> I suppose that all ANY of us can do!... well, I'll **try** as
>well and maybe WE should also wait and see what happens!! (UNLESS,
>Geir Hasnes knows anything the rest of *us* MIGHT NOT!)
>
>Wilmer> Maybe he doesn't have it in for you in particular, but just
>Wilmer> for anyone who might siphon off some of the glory and/or
>
Hello out there, I have been so busy recently I havent had time to comment
on the topics, but I have ftp-ed all the old digests and plan to go through
it all.
Re Barks and his new direction:
I talk now and then with Geoffrey Blum, who has had running contact with
Barks the last few years. Barks got more and more tired with Gladstone and
Another Rainbow, thats why he stopped doing the covers for the Barks
Library. He was burnt-out, that is true. However, we have to know a few
things to understand what is going on now:
- Barks has children from previous marriages, and these again have
children. He has built up a fund for them for one or another reason. One
reason may be that one daughter of him died while her children were small.
I dont know the full story.
- Barks was in severe debt after the breakdown of the second marriage. He
has had to work hard just to keep with that.
- Barks built up a fund for Gare so that if he died, she would be
financially safe until she died.
* These three activities were the rational basis of his continued work,
when he chose to continue after he had retired.
* Barks was very well paid at Western. In fact he earned very much when
calculated into what it would be worth today. He never travelled and used
little money on himself: consequently it is a mystery where the money went,
apart from for his children and grandchildren and debt and funds.
- Barks did not consciously think about what his work was worth until the
activity in the 70s.
- He felt very annoyed when he saw how Disney earned money on the reprints
and he didnt.
- He has many times said he felt that he was used by Disney, and is
consequently angered and bitter.
- The fans of course cheated Barks when they bought original art from him
just to sell for ten times as much the next day. Barks began to understand
that the art had a value, so he began selling it himself for market value.
- According to Blum, Barks is that sort of guy who cannot understand the
sentiments of the people who love his stories. He is not able to understand
why they love his work so much. But he is aware of his own standard of
work. He writes nice letters to people in response to them, because he
feels it is his duty, but he will not keep his temper to people who know
him, like Blum.
- On the other hand, Barks can relate to the people who buy and sell his
art, because he can understand them.
* I think we can say that Barks has an understanding of the financial value
of the stories and characters, but not of the sentimental value of it.
- Barks has many times been very clear about what he means about the
articles in the Barks Library. He calls it leftist quasiintellectual
rubbish when they speculate. He calls it an attack on his artistic freedom
when his sources are shown, like the articles from National Geographic. He
doesnt like anyone building theories upon his stories, and he doesnt like
anyone obviously earning money and reputation on _his_ work.
- The first one to annoy Barks in that respect is Don Rosa. Geoffrey Blum
has managed to steer clear of his anger, but it hasnt always been easy. Don
is the first one to have a reputation actually built on Barkses own work.
* Gladstone / Another Rainbow gave him a huge royalty on the library and
books and comics even though they didnt have to. Because they had to pay
that to Disney too, who had the rights to the material. Even though Bruce
Hamilton is a money-grabbing guy, he has done more to ensure Barks in his
old age than anyone else. He has not always had to pay him when they resold
his paintings, he could in some states have got away with that, but he did
pay him.
- Barks now turns away from Hamilton simply in order to make more money.
- He also attacks Rosa because Rosa drains money out of Barkses creation.
- He did not do this before Gare died. Barks cared very much for Gare.
- Barks is 92 years old.
- Barks wanted to live alone, away from Disney. According to Blum, he has
depicted himself as the old,long-lived oriental in US 71 who has gone
searching for King Scrooges ancestors for two thousand years at least. Blum
has painted a terrible picture of Barkses relation to Disney, I have
transcribed a huge interview with Blum on these things, actually 3 taped
hours, but I can never print it as long as Blum does Disney things, it was
a pick behind the scenes to an unheard degree. Barks is tired, old and
hates Disney and all that. Read Blums article in Barks Library set V about
US 71.
* We need to see that Barks is in fact a bit like the bitter side of
Scrooge. He feel that the only thing they cant take from him, his whole
foundation, is that he and he alone created the Duckburg universe. And he
feel that if anyone else earns money on it, he should be the first one to
be paid.
* My theory is that he wouldnt do so much about it as long as Gare lived,
but now that she is away, he concentrates about obtaining money and fame.
Not that he waited to do it, but now it is the only thing he has left to
think about.
* And I think that no matter how much he is paid, he will not be satisfied.
* And no matter how much you tell him you love his stories, he will not
understand it.
* Dont you see that this is the same thing as I said some digests ago, that
to use the characters of Barks in such a way, digging up his sources and
making more out of it, is like stealing money from Scrooge. You are
stealing his life, his memories, taking his clothes off him, letting him
stand there naked. There is more to Barkses stories than meets the eye at
first sight. Barks had an unconscious but deep understanding of human
relationships that made him do these brilliant stories. Now he acts out
what he himself told.
* CONCLUSION:
* The only thing we can do is to continue to love Barks, and not do
anything about his attacks and feverish attempts to direct money and fame
to him. He doesnt do it for his own sake, he does it simply because Bruce
and Don has earned money and fame on _his_ creation. If Bruce and Don
werent there, he would have lived in peace and quiet. If Don hadnt gone to
Scandinavia, Barks never would have thought of it. He does it to tell
people that it is _him_ that is the one to look up to, it is him who should
be paid.
* We can continue to tell him that we love him and his creation and nothing
he does now can take away the impression that he once was the greatest
storyteller of our youth and that he is a part of 20th century literature
for all time.
* And let us for Gods sake not attack him. He has not got many years left
to live. He will probably never understand our love. He panicks about, to
grab money just as Scrooge when the money floats away from him. Let us view
that as the pitiful reaction of an old man who has been exploited most of
his life and didnt understand it until recently that something could be
done with it.
* Have mercy with him.
Geir Hasnes.
Author
Topic: 199309
(132 messages)
Geir.Hasnes
Barks and the War of the Comico
Message 16 -
1993-09-03 at 12:57:05
Geir.Hasnes
Barks and the War of the Comico
Message 17 -
1993-09-03 at 13:29:37
> I suppose that all ANY of us can do!... well, I'll **try** as
>well and maybe WE should also wait and see what happens!! (UNLESS,
>Geir Hasnes knows anything the rest of *us* MIGHT NOT!)
>
>Wilmer> Maybe he doesn't have it in for you in particular, but just
>Wilmer> for anyone who might siphon off some of the glory and/or
>
Hello out there, I have been so busy recently I havent had time to comment
on the topics, but I have ftp-ed all the old digests and plan to go through
it all.
Re Barks and his new direction:
I talk now and then with Geoffrey Blum, who has had running contact with
Barks the last few years. Barks got more and more tired with Gladstone and
Another Rainbow, thats why he stopped doing the covers for the Barks
Library. He was burnt-out, that is true. However, we have to know a few
things to understand what is going on now:
- Barks has children from previous marriages, and these again have
children. He has built up a fund for them for one or another reason. One
reason may be that one daughter of him died while her children were small.
I dont know the full story.
- Barks was in severe debt after the breakdown of the second marriage. He
has had to work hard just to keep with that.
- Barks built up a fund for Gare so that if he died, she would be
financially safe until she died.
* These three activities were the rational basis of his continued work,
when he chose to continue after he had retired.
* Barks was very well paid at Western. In fact he earned very much when
calculated into what it would be worth today. He never travelled and used
little money on himself: consequently it is a mystery where the money went,
apart from for his children and grandchildren and debt and funds.
- Barks did not consciously think about what his work was worth until the
activity in the 70s.
- He felt very annoyed when he saw how Disney earned money on the reprints
and he didnt.
- He has many times said he felt that he was used by Disney, and is
consequently angered and bitter.
- The fans of course cheated Barks when they bought original art from him
just to sell for ten times as much the next day. Barks began to understand
that the art had a value, so he began selling it himself for market value.
- According to Blum, Barks is that sort of guy who cannot understand the
sentiments of the people who love his stories. He is not able to understand
why they love his work so much. But he is aware of his own standard of
work. He writes nice letters to people in response to them, because he
feels it is his duty, but he will not keep his temper to people who know
him, like Blum.
- On the other hand, Barks can relate to the people who buy and sell his
art, because he can understand them.
* I think we can say that Barks has an understanding of the financial value
of the stories and characters, but not of the sentimental value of it.
- Barks has many times been very clear about what he means about the
articles in the Barks Library. He calls it leftist quasiintellectual
rubbish when they speculate. He calls it an attack on his artistic freedom
when his sources are shown, like the articles from National Geographic. He
doesnt like anyone building theories upon his stories, and he doesnt like
anyone obviously earning money and reputation on _his_ work.
- The first one to annoy Barks in that respect is Don Rosa. Geoffrey Blum
has managed to steer clear of his anger, but it hasnt always been easy. Don
is the first one to have a reputation actually built on Barkses own work.
* Gladstone / Another Rainbow gave him a huge royalty on the library and
books and comics even though they didnt have to. Because they had to pay
that to Disney too, who had the rights to the material. Even though Bruce
Hamilton is a money-grabbing guy, he has done more to ensure Barks in his
old age than anyone else. He has not always had to pay him when they resold
his paintings, he could in some states have got away with that, but he did
pay him.
- Barks now turns away from Hamilton simply in order to make more money.
- He also attacks Rosa because Rosa drains money out of Barkses creation.
- He did not do this before Gare died. Barks cared very much for Gare.
- Barks is 92 years old.
- Barks wanted to live alone, away from Disney. According to Blum, he has
depicted himself as the old,long-lived oriental in US 71 who has gone
searching for King Scrooges ancestors for two thousand years at least. Blum
has painted a terrible picture of Barkses relation to Disney, I have
transcribed a huge interview with Blum on these things, actually 3 taped
hours, but I can never print it as long as Blum does Disney things, it was
a pick behind the scenes to an unheard degree. Barks is tired, old and
hates Disney and all that. Read Blums article in Barks Library set V about
US 71.
* We need to see that Barks is in fact a bit like the bitter side of
Scrooge. He feel that the only thing they cant take from him, his whole
foundation, is that he and he alone created the Duckburg universe. And he
feel that if anyone else earns money on it, he should be the first one to
be paid.
* My theory is that he wouldnt do so much about it as long as Gare lived,
but now that she is away, he concentrates about obtaining money and fame.
Not that he waited to do it, but now it is the only thing he has left to
think about.
* And I think that no matter how much he is paid, he will not be satisfied.
* And no matter how much you tell him you love his stories, he will not
understand it.
* Dont you see that this is the same thing as I said some digests ago, that
to use the characters of Barks in such a way, digging up his sources and
making more out of it, is like stealing money from Scrooge. You are
stealing his life, his memories, taking his clothes off him, letting him
stand there naked. There is more to Barkses stories than meets the eye at
first sight. Barks had an unconscious but deep understanding of human
relationships that made him do these brilliant stories. Now he acts out
what he himself told.
* CONCLUSION:
* The only thing we can do is to continue to love Barks, and not do
anything about his attacks and feverish attempts to direct money and fame
to him. He doesnt do it for his own sake, he does it simply because Bruce
and Don has earned money and fame on _his_ creation. If Bruce and Don
werent there, he would have lived in peace and quiet. If Don hadnt gone to
Scandinavia, Barks never would have thought of it. He does it to tell
people that it is _him_ that is the one to look up to, it is him who should
be paid.
* We can continue to tell him that we love him and his creation and nothing
he does now can take away the impression that he once was the greatest
storyteller of our youth and that he is a part of 20th century literature
for all time.
* And let us for Gods sake not attack him. He has not got many years left
to live. He will probably never understand our love. He panicks about, to
grab money just as Scrooge when the money floats away from him. Let us view
that as the pitiful reaction of an old man who has been exploited most of
his life and didnt understand it until recently that something could be
done with it.
* Have mercy with him.
Geir Hasnes.
>well and maybe WE should also wait and see what happens!! (UNLESS,
>Geir Hasnes knows anything the rest of *us* MIGHT NOT!)
>
>Wilmer> Maybe he doesn't have it in for you in particular, but just
>Wilmer> for anyone who might siphon off some of the glory and/or
>
Hello out there, I have been so busy recently I havent had time to comment
on the topics, but I have ftp-ed all the old digests and plan to go through
it all.
Re Barks and his new direction:
I talk now and then with Geoffrey Blum, who has had running contact with
Barks the last few years. Barks got more and more tired with Gladstone and
Another Rainbow, thats why he stopped doing the covers for the Barks
Library. He was burnt-out, that is true. However, we have to know a few
things to understand what is going on now:
- Barks has children from previous marriages, and these again have
children. He has built up a fund for them for one or another reason. One
reason may be that one daughter of him died while her children were small.
I dont know the full story.
- Barks was in severe debt after the breakdown of the second marriage. He
has had to work hard just to keep with that.
- Barks built up a fund for Gare so that if he died, she would be
financially safe until she died.
* These three activities were the rational basis of his continued work,
when he chose to continue after he had retired.
* Barks was very well paid at Western. In fact he earned very much when
calculated into what it would be worth today. He never travelled and used
little money on himself: consequently it is a mystery where the money went,
apart from for his children and grandchildren and debt and funds.
- Barks did not consciously think about what his work was worth until the
activity in the 70s.
- He felt very annoyed when he saw how Disney earned money on the reprints
and he didnt.
- He has many times said he felt that he was used by Disney, and is
consequently angered and bitter.
- The fans of course cheated Barks when they bought original art from him
just to sell for ten times as much the next day. Barks began to understand
that the art had a value, so he began selling it himself for market value.
- According to Blum, Barks is that sort of guy who cannot understand the
sentiments of the people who love his stories. He is not able to understand
why they love his work so much. But he is aware of his own standard of
work. He writes nice letters to people in response to them, because he
feels it is his duty, but he will not keep his temper to people who know
him, like Blum.
- On the other hand, Barks can relate to the people who buy and sell his
art, because he can understand them.
* I think we can say that Barks has an understanding of the financial value
of the stories and characters, but not of the sentimental value of it.
- Barks has many times been very clear about what he means about the
articles in the Barks Library. He calls it leftist quasiintellectual
rubbish when they speculate. He calls it an attack on his artistic freedom
when his sources are shown, like the articles from National Geographic. He
doesnt like anyone building theories upon his stories, and he doesnt like
anyone obviously earning money and reputation on _his_ work.
- The first one to annoy Barks in that respect is Don Rosa. Geoffrey Blum
has managed to steer clear of his anger, but it hasnt always been easy. Don
is the first one to have a reputation actually built on Barkses own work.
* Gladstone / Another Rainbow gave him a huge royalty on the library and
books and comics even though they didnt have to. Because they had to pay
that to Disney too, who had the rights to the material. Even though Bruce
Hamilton is a money-grabbing guy, he has done more to ensure Barks in his
old age than anyone else. He has not always had to pay him when they resold
his paintings, he could in some states have got away with that, but he did
pay him.
- Barks now turns away from Hamilton simply in order to make more money.
- He also attacks Rosa because Rosa drains money out of Barkses creation.
- He did not do this before Gare died. Barks cared very much for Gare.
- Barks is 92 years old.
- Barks wanted to live alone, away from Disney. According to Blum, he has
depicted himself as the old,long-lived oriental in US 71 who has gone
searching for King Scrooges ancestors for two thousand years at least. Blum
has painted a terrible picture of Barkses relation to Disney, I have
transcribed a huge interview with Blum on these things, actually 3 taped
hours, but I can never print it as long as Blum does Disney things, it was
a pick behind the scenes to an unheard degree. Barks is tired, old and
hates Disney and all that. Read Blums article in Barks Library set V about
US 71.
* We need to see that Barks is in fact a bit like the bitter side of
Scrooge. He feel that the only thing they cant take from him, his whole
foundation, is that he and he alone created the Duckburg universe. And he
feel that if anyone else earns money on it, he should be the first one to
be paid.
* My theory is that he wouldnt do so much about it as long as Gare lived,
but now that she is away, he concentrates about obtaining money and fame.
Not that he waited to do it, but now it is the only thing he has left to
think about.
* And I think that no matter how much he is paid, he will not be satisfied.
* And no matter how much you tell him you love his stories, he will not
understand it.
* Dont you see that this is the same thing as I said some digests ago, that
to use the characters of Barks in such a way, digging up his sources and
making more out of it, is like stealing money from Scrooge. You are
stealing his life, his memories, taking his clothes off him, letting him
stand there naked. There is more to Barkses stories than meets the eye at
first sight. Barks had an unconscious but deep understanding of human
relationships that made him do these brilliant stories. Now he acts out
what he himself told.
* CONCLUSION:
* The only thing we can do is to continue to love Barks, and not do
anything about his attacks and feverish attempts to direct money and fame
to him. He doesnt do it for his own sake, he does it simply because Bruce
and Don has earned money and fame on _his_ creation. If Bruce and Don
werent there, he would have lived in peace and quiet. If Don hadnt gone to
Scandinavia, Barks never would have thought of it. He does it to tell
people that it is _him_ that is the one to look up to, it is him who should
be paid.
* We can continue to tell him that we love him and his creation and nothing
he does now can take away the impression that he once was the greatest
storyteller of our youth and that he is a part of 20th century literature
for all time.
* And let us for Gods sake not attack him. He has not got many years left
to live. He will probably never understand our love. He panicks about, to
grab money just as Scrooge when the money floats away from him. Let us view
that as the pitiful reaction of an old man who has been exploited most of
his life and didnt understand it until recently that something could be
done with it.
* Have mercy with him.
Geir Hasnes.
Don Rosa
+Postage Due+Disney-comics digest #91 (second try).
Message 18 -
1993-09-03 at 16:43:43
COMMENTS ON #91:
Gil: You might have an idea about reprinting my old "Pertwillaby
Papers" and "Captain Kentucky"... but it wouldn't be ME that does it. I
think a FEW people would find it interesting, but I don't think many
people would like it as they might like what I do with the Ducks but
have no interest in what I may or may not do with something that ISN'T
the Disney Ducks. It would be vaguely similar to when Barks started
trying to sell paintings of "Famous Waterfowl in History". Nobody wanted
them.
Also, that was not my wife as the girl who burnt Lance's arm
with the coffee pot in C.K. (By the way, that same gag was in the first
draft of part XI of the "Life" series, but I cut it for space.) That was
Feather Fluff and I created Feather many years before I met my wife (who
is NOTHING like her anyhow). I would never have told your friend
anysuchathing!
HARRY:
Don't ever worry about criticizing my work! I relish it since
otherwise I'll never improve! I wish you or somebody could sit and go
through every panel of each of my stories and tell me just what's right
or wrong or great or sucks ducks. Those covers in the WDC IN COLOR
series had some bad ones... but not all! The one with the treasure chest
was, I thought, one of my best! The one with the body cut-outs was one
of my worst, but that was DISNEY'S fault... they forced us into using
that idea and there isn't room here to explain their weird, random
decisions! The one with the big Beagle Boy was a good idea, but the
Beagle was out of proportion and too hairy! Some of the others were good
but meaningless, and that one with the world map was one of my favorite
ideas, but the Ducks were poorly drawn, especially $crooge's head.
As for mirrored covers and other art, you seem to want to know
which version was correct. The cover for the "Treasure Under Glass"
story was used NOWHERE as I drew it. They didn't mirror it in Europe,
but deleted the background. It was mirrored in America to get the chest
out from under the UPC code.
The "Return to Xanadu" cover was used correctly in America. They
flipped it in Europe, I assume because there is no comic there where
$crooge is the title character and I had $crooge on the left side of the
cover where the main character should be (as in the direction we read).
The "Super Snooper Strikes Again" art was flipped in America for
reasons I'm not sure of. I don't recall which way they flipped it but it
might have involved the fact that certain types of action should always,
to my mind also, be directed certain ways. For instance, if $crooge is
marching off into some unexplored jungle, that should be to the right,
into "unexplored regions" to our eyes. When he returns it should be by
marching left. Otherwise he would seem to be marching back into the
section of the comic we've already read and it would "feel" wrong to our
mind's eye.
And now for GEIR!!!!!!
WOW! That was wonderful! Everything you said was perfectly true.
Many things you said were things that I knew but it would have been in
bad taste for ME to tell of them. The most profound facts you mentioned,
among many, was the idea that Barks resents people who are devoted fans
of his work but loves people who want to help him make money from it. I
noticed that many years ago! Barks seemed to have hated the Ducks and
dislikes anyone who seems to like them too much. But... I can't really
say too much about all the wisdom you dolled out... again, for me to
comment too much on it all would be tactless and in bad taste... I'll
leave it go at saying that you're correct in your conclusion that the
guy is 93 years old and whatever he does, good or bad, cruel or kind, we
should give him a break and not attack him. I know he's broken my heart,
but he's done it slowly by revealing himself to me over about 7 years,
so it was never too brutal (not until Atlanta -- THAT was a brutality I
can't forgive).
Anyway, I'd like to request that Per place Geir's letter into
the library somewhere. I think it's that important. I know you can do it
since Geir seems to have sent it TWICE and you have an extra one laying
around. Anyway, I'm going to print a copy out -- I might need to read it
over again sometime when I get peevish, which happens more and more of
late.
Had I told you that I was visiting Norway again late this month?
Well, I'm not so sure now. They are two weeks overdue in calling me
about their plans. I have a suspicion that when they heard Barks wanted
to visit, they decided they wouldn't need me any longer, or Barks may
have even told them that he didn't want me to get any more publicity if
they didn't want to make him mad. Anyway, it now seems that I won't be
coming to Scandanavia again. See if you can find out if this is another
result of my "evil genius" at work.
Gil: You might have an idea about reprinting my old "Pertwillaby
Papers" and "Captain Kentucky"... but it wouldn't be ME that does it. I
think a FEW people would find it interesting, but I don't think many
people would like it as they might like what I do with the Ducks but
have no interest in what I may or may not do with something that ISN'T
the Disney Ducks. It would be vaguely similar to when Barks started
trying to sell paintings of "Famous Waterfowl in History". Nobody wanted
them.
Also, that was not my wife as the girl who burnt Lance's arm
with the coffee pot in C.K. (By the way, that same gag was in the first
draft of part XI of the "Life" series, but I cut it for space.) That was
Feather Fluff and I created Feather many years before I met my wife (who
is NOTHING like her anyhow). I would never have told your friend
anysuchathing!
HARRY:
Don't ever worry about criticizing my work! I relish it since
otherwise I'll never improve! I wish you or somebody could sit and go
through every panel of each of my stories and tell me just what's right
or wrong or great or sucks ducks. Those covers in the WDC IN COLOR
series had some bad ones... but not all! The one with the treasure chest
was, I thought, one of my best! The one with the body cut-outs was one
of my worst, but that was DISNEY'S fault... they forced us into using
that idea and there isn't room here to explain their weird, random
decisions! The one with the big Beagle Boy was a good idea, but the
Beagle was out of proportion and too hairy! Some of the others were good
but meaningless, and that one with the world map was one of my favorite
ideas, but the Ducks were poorly drawn, especially $crooge's head.
As for mirrored covers and other art, you seem to want to know
which version was correct. The cover for the "Treasure Under Glass"
story was used NOWHERE as I drew it. They didn't mirror it in Europe,
but deleted the background. It was mirrored in America to get the chest
out from under the UPC code.
The "Return to Xanadu" cover was used correctly in America. They
flipped it in Europe, I assume because there is no comic there where
$crooge is the title character and I had $crooge on the left side of the
cover where the main character should be (as in the direction we read).
The "Super Snooper Strikes Again" art was flipped in America for
reasons I'm not sure of. I don't recall which way they flipped it but it
might have involved the fact that certain types of action should always,
to my mind also, be directed certain ways. For instance, if $crooge is
marching off into some unexplored jungle, that should be to the right,
into "unexplored regions" to our eyes. When he returns it should be by
marching left. Otherwise he would seem to be marching back into the
section of the comic we've already read and it would "feel" wrong to our
mind's eye.
And now for GEIR!!!!!!
WOW! That was wonderful! Everything you said was perfectly true.
Many things you said were things that I knew but it would have been in
bad taste for ME to tell of them. The most profound facts you mentioned,
among many, was the idea that Barks resents people who are devoted fans
of his work but loves people who want to help him make money from it. I
noticed that many years ago! Barks seemed to have hated the Ducks and
dislikes anyone who seems to like them too much. But... I can't really
say too much about all the wisdom you dolled out... again, for me to
comment too much on it all would be tactless and in bad taste... I'll
leave it go at saying that you're correct in your conclusion that the
guy is 93 years old and whatever he does, good or bad, cruel or kind, we
should give him a break and not attack him. I know he's broken my heart,
but he's done it slowly by revealing himself to me over about 7 years,
so it was never too brutal (not until Atlanta -- THAT was a brutality I
can't forgive).
Anyway, I'd like to request that Per place Geir's letter into
the library somewhere. I think it's that important. I know you can do it
since Geir seems to have sent it TWICE and you have an extra one laying
around. Anyway, I'm going to print a copy out -- I might need to read it
over again sometime when I get peevish, which happens more and more of
late.
Had I told you that I was visiting Norway again late this month?
Well, I'm not so sure now. They are two weeks overdue in calling me
about their plans. I have a suspicion that when they heard Barks wanted
to visit, they decided they wouldn't need me any longer, or Barks may
have even told them that he didn't want me to get any more publicity if
they didn't want to make him mad. Anyway, it now seems that I won't be
coming to Scandanavia again. See if you can find out if this is another
result of my "evil genius" at work.
Gilbert Milburn
This and that (comments on comments!)
Message 19 -
1993-09-03 at 23:39:34
Hi,
Here's some different reposes to various posts
Mark on Fleetway comix
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Any chance of anyone picking up the Fleetway "Life of Scrooge"
> when it comes out? I'd gladly pay much money for it (or the
> issues, whichever way it's being printed). I may be going to
> England in January, but I hear that by that time, the series
> will have started in the U.S. Is the Fleetway thing going to
> be one big volume, or individual issues?
I've often wondered if we have any (lurking) British members
of the list and if we don't maybe Torsten knows of some on the
other list he is on who would either join or know how to help us!
To Harry about that Rosa comix post
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry said:
> What is this? Sending PRIVATE mail to people it wasn't meant
> for?
OPPS!.. sorry Harry. I thought I RECOLLECTED (or *maybe* I
JUST ASSUMED) that you spoke about that business on here before -
with Don and whoever else had any interest. I was ONLY trying to
*add* to that which, I had believed to have been kicked around in
PAST discussions!
Harry again:
> Well, actually, this is what I had in mind:
> - When (or IF) I find Dutch copies for War of the Wendigo, I
> will buy as many as possible, and THEN offer them to whoever
> wants them. I'm not saying that I DO find those copies,
> though...
This is what I'm was trying to INDICATE above...
Harry:
> - The "other Rosa comic stories" will see print in the USA, so
> I think it's wasting time to get the Dutch issues only a few
> months earlier. Gilbert explicitly asked for them though, so
> I'll buy some for him IN TRADE for some Rosa stuff I don't
> have.
I was EXCLUSIVELY (well, more or less!) referring to the:
"War of the Wendigo" book by Don that will NEVER be seen inside
the _U.S. of A._ by the Gladstone-fans!
Geir Hasnes on Barks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I had said something to this effect: "UNLESS, Geir
Hasnes knows Maybe of somethings that maybe the rest of us
don't..." I had know Idea he'd know ALL of the intricate and
miniature details/facts which he reported on last time!
Geir remarked:
> [...] - He felt very annoyed when he saw how Disney earned
> money on the reprints and he didnt. - He has many times said
> he felt that he was used by Disney, and is consequently angered
> and bitter.
> - The fans of course cheated Barks when they bought original
> art from him just to sell for ten times as much the next day.
> Barks began to understand that the art had a value, so he began
> selling it himself for market value.
Hey, Barks is not the only one who gets ripped-off, by the
fans and by Disney (*RIGHT, Don??* =)
> [...] Don is the first one to have a reputation actually built
> on Barkses own work.
This is NOT a *fair* statement towards Don, who is above
reproach as far as his honesty and love for the classic Bark
adventures, which is only reason he is doing the work NOW!!
Don has even said so *MANY TIMES* himself (on here at book-
signings, conventions, various news articles and even on radio!)
so, what's Barks' `beef'?!?
> - Barks is 92 years old.
> - Barks wanted to live alone, away from Disney.
> [...]
> * CONCLUSION:
> * The only thing we can do is to continue to love Barks, and
> not do anything about his attacks and feverish attempts to
> direct money and fame to him.
> [...]
> * We can continue to tell him that we love him and his creation
> and nothing he does now can take away the impression that he
> once was the greatest storyteller of our youth and that he is a
> part of 20th century literature for all time.
> * And let us for Gods sake not attack him. He has not got many
> years left to live. He will probably never understand our love.
> He panicks about, to grab money just as Scrooge when the money
> floats away from him. Let us view that as the pitiful reaction
> of an old man who has been exploited most of his life and didnt
> understand it until recently that something could be done with
> it.
WE will go on being his faithful/loyal fans. Although,
Barks' has NO BIGGER FAN then that of Don Rosa! I don't feel it
fair or right to let Don get lost-in-the-shuffle while we're ALL
suppose to be trying to defend Barks!!
> * Have mercy with him.
We will, but remember I also said: "WE should also wait and see
what happens!!"
That's it,
Gil Milburn <unix.campbellsvil.edu>
P.S. It's currently raining like MAD in Campbellsville (with lot's of
lightning!!!)... hope this makes it!
Here's some different reposes to various posts
Mark on Fleetway comix
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Any chance of anyone picking up the Fleetway "Life of Scrooge"
> when it comes out? I'd gladly pay much money for it (or the
> issues, whichever way it's being printed). I may be going to
> England in January, but I hear that by that time, the series
> will have started in the U.S. Is the Fleetway thing going to
> be one big volume, or individual issues?
I've often wondered if we have any (lurking) British members
of the list and if we don't maybe Torsten knows of some on the
other list he is on who would either join or know how to help us!
To Harry about that Rosa comix post
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry said:
> What is this? Sending PRIVATE mail to people it wasn't meant
> for?
OPPS!.. sorry Harry. I thought I RECOLLECTED (or *maybe* I
JUST ASSUMED) that you spoke about that business on here before -
with Don and whoever else had any interest. I was ONLY trying to
*add* to that which, I had believed to have been kicked around in
PAST discussions!
Harry again:
> Well, actually, this is what I had in mind:
> - When (or IF) I find Dutch copies for War of the Wendigo, I
> will buy as many as possible, and THEN offer them to whoever
> wants them. I'm not saying that I DO find those copies,
> though...
This is what I'm was trying to INDICATE above...
Harry:
> - The "other Rosa comic stories" will see print in the USA, so
> I think it's wasting time to get the Dutch issues only a few
> months earlier. Gilbert explicitly asked for them though, so
> I'll buy some for him IN TRADE for some Rosa stuff I don't
> have.
I was EXCLUSIVELY (well, more or less!) referring to the:
"War of the Wendigo" book by Don that will NEVER be seen inside
the _U.S. of A._ by the Gladstone-fans!
Geir Hasnes on Barks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I had said something to this effect: "UNLESS, Geir
Hasnes knows Maybe of somethings that maybe the rest of us
don't..." I had know Idea he'd know ALL of the intricate and
miniature details/facts which he reported on last time!
Geir remarked:
> [...] - He felt very annoyed when he saw how Disney earned
> money on the reprints and he didnt. - He has many times said
> he felt that he was used by Disney, and is consequently angered
> and bitter.
> - The fans of course cheated Barks when they bought original
> art from him just to sell for ten times as much the next day.
> Barks began to understand that the art had a value, so he began
> selling it himself for market value.
Hey, Barks is not the only one who gets ripped-off, by the
fans and by Disney (*RIGHT, Don??* =)
> [...] Don is the first one to have a reputation actually built
> on Barkses own work.
This is NOT a *fair* statement towards Don, who is above
reproach as far as his honesty and love for the classic Bark
adventures, which is only reason he is doing the work NOW!!
Don has even said so *MANY TIMES* himself (on here at book-
signings, conventions, various news articles and even on radio!)
so, what's Barks' `beef'?!?
> - Barks is 92 years old.
> - Barks wanted to live alone, away from Disney.
> [...]
> * CONCLUSION:
> * The only thing we can do is to continue to love Barks, and
> not do anything about his attacks and feverish attempts to
> direct money and fame to him.
> [...]
> * We can continue to tell him that we love him and his creation
> and nothing he does now can take away the impression that he
> once was the greatest storyteller of our youth and that he is a
> part of 20th century literature for all time.
> * And let us for Gods sake not attack him. He has not got many
> years left to live. He will probably never understand our love.
> He panicks about, to grab money just as Scrooge when the money
> floats away from him. Let us view that as the pitiful reaction
> of an old man who has been exploited most of his life and didnt
> understand it until recently that something could be done with
> it.
WE will go on being his faithful/loyal fans. Although,
Barks' has NO BIGGER FAN then that of Don Rosa! I don't feel it
fair or right to let Don get lost-in-the-shuffle while we're ALL
suppose to be trying to defend Barks!!
> * Have mercy with him.
We will, but remember I also said: "WE should also wait and see
what happens!!"
That's it,
Gil Milburn <unix.campbellsvil.edu>
P.S. It's currently raining like MAD in Campbellsville (with lot's of
lightning!!!)... hope this makes it!
Torsten Wesley Adair
This and that (comments on comments!)
Message 20 -
1993-09-05 at 07:17:16
On Fri, 3 Sep 1993, Gilbert Milburn wrote:
> Hi,
> Here's some different reposes to various posts
> Mark on Fleetway comix
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > Any chance of anyone picking up the Fleetway "Life of Scrooge"
> > when it comes out? I'd gladly pay much money for it (or the
> > issues, whichever way it's being printed). I may be going to
> > England in January, but I hear that by that time, the series
> > will have started in the U.S. Is the Fleetway thing going to
> > be one big volume, or individual issues?
>
> I've often wondered if we have any (lurking) British members
> of the list and if we don't maybe Torsten knows of some on the
> other list he is on who would either join or know how to help us!
>
I'll forward this to the comix at world list, and see what happens. I'll
have them post it here.
My comic book store sells Fleetway's 2000 AD anthology, which it gets via
Diamond, as well as Dark Horse's Star Wars and Aliens magazines. Perhaps
other Fleetway magazines could be imported? And does Fleetway offer
overseas subscriptions?
Torsten Adair torsten at cwis.unomaha.edu Omaha, NE, USA
(I have discovered a bookstore here in Omaha which can get Mickey Maus
Magazine from Germany. I'll let you guys know the details when I know them.)
> Hi,
> Here's some different reposes to various posts
> Mark on Fleetway comix
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > Any chance of anyone picking up the Fleetway "Life of Scrooge"
> > when it comes out? I'd gladly pay much money for it (or the
> > issues, whichever way it's being printed). I may be going to
> > England in January, but I hear that by that time, the series
> > will have started in the U.S. Is the Fleetway thing going to
> > be one big volume, or individual issues?
>
> I've often wondered if we have any (lurking) British members
> of the list and if we don't maybe Torsten knows of some on the
> other list he is on who would either join or know how to help us!
>
I'll forward this to the comix at world list, and see what happens. I'll
have them post it here.
My comic book store sells Fleetway's 2000 AD anthology, which it gets via
Diamond, as well as Dark Horse's Star Wars and Aliens magazines. Perhaps
other Fleetway magazines could be imported? And does Fleetway offer
overseas subscriptions?
Torsten Adair torsten at cwis.unomaha.edu Omaha, NE, USA
(I have discovered a bookstore here in Omaha which can get Mickey Maus
Magazine from Germany. I'll let you guys know the details when I know them.)
Per Starback
The Phantom of Notre Duck
Message 21 -
1993-09-08 at 21:04:01
James Williams (welcome back from summer vacation!) asked about The
Phandom of Notre Duck:
Yes, it's by and only by Barks.
> If so, I think it is the worst Barks' story I've ever read. It never
> explains why a duplicate of Notre Dame is in Duckburg.
I don't think it looks that much like Notre Dame. It's "just" a
cathedral. Of course it's never explained why Duckburg would have a
cathedral, as that would go into religion, surely a taboo subject!
(I agree that it is a bit mysterious though, but I don't care much
about that.)
> It never
> explains who the phantom is and why he looks like he does.
Why not? :-)
> HD&L's
> dog magically appears in the second half of the story.
There is surely surely nothing mysterious or magical about that at
least. They boys simply go away to get the dog!
> What do others think of this story?
Well, it's not one of my favourites, but surely not one the Barks
stories I like the least either. This is US 60 from 1965, that is
pretty late in Barks's comic book career. None of the stories made
around that time belong to my Barks favourites. I agree that this is
a somewhat weak story though; I like US 57--59 better.
-- "
Per Starback, Uppsala, Sweden. email: starback at student.docs.uu.se
Phandom of Notre Duck:
Yes, it's by and only by Barks.
> If so, I think it is the worst Barks' story I've ever read. It never
> explains why a duplicate of Notre Dame is in Duckburg.
I don't think it looks that much like Notre Dame. It's "just" a
cathedral. Of course it's never explained why Duckburg would have a
cathedral, as that would go into religion, surely a taboo subject!
(I agree that it is a bit mysterious though, but I don't care much
about that.)
> It never
> explains who the phantom is and why he looks like he does.
Why not? :-)
> HD&L's
> dog magically appears in the second half of the story.
There is surely surely nothing mysterious or magical about that at
least. They boys simply go away to get the dog!
> What do others think of this story?
Well, it's not one of my favourites, but surely not one the Barks
stories I like the least either. This is US 60 from 1965, that is
pretty late in Barks's comic book career. None of the stories made
around that time belong to my Barks favourites. I agree that this is
a somewhat weak story though; I like US 57--59 better.
-- "
Per Starback, Uppsala, Sweden. email: starback at student.docs.uu.se
James Williams
The Phantom of Notre Duck
Message 22 -
1993-09-08 at 21:27:21
Last week I bought an old issue of Uncle Scrooge. It contained the
first printing of 'The Phantom of Notre Duck'. The artwork and the
story telling make me almost positive that it was done by Carl Barks.
Was this written and drawn by Carl Barks?
If so, I think it is the worst Barks' story I've ever read. It never
explains why a duplicate of Notre Dame is in Duckburg. It never
explains who the phantom is and why he looks like he does. HD&L's
dog magically appears in the second half of the story.
What do others think of this story?
--------------------------------------------
| James Williams |
| Bitnet: JWW%ESS%NIAID at NIH3PLUS.BITNET |
| Internet: JWW at ESS.NIAID.PC.NIAID.NIH.GOV |
| CompuServ: 70304,2462 |
--------------------------------------------
first printing of 'The Phantom of Notre Duck'. The artwork and the
story telling make me almost positive that it was done by Carl Barks.
Was this written and drawn by Carl Barks?
If so, I think it is the worst Barks' story I've ever read. It never
explains why a duplicate of Notre Dame is in Duckburg. It never
explains who the phantom is and why he looks like he does. HD&L's
dog magically appears in the second half of the story.
What do others think of this story?
--------------------------------------------
| James Williams |
| Bitnet: JWW%ESS%NIAID at NIH3PLUS.BITNET |
| Internet: JWW at ESS.NIAID.PC.NIAID.NIH.GOV |
| CompuServ: 70304,2462 |
--------------------------------------------
Torsten Wesley Adair
The Phantom of Notre Duck
Message 23 -
1993-09-09 at 01:08:30
On Wed, 8 September 1993, James Williams wrote:
> Last week I bought an old issue of Uncle Scrooge. It contained the
> first printing of 'The Phantom of Notre Duck'. The artwork and the
> story telling make me almost positive that it was done by Carl Barks.
> Was this written and drawn by Carl Barks?
> If so, I think it is the worst Barks' story I've ever read. It never
> explains why a duplicate of Notre Dame is in Duckburg. It never
> explains who the phantom is and why he looks like he does. HD&L's
> dog magically appears in the second half of the story.
> What do others think of this story?
This was one of the first graphic albums published by Disney Comics (note
capitalization). It was released along with an album of Gyro Gearloose
stories.
I bought this album last Spring. I bought it in a remainder bin at
Waldenbooks for US$2. This should tell you how popular the album was (a
book becomes a remainder when a publisher or distributor cleans out their
warehouse. A discount distributor buys up the lot of books and then sells
them very cheaply to bookstores. This is one of the few ways to spend
less than $5 on a book (paperback OR hardcover).).
I didn't think much of the story. It was fairly mediocre, and if Disney
Comics had any marketing sense, they would have selected a better cover
artist and a better story.
What I did find interesting was that the introductory essay at the
beginning of the album strongly criticized the story.
Was it worth $2? Yes, if only for the binding.
Torsten Adair torsten at cwis.unomaha.edu Omaha, NE, USA
> Last week I bought an old issue of Uncle Scrooge. It contained the
> first printing of 'The Phantom of Notre Duck'. The artwork and the
> story telling make me almost positive that it was done by Carl Barks.
> Was this written and drawn by Carl Barks?
> If so, I think it is the worst Barks' story I've ever read. It never
> explains why a duplicate of Notre Dame is in Duckburg. It never
> explains who the phantom is and why he looks like he does. HD&L's
> dog magically appears in the second half of the story.
> What do others think of this story?
This was one of the first graphic albums published by Disney Comics (note
capitalization). It was released along with an album of Gyro Gearloose
stories.
I bought this album last Spring. I bought it in a remainder bin at
Waldenbooks for US$2. This should tell you how popular the album was (a
book becomes a remainder when a publisher or distributor cleans out their
warehouse. A discount distributor buys up the lot of books and then sells
them very cheaply to bookstores. This is one of the few ways to spend
less than $5 on a book (paperback OR hardcover).).
I didn't think much of the story. It was fairly mediocre, and if Disney
Comics had any marketing sense, they would have selected a better cover
artist and a better story.
What I did find interesting was that the introductory essay at the
beginning of the album strongly criticized the story.
Was it worth $2? Yes, if only for the binding.
Torsten Adair torsten at cwis.unomaha.edu Omaha, NE, USA
Harry Fluks
The Phantom of Notre Duck
Message 24 -
1993-09-09 at 10:40:08
Torsten:
> I bought this album last Spring. I bought it in a remainder bin at
> Waldenbooks for US$2. This should tell you how popular the album was (a
> book becomes a remainder when a publisher or distributor cleans out their
> warehouse. A discount distributor buys up the lot of books and then sells
> them very cheaply to bookstores. This is one of the few ways to spend
> less than $5 on a book (paperback OR hardcover).).
Same things happen here in Holland, but never with Barks albums... There were
a lot of albums made of Taliaferro's and Gottfredson's sunday pages, that
are still for sale for very low prices.
> I didn't think much of the story. It was fairly mediocre,
I think that story is one of Barks' best "late" stories! Maybe it's
youth sentiment, because it is also one of the first Barks stories that I
read (in 1967).
> and if Disney
> Comics had any marketing sense, they would have selected a better cover
> artist and a better story.
Am I correct that the cover design was taken from a "rejected" Barks cover
sketch for the story? (But I agree: Barks was not that good as a COVER
artist at that time...)
--Harry.
> I bought this album last Spring. I bought it in a remainder bin at
> Waldenbooks for US$2. This should tell you how popular the album was (a
> book becomes a remainder when a publisher or distributor cleans out their
> warehouse. A discount distributor buys up the lot of books and then sells
> them very cheaply to bookstores. This is one of the few ways to spend
> less than $5 on a book (paperback OR hardcover).).
Same things happen here in Holland, but never with Barks albums... There were
a lot of albums made of Taliaferro's and Gottfredson's sunday pages, that
are still for sale for very low prices.
> I didn't think much of the story. It was fairly mediocre,
I think that story is one of Barks' best "late" stories! Maybe it's
youth sentiment, because it is also one of the first Barks stories that I
read (in 1967).
> and if Disney
> Comics had any marketing sense, they would have selected a better cover
> artist and a better story.
Am I correct that the cover design was taken from a "rejected" Barks cover
sketch for the story? (But I agree: Barks was not that good as a COVER
artist at that time...)
--Harry.
Don Rosa
+Postage Due+Disney-comics digest #94.
Message 25 -
1993-09-09 at 16:08:35
COMMENTS ON DIGEST #94:
This is digest #94? Seriously? That many?
I wasn't missing some, was I? The last I saw a new Digest was
last Friday or thereabouts (Sept. 3).
Which leads me to something I don't think I know the exact
answer to: this Digest only goes to a certain number of people in this
"Disney" group which exists over on some other BBS (than where I am -
COMPUSERVE)... is that right? How many people are in that Disney-group
nowadays, and how many DON'T see this digest and the stuff that is
posted here???
In other news, I have something for any Norwegian Duckfans out
there: from about the 23rd to the 29th of THIS month I will be in and
around Oslo (my 5th visit, I think?). This is to help promote Norway's
"Year of the Book" and my Uncle $crooge tie-in adventure which will be
published in a special 32-page supplement with the weekly during the
first week of October... this is that "Guardians of the Lost Library"
story. They are working on all sorts of activities for me, including
newspaper and TV interviews, and some sorta press conferences with me
and the Head Librarian of Norway (I think it's great that a ANY
librarian would be seen in connection with a comic book -- comic books
in THIS country are not very highly regarded by librarians, and the
typical American comic book SHOULDN'T be!). I'm also supposed to have
appearances with ambassadors and/or representatives from Egypt, where
they are currently rebuilding the Library of Alexandria (the focus of my
story) and from CHINA -- though I'm not sure about the reasoning for
that one, other than Egmont is currently in the early stages of
launching their Disney comics throughout China (I'm not sure whether, as
an American, I should refuse to be seen with Chinese officials until
they restore the human rights of waterfowl or something, but I'll do
what the nice Egmont people want). I'm also going to do a public comic
signing somewhere; on my previous trips my signings have been at "comic
book specialty shops" where the hardcore comic fans shop... but this
time they plan to find which store in Oslo sells the most copies each
week of DONALD DUCK & CO. and I'll be there to sign for the "average
buyers". These are all tentative details, but I WILL be in Oslo doing
something or other.
Where's Geir Hasnes? I know you live quite some distance away
from Oslo, and I certainly won't suggest I'm worth a special trip, but
if you happen to be down that way be sure to call Egmont and try to find
me. You know Svein-Erik Soland, the editor-in-chief? If you get him a
message, he'll put us in touch somehow.
I look forward to lots more Lutte-fisk and counter-poison.
This is digest #94? Seriously? That many?
I wasn't missing some, was I? The last I saw a new Digest was
last Friday or thereabouts (Sept. 3).
Which leads me to something I don't think I know the exact
answer to: this Digest only goes to a certain number of people in this
"Disney" group which exists over on some other BBS (than where I am -
COMPUSERVE)... is that right? How many people are in that Disney-group
nowadays, and how many DON'T see this digest and the stuff that is
posted here???
In other news, I have something for any Norwegian Duckfans out
there: from about the 23rd to the 29th of THIS month I will be in and
around Oslo (my 5th visit, I think?). This is to help promote Norway's
"Year of the Book" and my Uncle $crooge tie-in adventure which will be
published in a special 32-page supplement with the weekly during the
first week of October... this is that "Guardians of the Lost Library"
story. They are working on all sorts of activities for me, including
newspaper and TV interviews, and some sorta press conferences with me
and the Head Librarian of Norway (I think it's great that a ANY
librarian would be seen in connection with a comic book -- comic books
in THIS country are not very highly regarded by librarians, and the
typical American comic book SHOULDN'T be!). I'm also supposed to have
appearances with ambassadors and/or representatives from Egypt, where
they are currently rebuilding the Library of Alexandria (the focus of my
story) and from CHINA -- though I'm not sure about the reasoning for
that one, other than Egmont is currently in the early stages of
launching their Disney comics throughout China (I'm not sure whether, as
an American, I should refuse to be seen with Chinese officials until
they restore the human rights of waterfowl or something, but I'll do
what the nice Egmont people want). I'm also going to do a public comic
signing somewhere; on my previous trips my signings have been at "comic
book specialty shops" where the hardcore comic fans shop... but this
time they plan to find which store in Oslo sells the most copies each
week of DONALD DUCK & CO. and I'll be there to sign for the "average
buyers". These are all tentative details, but I WILL be in Oslo doing
something or other.
Where's Geir Hasnes? I know you live quite some distance away
from Oslo, and I certainly won't suggest I'm worth a special trip, but
if you happen to be down that way be sure to call Egmont and try to find
me. You know Svein-Erik Soland, the editor-in-chief? If you get him a
message, he'll put us in touch somehow.
I look forward to lots more Lutte-fisk and counter-poison.
David A Gerstein
Back to School, + updates
Message 26 -
1993-09-10 at 01:11:55
Dear Folks,
Here I am back in Williamstown again! Times are tough (huh,
bud?) and I don't have access to a comic shop, only a drug store which
gets comics about 3 weeks after the direct market, and hardly gets any
fanzines let alone something that would dare discuss *Disney*.
So if the person who used to type in CBG Gladstone ads could
do that again if something interesting appears, I'd be *very*
thankful.
Also, while I'm at it, if whoever supplied data on WDC&S #4 to
wdc.index was willing to send me Xeroxes of Mickey Mouse "In Search of
Jungle Treasure" Part 1 was willing to send me a Xerox, I can send
them something in return. What that something is can be decided by
whoever has the comic. I have extra copies of Uncensored Mouse #1, if
it's early Mickey that gives you a kick (like me!).
The recent discussion of why Carl Barks is the way he is was
very interesting to me... strangely, no one commented on my own
speculations a few days before. I remain somewhat puzzled, though:
is Barks really *worried* about his fame? In this country, he isn't
well-known simply because your average comic collector prefers some
ugly mutant (or *is* an ugly mutant :-). But to those who are in the
know, Barks is a legend, and will remain so, no matter how popular any
more recent duck artists may become.
Also... does he like his stories or hate them? He's obviously
tired of ducks and feels exploited by Disney, but his stories show (at
least through the late '50s) that he must have enjoyed what he was
doing. His pessimism, obvious especially in the 1948-51 period,
doesn't seem to be in conflict with the duck genre at all. He wants
fame -- and obviously has no idea how beloved he is, due to living in
a money culture that grows to exploit as opposed to Europe -- but
doesn't believe that he has it. I just can't figure it out...
My fellow Gottfredson fans might be interested by the CAV
laser disc boxed set coming in November, "Mickey Mouse: The Original
Black-and-White Cartoons." It includes about 1/2 the entries from
that period (a second set will finish them off next year) including
"Two-Gun Mickey" (which inspired "The Bat Bandit"), "The Mad Doctor"
(which inspired "Blaggard Castle"), "Plane Crazy" (which inspired
"Lost on a Desert Island"), "Camping Out" ("Dr. Oofgay's Secret
Serum") and many others. These are my personal favorite animated
cartoons, and I think anyone who hasn't seen them is missing a trove
of treasure suitable for Scrooge McDuck's money bin.
Some folks requested code numbers for the European stories
I've dialogued. I have a scattered few, but not all, available right
now. Some are for stories that have been scheduled; others haven't
been, yet. But all of the following have been BOUGHT, so we'll see
them all in time.
D7238: "E. A. T." The Beagle Boys steal a metal-eating
alien, called a Venut, from Gyro Gearloose and, in disguise, enter the
bin as tourists on a special "open house" day the Duckburg city
council has elected Scrooge to host. They leave the alien in the bin,
and the havoc can only be imagined! Art by Daniel Branca.
D8942: "In and Out." Scrooge accidentally hires the
disguised Beagle Boys to count his fortune using a massive machine
(reminiscent of the electronic brain in WDC&S 199) which they've
stolen, but eventually undoes these blackguards' scheme. Art by
Daniel Branca.
*** This has been tentatively scheduled for US 285. ***
D9904: "His Master's Voice." Donald's furiously trying to
get Scrooge to take advantage of his wealth just a little more, when
suddenly a fellow Scrooge once knew years before -- and owed money to
at compound interest -- comes to his door. Desperate to avoid a debt,
Scrooge professes that he's now poor and has taken a job as Donald's
BUTLER!! Donald takes advantage of this by treating Scrooge in just
this manner on a day's adventure (with creditor in tow) that includes
a tour of Duckburg, lunch at the Gilded Derby delicatessen
(including dishes of anchovy filets and pickled owls' eggs) and a
dinner cooked by Scrooge. This is my favorite European story, and is
fittingly drawn by Daniel Branca.
*** This has been scheduled tentatively for US 285. ***
D10140: "No Dime for Stardom" Uncle Scrooge is in the
Klondike after being promised a massive salary for helping to film a
documentary about his gold rush days. Magica de Spell disguises
herself as a double for Glittering Goldie, horning in on the
production and causing all manner of havoc as she tries to glom Ol'
Number One (which due to fine print on the contract, is being used as
a prop in the film). Art by Daniel Branca.
D88141: "Sea Struck." Donald takes a job as first mate on a
ship sailing to Cape Quack, and quickly works his way down to cook,
then deck-hand, and finally causes a massive disaster reminiscent of
Barks' 1949-50 work. Art by Daniel Branca.
D90029: "A Case of Too Much Money." Scrooge's bin is
bursting with excess cash, so he decides to remove an enormous
boatload of now-worthless Castrovian Rubleniks (as in US 36's "Money
Bag Goat"). No matter what he tries, Scrooge can't get rid of them,
so he finally tricks the Beagles into breaking into the bin to steal
them! It would work, *except*... Art by Vicar.
D90192: "Catman Vs. The Masked Marauder." "Modern comic
books are turning my nephews' minds into pasta salad," snorts watchful
parent Donald. After burning the nephews' collection of "Catman"
comics, Donald disguises himself as "Gridlock, the Masked Marauder" to
teach them how susceptible they've become. But Duckburg's pop-culture
scene is dominated by Catman to such an extent that both local police
and a Cockney burglar mistake Donald for the "real" Gridlock. Art by
Scalabroni.
D90218: "For School the Bell Tolls." Dr. Wagstaff, principal
of Cornelius Coot Elementary School, rehires Donald as truant officer
after a look at his old report cards proves him to have been a
reknowned truant himself. If Donald 'thinks like a truant', he can
not only regain his former prestige (see WDC&S 100), but revolutionize
schooling in general... or so thinks Dr. Wagstaff. Art by Vicar...
his best, if you ask me!
*** This is tentatively scheduled for WDC&S 591. ***
H83120: "A Car-Gone Conclusion." (With art by Ben Verhagen.)
When Donald gets fed up polishing Scrooge's coins and requests a new job,
his uncle "promotes" him to running his used-car business in Pizen
Bluff with the promise that if Donald sells a car in the next month,
the business will be his (Scrooge in fact hopes to get rid of it,
since it'll be a big tax write-off for him). After a series of
attempts to refurbish and sell the archaic cars fails, Donald gets an
unsuspected success when a collector of autos buys the lot from him.
H86201: "The Clock Watcher." (With art by Fred Milton.)
Donald gets a job guarding magician Emil von Ferkel's collection of
rare clocks, which is also a prime target of the Beagle Boys.
I hope you'll enjoy these stories when they appear in the
United States. I have also worked on many others which I didn't have
the code numbers for available just now. I wonder if you'll think
they're anything special in the foreign versions? Something about
them really made them seem above average.
Well, that's all for now. My future messages won't be near
this long, but there was a lot to say, and I hope it'll help you guys!
Also, I promise no more of my personal want-ads in the foreseeable
future!!
Your friend,
David Gerstein
"Hi-Lee, Hi-Lo, the north-winds blow, the waves are rising
high!" (Captain Churchmouse sang that in "Mickey Mouse Sails for
Treasure Island," and Taliaferro often had Donald sing it early on.
Is it the sailor suit?)
Here I am back in Williamstown again! Times are tough (huh,
bud?) and I don't have access to a comic shop, only a drug store which
gets comics about 3 weeks after the direct market, and hardly gets any
fanzines let alone something that would dare discuss *Disney*.
So if the person who used to type in CBG Gladstone ads could
do that again if something interesting appears, I'd be *very*
thankful.
Also, while I'm at it, if whoever supplied data on WDC&S #4 to
wdc.index was willing to send me Xeroxes of Mickey Mouse "In Search of
Jungle Treasure" Part 1 was willing to send me a Xerox, I can send
them something in return. What that something is can be decided by
whoever has the comic. I have extra copies of Uncensored Mouse #1, if
it's early Mickey that gives you a kick (like me!).
The recent discussion of why Carl Barks is the way he is was
very interesting to me... strangely, no one commented on my own
speculations a few days before. I remain somewhat puzzled, though:
is Barks really *worried* about his fame? In this country, he isn't
well-known simply because your average comic collector prefers some
ugly mutant (or *is* an ugly mutant :-). But to those who are in the
know, Barks is a legend, and will remain so, no matter how popular any
more recent duck artists may become.
Also... does he like his stories or hate them? He's obviously
tired of ducks and feels exploited by Disney, but his stories show (at
least through the late '50s) that he must have enjoyed what he was
doing. His pessimism, obvious especially in the 1948-51 period,
doesn't seem to be in conflict with the duck genre at all. He wants
fame -- and obviously has no idea how beloved he is, due to living in
a money culture that grows to exploit as opposed to Europe -- but
doesn't believe that he has it. I just can't figure it out...
My fellow Gottfredson fans might be interested by the CAV
laser disc boxed set coming in November, "Mickey Mouse: The Original
Black-and-White Cartoons." It includes about 1/2 the entries from
that period (a second set will finish them off next year) including
"Two-Gun Mickey" (which inspired "The Bat Bandit"), "The Mad Doctor"
(which inspired "Blaggard Castle"), "Plane Crazy" (which inspired
"Lost on a Desert Island"), "Camping Out" ("Dr. Oofgay's Secret
Serum") and many others. These are my personal favorite animated
cartoons, and I think anyone who hasn't seen them is missing a trove
of treasure suitable for Scrooge McDuck's money bin.
Some folks requested code numbers for the European stories
I've dialogued. I have a scattered few, but not all, available right
now. Some are for stories that have been scheduled; others haven't
been, yet. But all of the following have been BOUGHT, so we'll see
them all in time.
D7238: "E. A. T." The Beagle Boys steal a metal-eating
alien, called a Venut, from Gyro Gearloose and, in disguise, enter the
bin as tourists on a special "open house" day the Duckburg city
council has elected Scrooge to host. They leave the alien in the bin,
and the havoc can only be imagined! Art by Daniel Branca.
D8942: "In and Out." Scrooge accidentally hires the
disguised Beagle Boys to count his fortune using a massive machine
(reminiscent of the electronic brain in WDC&S 199) which they've
stolen, but eventually undoes these blackguards' scheme. Art by
Daniel Branca.
*** This has been tentatively scheduled for US 285. ***
D9904: "His Master's Voice." Donald's furiously trying to
get Scrooge to take advantage of his wealth just a little more, when
suddenly a fellow Scrooge once knew years before -- and owed money to
at compound interest -- comes to his door. Desperate to avoid a debt,
Scrooge professes that he's now poor and has taken a job as Donald's
BUTLER!! Donald takes advantage of this by treating Scrooge in just
this manner on a day's adventure (with creditor in tow) that includes
a tour of Duckburg, lunch at the Gilded Derby delicatessen
(including dishes of anchovy filets and pickled owls' eggs) and a
dinner cooked by Scrooge. This is my favorite European story, and is
fittingly drawn by Daniel Branca.
*** This has been scheduled tentatively for US 285. ***
D10140: "No Dime for Stardom" Uncle Scrooge is in the
Klondike after being promised a massive salary for helping to film a
documentary about his gold rush days. Magica de Spell disguises
herself as a double for Glittering Goldie, horning in on the
production and causing all manner of havoc as she tries to glom Ol'
Number One (which due to fine print on the contract, is being used as
a prop in the film). Art by Daniel Branca.
D88141: "Sea Struck." Donald takes a job as first mate on a
ship sailing to Cape Quack, and quickly works his way down to cook,
then deck-hand, and finally causes a massive disaster reminiscent of
Barks' 1949-50 work. Art by Daniel Branca.
D90029: "A Case of Too Much Money." Scrooge's bin is
bursting with excess cash, so he decides to remove an enormous
boatload of now-worthless Castrovian Rubleniks (as in US 36's "Money
Bag Goat"). No matter what he tries, Scrooge can't get rid of them,
so he finally tricks the Beagles into breaking into the bin to steal
them! It would work, *except*... Art by Vicar.
D90192: "Catman Vs. The Masked Marauder." "Modern comic
books are turning my nephews' minds into pasta salad," snorts watchful
parent Donald. After burning the nephews' collection of "Catman"
comics, Donald disguises himself as "Gridlock, the Masked Marauder" to
teach them how susceptible they've become. But Duckburg's pop-culture
scene is dominated by Catman to such an extent that both local police
and a Cockney burglar mistake Donald for the "real" Gridlock. Art by
Scalabroni.
D90218: "For School the Bell Tolls." Dr. Wagstaff, principal
of Cornelius Coot Elementary School, rehires Donald as truant officer
after a look at his old report cards proves him to have been a
reknowned truant himself. If Donald 'thinks like a truant', he can
not only regain his former prestige (see WDC&S 100), but revolutionize
schooling in general... or so thinks Dr. Wagstaff. Art by Vicar...
his best, if you ask me!
*** This is tentatively scheduled for WDC&S 591. ***
H83120: "A Car-Gone Conclusion." (With art by Ben Verhagen.)
When Donald gets fed up polishing Scrooge's coins and requests a new job,
his uncle "promotes" him to running his used-car business in Pizen
Bluff with the promise that if Donald sells a car in the next month,
the business will be his (Scrooge in fact hopes to get rid of it,
since it'll be a big tax write-off for him). After a series of
attempts to refurbish and sell the archaic cars fails, Donald gets an
unsuspected success when a collector of autos buys the lot from him.
H86201: "The Clock Watcher." (With art by Fred Milton.)
Donald gets a job guarding magician Emil von Ferkel's collection of
rare clocks, which is also a prime target of the Beagle Boys.
I hope you'll enjoy these stories when they appear in the
United States. I have also worked on many others which I didn't have
the code numbers for available just now. I wonder if you'll think
they're anything special in the foreign versions? Something about
them really made them seem above average.
Well, that's all for now. My future messages won't be near
this long, but there was a lot to say, and I hope it'll help you guys!
Also, I promise no more of my personal want-ads in the foreseeable
future!!
Your friend,
David Gerstein
"Hi-Lee, Hi-Lo, the north-winds blow, the waves are rising
high!" (Captain Churchmouse sang that in "Mickey Mouse Sails for
Treasure Island," and Taliaferro often had Donald sing it early on.
Is it the sailor suit?)
David A Gerstein
No subject
Message 27 -
1993-09-10 at 02:38:44
Dear Don (and everybody),
Don: "My Uncle $crooge ... adventure [for Year of the Book]
will be published in a special 32-page supplement with the weekly
during the first week of October... this is that "Guardians of the
Lost Library" story."
Gladstone seems to print foreign stories much closer to their
original European appearances than Disney did (it took them a year for
some, such as "Master Landscapist"). Does that mean that we can look
forward to your tale of treasured tomes on these backwards U. S.
shores soon? Perhaps in some US ADVS. issue this winter? (Maybe #25?)
Will the story appear only in Norway's comics, or will the
supplement grace the Danish ANDERS AND, the German MICKY MAUS, etc.?
Also: Harry mentioned that you can get those albums of
Gottfredson and Taliaferro Sunday strips for a song in Holland now.
Would he be willing to buy one or more sets of them and offer them for
sale or trade to other fans? I'd certainly be interested, and I have
lots of stuff to trade.
Well, I must be off, folks.
Your friend,
David Gerstein
"No iceboxes where Gladstone's going! All *ice* and no
boxes!"
<David.A.Gerstein at Williams.edu>
Don: "My Uncle $crooge ... adventure [for Year of the Book]
will be published in a special 32-page supplement with the weekly
during the first week of October... this is that "Guardians of the
Lost Library" story."
Gladstone seems to print foreign stories much closer to their
original European appearances than Disney did (it took them a year for
some, such as "Master Landscapist"). Does that mean that we can look
forward to your tale of treasured tomes on these backwards U. S.
shores soon? Perhaps in some US ADVS. issue this winter? (Maybe #25?)
Will the story appear only in Norway's comics, or will the
supplement grace the Danish ANDERS AND, the German MICKY MAUS, etc.?
Also: Harry mentioned that you can get those albums of
Gottfredson and Taliaferro Sunday strips for a song in Holland now.
Would he be willing to buy one or more sets of them and offer them for
sale or trade to other fans? I'd certainly be interested, and I have
lots of stuff to trade.
Well, I must be off, folks.
Your friend,
David Gerstein
"No iceboxes where Gladstone's going! All *ice* and no
boxes!"
<David.A.Gerstein at Williams.edu>
Torsten Wesley Adair
TOP PUBLISHERS FOR SEPT 1993 (fwd)
Message 28 -
1993-09-11 at 22:36:28
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 11 September 1993 00:34:06 -0500 (CDT)
From: matthew high <mhigh at tusol.cs.trinity.edu>
To: comix at world.std.com
Subject: TOP PUBLISHERS FOR SEPT 1993
Here's a quick list of the top publishers for September 1993,
by dollar share of the direct market, as reported by
Capital City.
Publisher Year 1992 June July August Sept.
Marvel 45.76% 32.01% 30.70% 30.74% 32.50%
DC 19.34% 16.19% 16.13% 24.75% 19.01%
Image 20.10% 16.02% 15.22% 14.30%
[...]
Gladstone .26% .17% .24% .24% .28%
Alright! Four hundredths of one percent increase from August to September!
(Hmmmm..... If Gladstone really wanted to gain some publicity, they
could cause Uncle Scrooge to go bankrupt. How about it Don? Are you up
to doing a metallic, die-cut, embossed, lenticular, holographix,
pop-up cover of Uncle Scrooge?)
Torsten Adair torsten at cwis.unomaha.edu Omaha, NE, USA
Date: Sat, 11 September 1993 00:34:06 -0500 (CDT)
From: matthew high <mhigh at tusol.cs.trinity.edu>
To: comix at world.std.com
Subject: TOP PUBLISHERS FOR SEPT 1993
Here's a quick list of the top publishers for September 1993,
by dollar share of the direct market, as reported by
Capital City.
Publisher Year 1992 June July August Sept.
Marvel 45.76% 32.01% 30.70% 30.74% 32.50%
DC 19.34% 16.19% 16.13% 24.75% 19.01%
Image 20.10% 16.02% 15.22% 14.30%
[...]
Gladstone .26% .17% .24% .24% .28%
Alright! Four hundredths of one percent increase from August to September!
(Hmmmm..... If Gladstone really wanted to gain some publicity, they
could cause Uncle Scrooge to go bankrupt. How about it Don? Are you up
to doing a metallic, die-cut, embossed, lenticular, holographix,
pop-up cover of Uncle Scrooge?)
Torsten Adair torsten at cwis.unomaha.edu Omaha, NE, USA
Charles D. Ellis
Scrooge goes broke!
Message 29 -
1993-09-12 at 00:32:22
Forwarded message:
> From torsten at cwis.unomaha.edu Sat Sep 11 15:48:18 1993
> (Hmmmm..... If Gladstone really wanted to gain some publicity, they
> could cause Uncle Scrooge to go bankrupt. How about it Don? Are you up
> to doing a metallic, die-cut, embossed, lenticular, holographix,
> pop-up cover of Uncle Scrooge?)
An hilarious idea! Congratulations, Torsten!
And, after making the gasping public by it in installments
spread throughout all their titles at $2-5 a pop, they could
reprint the whole thing in an $8 book as DC did.
Maybe Scrooge on his "deathbed" could send out Donald as a
"fake" Scrooge, as did Batman (so I hear).
What an inspired afterthought Torsten has thrown our way.
Charlie Ellis
cde at aplexus.jhuapl.edu
> From torsten at cwis.unomaha.edu Sat Sep 11 15:48:18 1993
> (Hmmmm..... If Gladstone really wanted to gain some publicity, they
> could cause Uncle Scrooge to go bankrupt. How about it Don? Are you up
> to doing a metallic, die-cut, embossed, lenticular, holographix,
> pop-up cover of Uncle Scrooge?)
An hilarious idea! Congratulations, Torsten!
And, after making the gasping public by it in installments
spread throughout all their titles at $2-5 a pop, they could
reprint the whole thing in an $8 book as DC did.
Maybe Scrooge on his "deathbed" could send out Donald as a
"fake" Scrooge, as did Batman (so I hear).
What an inspired afterthought Torsten has thrown our way.
Charlie Ellis
cde at aplexus.jhuapl.edu
Torsten Wesley Adair
Scrooge goes broke!
Message 30 -
1993-09-12 at 00:45:46
On Sat, 11 Sep 1993, Charles D. Ellis wrote:
> > (Hmmmm..... If Gladstone really wanted to gain some publicity, they
> > could cause Uncle Scrooge to go bankrupt. How about it Don? Are you up
> > to doing a metallic, die-cut, embossed, lenticular, holographix,
> > pop-up cover of Uncle Scrooge?)
> An hilarious idea! Congratulations, Torsten!
> And, after making the gasping public by it in installments
> spread throughout all their titles at $2-5 a pop, they could
> reprint the whole thing in an $8 book as DC did.
> Maybe Scrooge on his "deathbed" could send out Donald as a
> "fake" Scrooge, as did Batman (so I hear).
> What an inspired afterthought Torsten has thrown our way.
Gawrsh. All I did was take a few zeitgiests floating around the comic
book industry here in the U.S., and apply it to Scrooge.
I think Gladstone would be a more suitable replacement for Scrooge, and
Glomgold could be the villain.
(This thread probably makes no sense to non-U.S. readers. See "Death of
Superman", "Knightfall", "Knightquest", "World Without a Superman", "Reign
of the Superman", and most of the special covers published in the past two
years.
Oh, I forgot glow-in-the-dark, serial numbers, and holograms, not to
mention all the fun stuff that could fit in a polybag.
Torsten Adair torsten at cwis.unomaha.edu Omaha, NE, USA
> > (Hmmmm..... If Gladstone really wanted to gain some publicity, they
> > could cause Uncle Scrooge to go bankrupt. How about it Don? Are you up
> > to doing a metallic, die-cut, embossed, lenticular, holographix,
> > pop-up cover of Uncle Scrooge?)
> An hilarious idea! Congratulations, Torsten!
> And, after making the gasping public by it in installments
> spread throughout all their titles at $2-5 a pop, they could
> reprint the whole thing in an $8 book as DC did.
> Maybe Scrooge on his "deathbed" could send out Donald as a
> "fake" Scrooge, as did Batman (so I hear).
> What an inspired afterthought Torsten has thrown our way.
Gawrsh. All I did was take a few zeitgiests floating around the comic
book industry here in the U.S., and apply it to Scrooge.
I think Gladstone would be a more suitable replacement for Scrooge, and
Glomgold could be the villain.
(This thread probably makes no sense to non-U.S. readers. See "Death of
Superman", "Knightfall", "Knightquest", "World Without a Superman", "Reign
of the Superman", and most of the special covers published in the past two
years.
Oh, I forgot glow-in-the-dark, serial numbers, and holograms, not to
mention all the fun stuff that could fit in a polybag.
Torsten Adair torsten at cwis.unomaha.edu Omaha, NE, USA