"Donald Duck Meets Princess Oona" and "Oona's Shopping Maul"

Of the many things the IDW foax deserve credit for, one of them is their determination to introduce hitherto-unknown-in-English recurring characters to an Anglophone audience: Gideon McDuck, Eurasia Toft, Charlie Doublejoke, Portis, Belle Duck, Reginella, Garvey Gull (okay, so I could live without ever having known of Garvey Gull--WHATEVER). Add to that list: Princess Oona the Caveduck, a character introduced by Egmont in 1995, who continues to appear semi-regularly to this day. We've already seen her first two stories published, and I believe more are on the way. I have heard intimations that certain individuals may not be huge fans of the character, but I would like to take this opportunity to place myself--based on these two, at least firmly on the pro-Oona side of the divide. Today, we'll be covering both her first and second appearances! Two stories in one means two times the fun! Maybe.  I refuse to take responsibility if two times the fun is not had.  But we'll do our best.

One intangible thing I like about these stories is the way they remind me, what with the general themes and handsome Vicar artwork, of the stuff that Disney Publishing released back in the day. I find it pleasantly nostalgic. Remember that "Time Tetrad" thing they did where they plucked out four unrelated time travel stories, scattered them across concurrent issues of Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge, WDC, and Ducktales and declared them to be in continuity? Good times. I like that kind of goofy outside-the-box thinking.

Another thing I always like when I see it is what I'm going to refer to as the "spiral of violence," as seen above with Donald and potential-dangerous-suitor. It's well-done here.

The set-up for this story is totally insane, mind. Daisy says that Donald is a big oaf who would be at home among neanderthals, and instantly has his bluff called HA WHAT IF YOU WERE LITERALLY AMONG NEANDERTHALS?!? Thank goodness we don't generally see these idle fancies made flesh. That would be awkward.

Incidentally, I don't buy that Donald wouldn't be able to say "sophisticated." I think you're gonna need a richer word than that if you want to stump him.

But hey, Vicar's art, check it out. That is some seriously GOOD STUFF.  Dig that landscape.  I think maybe I haven't given him enough credit in the past.

Mmm. The question is, WHAT exactly is meant to happen that would prove Donald or Daisy right? Does he just have to act all sophisticated and above-it-all and disgusted with their caveman-ish ways? That seems like it would be kind of a gimme, even if he's naturally inclined to join their revelry. Or is the idea that he just has to photograph them and that'll prove he's better? That seems pretty questionable.

Uh huh. Well, in fairness, this isn't a story you take seriously enough to shout ARGH THIS MAKES NO LINGUISTIC SENSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE AND INSANE, but as someone who's interested in such things, I gotta do it anyway.

Right, let's get down to business. This story actually isn't THAT spectacular in itself; it's amusing enough in its low-key way, but the inducks commenter who opined that "art is good of course, but the story is just an introduction of a new character" said it a lot more succinctly than I could. Still, let's get to that new character...

Honestly, I could live without the buck teeth. They seem unnecessary, like a visual effort to make her seem dumber than she actually is. However: I like the character. The whole business with her instantly having a crush on Donald is the sort of thing that COULD be highly dubious--shades, perhaps, of Brigitta--but at least in these first two stories, it isn't played up enough to be troublesome. 'Course, I say "in these first two stories;" I'm well aware that there's always going to be the potential for things to get a lot worse. But for now, let's just dig it: she's a woman of action, and entertainingly assertive. I dig her.

(One does have to wonder: "not quite old enough to reign in his place?" They're flippin' neanderthals, and yet they have these sophisticated rules of succession? Curiouser and curiouser).

Layin' down the law!

'Course, one reason people might not like her is because she inevitably makes them think of everybody's second-least-favorite Ducktales character. But I think the resemblance to Bubba begins and ends with "caveperson gimmickily transplanted from past." Is "gimmickily" a word? It is now. Sure, they're superficially similar gimmicks, but a gimmick can rise above itself. Bubba never did that; the writers never found anything even remotely interesting to do with the character and they gave us the anti-intellectual hell of "Bubba's Big Brainstorm." But really, Oona is nothing like that. Dislike the character if you must, but not because of something she's not.

I'm just including this image because Gyro breathing flame as his eyes wildly oscillate in opposite directions is hella funny.

Yeah, "they've been gone a long time." Look, I think if I just point out that Oona is extremely assertive and that I have a dirty mind, I don't have to say any more. Sorry not sorry.

Okay, but this bit is pretty dickish. I mean JEEZ, you can't even bring yourself to actually address her as you prepare to leave? Not cool, man.

But, inevitably, abandoning her doesn't work. OH THEY'LL TELL ALL RIGHT. THEY'LL TELL YOU ALL. Ha!

Thus: Oona. And now, we move on to the second story in our series, "Oona's Shopping Maul." Ho ho!

Look, humor of the "past person wildly misconstrues present things" isn't super-original or clever, but it gets me every time.  It's what I like about this and what I hope to see more of. Granted, it's easy to see how the character could become a bit one-note, but for now, I'm digging it. So there!

Whether it's thinking dogs are bears, or thinking cars are monsters, I am ALL IN, BABY. You can't make me not like this!

See? She's helpful! She's saving him! It's all very fun and good-natured. No one's making fun of her for being dumb; she's just naive and not clear about what's going on, AS YOU WOULD BE.

And...

Hurray! Her expression sitting on the bus=gold.

Another thing I REALLY appreciate about this is that there's absolutely no sexual rivalry with Daisy--she's just being helpful. It seems almost preordained that this will change in future stories, but for the time being, there's a light touch that I like.

Yes, well...you know, I think you could PERFECTLY WELL write a story that's just slice-of-life fish-out-of-water stuff, but it was, I suppose, inevitable that some kind of plot like this would make its appearance at some point. Sure fine Beagles whatever. At least they're Beagles dressed as clowns! That adds a bit of variety!

SOCK! WHAM! That's a fun image, but oh, Joe--did you REALLY have to remind me of Battle Beasties? Alas and alack!

And as it begins, so it ends. Just like Finnegans Wake. Boy, I'll bet no one's made THAT comparison before, probably because it's incredibly stupid. Who cares? I like how content Oona looks having commandeered Bolivar's abode.

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Hey, I'm not going to say that these stories are absolute transcendent masterpieces, but they're a lot of fun, and I will be happy to see many more of them.