ARILD:
Yes, I see that KALLE ANKA & CO. is the first publication to use my $crooge
50th anniversay story "A Little Something Special"... at least the first
one that has reached me by mail.
I know that I enjoy being as accurate as possible in my references to old
Barks stories or (of course) to my OWN old stories... so I'm setting myself
up for comments from readers who hold me to be much more precise than other
artists in these regards. And it's often fun to hear from readers when they
think I've done a good job or messed up. But the response to your comment
that the 50-year-old Duckburg buildings I show in this new story don't
match the buildings you see in one panel of "The Invader of Fort Duckburg"
-- this is too easy to answer. Frankly, no, I don't guess I *was* trying to
match that tiny cluster of buildings that I showed in the far distance in
that one panel in "Invader..."... or maybe I did. Weren't they rather far
away? Exactly what did they look like? Maybe you're seeing the same
buildings from another angle in the new story? Maybe there was another
small group of buildings about 15 feet away from those others, putting it
just outside the left panel border in "Invader..."? Maybe they remodeled
the buildings a tiny bit before they built over the top of them? There are
so many ways to explain it.
But, gosh, is that all you got outta that 28 page story? I was rather
pleased with it, which I seldom am with my own stories. I hope you saw
something in those 28 pages other than some buildings in one panel that
didn't exactly match some buildings in one other panel of one other story.
Well, maybe you were trying not to spoil anything for other readers.
Anyway, I'm back from Yosemite. Great trip!
--------------------------------
End of Disney comics Digest V97 Issue #135
******************************************
Author
Topic: 199707
(281 messages)
Don Rosa
Disney comics Digest V97 #132
Message 1 -
1997-07-01 at 08:47:08
Kriton Kyrimis
Disney comics Digest V97 #135
Message 2 -
1997-07-01 at 14:56:30
HARRY:
> > "Last Sled to Dawson". This was the first comic book
> > story that had me crying.
>
> The second one was probably the Lo$ episode about Scrooge's father's death.
Yup!
--
Kriton (e-mail: (Email removed))
(WWW: http://dias.cti.gr/~kyrimis
-----
"Are we just running scared, or are we heading for somewhere in particular?"
"The answer to both questions is yes!"
-----
> > "Last Sled to Dawson". This was the first comic book
> > story that had me crying.
>
> The second one was probably the Lo$ episode about Scrooge's father's death.
Yup!
--
Kriton (e-mail: (Email removed))
(WWW: http://dias.cti.gr/~kyrimis
-----
"Are we just running scared, or are we heading for somewhere in particular?"
"The answer to both questions is yes!"
-----
Dan Shane
Disney comics Digest V97 #135
Message 3 -
1997-07-01 at 16:03:04
KRITON:
I did read SON OF THE SUN when it first hit the stores, and I had much the
same reaction as you. It remains one of my favourites.
The all time champ for me, though, is still one that many Americans have
never seen (and maybe never will). WAR OF THE WENDIGO pits Scrooge against
an enemy as real as could be imagined, and creates a scenario for the old
man to call on the strength and courage he displayed in his younger days.
Finally Scrooge is once again totally on the side of what's right as he
joins forces with the Peeweegahs in an environmental cause.
I'm not a militant environmentalist; it's just that a story that can make
such a vivid statement against the rape of the earth without being the
slightest bit preachy, along with the most sympathetic portrayal of Scrooge
until the Lo$ stories appeared, makes WAR OF THE WENDIGO really special.
I did read SON OF THE SUN when it first hit the stores, and I had much the
same reaction as you. It remains one of my favourites.
The all time champ for me, though, is still one that many Americans have
never seen (and maybe never will). WAR OF THE WENDIGO pits Scrooge against
an enemy as real as could be imagined, and creates a scenario for the old
man to call on the strength and courage he displayed in his younger days.
Finally Scrooge is once again totally on the side of what's right as he
joins forces with the Peeweegahs in an environmental cause.
I'm not a militant environmentalist; it's just that a story that can make
such a vivid statement against the rape of the earth without being the
slightest bit preachy, along with the most sympathetic portrayal of Scrooge
until the Lo$ stories appeared, makes WAR OF THE WENDIGO really special.
Don Rosa
Disney comics Digest V97 #135
Message 4 -
1997-07-01 at 16:24:40
HARRY:
You say you laughed at a line in "A Little Something Special" that is one
that I laugh at myself. Once about every 3 stories I come up with some tiny
bit that makes me chuckle everytime I look at it myself, sometimes for some
obscure personal reason. I received Gladstone's new WDC&S issue when I
picked up my backlogged mail -- the issue with part 1 of "Attack of the
Hideous Space Varmints" -- and I keep chuckling at "Somebody get that old
goat outta the pilot's seat?", "Heck, no -- let him fly his own rocket!"--
(see comic to make sense out of that). But you did completely understand
the line you quote from "Something Special", right? The part with "Ugh --
what's that stench!" was the reaction of the "collectibles" salesman to the
item being offered by the guy in front of him. Right? (I hope the
translator used the right dialogue on both characters! I never know.)
By the way, speaking of both the above-mentioned stories -- I would never
have thought it would be necessary to tell the colorists that the character
in "Something Special" who has the beard (I'll withhold his identity since
it's supposed to be a lil' surprise of sorts) is supposed to have a snowy
white beard! Not a dark brown beard! He's older than $crooge!!! Some things
seem so obvious to me... but I keep forgetting that some European colorists
are not reading the stories, just coloring them, so I need to spell this
stuff out. And in reference to Gladstone's use of part 1 of "Space
Varmints"... it looks great! They finally have the right idea with using
computer-lettering in the balloons only and using hand-lettering for
signage and sound-effects. And the coloring is gorgeous -- I was surprised
to see it was Scott Rockwell and not "the colorist"... er... I mean Susan,
who did such a nice job. But after not seeing the story for a year, I now
wish I'd left out just one or two of the silly background gags that I have
in the spaceship. I imagine these might be some readers' favorite parts,
but it's still just a tad too much like an old early 50s Will Elder MAD
story for me (even though that's what I had in mind -- I love 'em, but I
shouldn't get so close to 'em).
You say you laughed at a line in "A Little Something Special" that is one
that I laugh at myself. Once about every 3 stories I come up with some tiny
bit that makes me chuckle everytime I look at it myself, sometimes for some
obscure personal reason. I received Gladstone's new WDC&S issue when I
picked up my backlogged mail -- the issue with part 1 of "Attack of the
Hideous Space Varmints" -- and I keep chuckling at "Somebody get that old
goat outta the pilot's seat?", "Heck, no -- let him fly his own rocket!"--
(see comic to make sense out of that). But you did completely understand
the line you quote from "Something Special", right? The part with "Ugh --
what's that stench!" was the reaction of the "collectibles" salesman to the
item being offered by the guy in front of him. Right? (I hope the
translator used the right dialogue on both characters! I never know.)
By the way, speaking of both the above-mentioned stories -- I would never
have thought it would be necessary to tell the colorists that the character
in "Something Special" who has the beard (I'll withhold his identity since
it's supposed to be a lil' surprise of sorts) is supposed to have a snowy
white beard! Not a dark brown beard! He's older than $crooge!!! Some things
seem so obvious to me... but I keep forgetting that some European colorists
are not reading the stories, just coloring them, so I need to spell this
stuff out. And in reference to Gladstone's use of part 1 of "Space
Varmints"... it looks great! They finally have the right idea with using
computer-lettering in the balloons only and using hand-lettering for
signage and sound-effects. And the coloring is gorgeous -- I was surprised
to see it was Scott Rockwell and not "the colorist"... er... I mean Susan,
who did such a nice job. But after not seeing the story for a year, I now
wish I'd left out just one or two of the silly background gags that I have
in the spaceship. I imagine these might be some readers' favorite parts,
but it's still just a tad too much like an old early 50s Will Elder MAD
story for me (even though that's what I had in mind -- I love 'em, but I
shouldn't get so close to 'em).
SRoweCanoe
Buck Duck
Message 5 -
1997-07-01 at 17:09:35
In a message dated 97-07-01 03:47:16 EDT, you write:
<< Issues #35, 41, and 44, others I own from this period, have no
stories with Buck, but he does headline in #42's "Showdown in Dishwater
Gully" -- but his NAME has changed! This time he's "Buckaroo" Duck, and
while I can understand why the name would be shortened over time,
LENGTHENING it is truly bizarre... anyway, the same supporting cast
reappears here.
Has this character appeared anywhere else? In any stories with
Donald and the "traditional" characters? In some foreign stories? What is
his relationship, if any, to Disney cartoons?
Joe Torcivia? Chris Barat? Anyone? >>
I believe that Disney changed the name because of trademark problems with the
name Buck Duck in the USA. I believe that I've seen Buck with Donald - but
my memory's been wrong before. I had allways assumed that he was created
by Whitman for the overseas market (Whitman produced alot of stories for the
overseas Market from 1964 on).
Steven Rowe
<< Issues #35, 41, and 44, others I own from this period, have no
stories with Buck, but he does headline in #42's "Showdown in Dishwater
Gully" -- but his NAME has changed! This time he's "Buckaroo" Duck, and
while I can understand why the name would be shortened over time,
LENGTHENING it is truly bizarre... anyway, the same supporting cast
reappears here.
Has this character appeared anywhere else? In any stories with
Donald and the "traditional" characters? In some foreign stories? What is
his relationship, if any, to Disney cartoons?
Joe Torcivia? Chris Barat? Anyone? >>
I believe that Disney changed the name because of trademark problems with the
name Buck Duck in the USA. I believe that I've seen Buck with Donald - but
my memory's been wrong before. I had allways assumed that he was created
by Whitman for the overseas market (Whitman produced alot of stories for the
overseas Market from 1964 on).
Steven Rowe
SRoweCanoe
Penny Pincher pinched
Message 6 -
1997-07-01 at 17:09:41
In a message dated 97-07-01 03:47:16 EDT, you write:
<< I have just heard the rumour that the series PENNY PINCHER was cancelled
after Number 4 by GLADSTONE themself.
>>
Yeah, I just read the same thing from a Diamond Distributors source. Sorry
to see it go. Although at $1 itwas probably not worth the trouble for
retailers to stock (retailors prefer $2.5- $5 magazines).
Steven Rowe
<< I have just heard the rumour that the series PENNY PINCHER was cancelled
after Number 4 by GLADSTONE themself.
>>
Yeah, I just read the same thing from a Diamond Distributors source. Sorry
to see it go. Although at $1 itwas probably not worth the trouble for
retailers to stock (retailors prefer $2.5- $5 magazines).
Steven Rowe
Rik Pierce
Comments
Message 7 -
1997-07-01 at 17:20:04
On Sat, 28 Jun 97 00:53:26 +0000, Daniel van Eijmeren <(Email removed)>
wrote:
|CHRISTIAN LUCAS, 27-06-1997:
|
|> AU PAYS DES PYGMEES (code WR. U.S. 18.) BTW is there a Don Rosa sequel
|> to this story?
|
|Yes, and it's called "War of the Wendigo" (D91192). To keep in the
|subject of unpublished art: This 27-page story is banned in the USA.
|
Banned in the USA? Why? I thought we had this freedom of speech thing!
|Maybe we could 'publish' the story by having 27 people 'quote' 1 page
|of the story on their web-pages? ;-)
|
Sounds good to me!
------------
Rik in Carlisle, MA
(Email removed)
wrote:
|CHRISTIAN LUCAS, 27-06-1997:
|
|> AU PAYS DES PYGMEES (code WR. U.S. 18.) BTW is there a Don Rosa sequel
|> to this story?
|
|Yes, and it's called "War of the Wendigo" (D91192). To keep in the
|subject of unpublished art: This 27-page story is banned in the USA.
|
Banned in the USA? Why? I thought we had this freedom of speech thing!
|Maybe we could 'publish' the story by having 27 people 'quote' 1 page
|of the story on their web-pages? ;-)
|
Sounds good to me!
------------
Rik in Carlisle, MA
(Email removed)
Harry Fluks
Rosa-Gerstein-Rowe
Message 8 -
1997-07-01 at 18:56:17
DON:
> But you did completely understand
> the line you quote from "Something Special", right? The part with "Ugh --
> what's that stench!" was the reaction of the "collectibles" salesman to the
> item being offered by the guy in front of him. Right?
If you say so... but I especially liked the combination of those two sentences.
DAVID (Buck Duck):
> while I can understand why the name would be shortened over time,
> LENGTHENING it is truly bizarre...
...says the person who proposed to change the name "J. Frostfeathers Pomp" to
"Jubal Frostfeathers Pomp"... 8-)
STEVEN:
> I had allways assumed that [Buck Duck] was created
> by Whitman for the overseas market (Whitman produced alot of stories for the
> overseas Market from 1964 on).
I have never seen a Buck Duck in an "overseas" story. (BTW: the stories were produced
by the Disney Studios, not Whitman. And they started in 1963.)
--Harry.
> But you did completely understand
> the line you quote from "Something Special", right? The part with "Ugh --
> what's that stench!" was the reaction of the "collectibles" salesman to the
> item being offered by the guy in front of him. Right?
If you say so... but I especially liked the combination of those two sentences.
DAVID (Buck Duck):
> while I can understand why the name would be shortened over time,
> LENGTHENING it is truly bizarre...
...says the person who proposed to change the name "J. Frostfeathers Pomp" to
"Jubal Frostfeathers Pomp"... 8-)
STEVEN:
> I had allways assumed that [Buck Duck] was created
> by Whitman for the overseas market (Whitman produced alot of stories for the
> overseas Market from 1964 on).
I have never seen a Buck Duck in an "overseas" story. (BTW: the stories were produced
by the Disney Studios, not Whitman. And they started in 1963.)
--Harry.
ComixAce
San Diego??
Message 9 -
1997-07-01 at 18:57:46
Forgive me if this has been covered before, but are there any meeting plans
for San Diego? I missed the breakfast last year, but would like to try again.
Best,
Heidi MaccDonald
for San Diego? I missed the breakfast last year, but would like to try again.
Best,
Heidi MaccDonald
Harry Fluks
Donald's birthday
Message 10 -
1997-07-01 at 19:04:00
DAVID:
> [..] cartoon was adapted to a comic story by Fred Milton and
> Daan Jippes (H 78006). What birthday is shown on the calendar on page 1 in
> the Dutch version? In Gladstone (WDC&S 513), the calendar seems
> conspicuous in that the kids refer to a birthday, but no specific date is
> circled.
It's the same in the Dutch version. The calendar shows a month where the
13th is on a Sunday.
(BTW, the code to this story is H/DD//786. Gladstone may have printed
it as H 7806 or H 786, erroneously omitting the "DD".)
--Harry.
> [..] cartoon was adapted to a comic story by Fred Milton and
> Daan Jippes (H 78006). What birthday is shown on the calendar on page 1 in
> the Dutch version? In Gladstone (WDC&S 513), the calendar seems
> conspicuous in that the kids refer to a birthday, but no specific date is
> circled.
It's the same in the Dutch version. The calendar shows a month where the
13th is on a Sunday.
(BTW, the code to this story is H/DD//786. Gladstone may have printed
it as H 7806 or H 786, erroneously omitting the "DD".)
--Harry.
Kfitz
Counting fingers
Message 11 -
1997-07-01 at 19:37:28
Well, all I can say is that counting with four fingers and/or toes per
hand/foot will greatly help in thinking and counting in binary, octal, and
hexidecimal. :)
- Kathy Fitzpatrick (Email removed)
hand/foot will greatly help in thinking and counting in binary, octal, and
hexidecimal. :)
- Kathy Fitzpatrick (Email removed)
Fredrik Sandstrom
Disney comics Digest V97 #125
Message 12 -
1997-07-01 at 20:44:27
DON:
>Why didn't I have $crooge running his Klondike bank without pencils or
>erasers in my "Lo$"? Are you referring to the Barks story where $crooge
>says he kept bank records by etching a block of ice with a walrus tusk?
As I said, I'm referring to The Golden River, where $crooge says he
ran a bank in the Klondike for three years without using pencils or
erasers. Then one of his employees says to another that $crooge had
used a walrus tusk and a block of ice.
>Wouldn't you say that was one of $crooge's "tall tales" (as in "obvious
>fibs")?
The part about the walruses, yes! But considering that the only
reason $crooge ever mentioned his Klondike bank in a Barks story was
to point out that he ran it using neither pencils nor erasers, I was
surprised to see $crooge with a pencil in Lo$.
Christopher E. Barat wrote:
>I'm not really sure how seriously we should take the occasional appearances
>of "higher mathematics" in Duck stories.
A silly thought just popped into my head: How come the Ducks use
base 10 when they only have 8 fingers? :)
/------------------------------|-------------------------------------\
| Fredrik Sandstrom | What a night! I'll never mix radish |
| (Email removed) | juice and carrot juice again! |
| http://www.compart.fi/~fred/ | - Bugs Bunny |
\------------------------------|-------------------------------------/
>Why didn't I have $crooge running his Klondike bank without pencils or
>erasers in my "Lo$"? Are you referring to the Barks story where $crooge
>says he kept bank records by etching a block of ice with a walrus tusk?
As I said, I'm referring to The Golden River, where $crooge says he
ran a bank in the Klondike for three years without using pencils or
erasers. Then one of his employees says to another that $crooge had
used a walrus tusk and a block of ice.
>Wouldn't you say that was one of $crooge's "tall tales" (as in "obvious
>fibs")?
The part about the walruses, yes! But considering that the only
reason $crooge ever mentioned his Klondike bank in a Barks story was
to point out that he ran it using neither pencils nor erasers, I was
surprised to see $crooge with a pencil in Lo$.
Christopher E. Barat wrote:
>I'm not really sure how seriously we should take the occasional appearances
>of "higher mathematics" in Duck stories.
A silly thought just popped into my head: How come the Ducks use
base 10 when they only have 8 fingers? :)
/------------------------------|-------------------------------------\
| Fredrik Sandstrom | What a night! I'll never mix radish |
| (Email removed) | juice and carrot juice again! |
| http://www.compart.fi/~fred/ | - Bugs Bunny |
\------------------------------|-------------------------------------/
Shaun M. Knowler
Best Rosa Stories
Message 13 -
1997-07-01 at 21:11:08
Has anyone heard from Daniel Kenny? Are ya out there, buddy?
Anyway...to toss in my two cents, I'm gonna say my favorite Rosa stories
are;
"His Majesty McDuck": I really love this one, because I've never seen such
cleverness and genius used in this kind of literature before. Each way
$crooge gets foiled by his own plan is just pure gold!
"A Matter of Some Gravity": Actually, I love all of Don's
"physics-bending" stories, but this one is the one that stands out the
farthest. My copy of WDC&S #610 often gets quite an acrobatic workout!
"War of the Wendigo": This is a great story to read if you like seeing
$crooge learning a new lesson about who he might be trampling on when he's
making more millions. Plus, any story that takes place in MY nation gets
bonus points...:) just kiddin.
"On a Silver Platter": This is my favorite Rosa 10-pager. It's got great
imagination, action, and comedy, all packed into a mere 10 pages, yet the
story flows just perfectly. I'm incredibly dissapointed that this story
isn't going to be included in the "Early McDuck Adventures" album set.
I'd feel inclined to mention Lo$, but I don't really consider it a story
in the same way as I do the ones above. Maybe someone here could help me
articlulate and/or explain this?
Happy Canada Day to my compatriots on this here list!
-Shaun
Anyway...to toss in my two cents, I'm gonna say my favorite Rosa stories
are;
"His Majesty McDuck": I really love this one, because I've never seen such
cleverness and genius used in this kind of literature before. Each way
$crooge gets foiled by his own plan is just pure gold!
"A Matter of Some Gravity": Actually, I love all of Don's
"physics-bending" stories, but this one is the one that stands out the
farthest. My copy of WDC&S #610 often gets quite an acrobatic workout!
"War of the Wendigo": This is a great story to read if you like seeing
$crooge learning a new lesson about who he might be trampling on when he's
making more millions. Plus, any story that takes place in MY nation gets
bonus points...:) just kiddin.
"On a Silver Platter": This is my favorite Rosa 10-pager. It's got great
imagination, action, and comedy, all packed into a mere 10 pages, yet the
story flows just perfectly. I'm incredibly dissapointed that this story
isn't going to be included in the "Early McDuck Adventures" album set.
I'd feel inclined to mention Lo$, but I don't really consider it a story
in the same way as I do the ones above. Maybe someone here could help me
articlulate and/or explain this?
Happy Canada Day to my compatriots on this here list!
-Shaun
Donald D. Markstein
Junkville Journal
Message 14 -
1997-07-01 at 22:17:43
DAVID GERSTEIN:
Y- you mean, there's something about Disney comics that I knew, b=
ut
you didn't?!! Wow! I had no idea!
Of course, you know about Buck Duck NOW, so I guess I shouldn't
gloat too hard.
In fact, I shouldn't gloat at all, because I can't add a thing to=
what you said about him. I didn't even know where he appeared, just that =
I
recall the name as a minor member of the Duck Family, roughly contemporar=
y
with my memory of Moby Duck. If pressed, I might have suggested he was a
back-up character in one of the regular comics -- but I read most of the
Digests from that period, so that could well be where I remember him from=
=2E
Seems, tho, like I recall at least one story about him in regular=
comics format, where there was something odd about the coloring. Hmm -- o=
ne
of these days, I'll have to delve into the Archives, because that's a
fairly intriguing memory. Just one more reason to get my comics in order
(as if I needed another one)...
A few years later, when I found BUCK DUCK and IT'S A DUCK'S LIFE =
in
with a bunch of other 1950s Atlas funny animals, I recalled the Disney
character with that name. That little reinforcement may be the only reaso=
n
I remember him today.
Quack, Don
Y- you mean, there's something about Disney comics that I knew, b=
ut
you didn't?!! Wow! I had no idea!
Of course, you know about Buck Duck NOW, so I guess I shouldn't
gloat too hard.
In fact, I shouldn't gloat at all, because I can't add a thing to=
what you said about him. I didn't even know where he appeared, just that =
I
recall the name as a minor member of the Duck Family, roughly contemporar=
y
with my memory of Moby Duck. If pressed, I might have suggested he was a
back-up character in one of the regular comics -- but I read most of the
Digests from that period, so that could well be where I remember him from=
=2E
Seems, tho, like I recall at least one story about him in regular=
comics format, where there was something odd about the coloring. Hmm -- o=
ne
of these days, I'll have to delve into the Archives, because that's a
fairly intriguing memory. Just one more reason to get my comics in order
(as if I needed another one)...
A few years later, when I found BUCK DUCK and IT'S A DUCK'S LIFE =
in
with a bunch of other 1950s Atlas funny animals, I recalled the Disney
character with that name. That little reinforcement may be the only reaso=
n
I remember him today.
Quack, Don
Cebarat
Disney comics Digest V97 #130-132 & 135
Message 15 -
1997-07-01 at 22:54:36
Sorry to have been incommunicado for a while... I was away on a trip for
about a week. I was wondering how come digests #133 and #134 weren't mailed
to me?
DWIGHT DECKER declaims, regarding the Southern Baptist boycott:
<<I think this is a consequence of Disney's family image having trouble
keeping up with its explosive growth as a major mega-corporation. The
company isn't just kindly Unca Walt and a few animators telling warm-
hearted stories about lovable funny animals just to entertain children.
Walt knew better than anyone that the company couldn't stay that way
and survive, and so the move into live action movies and theme parks.
If anything, the company's floundering after Walt's death and in the
'70s proved that it had to grow or die. Now it's a vast entertainment
conglomerate, but it still has the image and the name. The Southern
Baptists, like many others, see the name "Disney" and think kindly
Unca Walt, and are severely disillusioned when they realize it's just
a big company like Warners or Paramount...>>
Absolutely, Dwight, right on the nose. The SB's are still thinking of Disney
in terms of the Disney of the 50's and 60's, when Unca Walt still held the
reins. To them, Disney is "supposed" to be the one reliable Hollywood
bulwark against the encroaching tide of decadence and moral relativism. The
virulence of their reaction against the Disney of Michael Eisner stems from
their feelings of BETRAYAL. "If Disney falls, then nothing in the world of
entertainment is 'safe'."
This is why I believe Disney is missing the point when it responds to the
boycott by simply pointing out its continuing commitment to family
entertainment. The SB's are reacting to how they perceive the "moral
relativization" of Disney has affected ALL aspects of the company. We didn't
hear the vast majority of those bizarre stories about "subliminal messages"
in Disney's animated features until AFTER the company's other divisions had
exploded into popularity in the late 80's and early 90's. Extrapolating from
what the other divisions of the Disney conglomerate have been doing, the SB's
are now seeing EVERY facet of the company as having been "corrupted" by a
supposed subliminal agenda. Like it or not, Disney will have to engage the
SB's on the question of its activities in these other divisions if it hopes
to convince any of them of the rightness of its actions.
DAVID GERSTEIN comments, re the Italian-salesman stereotypes in Disney
comics:
<<Ironically, in Italy the fruit-salesman cliche was also around -- it just
indicated, I believe, an OLD-FASHIONED Italian rather than an Italian in
general. When "Oscar the Ostrich" was translated into Italian, Tony Dinero
the pet-store owner was not altered; his name became a more high-nosed "full"
version ("Antonio Dinero"), and what had been rough Italian dialect in
American English became Italian with a lot of
old-fashioned phrases. That the story was censored here (to the point of
removing all instances of Tony's last name) is pretty ironic, in light of how
beloved its original version is in Italy. They even did a sequel, with
"Antonio" Dinero again in a major role.>>
Hm..."old-fashioned Italian"? Might that refer to a southern Italian,
perchance? It is sometimes claimed that southern Italians are looked upon as
somewhat less sophisticated than their northern brethren. I have no idea if
this has any basis in reality; perhaps one of our Italian subscribers can
help on this question...
If Italians had no gripe over the "uncensored" Tony Dinero, I really do fail
to understand why Americans were assumed to have no tolerance for him. It
was probably just Political Correctness run merrily amuck once again.
JOE TORCIVIA responds, with regard to the possibility of protestors
boycotting stores that sell American Disney comics:
<<Yes, of course it COULD happen... but first, the protestors would HAVE TO
FIND a store which carries American Disney comics!!! <Sarcastic Smile>
I think we and our "well-kept secret" will be safe for some time to come!>>
Besides, there wouldn't be very much PR "oomph" in boycotting the stores that
DO sell Disney comics. The protestors are far more likely to go after a
product with a higher profile, such as "Hercules" or the theme parks. The
boycott would have to be EXTREMELY efficient in order to nail the stores that
carry Disney comics -- and such boycotts usually aren't.
JAKOB SOEDERBAUM asked:
<<I always felt that the van Horn Duck stories were present?>>
I have always gotten that impression, too, though Van Horn's storytelling
style often leaves the time-frame up to the imagination of the reader. If
you wish to believe that the VH stories are occurring in the "classic" years
of the 50's and 60's, it is usually not that difficult to do so, but in the
English dialogue, Bill will occasionally insert a more modern cultural
reference.
DAVID GERSTEIN asks, regarding Buck(aroo) Duck:
<<Has this character appeared anywhere else? In any stories with Donald and
the "traditional" characters? In some foreign stories? What is his
relationship, if any, to Disney cartoons? Joe Torcivia? Chris Barat?
Anyone?>>
Joe's a better person to respond to this query, but to the best of MY limited
knowledge, Buck(aroo) did not appear in the regular Gold Key comics line,
only in the Gold Key Digests. The only BD stories that I have ever seen were
drawn by Paul Murry -- who succeeded in making Calamity the most curvaceous
female Duck ever seen in American Disney comics. Even Glittering Goldie
comes up a bit short next to this bombshell. I wonder if Buck ever switched
from iced tea to something a little, ah, stronger?...
Finally, regarding the "best" Don Rosa story: my personal favorites are "His
Majesty McDuck" and "Lost Library," simply because of the beautiful ideas
that power them. "The Lost Charts of Columbus" is another excellent story in
the same vein.
-- Christopher E. Barat
(Email removed)
Homepage http://members.aol.com/cebarat/home.htm
"IN THE WORDS OF A WELL KNOWN SONG, PACK UP YOUR MONSTERS IN YOUR BIG PINK
BUS AND FILE, FILE, FILE ON OUTTA HERE!!" -- Scrooge McDuck, "DuckTales"
episode "Ducky Horror Picture Show"
about a week. I was wondering how come digests #133 and #134 weren't mailed
to me?
DWIGHT DECKER declaims, regarding the Southern Baptist boycott:
<<I think this is a consequence of Disney's family image having trouble
keeping up with its explosive growth as a major mega-corporation. The
company isn't just kindly Unca Walt and a few animators telling warm-
hearted stories about lovable funny animals just to entertain children.
Walt knew better than anyone that the company couldn't stay that way
and survive, and so the move into live action movies and theme parks.
If anything, the company's floundering after Walt's death and in the
'70s proved that it had to grow or die. Now it's a vast entertainment
conglomerate, but it still has the image and the name. The Southern
Baptists, like many others, see the name "Disney" and think kindly
Unca Walt, and are severely disillusioned when they realize it's just
a big company like Warners or Paramount...>>
Absolutely, Dwight, right on the nose. The SB's are still thinking of Disney
in terms of the Disney of the 50's and 60's, when Unca Walt still held the
reins. To them, Disney is "supposed" to be the one reliable Hollywood
bulwark against the encroaching tide of decadence and moral relativism. The
virulence of their reaction against the Disney of Michael Eisner stems from
their feelings of BETRAYAL. "If Disney falls, then nothing in the world of
entertainment is 'safe'."
This is why I believe Disney is missing the point when it responds to the
boycott by simply pointing out its continuing commitment to family
entertainment. The SB's are reacting to how they perceive the "moral
relativization" of Disney has affected ALL aspects of the company. We didn't
hear the vast majority of those bizarre stories about "subliminal messages"
in Disney's animated features until AFTER the company's other divisions had
exploded into popularity in the late 80's and early 90's. Extrapolating from
what the other divisions of the Disney conglomerate have been doing, the SB's
are now seeing EVERY facet of the company as having been "corrupted" by a
supposed subliminal agenda. Like it or not, Disney will have to engage the
SB's on the question of its activities in these other divisions if it hopes
to convince any of them of the rightness of its actions.
DAVID GERSTEIN comments, re the Italian-salesman stereotypes in Disney
comics:
<<Ironically, in Italy the fruit-salesman cliche was also around -- it just
indicated, I believe, an OLD-FASHIONED Italian rather than an Italian in
general. When "Oscar the Ostrich" was translated into Italian, Tony Dinero
the pet-store owner was not altered; his name became a more high-nosed "full"
version ("Antonio Dinero"), and what had been rough Italian dialect in
American English became Italian with a lot of
old-fashioned phrases. That the story was censored here (to the point of
removing all instances of Tony's last name) is pretty ironic, in light of how
beloved its original version is in Italy. They even did a sequel, with
"Antonio" Dinero again in a major role.>>
Hm..."old-fashioned Italian"? Might that refer to a southern Italian,
perchance? It is sometimes claimed that southern Italians are looked upon as
somewhat less sophisticated than their northern brethren. I have no idea if
this has any basis in reality; perhaps one of our Italian subscribers can
help on this question...
If Italians had no gripe over the "uncensored" Tony Dinero, I really do fail
to understand why Americans were assumed to have no tolerance for him. It
was probably just Political Correctness run merrily amuck once again.
JOE TORCIVIA responds, with regard to the possibility of protestors
boycotting stores that sell American Disney comics:
<<Yes, of course it COULD happen... but first, the protestors would HAVE TO
FIND a store which carries American Disney comics!!! <Sarcastic Smile>
I think we and our "well-kept secret" will be safe for some time to come!>>
Besides, there wouldn't be very much PR "oomph" in boycotting the stores that
DO sell Disney comics. The protestors are far more likely to go after a
product with a higher profile, such as "Hercules" or the theme parks. The
boycott would have to be EXTREMELY efficient in order to nail the stores that
carry Disney comics -- and such boycotts usually aren't.
JAKOB SOEDERBAUM asked:
<<I always felt that the van Horn Duck stories were present?>>
I have always gotten that impression, too, though Van Horn's storytelling
style often leaves the time-frame up to the imagination of the reader. If
you wish to believe that the VH stories are occurring in the "classic" years
of the 50's and 60's, it is usually not that difficult to do so, but in the
English dialogue, Bill will occasionally insert a more modern cultural
reference.
DAVID GERSTEIN asks, regarding Buck(aroo) Duck:
<<Has this character appeared anywhere else? In any stories with Donald and
the "traditional" characters? In some foreign stories? What is his
relationship, if any, to Disney cartoons? Joe Torcivia? Chris Barat?
Anyone?>>
Joe's a better person to respond to this query, but to the best of MY limited
knowledge, Buck(aroo) did not appear in the regular Gold Key comics line,
only in the Gold Key Digests. The only BD stories that I have ever seen were
drawn by Paul Murry -- who succeeded in making Calamity the most curvaceous
female Duck ever seen in American Disney comics. Even Glittering Goldie
comes up a bit short next to this bombshell. I wonder if Buck ever switched
from iced tea to something a little, ah, stronger?...
Finally, regarding the "best" Don Rosa story: my personal favorites are "His
Majesty McDuck" and "Lost Library," simply because of the beautiful ideas
that power them. "The Lost Charts of Columbus" is another excellent story in
the same vein.
-- Christopher E. Barat
(Email removed)
Homepage http://members.aol.com/cebarat/home.htm
"IN THE WORDS OF A WELL KNOWN SONG, PACK UP YOUR MONSTERS IN YOUR BIG PINK
BUS AND FILE, FILE, FILE ON OUTTA HERE!!" -- Scrooge McDuck, "DuckTales"
episode "Ducky Horror Picture Show"