Watching the playoff game last Sunday a question came to my head:
It's interesting how less American sports pop up in our beloved comics. For example I can remember only one Barks story with American football: September Scrimmage. Why is that so? Did Disney/Barks think of foreign reader from the beginning on? Was Barks himself not interested in sports?
Schulz Peanuts play so often baseball and American football.
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Author
Topic: American sports and Barks
(13 messages)
Charlie Brown
American sports and Barks
Message 1 -
2011-01-11 at 20:03:00
GeoX
American sports and Barks
Message 2 -
2011-01-11 at 20:11:51
I doubt that this is indicative of any concern with foreign markets. I'd say that the standard Barksian characters don't lend themselves particularly well to any sort of strong, sustained sports narrative--"September Scrimmage" is pretty much a goofy throwaway, as is the Gyro baseball story "Madball Pitcher."
Roger North
American sports and Barks
Message 3 -
2011-01-11 at 20:20:41
I have September Scrimmage in Uncle Scrooge Adventures #2 and Walt Disney's Autumn Adventures #2. It was the first Barks story I have ever read (SP?). If it was a thorwaway story how come it's been printed more than once?
Coolwater
American sports and Barks
Message 4 -
2011-01-11 at 20:35:03
Quote from user: Charlie BrownDid Disney/Barks think of foreign reader from the beginning on? Was Barks himself not interested in sports?
The only thing I remember that Western Publishing told there story writers to take care of with respect to the foreign reader is avoiding stories based on word plays. Elsewise, Barks did very well include motives and elements of American everyday life culture (e. g. Halloween, largely unknown to the European reader of the early postwar period). I also remember a statement by Barks that he had no idea what children in other countries would see as funny and that he thus simply created stories that he believed American children would like.
So it seems that Barks was indeed relatively uninterested in baseball, football and so on. Thinking of his letters and of interviews with Barks and then of all those biographical works by Blum, Ault and Barrier, I don't think that anywhere such a particular interest of Barks in sport issues was ever mentioned. Barks also didn't like masses, mass crowds, mass events; all likable characters in his stories are loners, hermits and eccentrics, just as he was such a bit ...
The only thing I remember that Western Publishing told there story writers to take care of with respect to the foreign reader is avoiding stories based on word plays. Elsewise, Barks did very well include motives and elements of American everyday life culture (e. g. Halloween, largely unknown to the European reader of the early postwar period). I also remember a statement by Barks that he had no idea what children in other countries would see as funny and that he thus simply created stories that he believed American children would like.
So it seems that Barks was indeed relatively uninterested in baseball, football and so on. Thinking of his letters and of interviews with Barks and then of all those biographical works by Blum, Ault and Barrier, I don't think that anywhere such a particular interest of Barks in sport issues was ever mentioned. Barks also didn't like masses, mass crowds, mass events; all likable characters in his stories are loners, hermits and eccentrics, just as he was such a bit ...
Coolwater
American sports and Barks
Message 5 -
2011-01-11 at 20:40:33
Quote from user: Roger NorthIf it was a thorwaway story how come it's been printed more than once?
Because it's by Barks, still, throwaway or not?
I guess nobody would seriously call that piece a candidate for a Carl Barks "best of" selection. In no country it has been published more than six times. That is not much--for Barks.
Because it's by Barks, still, throwaway or not?
I guess nobody would seriously call that piece a candidate for a Carl Barks "best of" selection. In no country it has been published more than six times. That is not much--for Barks.
Charlie Brown
American sports and Barks
Message 6 -
2011-01-11 at 20:59:10
Quote from user: Roger NorthIt was the first Barks story I have ever read (SP?). If it was a thorwaway story how come it's been printed more than once?
Wow! I can't remember my first Barks story.
Quote from user: CoolwaterIn no country it has been published more than six times. That is not much--for Barks.
And no time in a German regular series like Micky Maus or Donald Duck Sonderheft. That's quite remarkable.
You're right. Barks wrote a few stories with Halloween and Thanksgiving. Both holidays were unknown in the Germany of the 50s to 70s. It must be so that Barks himself was just not so interested in sports.
Wow! I can't remember my first Barks story.
Quote from user: CoolwaterIn no country it has been published more than six times. That is not much--for Barks.
And no time in a German regular series like Micky Maus or Donald Duck Sonderheft. That's quite remarkable.
You're right. Barks wrote a few stories with Halloween and Thanksgiving. Both holidays were unknown in the Germany of the 50s to 70s. It must be so that Barks himself was just not so interested in sports.
MustangRockstar
American sports and Barks
Message 7 -
2011-01-12 at 03:53:03
Quote from user: Charlie BrownWow! I can't remember my first Barks story
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This would make an interesting subject. I think I'll create a thread.
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This would make an interesting subject. I think I'll create a thread.
GeoX
American sports and Barks
Message 8 -
2011-01-12 at 03:56:52
Inspired by this thread, I dashed out a quick "September Scrimmage" post.
Robb_K
American sports and Barks
Message 9 -
2011-01-12 at 10:41:51
When I grew up during the late 1940s and 1950s, baseball was, indeed, "The US National Pastime", as was ice Hockey in Canada. Sports was pervasive in daily life. Each sport is now one of many, many pastimes now. When I grew up almost everyone you'd meet in Canada would know who Gordy Howe, Rocket Richard, Red Kelly, Andy Bathgate, Terry Sawchuk and Jean Beliveau were (including women and girls). In USA, it was the same with Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Bob Feller, Warren Spahn, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, etc. Most of the women were Hockey or baseball moms. That is not true anymore. There are millions of people in both countries now, that have never heard of today's stars in those and other professional and college sports. There is television, computers, individual sports, and many other things with which to occupy one's free time.
Carl Barks grew up during a time when these sports were pervasive in his society (baseball and football in his), and yet, he cared little about them. He grew up isolated in a rural town that was very far away from any organised sports facilities. Even the nearest farm town was too tiny to even have enough boys at the same age to form a little league baseball team. The nearest they might have gotten to that was a "stickball" game, with boys of several disparate ages, hitting small stones with tree branches. So, he never had a chance to even be exposed to those sports. He attended a one room school house with a handful of students of both sexes and the gamut of ages from 5 to 13. he did not attend high school.
He never had an interest in organised sports, so he wrote little about it. The very fact that he even drew a football and a baseball story shows, impressively, just how pervasive those sports were in daily life in USA at that time, to even be considered by him.
Carl Barks grew up during a time when these sports were pervasive in his society (baseball and football in his), and yet, he cared little about them. He grew up isolated in a rural town that was very far away from any organised sports facilities. Even the nearest farm town was too tiny to even have enough boys at the same age to form a little league baseball team. The nearest they might have gotten to that was a "stickball" game, with boys of several disparate ages, hitting small stones with tree branches. So, he never had a chance to even be exposed to those sports. He attended a one room school house with a handful of students of both sexes and the gamut of ages from 5 to 13. he did not attend high school.
He never had an interest in organised sports, so he wrote little about it. The very fact that he even drew a football and a baseball story shows, impressively, just how pervasive those sports were in daily life in USA at that time, to even be considered by him.
Roger North
American sports and Barks
Message 10 -
2011-01-12 at 19:15:55
Charlie Brown not everyone remembers their first Barks story. I guess I'm one of the few lucky ones.
Dutch Duckfan Down Under
American sports and Barks
Message 11 -
2011-01-13 at 17:20:03
You can also find a lot here:
http://www.cbarks.dk/theamericanisms.htm
My first Barks story would be Pipeline to Danger. My first Barks story in English would be Race to the South Seas, I think.
http://www.cbarks.dk/theamericanisms.htm
My first Barks story would be Pipeline to Danger. My first Barks story in English would be Race to the South Seas, I think.
Charlie Brown
American sports and Barks
Message 12 -
2011-01-13 at 20:00:19
Quote from user: Roger NorthCharlie Brown not everyone remembers their first Barks story. I guess I'm one of the few lucky ones.
I don't remember my one, but I found one that must be it.. see my post here.
I don't remember my one, but I found one that must be it.. see my post here.
Roger North
American sports and Barks
Message 13 -
2011-01-13 at 21:28:40
Yes I read that on the previous thread Charlie Brown.
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