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Those of us who don't read the pocketbooks (mainly Italian stories, but also some Danish), don't really know Rockerduck. We only saw him in the one Barks story.Although I collect ALL the Dutch comics (other than the pocketbooks), I never really liked the look of most of the Italian stories, so, to not buy them (I also don't like the small format). I also never bought American pocket books (late Gold Key, Gladstone and Gemstone). We did get Italian stories in the normal comic book size in our "Stripgoed" series (the monthly magazine that featured longer stories (the precursor of "Donald Duck Extra").
I never liked the Italian artists' style for Donald Duck (other than Marco Rota's early style). But, I did like Romano Scarpa's mickey and some of the best of Da Vitaand Carpi's Mickey.

I will make a point to read many of the Italian Rockerduck stories in The Dutch pockets, and IF the new US franchisee prints any. I hope to write and storyboard a 4-tier story using the Barks-style Rockerduck (with feathers - rather than the Italian style- with wiry, stringy HAIR) teaming up with Glomgold, and Magica, perhaps using scores of Beagle Boys, trying to defeat Scrooge (and The Ducks), for the non-pocket market.

Ow, I strongly recommend many Italian pocket stories from Romano Scarpas, and Massimo De Vita, Rudy Salvagnini to Giorgio Cavazzano and Silvia Ziche. I understand that different format and drawing style maybe hard to use to but story wise there are hundreds of both truly clever, interesting and funny stories and they often are more complex and writers usually take as many time to develop the plot as they want.

To be fair Bark's Rockerduck is almost a symbolic character he used in that one story because he needed a rival for Scrooge(I wonder why he simply didn??t use Glomgold in that one) and the character doesn??t do much other then the ??fight-with-Scrooge-while-talking" running joke and Rosa just throw him in his story as a cute touch for the European readers (I sometimes wonder did the editor force him to have Rockerduck appear at some point, much like it happened with Fethry in the family three.

In a way all Barks did was creating his name and design but it was the various Italian creators (Gimapalo Barosso, Romano Scarpa or Grigio Pezzin) that develope his character, gave him different trades etc.
I actually wonder if the whole reason Rockerduck was picked as regular villain in the Italian stories is the fact Glomgold lives in Africa so (out-of-respect for Barks cannon) it would be tricky to figure a reason to have him in Duckburg whenever they need him for a story point so they simply used one of local billionaires instead.

What??s interesting ?? from what I saw in INDUCKS ?? is that over the years Rockerduck appear in way, way more stories then Glomgold did.

Quote from user: Mr. MWhat??s interesting ?? from what I saw in INDUCKS ?? is that over the years Rockerduck appear in way, way more stories then Glomgold did.
Well, that's because the Italians make much more stories.

The problem for most people on this forum (I think) is that they've read too few Rockerduck stories, which is a pity because they're really good. Also, I sometimes feel that the difference in character between Glomgold and Rockerduck is downplayed, which makes it harder to see who is who. In fact, one of the Dutch translations for Rockerduck used to be the same as Flintheart Glomgold! Incidentally, my favorite Duck name ever is also a translation of Rockerduck, which comes from German: Leopold Kwartjesvinder (Leopold Quarter-finder). Kwartjesvinder is just a funny word. :)

Glomgold was introduced as Scrooge's 'evil twin', and most gags were how incredibly similar he and Scrooge were. This worked for exactly two stories. In Barks' third story, he's just a generic villain. Barks used him only for recognition, or out of sentiment. So most other writers use Glomgold as just a generic villain. Which is okay, I think, because the 'evil twin' variant is a limited character. And Glomgold is recognisable, so why not. Sometimes his 'evil-twinness' comes back. Such as the time his lazy nephew, Slackjaw Snorehead was introduced. :)

Rockerduck is nothing like the character Barks invented. He looks and acts completely different from that first story. Rockerduck vs. Scrooge is like young vs. old, even though I can't see how much younger Rockerduck is supposed to be. Rockerduck stories are very much different in tone from Glomgold stories, however. They're Italian stories to begin with. Rockerduck lives in Duckburg, in a skyscraper with the initials RD on it. (This mirrors Scrooge, whose Money Bin bears the initials US in Italy.) But don't think this means "Glomgold in Duckburg". This isn't DuckTales. Rockerduck stories are often domestic-y, with both Scrooge and Rockerduck trying to get the same investment, ending with one of them eating his hat. This has gone so far that by now, Bowler Hat With Salt isn't only a regular meal of Rockerduck, but countless variations are as well. Scrooge does things his way, and Rockerduck usually the dishonest way. But they can switch the formula. Anyone can lose (but it's usually Donald). Rockerduck also has a butler, who appeared in that horrible mashup in Boom!'s DuckTales. Jeeves? Lusky? He mirrors Scrooge's butler, Battista. Battista is different story all together. Jeeves is less like a butler, and more like Rockerduck's spy/henchman. In the end, most stories are about both character's wanting the same thing, but trying to get it in their own way. Treasures, new inventions, fashion trends, they've all done it.

Here's a good Scarpa story with Rockerduck:
The Business Code

And Mr. M, have you read this great Christmas story?
Silent Night

Sadly I didn't read that Christmas story (it didn't appear in Poland)

Quote from user: Roger NorthFlintheart saved Scrooge from dying of thirst in the middle of the dessert? It doesn't sound like him.
No, no, no. I made it sound wrong... I ment he MADE Scrooge almost die from thirst in the middle of a dessert. He cut Scrooge's and Donald's water bottles as they where sleeping.

Quote from user: Dutch Duckfan Down Underfact, one of the Dutch translations for Rockerduck used to be the same as Flintheart Glomgold
Polish translators did it a couple of times as well. Most strange example (as well anoying) was in "Last Lord Of Eldorado" when they Named Glomgold "Howard Kwakerfeller" which is the Polish name of Rockerducks father from L&T series.

To make things more odd after that story Rockerduck actually used the name "Howard" a couple of times... Then agian, he was never named John in Polish... Just "Kwakerfeller"

Quote from user: Dutch Duckfan Down UnderIncidentally, my favorite Duck name ever is also a translation of Rockerduck, which comes from German: Leopold Kwartjesvinder (Leopold Quarter-finder). Kwartjesvinder is just a funny word.
:)

The Polish one is pretty good as well. Kwakerfeller = Quacker-feller (which in my opinion is a better play on "Rockefeller" name) Interesting enough - In Ducktales there was a billionare (friedn of Scrooge and a crane) name "Rockerfether".

The Italian "Scrooge vs. Rockerduck" are often about them fighting over the Duckburg's public public opinions, trying tyo have mayor on be either of their sides etc. and In many ways Scrooge/Rockerduck rivaly is way more childish (it also remind me more of Gladstone vs. Donald)
I like stories when they both endup losing at the end becose they both ended up missing the point of what particuall quarrel is all about.

There where adleast two stories I recall when Rockerduck hires Donald as his right hand man (In one he actually asume Donald must be either a super genius or a lucky charm since Scrooge takes Donald with him on his adventures as a on e-man-staff) mainy as a way to make Scrooge angry. Both stories center around Donald/Scrooge relation and how - despite the fact Rockerducky ironiclly treat Donald way better Donald misses Scrooge and their relation

Quote from user: Mr. MQuote from user: Roger NorthFlintheart saved Scrooge from dying of thirst in the middle of the dessert? It doesn't sound like him.
No, no, no. I made it sound wrong... I ment he MADE Scrooge almost die from thirst in the middle of a dessert. He cut Scrooge's and Donald's water bottles as they where sleeping.
And he was then perfectly willing to let Scrooge (and Donald) have all the water they wanted... provided they agreed to his terms. Flintheart didn't intend for Scrooge to die; he simply wanted to get an advantage over him!

Quote from user: Mr. MThe Polish one is pretty good as well. Kwakerfeller = Quacker-feller (which in my opinion is a better play on "Rockefeller" name)
I always thought "Duckafeller" would have sounded better than "Rockerduck" ... but "Quackafeller" is even better!

It's a shame Rockerduck hasn't appeared more in the US. Rosa envisioned him as younger than Scrooge (but much older than Donald), and having inherited his wealth. It would have been nice to see him portrayed as a spendthrift, ostentatious and flamboyant with his wealth, and more than happy to flaunt his possessions. Sort of like Donald would be if he inherited his uncle's fortune, maybe? Also, it would be interesting to give him a family ... I always wondered what Glomgold would be like if he had a family to temper him (like Scrooge does).

Quote from user: Mr. MYes, but that happend AFTER Donald found some water by chance after hours of walking in the desert...

Still having Scrooge be exhausted from thirst to the point he fainted was pretty sadystic on Glomgold part
No, it wasn't sadistic by Glomgold. Glomgold didn't do what he did because he took pleasure in seeing Scrooge suffer. He did it because he wanted Scrooge to suffer so badly that he would agree to Glomgold's terms. IIRC.

If Flintheart Glomgold were sadistic, he would spend all his time lying to Scrooge about how the profits from Glomgold's businesses were skyrocketing, making sure Scrooge got fake reports about his (Scrooge's) businesses going bankrupt etc. etc.