tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post614433265582518743..comments2024-03-02T16:36:54.324-05:00Comments on Duck Comics Revue: "The Fantastic Adventures of Marco Polo"GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-79969236621323518032019-01-30T13:09:58.458-05:002019-01-30T13:09:58.458-05:00(I mean, terrible relative to yours. It's blan...(I mean, terrible relative to yours. It's bland, but not the full depths of bradyism we now know. Sometimes I forget we live in an age where whenever a Disney comic's English script is <i>decent</i> we should count our blessings.)Achille Talonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11636339293230261724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-60830251434262428902019-01-30T13:02:10.781-05:002019-01-30T13:02:10.781-05:00B'the way, turns out ComiXology released their...B'the way, turns out ComiXology released their own, terrible version of this selfsame story. Achille Talonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11636339293230261724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-91235279244198586672019-01-10T10:32:23.760-05:002019-01-10T10:32:23.760-05:00I read this story when it was originally published...I read this story when it was originally published in Italy in 1982. It is actually a spoof of an 8-part miniseries which was then being broadcast, hence all the references to Marco Polo being a TV series. It was hugely successful on Italian television. Here is the Wikipedia page about the original work : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo_(miniseries)Z comme Zozzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00553665070343436158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-69864154979347140482018-01-31T07:05:07.549-05:002018-01-31T07:05:07.549-05:00Nobody mention that this is actually a (at least a...Nobody mention that this is actually a (at least according to Inducks) co-written effort by Martina AND Scarpa? Gee.<br /><br />I mean, that "jewel joke" is so typically Scarpa!<br /><br />Speaking of him, this is my favourite of his many "phases". It just looks beautiful, both the landscapes and the characters.Spectrusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-58327553681326004222014-07-31T13:09:10.468-04:002014-07-31T13:09:10.468-04:00You are very welcome. I also appreciate the clari...You are very welcome. I also appreciate the clarification.GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-3877363182125392532014-07-31T12:57:25.592-04:002014-07-31T12:57:25.592-04:00As a kid I used to love reading this story in Fren...As a kid I used to love reading this story in French, so thank you. And as a translation student this has been a very interesting read !<br />I'd just like to add something about the name used in French for Cocachin : "Minh-ouch" is most likely a racist wordplay to make the word "minouche" (a term of endearment that could be likened to the English "kitty") sound like what westerners think might be an Asian name.Lisanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-84057990915942111502014-05-08T20:49:55.975-04:002014-05-08T20:49:55.975-04:00My two cents on some points :) :
The original tit...My two cents on some points :) :<br /><br />The original title of the book was probably something like <br /><i>Livre de Marco Polo citoyen de Venis, dit Milion, où l'on conte les merveilles du monde. </i><br />Many people thought that Milione was related to the book, but was probably related to Marco Polo himself, because "Emilione" was a nickname used for him and other members of his family and "Milione" should have been an apocope of it.<br /><br />Scherani o Ischerani is the name of the folk ruled by king Nogodar in the text of Il Milione taht I own, written in ancient italian language. It is an italianization of the real name, that recalls the italian word "scherani" meaning "killers, cutthroats".<br /><br />The tablets... in your version the Khan says they grant HIM extraordinary powers, and this is what, I think, they seem to be magic to you. But the italian text says that the tablets grant extraordinary powers to whom they are given: just a document to be held by emperor's delegates.<br /><br />Rock-meth was the name of the unfaithful minister in the original version: it recalls that of Achmach, not a chinese but a saracen.<br /><br />Kaidu's daughter is called Aigiarne in my ancient italian text: Martina calls her Aigianne, and makes her a pupil of Kaidu.<br /><br />About Cocacin: Donald-Marco decides to reject her for loyalty to the Khan AND to let her become queen. Not so bad as in the french version ;)<br /><br /><br />Teresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14986793417102642253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-61547623849870497682013-03-17T10:09:42.847-04:002013-03-17T10:09:42.847-04:00I read it in Italian. The character was indeed Pap...I read it in Italian. The character was indeed Paperetta.<br /><br /><br />" and I've heard there is some new Italian series which centerers around her and Fethry as reporters (but I havent seen it yet..) "<br /><br />They are not exactly stories. They are mostly pieces of actual reporting with the ducks interviewing real people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-59863796336018709952013-02-26T17:17:12.005-05:002013-02-26T17:17:12.005-05:00Les goûts et les couleurs.Les goûts et les couleurs.Francoiswhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10065964881400685527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-20128959885091809032013-02-22T15:00:02.280-05:002013-02-22T15:00:02.280-05:00Very interesting info; thanks. At a guess, you...Very interesting info; thanks. At a guess, you're right; it probably WAS in the Italian as well. Then again, maybe the Norwegian translator was as nonplussed as I was and did a little editing of his/her own? Anyone who knows for sure wanna weigh in?GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-77611242755229972352013-02-22T08:44:00.387-05:002013-02-22T08:44:00.387-05:00hyaroo - I guess we must consult a person who read...hyaroo - I guess we must consult a person who read the Itaian version On this one...<br /><br />But Yhe - Maybe he didn't know who Dickie and asume it was just some "stock character" and Peperetta Ye'Ye is just a pun on some Italian big name movie actress...<br /><br /><br />Dr.GeoX - Now that you mention it actualy it's interesting how Italian/Brazylian writers swich "how old Dickie" all the time. In some stories I've see n she appears to be only slithly older then HD&L and other characters treat her like a child but in some stories she actually OWNS a car which makes her at least 16-17... <br /><br /><br />I like this chracter and I was sad they bearly used her in the last decade... HOWEVER she recently was reused in a Italian "Twilight spoof" story (which is great BTW)where she played the role of Alice and I've heard there is some new Italian series which centerers around her and Fethry as reporters (but I havent seen it yet..)so maybe this character is having some sort of a comeback... ?Pan Miluśhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01364446151493198587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-86138938989823468982013-02-22T06:38:09.059-05:002013-02-22T06:38:09.059-05:00In the Norwegian translation, at least, Scrooge di...In the Norwegian translation, at least, Scrooge did name Dickie Duck rather than Brigitta as the actress, so I don't think it's too big a stretch to say that this was probably the case with the original Italian script as well... What the French translator thought, I have no idea, but maybe he didn't know who Dickie was and just inserted the name of the first female Duck character he could think of?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-31792337363651571912013-02-19T16:36:14.546-05:002013-02-19T16:36:14.546-05:00Dr. GeoX writes:
“Thanks, all. "Who would wi...Dr. GeoX writes:<br /><br />“Thanks, all. "Who would win in a fight?" was a popular, uh, intellectual activity for my brothers and I to engage in growing up. No doubt this is a common experience”<br /><br />…And, that’s exactly what makes it funny in the context of an ancient historical reenactment! Unexpected or otherwise incongruous bits of humor, dropped into a script, always work for me! <br /><br />It’s something, Mark Evanier’s occasional scripts notwithstanding, the later Western comics completely lost the ability to do.Joe Torciviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00421096229407174474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-11015478007463668682013-02-18T20:09:46.999-05:002013-02-18T20:09:46.999-05:00Thanks for bringing this to us in English, GeoX. F...Thanks for bringing this to us in English, GeoX. From now on, I will think of Scarpa as the "Khan artist." Yes, the art is terrific, as everyone has said, and as you noted, the colorist also deserves praise. Before reading your post, I too was struck by the summer palace panel--and thought "Wow, that's good coloring, too." Kudos to Napolean for identifying the gondola part--and I'm glad to know that the homesick ducks are hallucinating a particularly Venetian mirage. (And yes, Napolean, the idea of Mickey being anti-commercialism is a hoot!) The landscapes are great, but so are many of the details, from the compass to the earthquake-detector. It would be interesting to read an annotated version of this story that would explain exactly what comes from MP's text and what from Scarpa's imagination. Oh, and kudos to you, GeoX, for your superior re-write of Marco's renunciation of romance. The renunciation scene reminds me of Reginella!Elainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-26137575567314952642013-02-18T17:53:13.740-05:002013-02-18T17:53:13.740-05:00Thanks, all. "Who would win in a fight?"...Thanks, all. "Who would win in a fight?" was a popular, uh, intellectual activity for my brothers and I to engage in growing up. No doubt this is a common experience.<br /><br />That sandstorm business is indeed strange. As far as I can tell, it's made up out of whole cloth. WIth a story like this that's sort of quasi-historical, it can be hard to tell what's meant to be based on something and what's not, though.<br />GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-38937585478878004832013-02-18T16:35:46.294-05:002013-02-18T16:35:46.294-05:00I enjoyed it, thanks.
And if I may return to the...I enjoyed it, thanks. <br /><br />And if I may return to the ending, which I agree is pretty bad, while reading I was convinced that it would end with Scrooge deciding to cancel the last episode as well.<br /><br />Also, is there anything in the original travels parallel to that weird storm at the end? It's even weirder that the sailors hadn't noticed it, making it seem magical. So, there was some wizard trying to keep them in the desert, or something? Really weird and unmotivated.<br /><br />I agree with Joe on: “So, which one would win in a fight?” & “I’m gonna dive in it – like a porpoise, or something!”, nice touches.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-80528469473302772642013-02-18T10:15:20.001-05:002013-02-18T10:15:20.001-05:00Dr. GeoX writes:
“An' if anyone doubts that i...Dr. GeoX writes:<br /><br />“An' if anyone doubts that it is sometimes very necessary to embellish scripts, note that in the French version, those speech bubbles say "See those cows?" "And those sheep?" and "and those enormous donkeys?" What…so we're in kindergarten now? Yeesh.”<br /><br />…And if THOSE aren’t words to live by, Dr. GeoX (especially where Italian stories are concerned), I don’t know what are! Thank you, from “that little old script embellisher”, me! <br /><br />BTW, I really like “So, which one would win in a fight?” Also enjoyed “I’m gonna dive in it – like a porpoise, or something!” …Even if it wasn’t Scrooge who said it. Well done! <br /><br />…And what a dreadful ending! ‘Nuff said on that!Joe Torciviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00421096229407174474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-60974743345114404642013-02-17T20:54:51.621-05:002013-02-17T20:54:51.621-05:00The translated story and the review make for very ...The translated story and the review make for very pleasant reading. I have already praised your translations in the past, GeoX, and once again it works very well, creating an enjoyable extra level to the story. I haven't read the original or any other version, but from the information given here, all the changes you've made make sense and indeed improve the story a little. <br /><br />(A further note on translations:<br />It seems European translations of Italian Disney comics tend to be on the rudimentary side when it comes to atmosphere, varied vocabulary, verbal humour, and characterization. At least that's the picture I'm getting here. It's a shame -- of course I don't know how much effort is put into the original Italian dialouge. Such bland translations used to be a bit of a drag in Finnish Topolino translations as well [which used to be Finnish translations of German translations of French translations of the originals], but they adopted a more ambitious and idiomatic approach in the 80's [as well as finally going directly to the Italian source], and nowadays in my country these comics get really good and lively translations that have been praised by teachers and linguistic authorities. I think French readers deserve nothing less. The Académie française should interfere. If the French are to be flooded with zeez Apennine bastardizations of zee fruits of zee imperialism cultural Américaine, they should at least be reminded of the expressive glories of their noble and most perfect language. Hrmph!) <br /><br />I don't really get the framing device here. I'd much rather read the story proper, fun as it is, without framing -- you know, the actual adventures. I guess it can bring some cohesion to these very long stories, but if you want to divide your adventure into separate chapters, you might just call them chapters and do away with this weird Mickey script. I do find it exceedingly funny, though, to see Mickey objecting to Scrooge's commercialist schemes. Yep, you've never put YOUR DAMN LEERING FACE, for example, on anything just to sell it, have you, Mickey?<br /><br />Martina is a very prolific writer. He can do a good job, but as far as I know even his best efforts have some inexplicable inconsistencies, and he's certainly no stranger to jarring contrivance. He also has a tendency to go for some ethically suspect stuff. Stealing from a slave mine is hardly the worst he's had these characters do.<br /><br />As for the art, I really like this more mature style of Scarpa's (though his early, more rubbery ducks also hold a certain charm for me). The landscapes are, as observed by everybody, beautiful. As for the unidentified object in the mirage segment: I think it's the ornamental stabilizer found in the bow of a gondola. The mirage is supposed to be reminiscent of Venice, after all, and the boater hat is an additional tip. Why the gondola appears to be buried in the ground I have no idea.<br /><br />All in all, good show.Napoleonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06165836112735612036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-27341678818970052972013-02-17T18:06:12.413-05:002013-02-17T18:06:12.413-05:00Did anybody find the panel for which Scarpa used a...Did anybody find the panel for which Scarpa used a take from Stagecoach?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-50577286180886372382013-02-17T11:53:57.435-05:002013-02-17T11:53:57.435-05:00@Pan Yeah, but the "real" Marco was als...@Pan Yeah, but the "real" Marco was also substantially older than the Donald-Marco is here. I think we can assume a certain flexibility in the characters' presumptive ages.GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-84733072376903114492013-02-17T11:34:05.987-05:002013-02-17T11:34:05.987-05:00It's true that a different font would probably...It's true that a different font would probably look better; I guess I'm just doing what I'm used to. But comic sans? Yeah, that would be a nightmare.GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-67283197152721362442013-02-17T07:33:47.720-05:002013-02-17T07:33:47.720-05:00Francois, excuse me for disagreeing—but Comics San...Francois, excuse me for disagreeing—but Comics Sans (sic) is the generic, Simpsons-inspired "comics" font everyone uses.<br />If Geoff wants to use a "real" Disney comics font, I'd love to suggest he go with WildWords or Smack Attack, the two we liked best at Gemstone and Boom.<br />(We used ComicCrazy a lot too, but these days it's also quite overused... and its bulky design seems to make it an awkward fit with many art styles.)David Gersteinhttp://ramapithblog.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-75896735145107011802013-02-17T07:08:23.344-05:002013-02-17T07:08:23.344-05:00Thanks for the interesting review and translation....Thanks for the interesting review and translation.<br />If I may suggest something, you could use the Comic Sans font that would make it very much like actual comics ?<br />Thank you again for your work.Francoiswhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10065964881400685527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-63674918262933294912013-02-17T06:32:19.992-05:002013-02-17T06:32:19.992-05:00Note that Khan's daughter is played by Scarpas...Note that Khan's daughter is played by Scarpas very own Dickie Duck (who is ment to be 14-15 years old)<br /><br />Ow that Donald...Pan Miluśhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01364446151493198587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-49420989548258091422013-02-16T23:55:35.098-05:002013-02-16T23:55:35.098-05:00I think you've made a conscious effort to post...I think you've made a conscious effort to post better and better Scarpa art with each post on this blog. Whoever did the layouts was... hoo man, I'm just in awe.<br /><br />Wow.<br /><br />Wow.<br /><br />No criticism, just wow.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com