Author
Topic: What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
(49 messages)
Quackberg
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 16 -
2011-12-19 at 16:27:47
I agree that it's hard to just to choose one - I really enjoy the ones that have been mentioned and onward from when I going to primary school, "City of Golden Roofs" have also been one of my favorites.
Mcduck_Enterprises
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 17 -
2011-12-19 at 17:31:09
'Seven Cities of Cibola' takes it for me.
Although, 'Lost in the Andes', 'Luck of the North' 'Frozen Gold' and 'Christmas on Bear Mountain' are all close seconds and so on......It's all just too good.
Although, 'Lost in the Andes', 'Luck of the North' 'Frozen Gold' and 'Christmas on Bear Mountain' are all close seconds and so on......It's all just too good.
Patrick Hanifin
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 18 -
2011-12-19 at 20:52:14
I'm in complete agreement with what everybody's posted. There's so many great stories! I especially like this topic because I enjoy hearing what other people think and details that I may have missed like the round compass in Lost in the Andes. In fact, I just finally located Ken Bausert's reader survey that was published in The Duckburg Times #15 and the Barks Collector #21.
It was called "The First International Carl Barks Survey". 49 people responded naming their favorite and least favorite stories in different catagories. The survey part is the same in both fanzines. Each issue reports on different reader's comments, though, so the article's vary in each fanzine.
I read one of the articles a long time ago in the Barks Collector. I had gotten rid of it, missed it, and had been looking for it again. I found the whole complete survey altogether as one the other day on eBay and am waiting for it in the mail. I'm really looking forward to it! (I don't have any friends who enjoy reading or talking about the ducks. Actually, I do, but they all live a million miles away. Carl Barks isn't exactly a household word here in Southern California.)
If I really had to boil my favorite choice down it would be a long story, probably Only a Poor Old Man. After that would be Land Beneath the Ground.
I want to mention one other 10 pager I especially enjoy. It was originally published in WDC&S 227. The Junior Woodchuck's hold a tracting contest where Donald hides and they have to try to find him in the Black Forest. Donald secretly flys in by helicopter and is dropped down into a tree trunk where he hides all day. The Woodchuck's go mad trying to locate him before sundown calling in all the troops, combing the area like mad, and using the Official Junior WoodChuck Bloodhound. It's a good story!
Though... if I was voting for my favorite, favorite, very favorite, 10 pager, I would choose the Cornelius Coot Statue story. Of course, yesterday I said something else... which only goes to show how many great Carl Barks stories there are!
It was called "The First International Carl Barks Survey". 49 people responded naming their favorite and least favorite stories in different catagories. The survey part is the same in both fanzines. Each issue reports on different reader's comments, though, so the article's vary in each fanzine.
I read one of the articles a long time ago in the Barks Collector. I had gotten rid of it, missed it, and had been looking for it again. I found the whole complete survey altogether as one the other day on eBay and am waiting for it in the mail. I'm really looking forward to it! (I don't have any friends who enjoy reading or talking about the ducks. Actually, I do, but they all live a million miles away. Carl Barks isn't exactly a household word here in Southern California.)
If I really had to boil my favorite choice down it would be a long story, probably Only a Poor Old Man. After that would be Land Beneath the Ground.
I want to mention one other 10 pager I especially enjoy. It was originally published in WDC&S 227. The Junior Woodchuck's hold a tracting contest where Donald hides and they have to try to find him in the Black Forest. Donald secretly flys in by helicopter and is dropped down into a tree trunk where he hides all day. The Woodchuck's go mad trying to locate him before sundown calling in all the troops, combing the area like mad, and using the Official Junior WoodChuck Bloodhound. It's a good story!
Though... if I was voting for my favorite, favorite, very favorite, 10 pager, I would choose the Cornelius Coot Statue story. Of course, yesterday I said something else... which only goes to show how many great Carl Barks stories there are!
Barko
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 19 -
2011-12-20 at 00:33:07
Among the 10-pagers, the Flipism story is one of my all time favorites. It´s a great parody on all the 'crazy' organizations who wants us to join them - for a price, of course. The ending of the story is hilarious because Flipism actually seems to work when Donald wants to find Professor Batty by flipping a coin.
Among the longer stories, 'Lost in the Andes', is another favorite of mine. To me, it´s a funny parody on 'squares' who scream 'sacrilege' when they see something that differs from their own world views of what is right or wrong. I also see it as a comment on fanatical religions where you either have to submit yourself or you´ll be punished.
As for Scrooge stories, 'Back to the Klondike', has always been close to my heart, because here we get a glimpse of Scrooge´s youth and his unhappy love story with Goldie. It stands out among all the long Scrooge stories which mostly deals with adventure and treasure hunting, which I of course love too.
Among the longer stories, 'Lost in the Andes', is another favorite of mine. To me, it´s a funny parody on 'squares' who scream 'sacrilege' when they see something that differs from their own world views of what is right or wrong. I also see it as a comment on fanatical religions where you either have to submit yourself or you´ll be punished.
As for Scrooge stories, 'Back to the Klondike', has always been close to my heart, because here we get a glimpse of Scrooge´s youth and his unhappy love story with Goldie. It stands out among all the long Scrooge stories which mostly deals with adventure and treasure hunting, which I of course love too.
GeoX
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 20 -
2011-12-20 at 01:28:17
Quote from user: SirredkneeThe Golden Helmet (best DD adventure)
The Prize of Pizarro (best US adventure)
Bubbleweight Champ (best WDC ten-pager)
Santa's Stormy Visit (best Xmas Giveaway)
The Gab-Muffer (best Gyro)
The Fabulous Tycoon (best US filler)
Snake Take (best onepager)
The Weather Watchers (best Grandma)
The Double Date (best Daisy)
Traitor in the Ranks (best Junior Woodchucks)
Seriously, "Bubbleweight Champ?" What an odd choice. I disagree with it so intensely. But never mind that: this just shows how hard this whole thing is. Is "The Gab-Muffer" a good story? Sure. Is it fair, or even meaningful, to compare a longer story that appeared in a GG one-shot with the four-page fillers? I have my doubts.
The Prize of Pizarro (best US adventure)
Bubbleweight Champ (best WDC ten-pager)
Santa's Stormy Visit (best Xmas Giveaway)
The Gab-Muffer (best Gyro)
The Fabulous Tycoon (best US filler)
Snake Take (best onepager)
The Weather Watchers (best Grandma)
The Double Date (best Daisy)
Traitor in the Ranks (best Junior Woodchucks)
Seriously, "Bubbleweight Champ?" What an odd choice. I disagree with it so intensely. But never mind that: this just shows how hard this whole thing is. Is "The Gab-Muffer" a good story? Sure. Is it fair, or even meaningful, to compare a longer story that appeared in a GG one-shot with the four-page fillers? I have my doubts.
Matilda
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 21 -
2011-12-20 at 04:53:04
GeoX, the Catapult story is my second-favorite ten-pager, after The Screaming Cowboy. Followed, probably, by The Persistant Postman...because the last line in that story introduced the child-me to how very funny irony could be. (Plus, I've always loved Mr. Birdmind's upside-down house.)
Then there are "Omelet" and "Donald's Raucous Role," two that Barks himself mentioned when asked to name his own favorites among the ten-pagers....
Then there are "Omelet" and "Donald's Raucous Role," two that Barks himself mentioned when asked to name his own favorites among the ten-pagers....
Deyanmegara
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 22 -
2011-12-20 at 09:03:00
It's quite hard to define which of the Barks stories i've read I like most (only 10-pagers were published here in the 90's), however, looking back, I quite enjoy W WDC 264-01 (Master Wrecker), perhaps because the role is quite a bit unusual for Donald (sleeping on steel pillows, playing extremely strong, etc.) I also like the way the demolished buildings magically gather in piles of their different parts (if only it was as dust-free out here...). And in the end, the one who thought he was of the smartest and most important in Duckburg, was fooled by a tiny (and angry) mosquito.
I would also mention W WDC 221-01 (Tracking Sandy), W WDC 209-02 (The Persistent Postman), W WDC 101-02 (Donald Duck's Worst Nightmare), W WDC 94-02 (Donald of the Coast Guard), W WDC 63-02 (Ten-Dollar Dither), W WDC 195-01 (The Runaway Train), W WDC 197-02 (Borderline Hero).
Of course, I should mention that the only long story (by Barks) they published back then (as part of the DD 60th anniversary special) was W MOC 4-01 (Maharajah Donald). Wish I could trade an old pencil for a ticket to, say, America or even Denmark... I love the way Barks could start a story from a pencil stub and move it to a trip to India.
I might have missed some story that I find good, but the complete list of 10-pagers is quite long anyway.
I would also mention W WDC 221-01 (Tracking Sandy), W WDC 209-02 (The Persistent Postman), W WDC 101-02 (Donald Duck's Worst Nightmare), W WDC 94-02 (Donald of the Coast Guard), W WDC 63-02 (Ten-Dollar Dither), W WDC 195-01 (The Runaway Train), W WDC 197-02 (Borderline Hero).
Of course, I should mention that the only long story (by Barks) they published back then (as part of the DD 60th anniversary special) was W MOC 4-01 (Maharajah Donald). Wish I could trade an old pencil for a ticket to, say, America or even Denmark... I love the way Barks could start a story from a pencil stub and move it to a trip to India.
I might have missed some story that I find good, but the complete list of 10-pagers is quite long anyway.
Sirredknee
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 23 -
2011-12-20 at 09:57:53
Quote from user: GeoXSeriously, "Bubbleweight Champ?"
I was thinking of the echo story (ca. WDC 105) or "Omelet" first, but when I remembered this one it just had to be it, if I wanted to stay honest. You're likely to prefer a weaker story that has accompanied you since your childhood to a stronger one you only got to know as a grown-up (I wouldn't call "Bubbleweight Champ" weak, though). The keyword is nostalgia, of course.
And thanks to this thread I'm at last beginning to understand the fuss about "Old Castle's Secret"! It's spooky stuff that's likely to impress kids, whereas I had reached my late teens when I first came across it. I found it less than convincing as an adventure story, it rather felt like a succession of gags, like a drawn out tenpager. Scrooge was very boring, too, because Barks clearly didn't know what to do with him at that point. Yes, it has atmosphere, but so have other Barks horror stories like the much better "Ghost of the Grotto" and "In Ancient Persia".
Quote:Is it fair, or even meaningful, to compare a longer story that appeared in a GG one-shot with the four-page fillers? I have my doubts.
Of course, MOST of the adventure stories or the WDC tenpagers are better than "The Weather Watchers".
I was thinking of the echo story (ca. WDC 105) or "Omelet" first, but when I remembered this one it just had to be it, if I wanted to stay honest. You're likely to prefer a weaker story that has accompanied you since your childhood to a stronger one you only got to know as a grown-up (I wouldn't call "Bubbleweight Champ" weak, though). The keyword is nostalgia, of course.
And thanks to this thread I'm at last beginning to understand the fuss about "Old Castle's Secret"! It's spooky stuff that's likely to impress kids, whereas I had reached my late teens when I first came across it. I found it less than convincing as an adventure story, it rather felt like a succession of gags, like a drawn out tenpager. Scrooge was very boring, too, because Barks clearly didn't know what to do with him at that point. Yes, it has atmosphere, but so have other Barks horror stories like the much better "Ghost of the Grotto" and "In Ancient Persia".
Quote:Is it fair, or even meaningful, to compare a longer story that appeared in a GG one-shot with the four-page fillers? I have my doubts.
Of course, MOST of the adventure stories or the WDC tenpagers are better than "The Weather Watchers".
David K
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 24 -
2011-12-20 at 15:56:23
Quote from user: Patrick HanifinOne other 10 pager I really, really like (but wouldn't call my ultimate favorite), is the Flipism story. I just think that's so cleverly written and it's fun to see how Flipism works out. It kind of reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where, since everything in George's life has turned out badly, he decides to start doing the opposite of what he would normally choose.
I am George- bald, unemployed and I live with my parents! Haha, great to see that there are other Seinfeld-Barks fans!
I am George- bald, unemployed and I live with my parents! Haha, great to see that there are other Seinfeld-Barks fans!
Dutch Duckfan Down Under
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 25 -
2011-12-20 at 18:42:03
Phew... hard to choose. Barks made so many great stories. I've tried to find my favorite by eliminamting the others, but the only category I've figured out now is incredibly narrow: one-pagers Barks made for Uncle Scrooge.
This one has to be my favorite: Immovable Mider
And a very good Gyro story is Monsterville.
And here's one you don't see very often: No Such Varmint. My first English Barks story, with beautiful coloring, in Donald Duck Adventures 18 (1989) from good ol' Gladstone. It's great! (it's either that one or Walt Disney Treasures 1's "Race to the South Seas")
This one has to be my favorite: Immovable Mider
And a very good Gyro story is Monsterville.
And here's one you don't see very often: No Such Varmint. My first English Barks story, with beautiful coloring, in Donald Duck Adventures 18 (1989) from good ol' Gladstone. It's great! (it's either that one or Walt Disney Treasures 1's "Race to the South Seas")
Patrick Hanifin
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 26 -
2011-12-20 at 21:19:09
Oops... I had completely forgotten about "Race to the South Seas". I really like Barks' stories around water. "Race to the South Seas is so much fun with Gladstone putting out no effort and Donald working so hard. "UNCA DONALD IS LIKE A MADMAN!" "I DON'T WONDER! GLADSTONE'S LUCK GETS TIRESOME AT TIMES!" Yes, "Race to the South Seas is definitely my favorite Carl Barks story... at least today. I'm really hoping the new Carl Barks Library reprints it one more time with Carl's original artwork.
Manduck
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 27 -
2011-12-20 at 21:37:55
Quote from user: David KopsQuote from user: Patrick HanifinOne other 10 pager I really, really like (but wouldn't call my ultimate favorite), is the Flipism story. I just think that's so cleverly written and it's fun to see how Flipism works out. It kind of reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where, since everything in George's life has turned out badly, he decides to start doing the opposite of what he would normally choose.
I am George- bald, unemployed and I live with my parents! Haha, great to see that there are other Seinfeld-Barks fans!
I'm another one. The movie Yes Man with Jim Carey actually reminded me a little of the Flipism story - basing every decision on one "pseudo-philosophy."
But anyway, back on topic, hard to say what my favorite Barks story is. I guess I like the long adventure stories yet - Old Castle's Secret, Golden Helmet, Lost in the Andes, Lost Crown of Genghis Khan, Seven Cities of Cibola - surprised no one's mentioned Tralla La yet.
I am George- bald, unemployed and I live with my parents! Haha, great to see that there are other Seinfeld-Barks fans!
I'm another one. The movie Yes Man with Jim Carey actually reminded me a little of the Flipism story - basing every decision on one "pseudo-philosophy."
But anyway, back on topic, hard to say what my favorite Barks story is. I guess I like the long adventure stories yet - Old Castle's Secret, Golden Helmet, Lost in the Andes, Lost Crown of Genghis Khan, Seven Cities of Cibola - surprised no one's mentioned Tralla La yet.
Kimba_1962
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 28 -
2011-12-21 at 20:06:31
A difficult question, but, here are my two cents (or euros):
Long stories: Luck of the North, Lost in the Andes, Only a Poor Old Man, Back to the Klondike
Short stories: Submarine Christmas, Statue Building Contest, 1st Money Bin story
Long stories: Luck of the North, Lost in the Andes, Only a Poor Old Man, Back to the Klondike
Short stories: Submarine Christmas, Statue Building Contest, 1st Money Bin story
Baar Baar Jinx
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 29 -
2011-12-30 at 15:57:47
"The Golden Fleecing" will always have a special place in my heart; that was my first Barks story. I got it as part of a three-pack Whitman Dynabrite set, with the other two being a Winnie the Pooh book and a Mickey Mouse Album (Paul Murry stuff).
As far as short stories go, I'd have to agree with the WDC 140 one, with Gladstone, Scrooge and Gyro's first appearance. How can you beat that cast?
As far as short stories go, I'd have to agree with the WDC 140 one, with Gladstone, Scrooge and Gyro's first appearance. How can you beat that cast?
Roger North
What in your opinion is Carl Barks' best story?
Message 30 -
2011-12-30 at 20:21:00
I have a lot of those stories and they are all good.