Hi all!
On the latest issue of DDA (#29, I think), Don has drawn a cover with Donald
guiding a bus over a wooden bridge. While looking at the drawing, I suddenly
noticed some letters hidden in one of the wooden boards of the bridge. First
I thought it was a D.U.C.K., but I soon discovered that the letters seemed
to spell DONNA.... Don, could you indulge us in the secrets these letters
represent? :)
-Jon Cato Lorentzen
Author
Topic: 199410
(172 messages)
Jon Cato Lorentzen
DONNA ?
Message 16 -
1994-10-05 at 20:47:12
Larry Gerstein
David Gerstein's mailing address
Message 17 -
1994-10-05 at 21:10:42
Dear Gang,
My son David will be spending the academic year in Edinburgh, Scotland, and
he expects to have an e-mail address within a couple of weeks. When that
happens, I'll forward to him the various e-mail communications (Disney
digest #33456789876543, etc.) that have been appearing on my computer since
he left California on September 19. His regular mailing address is now as
follows:
David Gerstein
Masson House
Pollock Halls
18 Holyrood Park Rd.
Edinburgh EH16 5AY
Scotland
I'm sure he'll be happy to hear from you.
Best wishes,
Larry Gerstein
gerstein at math.ucsb.edu
My son David will be spending the academic year in Edinburgh, Scotland, and
he expects to have an e-mail address within a couple of weeks. When that
happens, I'll forward to him the various e-mail communications (Disney
digest #33456789876543, etc.) that have been appearing on my computer since
he left California on September 19. His regular mailing address is now as
follows:
David Gerstein
Masson House
Pollock Halls
18 Holyrood Park Rd.
Edinburgh EH16 5AY
Scotland
I'm sure he'll be happy to hear from you.
Best wishes,
Larry Gerstein
gerstein at math.ucsb.edu
Don Rosa
Disney-comics digest #453.
Message 18 -
1994-10-06 at 05:41:38
JON:
Donna is the wife of a friend of mine who asked for this hiding
job as a surprize for her. I sure hope the name isn't too poorly hidden
to be obnoxiously obvious! But I don't guess it's too obvious, since
"Donna" is hidden on that cover a total of THREE times.
Donna is the wife of a friend of mine who asked for this hiding
job as a surprize for her. I sure hope the name isn't too poorly hidden
to be obnoxiously obvious! But I don't guess it's too obvious, since
"Donna" is hidden on that cover a total of THREE times.
DAVID.A.GERSTEIN
I'm back!
Message 19 -
1994-10-06 at 18:08:12
Hi, folks!
It's been a while, but finally I'm set up here at the
University of Edinburgh in the home country of a certain well-known
miser. It's about time. Went through some chaos getting the system
started, but all should now be working!
I also have a new mail address. It differs somewhat from that
which I've sent to a few of you before. It is:
David Gerstein
Room 133, Masson House, Pollock Halls
18 Holyrood Park Rd.
Edinburgh EH16 5AY
Scotland
(Geir Hasnes may have already sent a package to the address I
gave earlier; it should reach me anyway. Please, Geir, if you can,
I'd like to hear from you soon about the status of the Gottfredson
stuff we've spoken of.)
Ah, the Disney situation here? Fleetway's version of the
Egmont weekly is titled MICKEY AND FRIENDS. It has only 32 pages
plus covers. Since Mickey is taken as the most popular Disney
character here, if there is a Mickey story in the issue, it is first
inside. There are a LOT of "fun and games" pages, manufactured very
clumsily from Egmont clip art by Fleetway (only the scenery is drawn
fresh for these pages, and it's done very badly). Most of the covers
are Mau Heymans Dutch covers, for some reason; they certainly look
good. And a little large; the comic is as big as the volumes of the
hardback Carl Barks Library as published by Another Rainbow, so
copies can simply not be found in mint condition.
Undoubtedly the most exciting thing I found in my first British
weekly (number 39/1994) was -- drumroll, please -- my first Egmont
story! Yep, I'm excited to announce that "Two in One" (D93138) is my
own creation, and I couldn't be happier with how Daniel Branca drew
it. I'd like to know what issues this story has appeared in in other
European countries. More important, I'd also be tickled to know how
the title -- and Magica's incantation at the bottom of page two --
translates in other languages.
The British also did a bit of translating on my story. The
longest balloons were condensed now and then. All references to Old
Number One as a "dime" were removed, it is now merely a "coin". I
wonder how they deal with references to that dime when "DuckTales" is
broadcast here!
Last, the British weekly isn't exactly what I'd call popular.
I have only found one newsagent from about twenty that stock it in
town here. Some don't seem to know it exists. Fleetway also
publishes a Bugs Bunny monthly, which is more obvious around here.
And WHY aren't Disney comics more popular here? Simple -- from
the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s none were even published here. Just
as Whitman's non-distribution from the late '60s to the 1980s wrecked
so much of the market here, the same was the case in Britain! (Not
for Bugs Bunny though -- you get the idea.)
* * * * *
When I was in Germany, by contrast, the world seemed inundated with
Disney, Barks, Gottfredson, and Rosa materials. For Donald's 60th,
Ehapa published a special album (unique to it). They ladled on the
hoopla about how, as with their Rosa LO$ albums and their Gladstone
CBL-album translations, they have handlettered the dialogue rather
than typing it. They also, for the first time anywhere (?)
obliterated ALL references to Disney anywhere and put an artist
credit in the first panel of each story in the album. So we have
"Donald Duck in A Day Like No Other [The Duck Who Never Was] by Don
Rosa." Not bad. Same goes for Barks' Milkman story (presented there
for the first time in Germany), some Vicar story (also published
earlier in the year for the 60th) and Volker Reiche's "Sorry, Sorry
Knight." These same artists are headlined across the top of the
cover like credits on a movie poster. On the other hand, there is a
grievous error amid all of this. The cover also credits William Van
Horn (actually named for the first time ever in Germany, I think),
and two short gag stories inside credit him on the first panels. But
-- but -- these are H-coded MAU HEYMANS stories! What a disaster.
Since this is the first time Van Horn's name has ever appeared in
Germany, he and Heymans are destined to be confused forever there, I
think. What a mess.
Also in Germany I found a comic fanzine which discussed Barks'
visit to Germany. A long interview was transcribed. Barks was asked
about his feelings on Rosa, and he said (translated): "Don Rosa is a
master of details. I think he had a great upbringing from people who
have an eye for detailed work -- and shadowed work. He doesn't
exactly draw in the traditional Disney style; he has his own style.
There will be (sic) a great following of people who admire these Don
Rosa ducks." Barks really praises Rosa, and that was where that
louse (better word than weasel) Grandey cut into the discussion (for
the only time!) to say that Rosa had "more of an 'underground'
style." That effectively changed the subject. My opinion can easily
be guessed, although it's not exactly printable. What do you think
of this, Don? I, myself, think that it may not have been Barks'
decision at all to avoid you in Atlanta. Just my opinion.
My new E-Mail address should be at the top of this letter.
Please, Per, begin sending Digests to this address, and you can stop
sending them to the old address. Maybe you can also send ME a copy
of my new address -- this darned program I'm using gives me no
indication what the address IS, just mentions that it will be
appended to my letters.
Glad to be back!
David Gerstein
It's been a while, but finally I'm set up here at the
University of Edinburgh in the home country of a certain well-known
miser. It's about time. Went through some chaos getting the system
started, but all should now be working!
I also have a new mail address. It differs somewhat from that
which I've sent to a few of you before. It is:
David Gerstein
Room 133, Masson House, Pollock Halls
18 Holyrood Park Rd.
Edinburgh EH16 5AY
Scotland
(Geir Hasnes may have already sent a package to the address I
gave earlier; it should reach me anyway. Please, Geir, if you can,
I'd like to hear from you soon about the status of the Gottfredson
stuff we've spoken of.)
Ah, the Disney situation here? Fleetway's version of the
Egmont weekly is titled MICKEY AND FRIENDS. It has only 32 pages
plus covers. Since Mickey is taken as the most popular Disney
character here, if there is a Mickey story in the issue, it is first
inside. There are a LOT of "fun and games" pages, manufactured very
clumsily from Egmont clip art by Fleetway (only the scenery is drawn
fresh for these pages, and it's done very badly). Most of the covers
are Mau Heymans Dutch covers, for some reason; they certainly look
good. And a little large; the comic is as big as the volumes of the
hardback Carl Barks Library as published by Another Rainbow, so
copies can simply not be found in mint condition.
Undoubtedly the most exciting thing I found in my first British
weekly (number 39/1994) was -- drumroll, please -- my first Egmont
story! Yep, I'm excited to announce that "Two in One" (D93138) is my
own creation, and I couldn't be happier with how Daniel Branca drew
it. I'd like to know what issues this story has appeared in in other
European countries. More important, I'd also be tickled to know how
the title -- and Magica's incantation at the bottom of page two --
translates in other languages.
The British also did a bit of translating on my story. The
longest balloons were condensed now and then. All references to Old
Number One as a "dime" were removed, it is now merely a "coin". I
wonder how they deal with references to that dime when "DuckTales" is
broadcast here!
Last, the British weekly isn't exactly what I'd call popular.
I have only found one newsagent from about twenty that stock it in
town here. Some don't seem to know it exists. Fleetway also
publishes a Bugs Bunny monthly, which is more obvious around here.
And WHY aren't Disney comics more popular here? Simple -- from
the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s none were even published here. Just
as Whitman's non-distribution from the late '60s to the 1980s wrecked
so much of the market here, the same was the case in Britain! (Not
for Bugs Bunny though -- you get the idea.)
* * * * *
When I was in Germany, by contrast, the world seemed inundated with
Disney, Barks, Gottfredson, and Rosa materials. For Donald's 60th,
Ehapa published a special album (unique to it). They ladled on the
hoopla about how, as with their Rosa LO$ albums and their Gladstone
CBL-album translations, they have handlettered the dialogue rather
than typing it. They also, for the first time anywhere (?)
obliterated ALL references to Disney anywhere and put an artist
credit in the first panel of each story in the album. So we have
"Donald Duck in A Day Like No Other [The Duck Who Never Was] by Don
Rosa." Not bad. Same goes for Barks' Milkman story (presented there
for the first time in Germany), some Vicar story (also published
earlier in the year for the 60th) and Volker Reiche's "Sorry, Sorry
Knight." These same artists are headlined across the top of the
cover like credits on a movie poster. On the other hand, there is a
grievous error amid all of this. The cover also credits William Van
Horn (actually named for the first time ever in Germany, I think),
and two short gag stories inside credit him on the first panels. But
-- but -- these are H-coded MAU HEYMANS stories! What a disaster.
Since this is the first time Van Horn's name has ever appeared in
Germany, he and Heymans are destined to be confused forever there, I
think. What a mess.
Also in Germany I found a comic fanzine which discussed Barks'
visit to Germany. A long interview was transcribed. Barks was asked
about his feelings on Rosa, and he said (translated): "Don Rosa is a
master of details. I think he had a great upbringing from people who
have an eye for detailed work -- and shadowed work. He doesn't
exactly draw in the traditional Disney style; he has his own style.
There will be (sic) a great following of people who admire these Don
Rosa ducks." Barks really praises Rosa, and that was where that
louse (better word than weasel) Grandey cut into the discussion (for
the only time!) to say that Rosa had "more of an 'underground'
style." That effectively changed the subject. My opinion can easily
be guessed, although it's not exactly printable. What do you think
of this, Don? I, myself, think that it may not have been Barks'
decision at all to avoid you in Atlanta. Just my opinion.
My new E-Mail address should be at the top of this letter.
Please, Per, begin sending Digests to this address, and you can stop
sending them to the old address. Maybe you can also send ME a copy
of my new address -- this darned program I'm using gives me no
indication what the address IS, just mentions that it will be
appended to my letters.
Glad to be back!
David Gerstein
Don Rosa
Disney-comics digest #454.
Message 20 -
1994-10-07 at 04:59:22
DAVID:
Yes, I knew you'd be interested in knowing that your Magica
story was in the mainland Disney editions, but I didn't know when you'd
pop up on the Digest. The story was in the #39 issues for Sept. 29...
perhaps the same week as the British use? The story title is
"Dobbelt-heksen" and the incantation is "dobbelthex!" Is that "double
hex" or just a coincidental similarity in sound?
Oh, sure, I knew that the anti-Rosa slant of all of Barks'
European interviews was mostly or entirely the work of the Weasel. One
of the reasons that so many reporters send me copies of the interviews
where I'm mentioned seeking an explanation is that the Weasel is so
awkward and obvious in his manipulation of the interview to attack me. A
French reporter sent me another one just last week; the interview goes
on in a normal way, discussing all the topics you would expect, then
when it was over, the Weasel pipes up and tells the reporter that
there's one more thing he should hear, then turns to Barks and asks
"Carl, what do you think about the sequels to your stories that Don Rosa
does?" -- Barks will then be prodded until he says something about how
his stories did not need sequels (and of course they don't), and then
the Weasel takes it in hand to add that my artwork and storytelling is
poor, etc., etc. Sure, it's quite obvious to the reporters that Barks
is manipulated on that subject, that's why they inform me of so much of
it. This reporter told me that he later talked to Barks in private, and
he said that he liked my stories just fine and there was room for all
styles. He also said that he never drew the Ducks to conform to
Disney's "style" either, so why should I.
I know what's going on -- the proper party will pay the piper.
Yes, I knew you'd be interested in knowing that your Magica
story was in the mainland Disney editions, but I didn't know when you'd
pop up on the Digest. The story was in the #39 issues for Sept. 29...
perhaps the same week as the British use? The story title is
"Dobbelt-heksen" and the incantation is "dobbelthex!" Is that "double
hex" or just a coincidental similarity in sound?
Oh, sure, I knew that the anti-Rosa slant of all of Barks'
European interviews was mostly or entirely the work of the Weasel. One
of the reasons that so many reporters send me copies of the interviews
where I'm mentioned seeking an explanation is that the Weasel is so
awkward and obvious in his manipulation of the interview to attack me. A
French reporter sent me another one just last week; the interview goes
on in a normal way, discussing all the topics you would expect, then
when it was over, the Weasel pipes up and tells the reporter that
there's one more thing he should hear, then turns to Barks and asks
"Carl, what do you think about the sequels to your stories that Don Rosa
does?" -- Barks will then be prodded until he says something about how
his stories did not need sequels (and of course they don't), and then
the Weasel takes it in hand to add that my artwork and storytelling is
poor, etc., etc. Sure, it's quite obvious to the reporters that Barks
is manipulated on that subject, that's why they inform me of so much of
it. This reporter told me that he later talked to Barks in private, and
he said that he liked my stories just fine and there was room for all
styles. He also said that he never drew the Ducks to conform to
Disney's "style" either, so why should I.
I know what's going on -- the proper party will pay the piper.
Knut Hunstad
The Trojan Horse++
Message 21 -
1994-10-07 at 11:45:35
I received DD&Co. 41 yesterday and read the second part of the Trojan Horse
story. After a somewhat slow first part I liked the second part better. All
in all I think it's a quite OK story. Only major minus IMO, is that it ends
to sudden. There is no big fight with the BB. Somehow I also feel that too
many of the clues about what's going on are "spelled out" too much, taking
away some of the excitement about what's going to happen.
And I can't quite say I like Van Horn's style. Difficult to describe
precisely, but there's something about the facial expressions which I feel
isn't quite "right". I know Don's style is quite different from Barks' also,
but I still feel he draws them "right".
But to repeat myself: all in all it's a story above the average (average
meaning the typical DD&Co. story from recent years). And I know that I often
like a story better after reading it a few times over some time span, so I
might end up upgrading my review in a couple of months...
BTW, noone has commented on my question about Ducks and teeth yet...
Other stories in DD&Co. 41:
D93392: "Effektiv hypnose"- "Effective hypnosis": a story where MM
hypnotizes Goofy. Kind of slapstick-humour with different situations
occuring when MM succeeds to hypnotize Goofy. OK story, but also here I feel
it ends to sudden. And it's historically incorrect, as Goofy can't be
hypnotized according to a lot older story (sorry, don't have the reference
here, but it's MM who gets visited by his (claimed) Uncle and Ant. They go
to a lot of parties where jewelry gets stolen. Goofy is the big hero because
the villain can't hypnotize him.).
H8235: "Den soete kloe"-"The sweet itch": DD and Gladstone compete to invite
Dolly out for dinner by returning with the cleanest sweater. OK story, but
what happened to DD's dog, Bolivar? Here the nephews and DD have another dog
who is important in the story. But I must say it annoys me a little that a
writer has to "invent" a new dog as long as good, old Bolivar could have
played the same role!
D92319: "Kamera gaar!"-"The camera is running!": Continuation story about U$
getting tricked by a "film team". Where is his nose for detecting con men?
Here he is writing checks for million of dollars without hesitation...
One-pager: KF 11-18-73: Mickey and Pluto.
And now, back to work...
Knut Hunstad
story. After a somewhat slow first part I liked the second part better. All
in all I think it's a quite OK story. Only major minus IMO, is that it ends
to sudden. There is no big fight with the BB. Somehow I also feel that too
many of the clues about what's going on are "spelled out" too much, taking
away some of the excitement about what's going to happen.
And I can't quite say I like Van Horn's style. Difficult to describe
precisely, but there's something about the facial expressions which I feel
isn't quite "right". I know Don's style is quite different from Barks' also,
but I still feel he draws them "right".
But to repeat myself: all in all it's a story above the average (average
meaning the typical DD&Co. story from recent years). And I know that I often
like a story better after reading it a few times over some time span, so I
might end up upgrading my review in a couple of months...
BTW, noone has commented on my question about Ducks and teeth yet...
Other stories in DD&Co. 41:
D93392: "Effektiv hypnose"- "Effective hypnosis": a story where MM
hypnotizes Goofy. Kind of slapstick-humour with different situations
occuring when MM succeeds to hypnotize Goofy. OK story, but also here I feel
it ends to sudden. And it's historically incorrect, as Goofy can't be
hypnotized according to a lot older story (sorry, don't have the reference
here, but it's MM who gets visited by his (claimed) Uncle and Ant. They go
to a lot of parties where jewelry gets stolen. Goofy is the big hero because
the villain can't hypnotize him.).
H8235: "Den soete kloe"-"The sweet itch": DD and Gladstone compete to invite
Dolly out for dinner by returning with the cleanest sweater. OK story, but
what happened to DD's dog, Bolivar? Here the nephews and DD have another dog
who is important in the story. But I must say it annoys me a little that a
writer has to "invent" a new dog as long as good, old Bolivar could have
played the same role!
D92319: "Kamera gaar!"-"The camera is running!": Continuation story about U$
getting tricked by a "film team". Where is his nose for detecting con men?
Here he is writing checks for million of dollars without hesitation...
One-pager: KF 11-18-73: Mickey and Pluto.
And now, back to work...
Knut Hunstad
Per Starback
More ftp news
Message 22 -
1994-10-07 at 12:17:35
As of now there are also new versions of two files Fredrik sent me:
* "van-horn.index" with the William Van Horn index, and
* "characters/interlingual" with the listing of what various Disney
characters are named in a whole bunch of languages.
-- "
Per Starback, Uppsala, Sweden. email: starback at minsk.docs.uu.se
"Life is but a gamble! Let flipism chart your ramble!"
* "van-horn.index" with the William Van Horn index, and
* "characters/interlingual" with the listing of what various Disney
characters are named in a whole bunch of languages.
-- "
Per Starback, Uppsala, Sweden. email: starback at minsk.docs.uu.se
"Life is but a gamble! Let flipism chart your ramble!"
DAVID.A.GERSTEIN
Disney-comics digest #454.
Message 23 -
1994-10-07 at 14:12:58
Dear Folks,
I have even more to say today, and there's gonna be more after
my Dad forwards to me all the Disney Digests that were sent his way
after I left for Scotland!
First, thanks, Don, for explaining those "Donnas" on DDA 29. I
sure wondered about them. I always wondered if one day you would put
someone else's name on there. Back when I drew my own comic I
sometimes stuck my own name on the cover -- in Hebrew! Also -- what
is the cover you drew for the Scarpa "lentil" story? Did you go with
that idea I told you of? I was lazy, and didn't end up sending
you a drawing of my idea, so I have no idea if you chose to use my
idea, or not.
Just before I left Santa Barbara I spoke with John Clark. He
told me he would order the Fethry/Moe hog-calling story from Disney,
but he had no proof that they would send it to him -- their archive
of S and X-coded stories is apparently quite disorganized.
Also I'm excited to announce that three of my foreign dialogues are
coming up. The Lentil story I mentioned (in USA 30-32) has my
English appended to it; then I also did the English for Ben
Verhagen's "Car-Gone Conclusion" (DDA 31) and Vicar's "Case of Too
Much Money" (US 291, I think). I pretty much like my work on the
first two, looking back at them -- the third is no classic, but at
least all right. And I hope you'll think the second two stories,
regardless of my work on them, have good plots; unlike the folks at
Gladstone, I can read a foreign language and thus am able to CHOOSE
which foreign stories I'm going to work on -- I don't merely get
things sent to me by Gladstone. Although that sometimes causes
problems; after someone mentioned a "good Mau Heymans story about
luck" last spring, I rooted out that story -- something about a
mountain shaped like an hourglass -- and submitted my own version,
entitled "By Hourglass Piqued" only to find out that someone had done
it BEFORE me. Was that you, Dwight? What did you call the story?
I'll sure be interested to see your version, if you indeed did that
one. Knowing you it ought to be good ;-)
In an old issue of the Egmont monthly from 1979, I found a Rota
I-coded story with Andold Wild Duck which, I believe, was done long
before any of the others we have known up to now. I believe it must
be the first one ever made. Donald slams his head on a fallen board
and HALLUCINATES about being his earlier ancestor; the story tells
how Andold (here without the little duck on top of the helmet which
mimics him) met his sidekick Bo and went off in search of adventure.
When Donald wakes up in the end, he meets Bo's modern day equivalent,
his new postman (who I'll call Ob, although his name's different in
German), and is completely dumbstruck to discover that the first bit
of mail he's getting from him is an invitation to a Viking exhibition
at Duckburg's museum.
The German versions of Andold stories raise some VERY interesting
questions. This one appeared first, and Andold was called
"McDonald." The later ones apparently appeared in digests in
Germany, and a letterwriter to Gladstone mentioned that there Andold
was "Sir Donnerbold von Duckenburgh." In modern German comics, Andold
is Sir Donald McDuck (remember, McDuck is not a common last name
there, where Scrooge's last name is also Duck). It's that second
name, though, that's most interesting. You see, in the German
version of "The Old Castle's Secret" SIR QUACKLY is Donnerbold von
Duckenburgh! So:
FABIO, in Italian, are Andold and Sir Quackly one and the same?
If so, it adds a lot more meaning to why Marco Rota decided to
create this entire scenario.
Also, speaking of Italian stories, I found Sergio Asteriti's
"Mickey Mouse, Court Troubador" (a new pie-eyed Mickey story, which
we talked about here a while back) in German. It is GREAT and I will
try to get John Clark to run it.
DDA 29 was the first Gladstone I have gotten in Europe. "Tour
de Jour" was pretty good, I thought, and the dialogue had a very
original flavor to it. I do wish that people would stop doing
stories about Donald entering raffles. Either he loses again in the
end, or wins something that isn't worth having. It's just a little
predictable. Then, meanwhile, I found "Stampede and Deliver" to be
absolutely the best Van Horn story since 1991, and I have a hunch
that this is because John Lustig had a hand in it. This is also the
first story since 1990 to involve Neighbor Jones in a major role, I
believe. Don -- do you plan to use him again? Haven't seen him for
a long, long time in your stories.
Well, I must be off, folks. But I'll be back!
David Gerstein
"I'm the Fuller Brush Man! I'm givin' g'way free semple!"
<9475609 at arran.sms.edinburgh.ac.uk>
I have even more to say today, and there's gonna be more after
my Dad forwards to me all the Disney Digests that were sent his way
after I left for Scotland!
First, thanks, Don, for explaining those "Donnas" on DDA 29. I
sure wondered about them. I always wondered if one day you would put
someone else's name on there. Back when I drew my own comic I
sometimes stuck my own name on the cover -- in Hebrew! Also -- what
is the cover you drew for the Scarpa "lentil" story? Did you go with
that idea I told you of? I was lazy, and didn't end up sending
you a drawing of my idea, so I have no idea if you chose to use my
idea, or not.
Just before I left Santa Barbara I spoke with John Clark. He
told me he would order the Fethry/Moe hog-calling story from Disney,
but he had no proof that they would send it to him -- their archive
of S and X-coded stories is apparently quite disorganized.
Also I'm excited to announce that three of my foreign dialogues are
coming up. The Lentil story I mentioned (in USA 30-32) has my
English appended to it; then I also did the English for Ben
Verhagen's "Car-Gone Conclusion" (DDA 31) and Vicar's "Case of Too
Much Money" (US 291, I think). I pretty much like my work on the
first two, looking back at them -- the third is no classic, but at
least all right. And I hope you'll think the second two stories,
regardless of my work on them, have good plots; unlike the folks at
Gladstone, I can read a foreign language and thus am able to CHOOSE
which foreign stories I'm going to work on -- I don't merely get
things sent to me by Gladstone. Although that sometimes causes
problems; after someone mentioned a "good Mau Heymans story about
luck" last spring, I rooted out that story -- something about a
mountain shaped like an hourglass -- and submitted my own version,
entitled "By Hourglass Piqued" only to find out that someone had done
it BEFORE me. Was that you, Dwight? What did you call the story?
I'll sure be interested to see your version, if you indeed did that
one. Knowing you it ought to be good ;-)
In an old issue of the Egmont monthly from 1979, I found a Rota
I-coded story with Andold Wild Duck which, I believe, was done long
before any of the others we have known up to now. I believe it must
be the first one ever made. Donald slams his head on a fallen board
and HALLUCINATES about being his earlier ancestor; the story tells
how Andold (here without the little duck on top of the helmet which
mimics him) met his sidekick Bo and went off in search of adventure.
When Donald wakes up in the end, he meets Bo's modern day equivalent,
his new postman (who I'll call Ob, although his name's different in
German), and is completely dumbstruck to discover that the first bit
of mail he's getting from him is an invitation to a Viking exhibition
at Duckburg's museum.
The German versions of Andold stories raise some VERY interesting
questions. This one appeared first, and Andold was called
"McDonald." The later ones apparently appeared in digests in
Germany, and a letterwriter to Gladstone mentioned that there Andold
was "Sir Donnerbold von Duckenburgh." In modern German comics, Andold
is Sir Donald McDuck (remember, McDuck is not a common last name
there, where Scrooge's last name is also Duck). It's that second
name, though, that's most interesting. You see, in the German
version of "The Old Castle's Secret" SIR QUACKLY is Donnerbold von
Duckenburgh! So:
FABIO, in Italian, are Andold and Sir Quackly one and the same?
If so, it adds a lot more meaning to why Marco Rota decided to
create this entire scenario.
Also, speaking of Italian stories, I found Sergio Asteriti's
"Mickey Mouse, Court Troubador" (a new pie-eyed Mickey story, which
we talked about here a while back) in German. It is GREAT and I will
try to get John Clark to run it.
DDA 29 was the first Gladstone I have gotten in Europe. "Tour
de Jour" was pretty good, I thought, and the dialogue had a very
original flavor to it. I do wish that people would stop doing
stories about Donald entering raffles. Either he loses again in the
end, or wins something that isn't worth having. It's just a little
predictable. Then, meanwhile, I found "Stampede and Deliver" to be
absolutely the best Van Horn story since 1991, and I have a hunch
that this is because John Lustig had a hand in it. This is also the
first story since 1990 to involve Neighbor Jones in a major role, I
believe. Don -- do you plan to use him again? Haven't seen him for
a long, long time in your stories.
Well, I must be off, folks. But I'll be back!
David Gerstein
"I'm the Fuller Brush Man! I'm givin' g'way free semple!"
<9475609 at arran.sms.edinburgh.ac.uk>
Frank DiCapua
Where's D.U.C.K>
Message 24 -
1994-10-07 at 17:22:14
Hi,
I went home last night and found the three DONNAs: one
on a board at the base of Donald's feet, one in the ripples in the
water and one in the base of the pyramid. But, where is the D.U.C.K.?
I spent a good 15 minutes, but couldn't find it. Anyone else find it?
Is it even there?
I also read Life of Scrooge Part 5 (I found the D.U.C.K. on
the cover). It was a good vehicle for examining Scrooge's
relationship with his family and ancestors. Up to now we haven't
seen too much of Scrooge's miserliness, but I expect that this will
change in the forthcoming chapters. I'll be interested in seeing
what events cause Scrooge to change.
At first I was afraid that this would be another "villain
steals mortgage check, but hero gets check back story" that would
follow some tired formula. I was pleasantly surprised to see a
more lighthearted 'fantasy' aspect to the story. It was a good venue
for discussing the history of the Clan McDuck preScrooge. I am a
little curious about Don's vision of heaven, though. Does this mean
that heaven is a place where one plays golf for all eternity. If so,
why? Is this because Don loves golfing and secretly longs for heaven
to be this? Or, more likely, is it because the McDucks are Scottish,
and fantasize heaven to be an endless game of golf?
Frank
I went home last night and found the three DONNAs: one
on a board at the base of Donald's feet, one in the ripples in the
water and one in the base of the pyramid. But, where is the D.U.C.K.?
I spent a good 15 minutes, but couldn't find it. Anyone else find it?
Is it even there?
I also read Life of Scrooge Part 5 (I found the D.U.C.K. on
the cover). It was a good vehicle for examining Scrooge's
relationship with his family and ancestors. Up to now we haven't
seen too much of Scrooge's miserliness, but I expect that this will
change in the forthcoming chapters. I'll be interested in seeing
what events cause Scrooge to change.
At first I was afraid that this would be another "villain
steals mortgage check, but hero gets check back story" that would
follow some tired formula. I was pleasantly surprised to see a
more lighthearted 'fantasy' aspect to the story. It was a good venue
for discussing the history of the Clan McDuck preScrooge. I am a
little curious about Don's vision of heaven, though. Does this mean
that heaven is a place where one plays golf for all eternity. If so,
why? Is this because Don loves golfing and secretly longs for heaven
to be this? Or, more likely, is it because the McDucks are Scottish,
and fantasize heaven to be an endless game of golf?
Frank
Dwight Decker
Translating Dutch Duck stories
Message 25 -
1994-10-07 at 17:57:45
David Gerstein just asked if I had translated a Dutch Disney comics
story involving an hourglass-shaped mountain. Nope. I have no idea
who would have been responsible for working on that story. I have
done some Dutch Duck stories recently, though. Harry Fluks knew
exactly which one I meant when I made the briefest of references
to a 25-page story involving Donald's pirate ancestor. There was
also a 25-page story dealing with Scrooge's effort to find the
lost treasure of an Egyptian pharaoh named "Gaos" (which I
rendered "Khaos"); in that story there was a camel driver named
Kemal, whose name I changed to "Kheno ben Rhosa" -- don't know
if it will survive editing though. And now I'm working on a
39-page Italian Mickey Mouse "which-way" story (i.e., at key
plot points, the reader can decide how to resolve them, leading
to about six different possible endings). But no hourglass-shaped
mountains in the lot, I'm afraid.
--Dwight Decker
story involving an hourglass-shaped mountain. Nope. I have no idea
who would have been responsible for working on that story. I have
done some Dutch Duck stories recently, though. Harry Fluks knew
exactly which one I meant when I made the briefest of references
to a 25-page story involving Donald's pirate ancestor. There was
also a 25-page story dealing with Scrooge's effort to find the
lost treasure of an Egyptian pharaoh named "Gaos" (which I
rendered "Khaos"); in that story there was a camel driver named
Kemal, whose name I changed to "Kheno ben Rhosa" -- don't know
if it will survive editing though. And now I'm working on a
39-page Italian Mickey Mouse "which-way" story (i.e., at key
plot points, the reader can decide how to resolve them, leading
to about six different possible endings). But no hourglass-shaped
mountains in the lot, I'm afraid.
--Dwight Decker
Mark Semich
Lo$ V
Message 26 -
1994-10-07 at 19:47:16
I also just read Life of Scrooge part 5 - forgive me if this has
already been asked from when the story was printed overseas, but in
the last panel, Scrooge looks out into the sunrise and sees a rainbow!
We all know from elementary school that the sun has to be *behind* you
in order to see a rainbow.
Was this an accident on Don's part, or artistic license?
already been asked from when the story was printed overseas, but in
the last panel, Scrooge looks out into the sunrise and sees a rainbow!
We all know from elementary school that the sun has to be *behind* you
in order to see a rainbow.
Was this an accident on Don's part, or artistic license?
Don Rosa
Disney-comics digest #455.
Message 27 -
1994-10-08 at 05:29:08
DAVID:
No, I didn't use your idea for the Lentil cover since you never
sent a sketch of it and I couldn't recall the details (though I seem to
recall it was rather "vertical" with the Beagles at the top, and I
didn't know how to fit them up there where the logo is. Keep in mind how
difficult it is to show Beagles and Ducks in the same scene -- non-Duck
characters are so much LARGER than the Ducks that it's always very
difficult to show the Ducks big enough with the "people" small enough.
You may never have noticed how rarely Barks ever showed full-figure
Ducks and people in the same scene. I never hesitate to do so, and I
also never hesitate to decide that I've drawn the "people" too small or
squat when unsuccessfully dealing with the problem.
Anyway, I still need to do a SECOND lentil cover for part 3.
Describe your idea to me again.
"Sir Donald McDuck"? I had a Sir Donald McDuck in my first draft
of the first chapter of the "Lo$", when it dealt a great deal with the
entire history of the McDuck family; I rewote it all when I was told
that I had too much McDuck and too little $crooge.
Why do I no longer use Neighbor Jones? Because I no longer do
the short "gag" stories where Donald stays around the house and does
slapstick hijinx.
FRANK:
Don't go nuts trying to find the "D.U.C.K." in all my covers and
splash panels. The Barks camp knocked the willingness outta me to do
that so freely as I used to. Now I only put it in covers based on one of
his stories, or in my stories that are sequels and the accompanying
covers (including the "Lo$" series). Other than that, I can't see a
reason for it. I'm sure this confuses readers no end, but...
My version of the afterlife you see in the "Lo$" part V -- I'm
sure you don't lose sight of the fact that this is only a comic book,
right? I hope you don't really think that *I* think that people in
"heaven" stand around on clouds and talk. But I never intended to imply
that even in this comic version that everyone there was playing golf for
all eternity -- that is just what the Scottish folks were doing that
moment. Maybe the Irish folks were getting drunk, the Italian folk were
doing something else -- heck, I dunno. (But, of course, that version of
"heaven" is as accurate and sensible as any other I've ever heard of.)
MARK:
Yes, I purposely had the sun out of place in order to show the
dawn and the rainbow in the same scene. But you're the second person to
have found that so noticeable -- I didn't think most readers would spot
that so readily. I could so easilly have asked Gladstone to drop the sun
orb out of the shot in their reprinting. Oh, well...
No, I didn't use your idea for the Lentil cover since you never
sent a sketch of it and I couldn't recall the details (though I seem to
recall it was rather "vertical" with the Beagles at the top, and I
didn't know how to fit them up there where the logo is. Keep in mind how
difficult it is to show Beagles and Ducks in the same scene -- non-Duck
characters are so much LARGER than the Ducks that it's always very
difficult to show the Ducks big enough with the "people" small enough.
You may never have noticed how rarely Barks ever showed full-figure
Ducks and people in the same scene. I never hesitate to do so, and I
also never hesitate to decide that I've drawn the "people" too small or
squat when unsuccessfully dealing with the problem.
Anyway, I still need to do a SECOND lentil cover for part 3.
Describe your idea to me again.
"Sir Donald McDuck"? I had a Sir Donald McDuck in my first draft
of the first chapter of the "Lo$", when it dealt a great deal with the
entire history of the McDuck family; I rewote it all when I was told
that I had too much McDuck and too little $crooge.
Why do I no longer use Neighbor Jones? Because I no longer do
the short "gag" stories where Donald stays around the house and does
slapstick hijinx.
FRANK:
Don't go nuts trying to find the "D.U.C.K." in all my covers and
splash panels. The Barks camp knocked the willingness outta me to do
that so freely as I used to. Now I only put it in covers based on one of
his stories, or in my stories that are sequels and the accompanying
covers (including the "Lo$" series). Other than that, I can't see a
reason for it. I'm sure this confuses readers no end, but...
My version of the afterlife you see in the "Lo$" part V -- I'm
sure you don't lose sight of the fact that this is only a comic book,
right? I hope you don't really think that *I* think that people in
"heaven" stand around on clouds and talk. But I never intended to imply
that even in this comic version that everyone there was playing golf for
all eternity -- that is just what the Scottish folks were doing that
moment. Maybe the Irish folks were getting drunk, the Italian folk were
doing something else -- heck, I dunno. (But, of course, that version of
"heaven" is as accurate and sensible as any other I've ever heard of.)
MARK:
Yes, I purposely had the sun out of place in order to show the
dawn and the rainbow in the same scene. But you're the second person to
have found that so noticeable -- I didn't think most readers would spot
that so readily. I could so easilly have asked Gladstone to drop the sun
orb out of the shot in their reprinting. Oh, well...
Don Rosa
Disney-comics digest #456.
Message 28 -
1994-10-09 at 14:48:18
As a follow up to the matter of someone who was puzzled by my
version of heaven in Lo$ V, I finally got my copy of that issue, and
while reading all those lovely letters in the letter column, I couldn't
fail to notice one reader who said they liked Lo$ II better than I (one)
because it wasn't sullied by all those supernatural beings and ghosts.
Now, is this because this reader knew that Barks never seemed to deal
with ghosts? This is quite true, and a legitimate gripe if I'm supposed
to do stories EXACTLY like Barks did them (which I can't and never will
try, since I'm not Barks, I'm only a little bit Barks). I personally
love to mess with ghosts in stories, as some of my very favorite movies
deal with ghosts and such... like WONDERFUL LIFE, GHOST & MRS. MUIR,
BISHOP'S WIFE, UNINVITED, THE HAUNTING, etc., etc., as well as the movie
that Lo$ V was besed on, A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH (a.k.a. STAIRWAY TO
HEAVEN)(which hasn't been seen on TV for over 20 years due to a legal
hassle). Anyway, I'm just wondering if these people are adverse to
seeing ghosts in comics because Barks never used them, or are there
radical religious fundamentalists in the woodwork? I mean, I'm well
aware of the fact that there are people who think if you watch BEWITCHED
or I DREAM OF JEANNIE or read LIL' HOT STUFF and CASPER you're gonna
burn in hellfire for all eternity since these are occult TV shows and
comics designed by covens of witches to corrupt the souls of humanity.
(I may sound facetious, but there are religious groups who actually
believe this, word for word! I've seen their literature.) So, every
time I use the Ghost of Sir Quackly, exactly who is it that's
objecting? (Wait till they see chapter IX!)
version of heaven in Lo$ V, I finally got my copy of that issue, and
while reading all those lovely letters in the letter column, I couldn't
fail to notice one reader who said they liked Lo$ II better than I (one)
because it wasn't sullied by all those supernatural beings and ghosts.
Now, is this because this reader knew that Barks never seemed to deal
with ghosts? This is quite true, and a legitimate gripe if I'm supposed
to do stories EXACTLY like Barks did them (which I can't and never will
try, since I'm not Barks, I'm only a little bit Barks). I personally
love to mess with ghosts in stories, as some of my very favorite movies
deal with ghosts and such... like WONDERFUL LIFE, GHOST & MRS. MUIR,
BISHOP'S WIFE, UNINVITED, THE HAUNTING, etc., etc., as well as the movie
that Lo$ V was besed on, A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH (a.k.a. STAIRWAY TO
HEAVEN)(which hasn't been seen on TV for over 20 years due to a legal
hassle). Anyway, I'm just wondering if these people are adverse to
seeing ghosts in comics because Barks never used them, or are there
radical religious fundamentalists in the woodwork? I mean, I'm well
aware of the fact that there are people who think if you watch BEWITCHED
or I DREAM OF JEANNIE or read LIL' HOT STUFF and CASPER you're gonna
burn in hellfire for all eternity since these are occult TV shows and
comics designed by covens of witches to corrupt the souls of humanity.
(I may sound facetious, but there are religious groups who actually
believe this, word for word! I've seen their literature.) So, every
time I use the Ghost of Sir Quackly, exactly who is it that's
objecting? (Wait till they see chapter IX!)
Mark Semich
Disney-comics digest #456.
Message 29 -
1994-10-09 at 17:17:33
From: Don Rosa <72260.2635 at compuserve.com>
> <...> So, every
>time I use the Ghost of Sir Quackly, exactly who is it that's
>objecting? (Wait till they see chapter IX!)
I like your stories with ghosts in them. (and I also like the movies you
listed!) Perhaps the people who complain are doing so because they
don't think ghosts are realistic and therefore don't find your stories
believable... :-)
> <...> So, every
>time I use the Ghost of Sir Quackly, exactly who is it that's
>objecting? (Wait till they see chapter IX!)
I like your stories with ghosts in them. (and I also like the movies you
listed!) Perhaps the people who complain are doing so because they
don't think ghosts are realistic and therefore don't find your stories
believable... :-)
Dwight Decker
Ghosts in Disney comics
Message 30 -
1994-10-09 at 17:56:18
It was interesting to read Don Rosa's remarks on ghosts
in his Life of Scrooge series. I suppose it might be
argued that in a story about talking ducks, ghosts aren't
that much of a stretch. Still, I did have a nagging
feeling in the latest Scrooge chapter to appear here
that the use of ghosts was a bit much and the scenes
of a Scottish golf-course heaven almost too comic-burlesque.
The fine line that has to be walked in this instance is
keeping the ghosts from helping Scrooge too much, so
that he solves his problems by his own wits instead of
relying too much on supernatural assistance, and keeping
Scrooge's life from starting to sound so predestined that
he achieved his success by luck or spectral intervention
rather than by his own efforts. All in all, I think
Rosa's Life of Scrooge is a remarkable achievement
despite my occasional quibbles, and I'm glad he's taking
advantage of a unique-in-Disney-history opportunity to
do it.
About three years ago, when Disney Comics was still
publishing Scrooge, I translated a two-part Italian
story ("The Money Ocean"). Somebody else polished the
dialogue so I wasn't officially credited, but I was the
one who supplied the raw translation. Anyway, I was curious
about reader response, but Disney Comics got rather erratic
about then about letter columns. The only major direct
reader comment I remember seeing about the story came from
a lady in North Dakota, and she mainly wrote in to complain
about the use of a witch in the story (Magica de Spell).
The lady seemed sincerely convinced that if children saw
witches in popular media like comic books, they would be
softened up for any Satanist recruiters who came by. The
editor, David Seidman wrote a conciliatory reply that was
a lot more diplomatic than I would have been.
Well, with my own occasionally published black and
white independent comic Rhudiprrt, one of the major
characters is the Egyptian cat goddess Bast. I exchanged
a couple of letters with a fundamentalist Christian fan
who was extremely upset about pagan goddesses appearing
in a comic book he wanted to like. He was almost tearfully
begging me to "explain" Bast as an Angel of the Lord in
charge of the Feline Affairs Department, but some deluded
fools mistakenly believed she was a goddess in her own
right. Sorry, pal. This is my comic book and what I say
goes. And what I say is that she's a goddess. I almost
hated to disappoint the guy, since he was trying so hard
to like my modest little funnybook, but I can't please
everybody.
And Don Rosa doubtless feels the same way, so there
you have it!
--Dwight Decker
in his Life of Scrooge series. I suppose it might be
argued that in a story about talking ducks, ghosts aren't
that much of a stretch. Still, I did have a nagging
feeling in the latest Scrooge chapter to appear here
that the use of ghosts was a bit much and the scenes
of a Scottish golf-course heaven almost too comic-burlesque.
The fine line that has to be walked in this instance is
keeping the ghosts from helping Scrooge too much, so
that he solves his problems by his own wits instead of
relying too much on supernatural assistance, and keeping
Scrooge's life from starting to sound so predestined that
he achieved his success by luck or spectral intervention
rather than by his own efforts. All in all, I think
Rosa's Life of Scrooge is a remarkable achievement
despite my occasional quibbles, and I'm glad he's taking
advantage of a unique-in-Disney-history opportunity to
do it.
About three years ago, when Disney Comics was still
publishing Scrooge, I translated a two-part Italian
story ("The Money Ocean"). Somebody else polished the
dialogue so I wasn't officially credited, but I was the
one who supplied the raw translation. Anyway, I was curious
about reader response, but Disney Comics got rather erratic
about then about letter columns. The only major direct
reader comment I remember seeing about the story came from
a lady in North Dakota, and she mainly wrote in to complain
about the use of a witch in the story (Magica de Spell).
The lady seemed sincerely convinced that if children saw
witches in popular media like comic books, they would be
softened up for any Satanist recruiters who came by. The
editor, David Seidman wrote a conciliatory reply that was
a lot more diplomatic than I would have been.
Well, with my own occasionally published black and
white independent comic Rhudiprrt, one of the major
characters is the Egyptian cat goddess Bast. I exchanged
a couple of letters with a fundamentalist Christian fan
who was extremely upset about pagan goddesses appearing
in a comic book he wanted to like. He was almost tearfully
begging me to "explain" Bast as an Angel of the Lord in
charge of the Feline Affairs Department, but some deluded
fools mistakenly believed she was a goddess in her own
right. Sorry, pal. This is my comic book and what I say
goes. And what I say is that she's a goddess. I almost
hated to disappoint the guy, since he was trying so hard
to like my modest little funnybook, but I can't please
everybody.
And Don Rosa doubtless feels the same way, so there
you have it!
--Dwight Decker