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For those who have asked to be kept abreast of such things:

Donald Duck Monthly #5 (May, 1998) has two stories I've written --
A BUMP IN TIME SAVES NINE (D96282) and WHO'S WHO IN THE ZOO
(D95211).

Donald Duck Weekly #14 (early March, 1998) has (embarrassingly)
three! -- THE MIGHTY MAGNIFICO (D97176), GOLF IN THE HEATHER
(96371) and IDOL SPECULATION (D96438).

[Let me note here that, as shown by the D-codes, these stories
were all written long ago from mid-1995 to late-1996, a period of
well over a year in span. I'm hardly churning the stuff out as
this sudden gathered glut might indicate on its unexamined
surface.)

A BUMP IN TIME SAVES NINE is a 6-page Donald Duck story very
capably drawn by Marsal. It actually is a story within a story.
The 2-page framing device is Donald reading a bedtime tale to the
nephews.

The 4-page inner story is ostensibly from Donald's book of
ancestors, this one of A Very Minor Court Physician, in fact, a
fortune-telling phrenologist to the reigning Duchy. If not for the
ill luck of this well-intentioned ancestor the Duck lineage likely
would not have succeeded.

Marsal's art is polished and his line work delicate and superb,
never flashy. Sadly, it probably will go unnoticed as folks
normally respond to the obvious and easily recognizable. His
staging is great. He never skimps on the elements required. His
humor is quiet, but artfully focused.

WHO'S WHO IN THE ZOO is a 12-page Donald Duck story drawn by
Esteban. In it, junior associate zoo-worker Donald is asked to put
up the new tire swing for Foster, a crumudgeonly old orangutan
who's not at all keen on the idea of Donald proudly upgrading
Foster's ratty old, but comfortably familiar, bias-ply with a
spanking new steel-belted radial. It's a battle of wits and wills
between the two, but ultimately a kind of wind-em-up and let-em-go
type tale that I'm not sure pays off as solidly as it builds up.
You be the judge.

THE MIGHTY MAGNIFICO is a 10-page Mickey and Goofy tale drawn by
Rodriques. It's a kind of modern parable, or lyric fantasy, if you
wish, on what it means to be actually cognizant of the true gifts
of life that perhaps are obscured by the more immediate pressures
that come from such existence. (I think it's important to
encourage youngsters to hang on to the awe of the new, and to
encourage oldsters, like me, to remember.)

For this story Rodriques has developed some superb character
designs! In particular, the Italian inn-keeper, Bargello (our
Latin friends will get the joke), is very-well realized. Further,
in a few panels Rodriques achieves an astonishing sense of three
dimensional depth showing mastery of perspective and scale not
often found in comics, let alone Disney comics. (In particular,
note Page 2, panels 2 and 3, and Page 3, panel 5.)

GOLF IN THE HEATHER is a 6-page Scrooge drawn by Santanach. Simple
and spare, the art looks designed to capture color, so we'll see
if the Egmont colorist/designer can apply the kind of subtle
palette possible to a tale told in the wilds of burgeoning
Scottish heather.

Concerned his business dealings are losing their hard-as-nails
edge, Scrooge decides to take up a short round of golf in the land
of his ancestors, ostensibly to "put the gump back in my
gumption!" There he meets up with a blind old codger, Seamus of
the Twisted Knob, who ridicules him unmercifully (and deservedly).
Scrooge proves his mettle, though, by ultimately rising to the
challenge (when hasn't he?) and the old duck is rewarded by
learning a new trick, so to speak. (Actually, he's re-learning
what he already knew and though it's not stated explicitly, he
gets what he wanted, but not as he expected.) I particularly like
the exchange between Seamus and Scrooge wherein the old duck's
goat is gotten by the unflappably good-humored, but sharp-tongued
Seamus.

In some ways, this is an accidental companion piece to THE MIGHTY
MAGNIFICO in that it is a morality tale designed to encourage
youngsters to (again) hang on to the wisdom they're born with.

IDOL SPECULATION is a 10-page Donald story drawn by Colomer. The
art is suitably zany and well-adapted to this tale. Colomer, by
the way, has done some stunning work recently, notably, UNHAPPY
HOBOS (D96248, story by Pat Block), THE GUIDE (D96394, story by
Paul Halas and Flor Collins), HOUSE CLEANING (D96228, story by Per
Hedman) and one I can't lay my hands on that has a full tier
rendering of an old train and trestle that easily rivals and
perhaps even bests the "irritating and needless detail" we all
love in Don Rosa's work. (Perhaps David Gerstein knows the story
of which I speak?)

In fact, I predict that when credits finally become common, a
whole field of creative talent will seem to suddenly explode on
fandom as folks learn the subtle distinctions between some of the
finest comic art practitioners in the world today. So often, with
no other clues to guide them, folks can only distinguish among the
obvious. Now, with certainty to guide them, they'll be able to
migrate (if they wish) to a whole new realm of enjoyment as they
ponder the more subtle merits of a panoply of creators drawn from
the world over. There's a new Golden Age coming for those with the
sensibilities to enjoy it.

To return to IDOL SPECULATION, it is a tale of unthinking
hero-worship gone bad. In essence, "What happens," the story asks,
"when one you idolize doesn't deserve uncritical accolade?" In
this thoroughly modern tale Donald awaits his turn to participate
in a video-conferenced interactive InterNet broadcast between
Buffalo Billy Bob Behemoth and his legion of adoring Bandy-legged
Buckaroos.

Here's a tiny insider's tip: look for evidence of a bizarre gaff
in my panel directions to the artist on Page 3, panel 4. Note the
literal visual difference between the virtually indistinguishable
"He stands on tiptoe" and "He stands on tiptoes". Absolutely
hilarious!

Thanks for your patience in reading this and all the best to each
of you in the coming year!

--
riverrun past Eve's and Adam's from swerve of shore to bend of bay
(Email removed) -=*=- http://users.aol.com/dcrawson/home.htm

Possible HEIRS to the McDuck Fortune (Continued)...

Moby Duck & Dim-Witty (to finance their continued shipping operations)
Titus Wadley (former? employee, accountant and moneybin watchman)
Super Goof (for protecting $crooge's money bin on several ocassions)
Argus McSwine (named during a bout with insanity)
Mrs. Crackshell, the TV-holic ($crooge has always had a *thing* for her)
Neighbor Jones (just to irritate Donald)
Chip'n Dale (just to irritate all of his relatives)
Phooey/Fooey Duck ($crooge's REALLY favorite grand nephew)
Mr. Bunz, "The Man From Oola-Oola" (TL 216 / U$A 28, reason: GUILT!)
Disney Comics Fans (without whom there'd never be a $crooge McDuck!!!)

-Rich (xephyr)
http://www.jps.net/xephyr/rich/disney.html

KATIE:

> All in all, I didn't find anything that looked like it would support the
> theory that Goldie and Scrooge were legally married.

On the other hand, you didn't find any evidence that they weren't, only that
they would have had to agree mutually to get married, with or without a
marriage ceremony (which would weaken the requirement for a common law vs.
garden variety marriage).

Given that the text you quoted says that it is a common misconception that
merely staying together for a certain amount of time constitutes a common law
marriage, it might even be the case that Scrooge is under the same
misconception!

On the other hand, is it a misconception, or does what you describe only
hold for Texas? What little I know comes from an old news item, where
what appeared to have been Clint Eastwood's girlfriend was suing him for
having thrown her out of his house (and for some other nasty stuff),
and the reporters kept referring to her as his "common law wife". Having
encountered the term for the first time, I (think I) looked it up, and
came up with the "living together for a certain time" definition. If
this is so, then the definition may vary from state to state.

In any case, there is little point in my insisting on the "common law"
angle. You must admit, however, that Scrooge's having at some time been
married to Goldie is an interesting possibility!
--
Kriton (e-mail: (Email removed))
(WWW: http://dias.cti.gr/~kyrimis
-----
"To let yourself grow old is suicide."
-----

JONATHAN:

"An Eye for Detail" was never supposed to be in #621. It was solicited to
be in #622.

And while on the topic of WDC&S, I must say that I wasn't too impressed
with all the wasted space on "The reluctant Dragon" and "Morris the
Midget Moose" either!

-Shaun
Fortuna Favet Fortibus

--------------------------------
End of Disney comics Digest V98 Issue #17
*****************************************

Hi again! Time to play catch-up once more...

Donald Markstein wrote:

<<I think the worst of the Barks MGM re-translated-back-to- English stories
was the one where Barney Bear and Benny Burro met a parrot named "El Macaw".
Since the name means "The Parrot" in Spanish, they simply translated the name
as "The Parrot". In English, a name like "El Macaw" sounds kinda cool. But
naming a parrot "The Parrot" is more than a little on the flat side.

Actually, I always thought a macaw was a particular kind of parrot, or
even a different (though related) kind of bird. There seems to be some
question as to what the Spanish word for "parrot" is. I remember an old
Batman story set in South America, with a villain called El Papagayo...*also*
translated as "The Parrot," since he had one for a pet who was always on his
shoulder. (Michael Fleisher liked this villain so much that he introduced an
ancestor with the same name and a similar parrot, who went up against Jonah
Hex several times.)

Yet a Cuban friend tells me neither word is necessarily right. She tells me:

"It also varies with the slang/colloqialism of the country. I think that the
word we use is cotorra <sp?>."

Paulo Cezar Lopes Barretto wrote:

<<Well... I'd rather believe U$ loves Grandma's food, as regularly shown in
S-codes.... of course U$ spent big bucks in buying all the apples available,
so I think U$ thinks there's something special in Grandma's food beyond being
free.>>

There does seem to be a strange affection there. Thinking back to one
of Gladstone's first reprints (the "Vacation in Disneyland" annual that
introduced Ratchet Gearloose), there's one sequence where the female
characters are off on their own, worrying about the others. Minnie of course
is worried about Mickey, Daisy is afraid she'll never see Donald again, and
Grandma says, "I may never see...*Scrooge* again!" Maybe a bit unusual,
especially since (as has been noted) she's older than Scrooge, but then
again, at their age that probably doesn't make much difference. (But where do
Goldie and Briggita fit in...?)

Tarjei Kidd Olsen wrote:

<<I also remember an Italian story where U$ puts his adult nephews to the
test by bestowing them investment money in equal parts. However, none did
qualify to run U$'s fortune...

Could this be Don Rosa's "Nobody's Business" story?>>

There was also an American story back in the '50's (which I *thought*
was by Barks...) in which Scrooge settles two failing businesses on his
nephews to see if either can save them. Donald almost makes a surprising
success of a pillow factory, but Gladstone is completely stumped by a moving
company that defaulted on a contract to physically move a house from one
cliff to another. So he just sits back and lets his luck take over...which it
does; a convenient hurricane comes up out of a clear blue sky and deposits
the house right where it's supposed to go. In the process, it also destroys
Donald's inventory. But Donald ends up ahead after all, because all those
feathers blowing around Duckburg resulted in a huge profit for yet a third
McDuck company...one that made vacuum cleaners. Still, I can see that these
particular events wouldn't be likely to inspire Scrooge to leave his fortune
to *either* nephew...

Kriton Kyrimis wrote:

<<As for what Scrooge's will says about his fortune according to Don's
vision, it's probably the same thing that Don's will says about his comic
book collection, which I doubt that he would consider dumping at sea even for
a moment. Instead, I would assume that someone with the same attitude towards
comics as Don will be made very happy one day in the distant future.
Extrapolating from this, who is it that has the same attitude towards money,
and will be made very happy by getting a binful of the stuff?>>

NOOO!!! You can't mean Scrooge would leave his money to
**shudder**....Flintheart Glomgold??!!

<<That's right, the Phantom of Notre Duck!!!>>

Whew! You had me *going* there for a minute! But seriously...Scrooge
of all people *did* know the value of an inheritance, since he inherited the
gold watch, Seafoam McDuck's gold teeth, and, of course, Castle McDuck, and
still owns two of the three. (Granted, the money he earned himself is
responsible for his paying the taxes that enabled him to *keep* his
inheritance...

Katie Sullivan wrote:

<<But does it bother anyone else that $crooge is old enough to be Brigitta's
father? At least apparently. I mean, he walks with a cane (well, some of the
time...) and she's hopping around with her perky blonde hair.>>

No more than, as I noted before, Grandma is old enough (or almost) old
enough to be Scrooge's mother. Once again, all three characters are of an age
that the differences don't matter much...

<<You're free to your own opinion. Rosa has no more authority over your
beliefs than the European artists who (I am told) have given Scrooge a
brother.>>

Would that be Uncle Rumpus from the Van Horn stories? I don't think we
ever learned *his* last name. (Moby Duck was also said to be Donald's uncle,
but from his name, I'd say he's probably another brother of Quackmore Duck.)

> It is possible that Dickie's presence will never be translated into stories

> in the USA as it seems her mere existence is some what contentionable.

Sigh. Is a hint of illegitimacy really all THAT bad, in a country that

embraces X-Men and Spawn! Some of those so-called "superhero" comics are
practically pornography!>>

Not at all. Indeed, the first time I saw the early Duck Family Tree
that Barks drew was in the old ROCKET'S BLAST/COMICOLLECTOR, where it was
reproduced in the "Information Center" column that ran there. The columnist
pointed out "Note that there's only ONE line going to Huey, Dewey and
Louie..." (from their mother) "...so you know what THEY are!" (The columnist,
by the way...my favorite in that sadly-missed fanzine...was a certain Keno
Don Rosa...)

Dwight Decker wrote:

<<Outside of the Rosa stories, I doubt if the Danish version of things
worries too much about where "Andeby" exactly is (the train station scene
refers to "toget fra Paris" -- the train from Paris, as though there's a
direct rail connection), so the explanatory dialogue wasn't necessary. I
can't tell if the Danish version was translated from my English version (as
was done with the Ringtail van Dukke story) or if it was retranslated from
Dutch, but the line about Donald's "rental car" in Paris is certainly gone.>>

Well, with the science-fictional atmosphere Barks (occasionally) gave
Duckburg, maybe Donald travelled by that favorite SF device...a tunnel
*through* the earth from Duckburg to Paris, with a train running through it?
They're close enough together so the tunnel wouldn't get at all close to the
earth's molten core...not that, in Rosa's story (following in the path of
Lance Pertwillaby and friends) the Ducks haven't already *been* there.
(Heaven only knows what the Terries and Fermies would make of it...)

Nils Karstad wrote:

<<Did Barks "follow" the characters Disney, Taliaferro and other artists
made?

Who have ever said that Don can't change *anything*?

I've read a lot of stories that changes Barks' original characters much more
than Don's stories.

Who cares?

If you like them, so read them and have fun.

If not, ignore them.>>

Right, Don's Ducks don't act the same way all the time. Neither did
Barks' Ducks. But then again, a lot of real people don't either. Scrooge is a
cheap miser but also has a strong moral code and even a suppressed streak of
generosity, Donald isn't stupid but he's lazy enough so he sometimes doesn't
bother to *use* his brain, and the Nephews are very clever and usually right
but *can* be obnoxious brats on (increasingly rare) occasion. Guess what?
There are a lot of real people like that, too...and that's one reason the
Ducks, by Barks *and* Rosa, in many ways seem *more* real than your average
Marvel Comics character whose personality can be described in 15 words or
less.

Rich Pegasus wrote:

<<Artistically, in fact, J.Pomp is drawn with much more detail than Filo
Sganga seems to have ever been. It is just that in the past the prominent
Judge usually seen was a brown colored Owl whom Pomp seems to have usurped
(at least for that one story). As far as the actual story goes, I think it
was a great introduc(k)tion for Sganga into the U.S. and sets up any future
encounters.>>

Why can't Duckburg have more than one judge? (During my days as a public
defender, Framingham, MA--not all that big a place--had at least three.)
What's more confusing is the Mayor of Duckburg, whom Don constantly draws as
a typical Barks dogface...whereas, in most Barks stories I've read, he's been
a typical Barks PIGface.

Mikko Pohjola wrote:

<<Now, should Scrooge's mysterious past be revealed? Well, why not? Carl
Barks did it ("Back to the Klondyke"), Tony Strobl did it ("The Invisible
Intruder"), Marco Rota did it (Donald's 50th anniversary story), most
European writers have done it.>>

Very true, except that Tony Strobl had nothing to do with "The Invisible
Intruder." Credits on that story were to Vic Lockman (plotter/writer) and
Carl Barks (art and rewriting of script).

Daniel van Eijmeren wrote:

> Eh? In WDC&S 194 electoral candidate Scrooge announces ignorantly that he
> wants *more* smog - he's missed the articles in the paper by not buying
> them, so has no idea that smog = pollution and hence something people
> despise...

Yes indeed, but in the next panels the nephews explain the meaning of smog to
Scrooge and some pages later he says: "And I promise, if I'm elected, to
banish *smog* from Duckburg, and to be *good* to taxpayers and *kind* to
little children!">>

I can't believe someone with as many investments as Scrooge wouldn't
read a newspaper every day, at least during the week. (I suspect he borrows
Miss Quackfaster's.)

Rich Morrissey

Dean wrote <<In the most recent digest Jonathan Markoff wrote with disdain
about the recent "Reluctant Dragon" and "Morris the Midget Moose" stories in
the
latest two issue of WDC&S. I also dislike these and other such stories
Gladstone has used in past issues of WDC&S. They are for me anyway
basically just wasted pages in the issue. I began to wonder though if
that is the feeling of others on the list. Perhaps Jonathan and I are
in the minority? I am just curious whether you would rather have
stories like this or some Duck and/or Mouse stories from Europe? >>

I haven't read this issue yet, but I long ago read the stories. I enjoy the
work of Al Hubbard (on Morris) and Harvey Eisenberg (on RD); the fact that I
recall who drew these stories , and I haven't read them in 10 years or more,
says I have good feelings about them. On the other hand, these adaptations of
cartoons have minimal story value. I'd enjoy Chip N Dale, Brer Rabbit, and
Scamp more - or the strangly done Dick Moores Donald Ducks (or Moores' great
MM stories - especially those he wrote). But to threathen me with more of
those horrible Vicar Donald Duck stories would make me accept even Jack
Manning or Lee Holley (Lee do any Disney stuff?).
I know from the past that I'm in the minority here about Vicar though. But
obviously different strokes for different folks.

Steven Rowe

Katie wrote:
> Regarding "wasted space" in Walt Disney Comics and Stories... I agree
> that such stories are unnecessary. I'd *much* rather see European duck
> stories never seen by an American audience.

Yes, even if I live in Europe, and can buy all the Egmont-stories in my own
language, I'd rather see those stories instead of "Midget Moose" stuff.
There are *lots* of Gerstein, Ferioli, Branca and Van Horn stories that
hasn't seen print in the USA! My vote goes to those stories...

> And could someone tell me who was responsible for the awful Scrooge
> stories from (I believe...) the 1960's or 70's, with the round-faced
> Beagle Boys? I believe Whitman published them.

I think that you mean Jack Manning, who did lots of Disney comic-books
in the late 70's/early 80's.

/Joakim.

LUCA
(About Goldie living in a hospital):
Oh I see. We call these "Convalescent Hospitals" Places where the
ambulatory
elderly or infirm live in a facility, which also has a medical staff
employed.
This clears that up. It is indeed sad that Scarpa had this vision of
Goldie.
I think many fans might disagree with the idea that Goldie could no
longer take
care of herself, but the idea that she would later take over as Director
of the
facility is at least redeeming.

Overall, I think this tale sounds quite facinating. I would love to see
an
encounter between Goldie and Brigitta, but I am surprised that it was so
civil.
That proves that Goldie is truly a gentle hearted woman. I, personally
still
favor a match with her and $crooge over one with Brigitta and $crooge.
Maybe
Brigitta should turn her attentions to Glomgold or Rockerduck.

> More info: the same Paperetta comes from Middle West, she has no parents and
> attended school in a sort of college. Goldie asks openly to Scrooge to bring
> her to Duckburg with him.

ABOUT DICKIE:
O.K., Dickie lives in Duckburg in a Bording School or Finishing School
type
facility without her parents. And her adventures involve four other,
probably
residents of the school, Beckett (Aracuan), Walter, Neptunia and
Olympia...
got it. :-)

ABOUT FETHRY & GLORIA:
Fethry is the Red Bat & Gloria is the Purple Moth... got it.
Interesting.
Both then seem to emmulate creatures of the night. THE BAT & THE MOTH.

ABOUT THE RED WASP AND HERO HEADQUARTERS:
Then in Brazil the Disney would seem to have it's own version of D.C.'s
"Justice League of America" or Marvel's "Avengers." Yes I am aware that
Mickey is considered to live in Duckburg in Europe & Brazil, except we
have
this strange concept in the USA were se seem to like to keep the Mice
out
of the Duck universe. I don't get it. I like seeing Donald and Mickey
interact. It is also strange to think of the Red Wasp as the sole
"human"
looking character of the bunch. Oh well.

> Bye, Rich, and greetings to alla the DML people!
> Luca
This is good that you moved the conversation to the List, I think,
especially
the stuff about Goldie and Brigitta. Thank you for the information.

Rich