Don Rosa Does The Art For A Prog Rock Concept Album About Scrooge McDuck From Finland

Don Rosa's The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck is a comic book masterpiece. It's one of my all-time favorite stories, a tribute to one of the all-time greats, Carl Barks, by a guy who isn't too far shy of that title himself. Expertly researched and threaded through an existing continuity in a way that's still incredibly accessible to readers. And yet, every time I read it, I find myself thinking "wouldn't this be better if it was told through the timeless medium of Finnish prog rock?"

Okay, well, no, I actually don't think that, but apparently Tuomas Holopainen, keyboardist and songwriter for Finland's own NIGHTWISH, did, and now it has become a reality. The Life and Times of Scrooge, a 10-song album of symphonic rock inspired by the adventures of everyone's capitalist duck, is coming, and it's got a cover by Rosa himself. Check out the video below!

I'll admit that the music isn't really my thing -- I do like that part where the light bulb explodes and the guitar solo from a guy who looks exactly like what you picture when you hear the words "Finnish prog rock musician" start -- but the video itself is actually pretty cool. For one thing, that shot of the dude playing violin who looks at the guy next to him and gives him a clear "nailed it" smile? That guy's great.

Better, though, is that the video features footage of Don Rosa actually drawing the cover. This is becoming an increasingly rare sight -- Rosa retired from comics last year due to frustrations with the industry and failing eyesight -- and it's always nice to see a master at work. It's especially interesting that he's seems to be going straight onto the page with a marker, getting the mountainous background and the aurora hanging in the sky over Scrooge's days in the Klondike on the first try. I've said it before, but watching that, I feel like I might as well be seeing magic.

Holopainen's album is set for release in April.