Keskustelujen arkisto

Hi,

Just a short note to let you know that I released last Friday Walt's People - Volume 3 that contains interviews with Tony Strobl and Jack Bradbury.

For more information on the book, please check:

http://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=33805

Have a beautiful week.

Didier

Olivier:

> By the way, howcome Disney started numbering DDA over, and
> not the other titles? I suppose they wanted to make it clear
> there was a change, but then, why didn't follow this logic
> through and re-boot all the titles?

Their explanation at the time was, that they didn't want to re-start the
well-known series that had ran for years (WDC, DD, US), but only
re-started the series that were started by Gladstone (like DDA).

--Harry.

Harry Fluks responded to Olivier as follows:

Olivier:

< By the way, how come Disney started numbering DDA over, and not the other
titles? I suppose they wanted to make it clear there was a change, but then,
why didn't follow this logic through and re-boot all the titles?

Their explanation at the time was, that they didn't want to re-start the
well-known series that had ran for years (WDC, DD, US), but only re-started the
series that were started by Gladstone (like DDA).

--Harry.

Hi, Harry-
You're right, and let me expand on your response. As editor of those titles
during the Disney years I fought to keep the long-running numbering on the
old, established titles, especially Walt Disney's Comics and Stories. The
marketing folks wanted to start with all #1 issues for marketing reasons and to get
the collectors. I talked them out of it and I guess because Donald Duck
Adventures was started by Gladstone, they deemed it acceptable to re-number that
title. The marketing folks seemed to think that having a #1 on the cover was
more important that having good content inside and a great name on the cover.

Funny how so many of the talented artists and writers involved in Disney
comics over the years have continued to produce good stuff. Wonder what happened
to all those sales and marketing wizards.

- Bob Foster

Thanks, Harry & Bob, for the explanation!

I had thought of the "collectibility" of #1 issues and that Disney had wanted to clearly brand their run, but I failed to see the logic of not re-booting *all* the titles. Now I know this was prevented thanks to you, Mr Foster!

Here's an additional question; it may be rather obvious, but still, I would like to be sure: was Disney Comics Editor-in-Chief Len Wein the same that co-created Swamp Thing?
I only discovered Swamp Thing when was introduced to Alan Moore's work thanks to the "From Hell" movie; reading his run on Swamp Thing naturally made me want to go back to the roots (pun semi-intended) of the character, and I wasn't disappointed at all: Moore may have gone further with the character, developed it in a very interesting way, but Wein & Wrightson's series was already great.
However, I only recently linked this Wein with the one credited in Disney Comics. Now, I would just like to be sure it's not an homonym.

Speaking of the staff of Disney comics and their various works, again, I only recently found out about the other works of one of Gladstone/Gemstone's Colorists Supreme.

First, let me tell you that the first Spider-Man movie and From Hell led me to broaden my comics interests. I did read some superhero comics years and years ago, and I already had a few Peanuts & Pogo books, but after finding Gladstone's comics and 'Library"s, I focused on Disney comics.
Those two movies made me investigate some other classics I had overlooked or was not aware of. Hardcover and paperback reprints and Archives helped a lot-- regular wages also did, as opposed to nothing during first years of Disney collecting, as a student.
Spider-Man, Moore, Gaiman, DC's Batman Archives, EC Library sets, ... -- and non-EC horror comics.
Mile-High Comics has been a great help. My first orders, nearly two years ago, consisted mostly of Disney comics. Now it's mostly horror / weird, adventure, pre-code comics, Literary Classics, ..., plus a few Disney titles (especially Gemstone's DD&F and MM&F, which you can't get through amazon).
I soon started cataloguing everything, in order to be able to find a specific story when needed. I always read the story credits, but I haven't had time to read all the comics I have bought yet.

And one day, a few weeks (two months) ago, as I checked it to enter it in my Word document, I saw that the painted cover of "Tales of Terror" # 10 (January, 1987), was credited to... Gary Leach !
To date, it's the only art of his that I have. I have seen a few ads in other comics for titles drawn by Gary, though.
Naturally, I Googled for Gary, and found out what a great artist he is / you are.
I must admit that I quite had naively never thought about it; I have seen "colored by Gary Leach" in Disney comics for 12 years now, but I had never imagined you might actually draw as well-- it's a bit silly, indeed, imagining one can't have a life & career outside of Disney comics & whatever their work there might be; but then, there are so specific compartments in comics as in animation (story idea, script, layout, pencils, inking, coloring, ...), I had just assumed you had specialized in (great) coloring.

Here are a few pages found by Google:
- an interview with Disney comics Editor John Clark, featuring a very nice picture of him, with Susan and Gary Leach
- the new incarnation of Miracleman, written by Alan Moore, was drawn by Gary Leach ( http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/m/miracle.jpg ) ( http://comics.ubbihp.com.br/miracle04.jpg ); unfortunately, those books are rare, and a legal quagmire prevents any new edition of Moore & Gaiman's runs
- a Daredevil painting ( http://daredevil.dreamhost.com/art/posters/ddvs1s.jpg )
- a green elemental girl and zombies ( http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Springs/8050/gravebane-zombie.jpg )
- a page from "the John Clark / Gary Leach adaptation of the movie 'Freaked' " ( http://www.stevestiles.com/freak.htm ) (the same John Clark, I guess; has he written non-Disney comics?)
- inking of "Authority" issues ( http://www.chrisweston.co.uk/authority.frame.html )
- "Magic" trading cards ( http://www.cardshark.com/images_magic/14675.jpg ) ( http://www.coolstuffinc.com/art/Visions/Betrayal.jpg ) ( http://mi.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/canyon_wildcat.jpg ); I supposed you colored them yourself as well, didn't you?
- since I can't read whatever Scandinavian language this one is in, I'm not sure what the credit is for: http://www.kupla.net/akatemia/framet.html?/akatemia/kerros2/luokka2d/sommvapa.html ; it might be pencils.

I have meant to write you about this, Gary, but have been procrastinating. That's superb art! I hope I'll be able to find & buy more issues featuring your cover art, and even story art.

What other such non-Disney achievements by Disney comics staff have I been unaware of all those years?

Olivier

In my childhood in the 60's, the only long Disney comic adventure story not
by Barks that I read many times was "Og's Iron Bed" (DD 109). I liked the
ancient setting, and the plot carried me along, even though I did find the
basis of the happy ending a bit dubious (it's even more dubious today, with
current technology). I think what really led me back to the story again and
again, though, was the cover art with its wonderful time machine. I wonder
whether Gemstone will be able to re-use that cover? It's still on my list of
"top 20 favorite Disney covers of all time."

Finns, Romans, Countrymen (cross out last two),

A friend made me aware of the issue ?Aku Ankka Villi Pohjola # 2006?
( http://coa.inducks.org/issue.php/x/fi/VP+2006 ), which immediately
triggered my interest (not only are both my published stories so far in
there, but it also seems as if I'm representing Norway in a kind of
national parade and that there's an article about it).

Two questions pop into my head:

- What kind of magazine *is* this? The whole "Nordic Countries" theme
seems interesting, what are the articles about, have this been done in
Finland earlier, is it part of a series of similar books, or ...

- Can anyone help me get hold of a copy? Seems like a must-have although
its language means nothing to me ...

--
Olaf Moriarty Solstrand

It looks like Tony Strobl. And if it is thats some of the nicest of his
later era duckwork that I've ever seen. Yay for awesome coloring. :D

Its amazing how much the colors make that look so good.

Jonathan H. Gray