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Ah, missed that panel! I did scan the whole story for any other Rockerduck-dousing-Scrooge scenes, and missed this--I suppose because there's no panel showing R. pouring the water over S. Good, I'm glad that the Polish translation wasn't as far off as I had feared! :)

I never really got how the heck Gladstone endet up as Donald's driver at the end of "Rival Beachcombers". Why? He hates to work and have no reason to get a job of any sort... How o earth he would ended up in that situation. They didn't explain it... It was just odd way to panish Gladston for being a jerk in this stoy that didn't made much sence or logic...

To be fair this is 4'rth Gladstone story right beafore "THE RACE TO THE SOUTH SEAS" when Barks officialy introduce the whole incredible luck element.
However in the story it hard to tell if Gladstone didn't had his trademark luck since he spent all the time not working whaiting for something good to happend on his own and he get's "lucky" in a way hes the only duck who dosen't get arested... so you can argue this IS the very first story when Gladstone shows saings of incredible luck even if no character directly mentiones it...

Mr. M, thanks for recommending the Michael T. Gilbert/Vicar story "Party of None!" on this thread. I bought a French copy, and liked it very much. As you say, nice development of Gladstone's character. As GeoX said on his blog in reference to Magica's character's development in "Date with a Munchkin," it's too bad that later stories can't build on that change. But the story definitely does make Gladstone more sympathetic.
As for Fethry's role in the story, I thought he was just there to help fill out the party scenes. Perhaps it was Vicar's choice, since Fethry's not in the script--or perhaps the script specified. HDL only have one throwaway line ("better late than never!"), and they're in all the party scenes.
And, speaking of party scenes (the last splash-panel one, to be precise): I want Helper to fly around at my next birthday party in a little flying car towing a "Happy Birthday" banner!
I also like the fact that it is Grandma Duck's birthday gift (and her teaching/example) that gets Gladstone hooked on the gratification of gardening.

Quote from user: Mr. MI wonder if Fethry wasn't meant to be in the original script but the editor forced him or something. He appears in the story for a few pages but just stands in the background and is the only character in the duck family who has no lines...
Actually, Gus didn't have any lines, either.

But speaking as the editor, I did add Fethry to "Party of None." My unit was producing a lot of Fethry-starring stories at that time, and I also made a point of including Fethry in other stories where the whole Duck family got together??as part of establishing him as a recurring character in the Egmont weekly (where he hadn't appeared for several years beforehand).

On the other hand, I didn't force him in??I asked the author first! (In fact, your posting had me wondering, in retrospect, whether I'd also added Gus or even HDL, but I just now had a chat with author Michael T. Gilbert, and he thinks Fethry is the only one I was responsible for...)

See, apparently I don't *expect* Gus to say anything...whereas I do expect Fethry to make his presence known, as a general rule!

I too agree that Gladstone is an important character, and his character should be expanded and fleshed out more, so it won't be so one-dimensional. He is portrayed mostly as a lazy, selfish, cold-hearted and shallow person, who wishes nothing but bad for Donald. He appreciates nothing, and everything is boring to him except getting Donald's goat. He has nothing but what his luck can bring to offer Daisy, so to him, she is only a "trophy" to win in competition with Donald. He is incapable of a meaningful relationship because he has no true compassion and empathy for others, and no self worth. He's always had everything handed to him with no effort on his own part. So, he has no idea of what accomplishment is, doesn't know the feeling of worth from striving for a goal and reaching it, nor the pain of failure. He, therefore, doesn't appreciate anything, and so, can have no true enjoyment. Everything is boring to him.
That situation reminds me of a "Twilight Zone" episode from the late 1950s, in which a man is rich beyond his dreams, has all the beautiful women he wants, ALWAYS wins at gambling, has servants to order around (power), gets vengeance on his enemies whenever he wants, and so, he thinks he has died and gone to heaven. But KNOWING AHEAD OF TIME that he will always win, always get the best, always get everything he wants by just wishing it, makes him uninterested and bored with all that. It becomes tedious, knowing ahead what will happen. He finds that he hates his new "lucky" existence. When he asks why Heaven is boring, he finds out that he, instead, actually ended up in the place where bad people go (Hell).
Gladstone's only idea of self worth is his being given the title of "World's luckiest Duck (man). But that is not true self worth, as it comes from no accomplishment of his nor any good quality, but from arbitrary luck, which can be taken away from him at any time, for no reason. Therefore, he is a pathetic character, to be pitied, rather than hated (just because he is hero Donald's nemesis).
Naturally, Daisy always ends up with Donald, because he's a real person. She just uses Gladstone for the fun and excitement and material things his luck can bring her. He has no emotional comfort for her. She uses him mainly to make Donald jealous, and to have power over Donald, so she can eventually get what she wants from him.
I would like Gladstone to show some humanity and vulnerability and empathy for others. I would like to see him try to use his luck to help Donald, for a change. I have written some stories with such happenings, but have been advised that my editors probably wouldn't accept them because they think that the readers will only want to see Gladstone act as he always has.