere, with only a handful of illustrations hinting at a connection to real places. Nevertheless, subtle references are enough to capture the attention of fans in the Grand Duchy and its neighbouring regions.

The enduring enthusiasm for Donald Duck and his adventures has led to a noticeable uptick in demand at newsstands, with readers requesting copies be reserved – some motivated by the belief that the issue may become a collector’s item and sell out quickly.