From
http://gildet.uio.no/?M=PV&folderid=10 :
various cultural events arranged by the students
of the Mathematics and Sciences Faculty of the
University of Oslo. They also feature various
"popular science lectures" [see under "pop.vit."
at the website mentioned;
http://gildet.uio.no/?M=PV&folderid=9 ].
Among these:
"Mathematics in Duckburg"
with Professor Nils Lid Hjort,
Department of Mathematics
Friday February 20, 12.15 - 13.00,
Auditorium 1, Vilhelm Bjerknes Building
I will illustrate various mathematical themes as
illustrated in and related to the literary canon of
Duckburg.
The website (and the pamphlet) say that "there is
room for 250 people at this lecture, but at least
800 will brag afterwards that they have been there".
(Gulp.)
Author
Topic: 200402
(299 messages)
Nils Lid Hjort
Mathematics in Duckburg
Message 181 -
2004-02-18 at 20:16:41
Olivier
Exclamation Points In Comic Stories
Message 182 -
2004-02-18 at 20:51:20
Derek:
>>>>One thing that's always puzzled me about Disney comics. Why is it that after every sentence that isn't a question, there is
>>>>an exclamation point? Other comic books seem to use regular periods when appropriate , etc. It always seems like Donald
>>>>and the gang are shouting at each other or something: "Hi Uncle Scrooge! I'm fine! I think I'll go buy an ice cream cone!
>>>>They're so good!" It just seems slightly weird is all. :)
The reason is quite simple and practical !
Unfortunately, I can't find the album with the quotation-- but I do remember most of it !
Carl Barks once explained that a point might be mistaken for "something a fly had put there", so an exclamation point was the easier way to avoid mistakes !
Olivier
>>>>One thing that's always puzzled me about Disney comics. Why is it that after every sentence that isn't a question, there is
>>>>an exclamation point? Other comic books seem to use regular periods when appropriate , etc. It always seems like Donald
>>>>and the gang are shouting at each other or something: "Hi Uncle Scrooge! I'm fine! I think I'll go buy an ice cream cone!
>>>>They're so good!" It just seems slightly weird is all. :)
The reason is quite simple and practical !
Unfortunately, I can't find the album with the quotation-- but I do remember most of it !
Carl Barks once explained that a point might be mistaken for "something a fly had put there", so an exclamation point was the easier way to avoid mistakes !
Olivier
Cristina
Paperinik or Pikappa?
Message 183 -
2004-02-18 at 20:52:28
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stefan Persson" <spe at inducks.org>
To: "Olaf Solstrand" <olaf at andebyonline.com>
Cc: "Cristina" <cbriva at tin.it>; <dcml at stp.ling.uu.se>
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 1:20 AM
Subject: Re: Paperinik or Pikappa?
> Olaf Solstrand wrote:
> > Cristina wrote:
> >
> >> He shortened his name in "Pikappa" for pratical use;
> >
> > Has it ever been said what it's short for?
>
> Paperinik was shortened to PK, which was unshortened to Pikappa.
>
> Stefan
Well, almost :)
PK is the spelling of the name, short form of PaperiniK. Pikappa is its
actual italian pronunciation (it'd be Pikey in english). It's also used in
the comics whenever one or more characters "talk" with or about him
("Pikappa, watch out!") - along with his full superhero name, Paperinik. Pk,
on the other hand, is used both as the title of the series and whenever
someone refers to him by "writing" rather than "talking" (i.e his P.B.I card
actually reads "Pk").
Cristina "Christmas"
http://christmas.altervista.org
From: "Stefan Persson" <spe at inducks.org>
To: "Olaf Solstrand" <olaf at andebyonline.com>
Cc: "Cristina" <cbriva at tin.it>; <dcml at stp.ling.uu.se>
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 1:20 AM
Subject: Re: Paperinik or Pikappa?
> Olaf Solstrand wrote:
> > Cristina wrote:
> >
> >> He shortened his name in "Pikappa" for pratical use;
> >
> > Has it ever been said what it's short for?
>
> Paperinik was shortened to PK, which was unshortened to Pikappa.
>
> Stefan
Well, almost :)
PK is the spelling of the name, short form of PaperiniK. Pikappa is its
actual italian pronunciation (it'd be Pikey in english). It's also used in
the comics whenever one or more characters "talk" with or about him
("Pikappa, watch out!") - along with his full superhero name, Paperinik. Pk,
on the other hand, is used both as the title of the series and whenever
someone refers to him by "writing" rather than "talking" (i.e his P.B.I card
actually reads "Pk").
Cristina "Christmas"
http://christmas.altervista.org
G-hasne
The reason for some Barks stories?
Message 184 -
2004-02-18 at 21:30:55
Hello from cold Norway.
I wonder regarding some story ideas Barks had. Maybe Rob Klein or Don Rosa can
explain a little more about these ideas?
I always found the story about the midget racing cars somewhat hard to grasp.
Does anyone know anything about midget racing cars in the USA in the 50s and
why Barks should choose to elaborate upon this idea?
Also, there is a story on mini scooters making a race in the desert. Can
anyone tell whether this was something that was going on at that time? I would
think it was, but the idea of mini scooters doing such a race is weird.
Was playing hookey, that is staying away from school, so common that counties
and towns had their own truant officers, spying around for kids taking the day
off?
Was a Jalopy race a common occurrence in the USA in the 50s / 60s? What
exactly did the term mean at that time?
Sincerely,
Geir Hasnes
Trondheim, Norway
I wonder regarding some story ideas Barks had. Maybe Rob Klein or Don Rosa can
explain a little more about these ideas?
I always found the story about the midget racing cars somewhat hard to grasp.
Does anyone know anything about midget racing cars in the USA in the 50s and
why Barks should choose to elaborate upon this idea?
Also, there is a story on mini scooters making a race in the desert. Can
anyone tell whether this was something that was going on at that time? I would
think it was, but the idea of mini scooters doing such a race is weird.
Was playing hookey, that is staying away from school, so common that counties
and towns had their own truant officers, spying around for kids taking the day
off?
Was a Jalopy race a common occurrence in the USA in the 50s / 60s? What
exactly did the term mean at that time?
Sincerely,
Geir Hasnes
Trondheim, Norway
Eta Beta
Exclamation Points In Comic Stories
Message 185 -
2004-02-18 at 22:01:41
Olivier says (to Derek)
>Carl Barks once explained that a point might be mistaken for "something a
>fly had put there", so an exclamation point was the easier way to avoid
>mistakes !
Correct, but that doesn't explain the whole story...
in the old times the final inked art (and lettering) was transferred
on transparent acetate, which was then checked by a "cleaner" editor
to make sure there were no hairs, dust particles or other blemishes
on it that could spoil the final print, and if there were any the
editor would remove them.
A plain period or full stop could indeed be dangerously similar to
a dust particle and/or unwanted spot, so the rule was that
punctuation should be emphasized with exclamative marks so as not
to be mistaken for "defect".
The most famous anecdote on this matter couls be spotted in the
very first Mickey Mouse daily strip, first panel, where in
unrestored editions we see a chicken in a corner, intentely
gazing at... nothing!
There was originally an interesting pebble, or seed there which
attracted our poultry's attention, but an eager editor had "cleaned"
it off.
Cheers!
Eta Beta
>Carl Barks once explained that a point might be mistaken for "something a
>fly had put there", so an exclamation point was the easier way to avoid
>mistakes !
Correct, but that doesn't explain the whole story...
in the old times the final inked art (and lettering) was transferred
on transparent acetate, which was then checked by a "cleaner" editor
to make sure there were no hairs, dust particles or other blemishes
on it that could spoil the final print, and if there were any the
editor would remove them.
A plain period or full stop could indeed be dangerously similar to
a dust particle and/or unwanted spot, so the rule was that
punctuation should be emphasized with exclamative marks so as not
to be mistaken for "defect".
The most famous anecdote on this matter couls be spotted in the
very first Mickey Mouse daily strip, first panel, where in
unrestored editions we see a chicken in a corner, intentely
gazing at... nothing!
There was originally an interesting pebble, or seed there which
attracted our poultry's attention, but an eager editor had "cleaned"
it off.
Cheers!
Eta Beta
Shad Z.
Exclamation Points In Comic Stories
Message 186 -
2004-02-18 at 22:13:01
From: "Olivier" <mouse-ducks at wanadoo.fr>
>
> Derek:
>
>
> >>>>One thing that's always puzzled me about Disney comics. Why is it that
> >>>> after every sentence that isn't a question, there is
> >>>>an exclamation point? Other comic books seem to use regular periods
> >>>>when appropriate , etc. It always seems like Donald
> >>>>and the gang are shouting at each other or something: "Hi Uncle Scrooge!
> >>>>I'm fine! I think I'll go buy an ice cream cone!
> >>>>They're so good!" It just seems slightly weird is all. :)
>
> The reason is quite simple and practical !
> Unfortunately, I can't find the album with the quotation-- but I do
> remember most of it !
> Carl Barks once explained that a point might be mistaken for "something
> a fly had put there", so an exclamation point was the easier way to
> avoid mistakes !
Correct! Given the quality of printing used on comic
books back when Barks was working, a period could quite
easily get lost! Exclamation points were used instead!
Nowdays, with better printing, most comic writers feel
free to use periods! I don't know why Gemstone still
uses all-exclamation-points in their comics!
We could ask Don and the other American writers on the
list:
Do you write your English scripts with
all-exclamation-points? Or are your periods changed
to exclamation points by the letterer (by editorial
command)?
--
Shad Z. ^Q^
http://shadz.homestead.com/files/
HONK TO SEE PUPPIES
Sign along US 287, Loveland CO
--
___________________________________________________________
Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com
http://promo.mail.com/adsfreejump.htm
>
> Derek:
>
>
> >>>>One thing that's always puzzled me about Disney comics. Why is it that
> >>>> after every sentence that isn't a question, there is
> >>>>an exclamation point? Other comic books seem to use regular periods
> >>>>when appropriate , etc. It always seems like Donald
> >>>>and the gang are shouting at each other or something: "Hi Uncle Scrooge!
> >>>>I'm fine! I think I'll go buy an ice cream cone!
> >>>>They're so good!" It just seems slightly weird is all. :)
>
> The reason is quite simple and practical !
> Unfortunately, I can't find the album with the quotation-- but I do
> remember most of it !
> Carl Barks once explained that a point might be mistaken for "something
> a fly had put there", so an exclamation point was the easier way to
> avoid mistakes !
Correct! Given the quality of printing used on comic
books back when Barks was working, a period could quite
easily get lost! Exclamation points were used instead!
Nowdays, with better printing, most comic writers feel
free to use periods! I don't know why Gemstone still
uses all-exclamation-points in their comics!
We could ask Don and the other American writers on the
list:
Do you write your English scripts with
all-exclamation-points? Or are your periods changed
to exclamation points by the letterer (by editorial
command)?
--
Shad Z. ^Q^
http://shadz.homestead.com/files/
HONK TO SEE PUPPIES
Sign along US 287, Loveland CO
--
___________________________________________________________
Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com
http://promo.mail.com/adsfreejump.htm
Eta Beta
More Ellsworth
Message 187 -
2004-02-18 at 22:21:23
LUCA says
>the minah
>bird was baptized Gancio "il dritto" (which means something like "the cool")
>from his first translation. The creator of name and nickname is the famous
>story man Guido Martina.
Who managed to make a rather nice pun with this name + nickname set
as well.
"gancio" means "hook" in Italian, and "dritto", while meaning
indeed "smart", "sharp", in its literal sense also means "straight",
"linear"
Straight Hook, geddit ? ;-)
And on this theme I would also like to add that Luca Boschi himself,
as writer, relatively recently revamped the Ellsworth character in an
unfortunately short series of very nice "comedy" stories, teaming
again Ellsworth with Goofy but also adding to the picture another
semi-forgotten character from the vault of classics, Goofy's inventor
uncle Wombat of "Tock tock time machine" fame.
The running gag is the absent-minded inventor always politely
addressing Ellsworth as "Mr. Il Dritto", mistaking his nickname
for an actual surname, much to Ellsworth's annoyance :-)
Cheers!
Eta Beta
>the minah
>bird was baptized Gancio "il dritto" (which means something like "the cool")
>from his first translation. The creator of name and nickname is the famous
>story man Guido Martina.
Who managed to make a rather nice pun with this name + nickname set
as well.
"gancio" means "hook" in Italian, and "dritto", while meaning
indeed "smart", "sharp", in its literal sense also means "straight",
"linear"
Straight Hook, geddit ? ;-)
And on this theme I would also like to add that Luca Boschi himself,
as writer, relatively recently revamped the Ellsworth character in an
unfortunately short series of very nice "comedy" stories, teaming
again Ellsworth with Goofy but also adding to the picture another
semi-forgotten character from the vault of classics, Goofy's inventor
uncle Wombat of "Tock tock time machine" fame.
The running gag is the absent-minded inventor always politely
addressing Ellsworth as "Mr. Il Dritto", mistaking his nickname
for an actual surname, much to Ellsworth's annoyance :-)
Cheers!
Eta Beta
Mickey
Letter from home
Message 188 -
2004-02-18 at 23:26:01
Is anyone from Norway so kind to tale the first part of this story (of
course, under a *great* SPOILER SPACE)? Even in private mail... I'm dying to
know something about it! :D
Mickey
course, under a *great* SPOILER SPACE)? Even in private mail... I'm dying to
know something about it! :D
Mickey
Paolo Castagno
R: Astronomers find huge plot device in space
Message 189 -
2004-02-19 at 00:32:17
> Speaking of plot lines, here's a news story that
> literally begs to be used in a Scrooge treasure hunt
> story:
>
> http://www.universetoday.com/am/publish/huge_diamond_space.html
That's something Pezzin and Cavazzano already invented something
like 26 years ago...
http://coa.inducks.org/coa/c1/story.php/0/I+AT++252-A
or, if you prefer (and can read Italian):
http://www.papersera.net/search/searchcode.php?sr=Y&p_codice=I+AT
++252-A
Ciao,
- Paolo
http://www.papersera.net mailto:paolo at papersera.net
> literally begs to be used in a Scrooge treasure hunt
> story:
>
> http://www.universetoday.com/am/publish/huge_diamond_space.html
That's something Pezzin and Cavazzano already invented something
like 26 years ago...
http://coa.inducks.org/coa/c1/story.php/0/I+AT++252-A
or, if you prefer (and can read Italian):
http://www.papersera.net/search/searchcode.php?sr=Y&p_codice=I+AT
++252-A
Ciao,
- Paolo
http://www.papersera.net mailto:paolo at papersera.net
Anthony Vuono
Reactions to Letter from Home
Message 190 -
2004-02-19 at 03:45:31
To list:
I'm dying to know about "Letter from Home" as well. I saw the cover on a
Don Rosa website. I love it, especially Don's drawing of Matilda, who has
her own unique appearance apart from Grandma Duck and Glittering Goldie. I
can't wait to read the U.S. version whenever that will be. If anyone has any
opinions about Don's latest yarn without spoiling it so much, please feel
free to write them here if you want. I'm interested!
Sincerely,
Anthony
I'm dying to know about "Letter from Home" as well. I saw the cover on a
Don Rosa website. I love it, especially Don's drawing of Matilda, who has
her own unique appearance apart from Grandma Duck and Glittering Goldie. I
can't wait to read the U.S. version whenever that will be. If anyone has any
opinions about Don's latest yarn without spoiling it so much, please feel
free to write them here if you want. I'm interested!
Sincerely,
Anthony
Matthew Williams
Midget Car Racin'
Message 191 -
2004-02-19 at 03:56:14
I honestly don't know a lot about the subject, but when I was a child (in
the early eighties) I attended several midget car races. My family had a
friend who was a racer. Before I had read the Barks story, I had always
assumed that this was a Southern USA thing (I'm from North Carolina). So
many people here obsess over NASCAR racing and cars in general but, of
course, lack the finances to pursue the dream. Midget Car Racing always
struck me as a way that middle class folks (folks in Donald's tax bracket)
could purse their auto racing dreams. I suppose cynics could laugh this
setting-the-bar-low sort of dream, and I always took that as part of the
humor in the Barks story; Donald wants this dream so badly, but it's hardly
glamorous, and only small children would place a midget car driver on a
pedestal.
May you all one day be able to participate in such exciting cultural events!
Matt
the early eighties) I attended several midget car races. My family had a
friend who was a racer. Before I had read the Barks story, I had always
assumed that this was a Southern USA thing (I'm from North Carolina). So
many people here obsess over NASCAR racing and cars in general but, of
course, lack the finances to pursue the dream. Midget Car Racing always
struck me as a way that middle class folks (folks in Donald's tax bracket)
could purse their auto racing dreams. I suppose cynics could laugh this
setting-the-bar-low sort of dream, and I always took that as part of the
humor in the Barks story; Donald wants this dream so badly, but it's hardly
glamorous, and only small children would place a midget car driver on a
pedestal.
May you all one day be able to participate in such exciting cultural events!
Matt
Ole R Nielsen
Rosa stories ?
Message 192 -
2004-02-19 at 05:43:59
Mads Jensen wrote:
>Furthermore Blum mentions "Ghast Gow" as the first thing he ever saw by
>Rosa, but the interview doesn't mention it any further. But according to
>Blum, the reason why it was rejected was that it was built too much over
>an old classic (which could only be by Barks, in this contents, I
>believe ? :-))
As discussed in DCML mails at the time the interview was published,
it is assumed that the story in question is "Cash Flow". It may have
been seen as too close to the most classic of all Scrooge stories,
"Only A Poor Old Man" with the money lake.
This and another reference to a story called "The Square X" (aka
"Return to Plain Awful") suggests that the cause of the confusion
is the the transcriber of the interview tapes (Steffen Kronborg or
possibly Thomas Berger) and not Geoffrey Blum .
Aristotle wrote about the Four Basic Stories...
Steffen Kronborg also happens to be the author of a number of articles
collected in two books, where he convincingly argues that the deeper
theme of Barks's stories is a Man vs. Nature conflict, which always
ends with the defeat of Man (our duck friends).
It is an interesting perspective on the morals taught by our beloved
writer gaining credibility by the knowledge of his own preference to
western lore for entertainment and the strongly eco-aware Junior
Woodchucks stories of his post-retirement age.
So, I wonder: What is it we Barks fans think we have learned from
his stories? Barks himself would of course say that he only wrote
to entertain with funny stories about those zany ducks. But his own
ideas would of course unconsciously flow through the pen and give
that deeper significance to his stories which makes them so special.
I think that one sentiment which resonates with many of us fans
today is that Barks at the apogee of his career was an elderly man,
solidly rootet in values and ideas of the start of the 20th century.
Isolated from the time stream he could with a language already
then quaint and oldfashioned make satire of his present and its
obsession with the promises of the future.
But how strange it is as a modern nostalgic to think of the man we'd
easily describe the most popular comic book artist of the 1950es -
wishing he'd be back in the days when the West was still wild and
tycoons made their fortune prospecting for oil or gold or raising cattle,
instead of licensing the likeness of a rodent to subcontractors.
-- Ole
>Furthermore Blum mentions "Ghast Gow" as the first thing he ever saw by
>Rosa, but the interview doesn't mention it any further. But according to
>Blum, the reason why it was rejected was that it was built too much over
>an old classic (which could only be by Barks, in this contents, I
>believe ? :-))
As discussed in DCML mails at the time the interview was published,
it is assumed that the story in question is "Cash Flow". It may have
been seen as too close to the most classic of all Scrooge stories,
"Only A Poor Old Man" with the money lake.
This and another reference to a story called "The Square X" (aka
"Return to Plain Awful") suggests that the cause of the confusion
is the the transcriber of the interview tapes (Steffen Kronborg or
possibly Thomas Berger) and not Geoffrey Blum .
Aristotle wrote about the Four Basic Stories...
Steffen Kronborg also happens to be the author of a number of articles
collected in two books, where he convincingly argues that the deeper
theme of Barks's stories is a Man vs. Nature conflict, which always
ends with the defeat of Man (our duck friends).
It is an interesting perspective on the morals taught by our beloved
writer gaining credibility by the knowledge of his own preference to
western lore for entertainment and the strongly eco-aware Junior
Woodchucks stories of his post-retirement age.
So, I wonder: What is it we Barks fans think we have learned from
his stories? Barks himself would of course say that he only wrote
to entertain with funny stories about those zany ducks. But his own
ideas would of course unconsciously flow through the pen and give
that deeper significance to his stories which makes them so special.
I think that one sentiment which resonates with many of us fans
today is that Barks at the apogee of his career was an elderly man,
solidly rootet in values and ideas of the start of the 20th century.
Isolated from the time stream he could with a language already
then quaint and oldfashioned make satire of his present and its
obsession with the promises of the future.
But how strange it is as a modern nostalgic to think of the man we'd
easily describe the most popular comic book artist of the 1950es -
wishing he'd be back in the days when the West was still wild and
tycoons made their fortune prospecting for oil or gold or raising cattle,
instead of licensing the likeness of a rodent to subcontractors.
-- Ole
Don Rosa
The reason for some Barks stories?
Message 193 -
2004-02-19 at 07:39:00
from Geir Hasnes
Subject: The reason for some Barks stories?
>>>>I wonder regarding some story ideas Barks had. Maybe Rob Klein or Don
Rosa can
explain a little more about these ideas?
All I can try to do is explain what these ideas are or might be based on...
>>>>>I always found the story about the midget racing cars somewhat hard to
grasp.
Does anyone know anything about midget racing cars in the USA in the 50s and
why Barks should choose to elaborate upon this idea?
Car racing is not something that I've ever had an interest in... but I do
know that midget racing cars were a big sport in America in the 1930's-50's.
No, not something kiddies did... big ol' adults racing around in itty bitty
race cars. Not especially safe, but I don't think car racing makes a lotta
sense in general. Don't ask me to explain it -- maybe you can find websites
about it?
>>>>Also, there is a story on mini scooters making a race in the desert. Can
anyone tell whether this was something that was going on at that time? I
would
think it was, but the idea of mini scooters doing such a race is weird.
That one stumps me, but Barks lived in the area where there were deserts,
maybe he saw such races. However, I have a feeling this was based on
cross-country motorcycle racing... but drawing motorcycles and trying to
figure out how a Duck with stubby legs would ride one might have been a bit
too difficult, so Barks turned them into these "mini-scooters" which, no,
I've never seen, racing in deserts or not.
>>>>Was playing hookey, that is staying away from school, so common that
counties
and towns had their own truant officers, spying around for kids taking the
day
off?
Well, this wasn't how it was by the time I was in grade school, 50 years
after Barks. But in Barks' schooldays, playing hooky was quite a sport and,
yeah, they had truant officers who would be sent after such kids or just
roam the likely spots hokey players would congregate. By the time I was in
school, an agent for the school system might be sent around to the home of a
student who did not show up for long periods at a time. I guess. Such a
thing never happened where I went to grade school, in my lil'
maroon blazer and lil' gray/maroon striped tie, at the St. Thomas Aquinas
Preparatory Academy -- to not show up for school was an idea that never
would have entered our heads!
Nowadays, my wife (the teacher) will tell me that an agent is very seldom
sent to look for a truant kid -- even when kids are in school, discipline is
such that they can't be made to stay quiet or not cause a distraction to
everyone else, so teachers are happy when these types of kids don't show up.
>>>>Was a Jalopy race a common occurrence in the USA in the 50s / 60s? What
exactly did the term mean at that time?
Jalopy races -- I guess you mean stock car racing, in other words, good ol'
boys racing junk cars imitating the high-tech racing they call "Formula
One", slowly developed as an affordable imitation of the "real" car racing
for the average guy. This became the "Nascar" racing that has become so
*incredibly* popular here now, such that it's the only type of racing that
we hear about... only when I'm in Europe do I hear much about "Formula One"
racing like I did when I was a kid. The good ol' boys like to think that
these other good ol' boys are racing in cars made from the same sorts of
cars they drive everyday, and they don't seem to notice that these are now
only vaguely reminiscent of the old stock cars... these are millionaires
racing high-tech million dollar machines. But it's things that have a
"common" flavor to them rather than a sense of sophistication that have
become what America worships. Similarly, there was a time when people here
looked up to and desired leaders who seemed smarter than they were rather
than mistrusting anyone who seemed more clever than the average good ol'
boy. Understanding why stock car racing is so popular here will help
Europeans understand why George W. Bush is the President of the United
States.
ABB.
Subject: The reason for some Barks stories?
>>>>I wonder regarding some story ideas Barks had. Maybe Rob Klein or Don
Rosa can
explain a little more about these ideas?
All I can try to do is explain what these ideas are or might be based on...
>>>>>I always found the story about the midget racing cars somewhat hard to
grasp.
Does anyone know anything about midget racing cars in the USA in the 50s and
why Barks should choose to elaborate upon this idea?
Car racing is not something that I've ever had an interest in... but I do
know that midget racing cars were a big sport in America in the 1930's-50's.
No, not something kiddies did... big ol' adults racing around in itty bitty
race cars. Not especially safe, but I don't think car racing makes a lotta
sense in general. Don't ask me to explain it -- maybe you can find websites
about it?
>>>>Also, there is a story on mini scooters making a race in the desert. Can
anyone tell whether this was something that was going on at that time? I
would
think it was, but the idea of mini scooters doing such a race is weird.
That one stumps me, but Barks lived in the area where there were deserts,
maybe he saw such races. However, I have a feeling this was based on
cross-country motorcycle racing... but drawing motorcycles and trying to
figure out how a Duck with stubby legs would ride one might have been a bit
too difficult, so Barks turned them into these "mini-scooters" which, no,
I've never seen, racing in deserts or not.
>>>>Was playing hookey, that is staying away from school, so common that
counties
and towns had their own truant officers, spying around for kids taking the
day
off?
Well, this wasn't how it was by the time I was in grade school, 50 years
after Barks. But in Barks' schooldays, playing hooky was quite a sport and,
yeah, they had truant officers who would be sent after such kids or just
roam the likely spots hokey players would congregate. By the time I was in
school, an agent for the school system might be sent around to the home of a
student who did not show up for long periods at a time. I guess. Such a
thing never happened where I went to grade school, in my lil'
maroon blazer and lil' gray/maroon striped tie, at the St. Thomas Aquinas
Preparatory Academy -- to not show up for school was an idea that never
would have entered our heads!
Nowadays, my wife (the teacher) will tell me that an agent is very seldom
sent to look for a truant kid -- even when kids are in school, discipline is
such that they can't be made to stay quiet or not cause a distraction to
everyone else, so teachers are happy when these types of kids don't show up.
>>>>Was a Jalopy race a common occurrence in the USA in the 50s / 60s? What
exactly did the term mean at that time?
Jalopy races -- I guess you mean stock car racing, in other words, good ol'
boys racing junk cars imitating the high-tech racing they call "Formula
One", slowly developed as an affordable imitation of the "real" car racing
for the average guy. This became the "Nascar" racing that has become so
*incredibly* popular here now, such that it's the only type of racing that
we hear about... only when I'm in Europe do I hear much about "Formula One"
racing like I did when I was a kid. The good ol' boys like to think that
these other good ol' boys are racing in cars made from the same sorts of
cars they drive everyday, and they don't seem to notice that these are now
only vaguely reminiscent of the old stock cars... these are millionaires
racing high-tech million dollar machines. But it's things that have a
"common" flavor to them rather than a sense of sophistication that have
become what America worships. Similarly, there was a time when people here
looked up to and desired leaders who seemed smarter than they were rather
than mistrusting anyone who seemed more clever than the average good ol'
boy. Understanding why stock car racing is so popular here will help
Europeans understand why George W. Bush is the President of the United
States.
ABB.
YMH
Gemstone's Coloring
Message 194 -
2004-02-19 at 08:50:06
In a message dated 1/30/2004 9:19:42 AM Eastern Standard Time, Thomas Pryds
Lauritsen <thomas at duckburg.dk> writes:
I think that often when whole areas (mostly backgrounds), which might
even include the Ducks, are coloured in a uniform shade, it is done in
order not to call too much attention to that part of the drawing,
probably since something else is happening in that panel that really
should be the centre of attention.
Perhaps so, but there are other ways to accomplish this without losing detail
in the coloring -- depth of field filters, for example, or differences in
brightness levels.
Oh, I agree that the colouring of the Bone covers is marvellous, and I'd
very much like to have such colouring applied to Disney covers. But I
think it might be too much if whole stories were coloured this way. I'm
afraid it might take away the attention from the story, but perhaps this
is just because I've always seen Disney comics coloured the "flat" way.
It's possible, but there's no way that we'd know for sure 'til we saw a story
colored that way. I have a Gladstone issue somewhere with a Barks story about
Donald being a doctor operating on cash registers... the first page was
colored in the way I describe (it was a tense scene in a room with directional
lighting) -- and the coloring both looked gorgeous and added a lot to the scene.
But I see the same thing in Danish issues; shading used primarily for
backgrounds and large, otherwise uniformly coloured areas in the
stories, and shading used to a higher degree on covers (but not to the
extent of the Bone cover example at all).
This is, in my opinion, unfortunate.
Notice that the Bone comic itself is uncoloured, so I think it's a
little hard to say whether the colouring of the cover would really have
been too much if applied to the story, too.
I think that the only reason that Bone is uncolored is the expense involved;
the books are self-published. The first issue was later re-released in a
colorized version; I'm not sure if the shading was up to the quality of the cover
or not.
-Yossi
Lauritsen <thomas at duckburg.dk> writes:
I think that often when whole areas (mostly backgrounds), which might
even include the Ducks, are coloured in a uniform shade, it is done in
order not to call too much attention to that part of the drawing,
probably since something else is happening in that panel that really
should be the centre of attention.
Perhaps so, but there are other ways to accomplish this without losing detail
in the coloring -- depth of field filters, for example, or differences in
brightness levels.
Oh, I agree that the colouring of the Bone covers is marvellous, and I'd
very much like to have such colouring applied to Disney covers. But I
think it might be too much if whole stories were coloured this way. I'm
afraid it might take away the attention from the story, but perhaps this
is just because I've always seen Disney comics coloured the "flat" way.
It's possible, but there's no way that we'd know for sure 'til we saw a story
colored that way. I have a Gladstone issue somewhere with a Barks story about
Donald being a doctor operating on cash registers... the first page was
colored in the way I describe (it was a tense scene in a room with directional
lighting) -- and the coloring both looked gorgeous and added a lot to the scene.
But I see the same thing in Danish issues; shading used primarily for
backgrounds and large, otherwise uniformly coloured areas in the
stories, and shading used to a higher degree on covers (but not to the
extent of the Bone cover example at all).
This is, in my opinion, unfortunate.
Notice that the Bone comic itself is uncoloured, so I think it's a
little hard to say whether the colouring of the cover would really have
been too much if applied to the story, too.
I think that the only reason that Bone is uncolored is the expense involved;
the books are self-published. The first issue was later re-released in a
colorized version; I'm not sure if the shading was up to the quality of the cover
or not.
-Yossi
Timo Ronkainen
Exclamation Points In Comic Stories
Message 195 -
2004-02-19 at 11:12:34
From Eta Beta:
>There was originally an interesting pebble, or seed there which
>attracted our poultry's attention, but an eager editor had "cleaned"
>it off.
Editors didn't read their stuff? At least so it seems. That thing would've
required visual reading to understand what was going on in that picture.
Well, maybe those editors were just too busy. Hundreds of acetate films
going through their hands with nearing deadline. A spot is a spot, and it
should be removed.
Timo
^^''*''^^
Cartoonist - writer - donaldist -
Timo Ronkainen ---------------- -
YO-kyl? 52 A 26 --------------- -
20540 Turku ------------------- -
Finland ----------------------- -
timoro at hotmail.com
timoro at sunpoint.net
?? Personal:
http://www.geocities.com/timoro2/
?? Ankkalinnan Pamaus:
http://www.perunamaa.net/ankistit/
?? Kvaak-sarjakuvaportaali:
http://www.kvaak.fi
.................................
"Rumble on, buxom bumble bee!
Go sit on a cowslip - far from me!"
_________________________________________________________________
Nopea ja hauska tapa l?hett?? viestej? reaaliaikaisesti - MSN Messenger.
http://messenger.msn.fi Lataa nyt k?ytt??si ilmaiseksi.
>There was originally an interesting pebble, or seed there which
>attracted our poultry's attention, but an eager editor had "cleaned"
>it off.
Editors didn't read their stuff? At least so it seems. That thing would've
required visual reading to understand what was going on in that picture.
Well, maybe those editors were just too busy. Hundreds of acetate films
going through their hands with nearing deadline. A spot is a spot, and it
should be removed.
Timo
^^''*''^^
Cartoonist - writer - donaldist -
Timo Ronkainen ---------------- -
YO-kyl? 52 A 26 --------------- -
20540 Turku ------------------- -
Finland ----------------------- -
timoro at hotmail.com
timoro at sunpoint.net
?? Personal:
http://www.geocities.com/timoro2/
?? Ankkalinnan Pamaus:
http://www.perunamaa.net/ankistit/
?? Kvaak-sarjakuvaportaali:
http://www.kvaak.fi
.................................
"Rumble on, buxom bumble bee!
Go sit on a cowslip - far from me!"
_________________________________________________________________
Nopea ja hauska tapa l?hett?? viestej? reaaliaikaisesti - MSN Messenger.
http://messenger.msn.fi Lataa nyt k?ytt??si ilmaiseksi.