tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54235790927791638242024-03-17T23:03:10.338-04:00Duck Comics RevueMusings on Classic (and not-so-classic) Duck Comics. Black lives matter. Trans rights are human rights.GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.comBlogger488125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-72287787706508646812023-12-22T19:08:00.003-05:002023-12-22T19:30:30.506-05:00"Christmas Down the Centuries"<p>It sounds unbelievable when I say it like this, but it's true: in the history of this blog, I have written about a grand total of <i>one</i> Brazilian story (<a href="https://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2016/02/a-what-if-love-story-of-imaginary.html">this weirdo</a>). What can I say? They just aren't published overseas with much frequency; truly, the undiscovered country of the Disney comics world. I mean, for those of us outside Brazil. I realize that that was an Amero/Eurocentric thing to say. But it's still interesting to me! There has to be <i>so much</i> that we could discover if we were able to delve into that world! Case in point: today's story, which I have labored to <a href="https://www.mediafire.com/file/gv2dwg5mh3c9hg9/Christmas+Down+the+Centuries.pdf/file">translate into English</a> for you all (this story did see a single French publication, its one appearance not in Portuguese). I may not have written about a lot of stories this Christmas, but I have good news: I've decided that one translation counts the same as ten commentaries. What could "count" possibly mean in this context? It is a mystery! But it really Goes to Show. Show what? Well, you'll know soon enough. I must credit Elaine for bringing it to my attention. You would not be reading this otherwise.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii09F_9KmtW-FUzFLe0R4IDrE7rYgo8hY37QHWVDuVFh12RCvIfrNiHkQb9zCdmJ1Z58tvHAGWWWpcqP3TYRid0ClurStvNb0MB_nRxVt0vC1J_nsy5FWtVBe3Mp7-OvyoQVGgleUYqb_yJZBOrvwelNmjfnuQ6la_4A1yEnuO1jJ70PMWbnlIXxjZ6NtS/s1136/noel01%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1136" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii09F_9KmtW-FUzFLe0R4IDrE7rYgo8hY37QHWVDuVFh12RCvIfrNiHkQb9zCdmJ1Z58tvHAGWWWpcqP3TYRid0ClurStvNb0MB_nRxVt0vC1J_nsy5FWtVBe3Mp7-OvyoQVGgleUYqb_yJZBOrvwelNmjfnuQ6la_4A1yEnuO1jJ70PMWbnlIXxjZ6NtS/w400-h393/noel01%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>The story starts in a same ol' same ol' sort of way. You wouldn't think it was going to be anything special, and indeed, you might think it seems kind of subpar. Scrooge's motivations here are kind of murky and out-of-character. When did he become obsessed with the idea that he should get more presents? Sure, he wants OTHER people to leave him alone with their demands, but does it work in reverse? Well, no doubt there ARE other examples of it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYRy9n-fkBqs_4vhpVrw1T6H4g2YPCMktj_BbDl5p99IIbFtnf28kR_bErdoYzv10Rh8yyO9SgRgeOWTM3zOv93b1lNEv_icBsvhjuchIornjYDoTpN1Zcaie0BHNDqpdQQayX7Px5crhTLjpbza0CrP6X-E9ZzVLRbRLJTTtLHLGqgkq1ftsbxHjixC9/s1011/noel03%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1011" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYRy9n-fkBqs_4vhpVrw1T6H4g2YPCMktj_BbDl5p99IIbFtnf28kR_bErdoYzv10Rh8yyO9SgRgeOWTM3zOv93b1lNEv_icBsvhjuchIornjYDoTpN1Zcaie0BHNDqpdQQayX7Px5crhTLjpbza0CrP6X-E9ZzVLRbRLJTTtLHLGqgkq1ftsbxHjixC9/w400-h295/noel03%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway: time machine. Another thing that you might find ominous. Nothing wrong in theory with that sort of thing, but it often lets novelty do the heavy lifting, in lieu of quality story-telling.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgER9dJ7Mv_1K3mm5qGMv7cFupE4Z6kpT7ROcj6bg27Q39vTnmlRC4MOrgWzBqT-GY0BiaLX_xNPMhYt3qXiWEXtLLnugp5aWEqokEIgyg5lwoabvfn25Q3HUY5CAqsWmRnDsuy_m_EbTHHF4rirLhi6NahYyOOk0uwyqRhi_IdoCsIuk8UZLlr7fGsEIN0/s1003/noel04%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1003" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgER9dJ7Mv_1K3mm5qGMv7cFupE4Z6kpT7ROcj6bg27Q39vTnmlRC4MOrgWzBqT-GY0BiaLX_xNPMhYt3qXiWEXtLLnugp5aWEqokEIgyg5lwoabvfn25Q3HUY5CAqsWmRnDsuy_m_EbTHHF4rirLhi6NahYyOOk0uwyqRhi_IdoCsIuk8UZLlr7fGsEIN0/w400-h296/noel04%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Now you start to see what is notable about this story. For all the hundreds of Christmasy Disney comics out there, they've always been pretty darned militant about keeping religion out of it--to the extent that this tiny marginal picture of a Wise Man and Star in "Christmas for Shacktown" is kind of notable:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgo16obEbIJ5CG_zP4yEir5rVlPokymZE0GDEp8tGTdDF8JooNPJ3sxsE77-YLki4lTWu_PcioY46x-PRMhe1QRRI6iTvD6OEdAa1bGYd9PJX3Xus670k9yqx0iLWr7ujXM1ym8spzYKkPh5K6MgaABHJoMpp3bvQMWQ7RZlXLl0_nX7Q5NGICtxEGrdQ/s500/Uncle_Scrooge_336_10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="500" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgo16obEbIJ5CG_zP4yEir5rVlPokymZE0GDEp8tGTdDF8JooNPJ3sxsE77-YLki4lTWu_PcioY46x-PRMhe1QRRI6iTvD6OEdAa1bGYd9PJX3Xus670k9yqx0iLWr7ujXM1ym8spzYKkPh5K6MgaABHJoMpp3bvQMWQ7RZlXLl0_nX7Q5NGICtxEGrdQ/w400-h264/Uncle_Scrooge_336_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>There's also this bit from Barks' "Silent Night," if you want to count it:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MGi9VOP7Z_gIGPBe97ntRo5A4RKdC3W5xRssfSEznY3kQHl5g8iS3rhxzi_R2-cZPMTvaqmBlNg8NNgb-gIyGsZ4yXsqXY2UT0ksQJlLje_M78qWfl4V2EGQNDn-KVCt4unRH13kPNEDRvxnsbJEGL7zE2I1WFmT8ncUcK3M4_0FIA9nl5u3dRXCFM5a/s910/WD_Xmas_Parade_Gemstone_03_68.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="910" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MGi9VOP7Z_gIGPBe97ntRo5A4RKdC3W5xRssfSEznY3kQHl5g8iS3rhxzi_R2-cZPMTvaqmBlNg8NNgb-gIyGsZ4yXsqXY2UT0ksQJlLje_M78qWfl4V2EGQNDn-KVCt4unRH13kPNEDRvxnsbJEGL7zE2I1WFmT8ncUcK3M4_0FIA9nl5u3dRXCFM5a/w400-h141/WD_Xmas_Parade_Gemstone_03_68.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...I mean, it DOES mention the Holy Family, although granted, calling that "religious" would be pushing it a bit. Also, it was unpublished for years, albeit for other and better reasons. And hey, not a comic, but from an early Christmas Parade:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEq_X30m-7b2bgHRnYLMXNC1f8hpJHuwSod3s00y6GDT4N9W5cQ0nkLpe5A_Y115TJpjkcp8ThPhlKXT2wVw6ueyO_fl_G8Q8MUP7o9i8f3WNdLTrLlAHX9jwPfgrMZKGiOQnL7P-zgvtZBtu30KL-YYDlLXI2E3cU5fzApwd_lY-gK4YfzgH3PLvnzPG/s1356/Christmas%20Parade%2002%20101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="945" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEq_X30m-7b2bgHRnYLMXNC1f8hpJHuwSod3s00y6GDT4N9W5cQ0nkLpe5A_Y115TJpjkcp8ThPhlKXT2wVw6ueyO_fl_G8Q8MUP7o9i8f3WNdLTrLlAHX9jwPfgrMZKGiOQnL7P-zgvtZBtu30KL-YYDlLXI2E3cU5fzApwd_lY-gK4YfzgH3PLvnzPG/w279-h400/Christmas%20Parade%2002%20101.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><p>Kind of odd that Western would be cool with this, but super-not-so with it in their actual comics. I'd like to know the editorial thinking.</p><p>But WHY AM I CATALOGUING ALL THIS STUFF?!? It seems like a huge waste of everyone's time! Well, my point stands: you <i>do not</i> normally see the kind of overt religious content in Disney comics that we do in today's story. Well, I say that, but actually, my data is lacking: is it just this story in particular, or is this stuff commonplace--or at least not-ultra-rarecase--among Brazilian stories in particular? I could believe it either way. Really, it's possible that the most baffling thing here is how this ever got published in France. And as we'll see, it goes <i>much</i> deeper than these panels.</p><p>Before we go on, though, I'd like it noted that "It's 64 AD, after the time of Jesus Christ!" is from the French text; it's not my improvisation. The story seems to be making the popular mistake of thinking that "AD" is short for "After Death," which is weird, since that doesn't seem to work in a non-Anglophone context. Still, I left it there 'cause it's kind of amusing to see.</p><p>Any of you in the audience who are Roman history buffs have probably successfully sussed out why this takes place in the year 64 specifically. Foreshadowing!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLMEgHTf1ViBaMow-tQQdrhSHaxhJByk1NU9etyIDcZnaym_D5gLW23h3n4Mbnga7oa-Wxia3GZJeGmw5vARS1tsLWkKyQh3C5q-9RFvGDEBhPDeip9I2a82kXyrvzwIcb2AUJO5NSjCG11R9Cb1exCXNw3EJES9vt3iVV-0LomAi8rL-DUKzkMESiPpT/s987/noel05%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="987" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLMEgHTf1ViBaMow-tQQdrhSHaxhJByk1NU9etyIDcZnaym_D5gLW23h3n4Mbnga7oa-Wxia3GZJeGmw5vARS1tsLWkKyQh3C5q-9RFvGDEBhPDeip9I2a82kXyrvzwIcb2AUJO5NSjCG11R9Cb1exCXNw3EJES9vt3iVV-0LomAi8rL-DUKzkMESiPpT/w400-h304/noel05%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>But is this a good story qua story? Or is just novelty? Well...it has its moments; I'm willing to grant it that. But it also has weird narrative cul de sacs like this banana thing (well...not "cul de sac," since it technically does lead to the next plot point, but still). Also, Scrooge speaks Latin? Why? We know he's a crazy polyglot, but that seems to all be based on places where he's done business or gone treasure hunting (and didn't Rosa kind of miss a trick in not devoting at least a panel or two in the Life & Times to him learning a new language?). Why Latin? Because of past time-travel escapades? Seems like a dubious justification.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7t6ervJplc7273Ptt1GqHdY_d6Uva9rcFGMXN8u51PZ2JI6bVVzHaG1laVcSgfYsjKOGMIcJ44UDAiRH18Hkel6WwzPE_Cj4RQt6VY7MClhEiCxMKDmtLkWPqw7Y-Pxyyn8hMr9PyBDxzhjlfPMzzwy49iqPkZK7P5-cHBREghGRv6h26vlu89cBD9vP/s993/noel06%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="993" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7t6ervJplc7273Ptt1GqHdY_d6Uva9rcFGMXN8u51PZ2JI6bVVzHaG1laVcSgfYsjKOGMIcJ44UDAiRH18Hkel6WwzPE_Cj4RQt6VY7MClhEiCxMKDmtLkWPqw7Y-Pxyyn8hMr9PyBDxzhjlfPMzzwy49iqPkZK7P5-cHBREghGRv6h26vlu89cBD9vP/w400-h301/noel06%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>The guards' dialogue in the upper left panel was just profanity symbols (which, I just now learn, are called "grawlix." How delightful), so I decided it would be fun to have them swearing in Latin. So I looked up Latin profanity, but a lot of the results were a bit too spicy for Disney comics. So I went with THIS, which means, allegedly, "may you be assassinated by conspirators in the mall." That's pretty fun.</p><p>The story keeps mentioning the "Porta San Sebastiano." It's not just a one-time thing. Do words mean things? Can you discern "Saint Sebastian," who didn't live 'til hundreds of years after this? Seems like a needless self-own, but you do what you have to do, I suppose. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEITbMbO_nAEtj5M4NraQHQdCFAdhAHXVSTMHjd9JF1e_j9OEv2KcBLBLB3BqPs6WuXAznevbbmMm4TK_IA6w2ppNo0kCdf4rsty6xzc0mNEgtu3My4MOiU3nm6iP0LNZiw-CM4ay_rfZMk84zTyYiKxP-bZsPjMHRx8wVUn2BAFAH4pXHyUfmA3FNoT1/s996/noel07%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="996" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEITbMbO_nAEtj5M4NraQHQdCFAdhAHXVSTMHjd9JF1e_j9OEv2KcBLBLB3BqPs6WuXAznevbbmMm4TK_IA6w2ppNo0kCdf4rsty6xzc0mNEgtu3My4MOiU3nm6iP0LNZiw-CM4ay_rfZMk84zTyYiKxP-bZsPjMHRx8wVUn2BAFAH4pXHyUfmA3FNoT1/w400-h295/noel07%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Interesting! A Christian! This is the closest you're likely to get to a Disney comics <i>Quo Vadis,</i> so enjoy it while you can!</p><p>As you can see, the story plays it cagey as to whether our heroes consider themselves Christians, though by the end of the story, it'll be hard to see how they could not. Then again, if Rosa is to be believed, they should also be devotees of Finnish paganism, so take that for what it's worth and not a penny more.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxCaeBnhe8Z_JKuipETcFVLrq8NUDXrZWLTSIRtvVeByYH6vAHIDERW_JKDGD4EiwhY-p3gsyK7F55ccEP4302dShO13-J9wqQxV6oZSawdT-9zaXG6N0elsrQM2dwOX1HUuSK1GLR90EkueV20-lgYcWTfHN7ekCLhOKEeBnK1uU7VbPNhZRj-TX4aKu/s524/noel08%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="524" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxCaeBnhe8Z_JKuipETcFVLrq8NUDXrZWLTSIRtvVeByYH6vAHIDERW_JKDGD4EiwhY-p3gsyK7F55ccEP4302dShO13-J9wqQxV6oZSawdT-9zaXG6N0elsrQM2dwOX1HUuSK1GLR90EkueV20-lgYcWTfHN7ekCLhOKEeBnK1uU7VbPNhZRj-TX4aKu/w400-h284/noel08%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Guy <i>calls</i> them Christians, but I think that's just his assumption.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkSLVF2cRBITIbbbJJnvlgVHACKGYYRT18wAiZSf-tiPWj2Ku03YGKo2VDeZdDNWH7ZfrnyGXSXqFMlLO8WpYJT9zYe8tPPDQKVKSuNFeG9nYKwUnpm72QR43STbdEYJznYsALXuwyFEPM6whuz6XOUJTR57zzxoth1CAGEidGGgqVbFzPDWuxNTAo1So/s993/noel09.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="993" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkSLVF2cRBITIbbbJJnvlgVHACKGYYRT18wAiZSf-tiPWj2Ku03YGKo2VDeZdDNWH7ZfrnyGXSXqFMlLO8WpYJT9zYe8tPPDQKVKSuNFeG9nYKwUnpm72QR43STbdEYJznYsALXuwyFEPM6whuz6XOUJTR57zzxoth1CAGEidGGgqVbFzPDWuxNTAo1So/w400-h304/noel09.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Does he mean ten in the morning? You kind of have to assume. "Not even ten at night" seems like it would never be considered too early. And yet, the fire in question happened at night, so...huh?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPT1TtgUqawvUO_yO_-1drrj4hxrVqqJc5dkQX56uZg7natiQl6SsY0J5bXKh3EncVdayLRsGTGJvdyHLHtCytVFsbpnD4ErJwS6ZB1Xosf5fE6DL1GuYVdMoy28k1mIO3WPC5yFhV8W6j3vLzUlKuNe4MDyvPFQNQrKbG0ZWbarfN3IZXAShavRWySED7/s463/noel09%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="463" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPT1TtgUqawvUO_yO_-1drrj4hxrVqqJc5dkQX56uZg7natiQl6SsY0J5bXKh3EncVdayLRsGTGJvdyHLHtCytVFsbpnD4ErJwS6ZB1Xosf5fE6DL1GuYVdMoy28k1mIO3WPC5yFhV8W6j3vLzUlKuNe4MDyvPFQNQrKbG0ZWbarfN3IZXAShavRWySED7/w400-h320/noel09%202.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>The art here is basically fine, serviceable, but GOOD LORD does this guy look weird in this panel. Like some sort of lamprey-man.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMlIhIJL7JN6sXekj2mRf5NQ_4JkixyPwVtz9XuSg129IDnAOSY1eft1bmNdmDkzbkIQ2OxOZMGygVrBq1GOPyMaTfXpgJxxc3_jhNjxtyK63NOQoJnMk-CRIveLX3zI2L0QGNNcx8cSw96yDToUa-wou65SGXfOK17MLr9OepMQZwiCo2n4yjB_RZcHW/s1006/noel10%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1006" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMlIhIJL7JN6sXekj2mRf5NQ_4JkixyPwVtz9XuSg129IDnAOSY1eft1bmNdmDkzbkIQ2OxOZMGygVrBq1GOPyMaTfXpgJxxc3_jhNjxtyK63NOQoJnMk-CRIveLX3zI2L0QGNNcx8cSw96yDToUa-wou65SGXfOK17MLr9OepMQZwiCo2n4yjB_RZcHW/w400-h297/noel10%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Hey, did you know you can <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_firefighting">read</a> about the history of firefighting and learn facts? I know it's a bit dickish of me to pretend that Saidenberg had access to wikipedia while writing this, but what the hey. Actually, the French text just says "firefighters;" I thought "fire department" made it sound a bit more anachronistic and therefore funnier. I mean, not <i>hilarious,</i> obviously. But you work with what you have.</p><p>Anyway, time to get a little heady here. So right, the story is set in 64 CE (ha ha! Take THAT, Christmas!), which is indeed when the Great Fire of Rome took place. This is Christmas, and it took place during the summer, but that's not really a problem because the date for the holiday hadn't been established as December at this point (the question of what TIME this is supposed to be is a bit vexed, but let's leave that aside as unimportant). But, as we shall see in the other time-traveling sequences in this story, the time machine seems to be designed to take people JUST to Christmases. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that it just takes you to the past at the same time of year as the present. They're using it on December 25, so December 25 is where it takes them. But wait, you see the problem if this is taking place in the summer. It seems like the machine has to have some sort of, I don't know, holiday-detecting device...thing. I mean, I don't know, maybe that's something Gyro would jive with. But it also seems to mean that it can't take you back any further than this--when there was no such holiday or even the makings of a holiday. Or maybe it also recognizes Mithras. Who knows. That's enough of this nonsense.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrC97A9OU5UcXCMlkpU4QMyHR0ZlK7p5Sy6Gwrj9J2mSXeRwd2X_E6soot-E-Orw6aFdwDUWRfKeTyaSq2odPoVLQgCHZIW4HHWlZ-EWRHod7RV7yUAtpQsYd0CB1DRDlaqb4Qp1Zu1WjmFkDLb7EJ1PiynYVDcdidG3yKrAAjaiv-xvLKV_G9knUAi0H/s482/noel10%20copy%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="482" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrC97A9OU5UcXCMlkpU4QMyHR0ZlK7p5Sy6Gwrj9J2mSXeRwd2X_E6soot-E-Orw6aFdwDUWRfKeTyaSq2odPoVLQgCHZIW4HHWlZ-EWRHod7RV7yUAtpQsYd0CB1DRDlaqb4Qp1Zu1WjmFkDLb7EJ1PiynYVDcdidG3yKrAAjaiv-xvLKV_G9knUAi0H/w400-h313/noel10%20copy%202.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>I must concede that this panel is rather poignant: this guy, almost certainly not going to come to a good end, wishing our heroes the best. Not the kind of thing you expect to see in Disney comics.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNgFMIp0cWYGpxdwc1IDdHNZlhlJMS2eYsRMeIl-JJeiRrOxTC-hS_0ClmWIG4mFLW3EDEl9ul-xBYvyWjl4onLJBvwwrf3tqvDiMUzZGQ5_vuRGc1ldHRvi40ZkNNV6ku2p5jbDAqPqb4qMwYm8h8uTZsNgZjz3wQxF0wQF_z7Bfa-PbG-FkZD8KsQSJ/s1008/noel13%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="1008" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNgFMIp0cWYGpxdwc1IDdHNZlhlJMS2eYsRMeIl-JJeiRrOxTC-hS_0ClmWIG4mFLW3EDEl9ul-xBYvyWjl4onLJBvwwrf3tqvDiMUzZGQ5_vuRGc1ldHRvi40ZkNNV6ku2p5jbDAqPqb4qMwYm8h8uTZsNgZjz3wQxF0wQF_z7Bfa-PbG-FkZD8KsQSJ/w400-h296/noel13%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Okay, and here's Nero, 'cause if you're gonna set a story in this milieu, ya GOTTA have some fiddling while Rome burns. I'm kind of disappointed that he isn't a bird, though. Let it be noted that his song was just generic "la la la" stuff in the original, so you're not losing anything with the rickroll. Now, look at that "if the fire spreads here" dude. As you will be aware, that last part is a paraphrase of Nero's alleged last words. Given how awkwardly they're shoehorned in there, you'd probably be inclined to think that they're my addition to the story, but in this case, you are wrong: someone other than me shoehorned them in, so I kept them. His expression absolutely does not match the sentiment. Is he being sarcastic? Huh?</p><p>Also, that woman on the right: is she supposed to be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppaea_Sabina">Poppaea</a>? I mean, apart from his mother Agrippina (who was dead by this point), there's no <i>other</i> woman closely associated with Nero. And yet, as far as I know she never conspired against him, so who knows. It would be a bit weird if it were just a random person saying that, though.</p><p>Right, we missed operawatch last entry, so here's a double: Monteverdi's <i>L'incoronazione di Poppea</i> and Handel's <i>Agrippina</i> are both baroque classics, so check 'em out. The fanfiction approach that baroque librettists take with historical material is always a trip.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMghnpliI2ditY-MCus_TM8vMGa9LQn-Ly_6KNGM-eVCb87JP2x7WH39W_D9ERMfZ5G_J91SlsYwCA4x13pneZdzlHIOpxyEBGwVSvJpMW0LivXH1r2uGc377G5VJYNdoLKnn8UwfUgfmfC70WjO8xWSkNj3FqbRX7FIorI5FPAxuXtnjPVRtm3QhDpIK/s1015/noel14%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="1015" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMghnpliI2ditY-MCus_TM8vMGa9LQn-Ly_6KNGM-eVCb87JP2x7WH39W_D9ERMfZ5G_J91SlsYwCA4x13pneZdzlHIOpxyEBGwVSvJpMW0LivXH1r2uGc377G5VJYNdoLKnn8UwfUgfmfC70WjO8xWSkNj3FqbRX7FIorI5FPAxuXtnjPVRtm3QhDpIK/w400-h294/noel14%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>And now, this. The Portuguese title of this story is "A Very Different Christmas;" the French edition dubbed it "Christmas Down the Centuries," which I like so I used. But it has to be said, "centuries" seems to be an exaggeration; not counting the present-day parts, this whole thing takes place over a total of seventy years (also the French version removes a page and a quarter; I would kill to know what was cut out, even though it would probably turn out to be pretty trivial and then I'd feel guilty that I'd killed just to see it).</p><p>Nod also to "Do They Know It's Christmas?" which...I mean, I guess if it helped people it's good, but still kind of gross. I personally prefer "Do They Know It's Halloween?" Is that a real thing, or did I just make it up? You will never know! Unless you spend .1 seconds doing a web search, but really, who has that kind of time?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDt5Bwt7dehZCjU6fV-Bx02ZSpnF96RnHYoGNubi0U5KWOY2x935mwlej7nzjr4RCYVqrdjH2UgRXcuCU_47rly8TpkmGj4qpEC8HZPg0TvEVdxzSZrxkhyQk_70MyN0lg9LJZY100hfCAAEcRPKtulLqKVkmNc5TVE5d-oBZMpQUS2EscMOGNgweOzKP5/s557/noel14.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="557" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDt5Bwt7dehZCjU6fV-Bx02ZSpnF96RnHYoGNubi0U5KWOY2x935mwlej7nzjr4RCYVqrdjH2UgRXcuCU_47rly8TpkmGj4qpEC8HZPg0TvEVdxzSZrxkhyQk_70MyN0lg9LJZY100hfCAAEcRPKtulLqKVkmNc5TVE5d-oBZMpQUS2EscMOGNgweOzKP5/w400-h269/noel14.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>And you might think that "What you say!!" is a typo, but only if you are unaware of <a href="https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Zero_Wing">all internet traditions</a>. Look, I don't CARE if I'm the only one; I still find that funny.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-sOJCY3NKXgTZ-D6LNag0Mpb7IKwxQAYSeIfNbaVpVHLaaJQPkgs2qoygZzTCEtBe1Y3Fwkeb5oesyT7HTw0NNj74GzdFeE6hx3tRWBU2C1XD0nnyoIqfEJvVtwqFTh7y3zz45_yn4Ezy71IABnlmqtWx2lDHqCsOpLz7UG_AmC-DaBJNmfOlnUIDc3O/s992/noel15%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="992" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-sOJCY3NKXgTZ-D6LNag0Mpb7IKwxQAYSeIfNbaVpVHLaaJQPkgs2qoygZzTCEtBe1Y3Fwkeb5oesyT7HTw0NNj74GzdFeE6hx3tRWBU2C1XD0nnyoIqfEJvVtwqFTh7y3zz45_yn4Ezy71IABnlmqtWx2lDHqCsOpLz7UG_AmC-DaBJNmfOlnUIDc3O/w400-h286/noel15%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>I thought it might be conceptually interesting to have the ducks talk about the Germans in the terms generally reserved for non-white people. Not that this is very far away from the original; I just punched it up a bit.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnoiRWpLw0rccF1MrWzbWLAM9p0Y8aUevW_P1QmVoW2uGmQ6W9GTyPbt8qgUG3HAGe0zmU_TSMGSuchEMtcX4FmxTlgdZ8Rs0aGdncR_N6rDPEtWGCJPRPo9JZxxOUk2gJzz5M1-fqKNEK3bnmjqVRX1gL86qkgHwIuUFjyItZCDgBgsWSJrPTLGlC6lF/s992/noel15.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="992" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnoiRWpLw0rccF1MrWzbWLAM9p0Y8aUevW_P1QmVoW2uGmQ6W9GTyPbt8qgUG3HAGe0zmU_TSMGSuchEMtcX4FmxTlgdZ8Rs0aGdncR_N6rDPEtWGCJPRPo9JZxxOUk2gJzz5M1-fqKNEK3bnmjqVRX1gL86qkgHwIuUFjyItZCDgBgsWSJrPTLGlC6lF/w400-h146/noel15.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh, and also, I thought it would be, um, conceptually interesting to include an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA-pFsAxJR4">NWA reference</a>. Inappropriate? We can argue about that all day, but what's done is done. Deal with it.</p><p>Seriously, though, sometimes you just have to do SOMETHING to add some zing to this dialogue. It's the eternal question, innit? "If the dialogue was good enough for the original-language audience, who are YOU to change it?" To that, all I can say is [inarticulate mumbling]. But for the record, you didn't miss much as far as that footnote goes; the French text just glosses the meaning of "Valhalla," which seems extremely unnecessary.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFFuStxj3IDFsTU2M4eZssoqQB1tobH7B7dlQY9tfflWYbCkVIo51GAgkld55SrOtH8rknWaALs11xH0uAXhrn05r1XoKZNNo5ofV9jPEkeuOEzHcSvoq1bKDsn4HeHOn0hQ6CUdF56dIHuWUiJ6jq7suZE8416-xr6Z-ljQvIq6rZEnFuXuAm4JWmbdx/s993/noel16%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="993" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFFuStxj3IDFsTU2M4eZssoqQB1tobH7B7dlQY9tfflWYbCkVIo51GAgkld55SrOtH8rknWaALs11xH0uAXhrn05r1XoKZNNo5ofV9jPEkeuOEzHcSvoq1bKDsn4HeHOn0hQ6CUdF56dIHuWUiJ6jq7suZE8416-xr6Z-ljQvIq6rZEnFuXuAm4JWmbdx/w400-h299/noel16%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, this section ends with our heroes getting chased away by wild boars. It's a living! But apparently I wasn't even interested enough in this section to cut more panels. The reason this is supposedly Christmas-related is that it shows the people dancing around a fir tree. That's it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EyoIgpYJBmTIJBT4SOgRSa77wOmVQ59iaQHVGlXfQmIEA_yFfzMQ-mSDgR79U2sbpuX69Z8UvlKbsqz9jj6oeOFq6lE2CO2FA40HVoJjCf1lGD7jMcMlJbx3Ca6KCqvJQ9m2SMKZO0xrmuIowx1DkU_1ls8vbpTkuPbZtqjiwkAdUNBIOvRGubUySkr8/s1006/noel19%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="1006" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EyoIgpYJBmTIJBT4SOgRSa77wOmVQ59iaQHVGlXfQmIEA_yFfzMQ-mSDgR79U2sbpuX69Z8UvlKbsqz9jj6oeOFq6lE2CO2FA40HVoJjCf1lGD7jMcMlJbx3Ca6KCqvJQ9m2SMKZO0xrmuIowx1DkU_1ls8vbpTkuPbZtqjiwkAdUNBIOvRGubUySkr8/s320/noel19%20copy.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>Anyway, please enjoy Duck Three Kings of Orient. Now that's what I call change we can believe in.</p><p>Semi-off-topic, but that's really a great song. And a source of hometown pride for me, too: the composer, John Henry Hopkins Jr., was a rector at a church in my very own hometown of Williamsport Goddamn Pennsylvania. Put THAT in yer pipe and smoke it! Is this a thing that everyone knows? Maybe they do, but I still want to point it out: the verse about myrrh is <i>goth as hell:</i></p><p><i>Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume,</i></p><p><i>Breathes a life of gathering gloom,</i></p><p><i>Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,</i></p><p><i>Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.</i></p><p>JEEZ, dude! You must be fun at baby showers!</p><p>(I want to note that the kings here may not match up with their traditional gifts; I just went with the text, I wasn't going to futz around with rearranging names for something that zero people in the world care about.)</p><p>Also, I have no idea where this stuff about Melchior having contacted them before, or something, is supposed to be about. I'm pretty sure that's completely made up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4XXCLonHj_Xa2yV-NotHVQZlj2KWA_t3s1HFS0Pr2myzY3QXcdAwqfdPYvxUUj2IP-4ByvyD-OtTdyOXLziqKOSNdTBhJiPIMClDAJLQHOB1R971H5RWi6aMR8TLYlcKZLf4yA26ZaPJzY2vhASoW7Rm_VCgdfwqd2QdRzgCwUv6BtON7BwOWlJAzb9p/s1011/noel21%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="1011" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4XXCLonHj_Xa2yV-NotHVQZlj2KWA_t3s1HFS0Pr2myzY3QXcdAwqfdPYvxUUj2IP-4ByvyD-OtTdyOXLziqKOSNdTBhJiPIMClDAJLQHOB1R971H5RWi6aMR8TLYlcKZLf4yA26ZaPJzY2vhASoW7Rm_VCgdfwqd2QdRzgCwUv6BtON7BwOWlJAzb9p/w400-h154/noel21%202.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Also, it's really not clear what exactly this means; there's no indication that Scrooge had brought any treasure with him. He COULD have gotten it in the Rome sequence, but he didn't. Also, why does he have a cloak for the guy? And isn't he already wearing a cloak? This is needless ambiguity after the fashion of many an Italian story, so at least they're copying from the best! Or at least the most popular.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSjLmc7b6lN2uYxz0S4I6RuQXIa1huJNcnhS8gXpiOEvJ_bofNKDkkOcobc_H5kNPoD-p2t7KPe6NVsOhEDe4ebE5zZWBMW2LWIxvidBVO1sTa3yWgK324ZD6UNG4_weDbPF9RTNMrdrjUg2eS_191BZlfoxQqlrcdoVydfR9uGNfryfx5Ow6WfNBVeVX/s1003/noel21%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1003" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSjLmc7b6lN2uYxz0S4I6RuQXIa1huJNcnhS8gXpiOEvJ_bofNKDkkOcobc_H5kNPoD-p2t7KPe6NVsOhEDe4ebE5zZWBMW2LWIxvidBVO1sTa3yWgK324ZD6UNG4_weDbPF9RTNMrdrjUg2eS_191BZlfoxQqlrcdoVydfR9uGNfryfx5Ow6WfNBVeVX/w400-h294/noel21%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, Scrooge helps out with the Nativity. Enjoy this sight, which you will not likely see again. Would drawing a Duck Holy Family have been a bridge too far? Maybe, but Nero was also drawn as a human, suggesting that it isn't necessarily ideological.</p><p>Oh, and while we're at it, why not recommend the relevant opera? Menotti's <i>Amahl and the Night Visitors</i> may be the most-performed opera in the Anglophone world, given that it's short and in English and perfect for Christmas performances. And really, it's quite charming.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyKOF-Gy0fvU-2YDg-mjzP4KscGNoMe0GL_K3cob_-AMAcOPjW5zjUPI5_VX6Wvi62zLMAKZt9cNvEMJegnauKwNTXS0SeNXthoZ2u6xTrB8mzpKudb4kJSJ3h-xMEKg72hiX_FxFhKp9Thp7-J0CV7NLwIuSQL0lF0IRfGAXyb3FPRyftvCzgIBucSJl/s994/noel21.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="994" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyKOF-Gy0fvU-2YDg-mjzP4KscGNoMe0GL_K3cob_-AMAcOPjW5zjUPI5_VX6Wvi62zLMAKZt9cNvEMJegnauKwNTXS0SeNXthoZ2u6xTrB8mzpKudb4kJSJ3h-xMEKg72hiX_FxFhKp9Thp7-J0CV7NLwIuSQL0lF0IRfGAXyb3FPRyftvCzgIBucSJl/w400-h151/noel21.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>And for the readers trying to follow along at home, I should explain that God fixed the ducks' time machine as thanks for helping with the Nativity. There's a sentence you rarely find yourself needing. I feel like some of your more censorious Christian sects might call this blasphemous, and while I absolutely disagree with their theology and politics, and will condemn them in no uncertain terms, I have to admit that in my quiet moments I don't think they one hundred percent <i>don't</i> have a point in this specific case.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eO7DioPV9n9sg9SlO43OzBhRbvD0KxKSUCxOPEOV4g6sD7GVyalFofF-kmO5jgC808h3KLVb6jyKAVzuvETj9toTyo3r-Q5sTt_wjLQKqQkl5Or3V097M8wm4cBoQkrGeHhBwd3rYjEY1EltnknpfXePuSwFMlkgkeen1lPOnu4by2aj2yJC3P3khQpF/s999/noel22%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="999" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eO7DioPV9n9sg9SlO43OzBhRbvD0KxKSUCxOPEOV4g6sD7GVyalFofF-kmO5jgC808h3KLVb6jyKAVzuvETj9toTyo3r-Q5sTt_wjLQKqQkl5Or3V097M8wm4cBoQkrGeHhBwd3rYjEY1EltnknpfXePuSwFMlkgkeen1lPOnu4by2aj2yJC3P3khQpF/w400-h300/noel22%20copy.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Gawd, I didn't even include the panel where the boar came in the time machine with them. It was such a brief thing; I did not think it was going to come up again. But here we are! And why do we think Grandma has any special expertise in taming wild hogs? Just because she knows her way around farm animals? This seems beyond dubious to me, I have to say. I don't know why this weird narrative dead end was included in the story. But, enjoy it in good health, I guess.</p><p><br /></p><p>[image]</p><p><br /></p><p>Okay, so this is slightly tricky: in the French text, he's saying it's as good to give as to receive; that doesn't sound idiomatic in English, if it does in French, but I don't get the sense that the story's trying to subvert anything, and besides, this way makes more sense in relation to the previous panel, in which Donald declares that Scrooge doesn't need any gifts this year.</p><p><br /></p><p>So that's why I did it like this, and even though it's hard for me to imagine this was the intent, I love it as a really dark character moment: having witnessed this numinous moment, all Scrooge is able to do in response is spout this banal cliche. He can't interface with it on any deep or authentic level. Shades of Dos Passos' <i>USA.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgvSsRqb2ClvO2BPvuhLsXGUkk05YKU_OobPYnOsWW9SXdTDiVZJifKIlv3h3wb456NqZ8xC1-SEHXuzBW40oAeqFPb8H-o0Ki7m7IJ7-vSwJLw-tc9hk_VeiN77hWKWehksMeYcgPVMhIWkizuKPMTdc6MoJjwq7i3jrne4TDDgJDXiPjcfOfppHHfHu/s1124/noel23.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1031" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgvSsRqb2ClvO2BPvuhLsXGUkk05YKU_OobPYnOsWW9SXdTDiVZJifKIlv3h3wb456NqZ8xC1-SEHXuzBW40oAeqFPb8H-o0Ki7m7IJ7-vSwJLw-tc9hk_VeiN77hWKWehksMeYcgPVMhIWkizuKPMTdc6MoJjwq7i3jrne4TDDgJDXiPjcfOfppHHfHu/w368-h400/noel23.png" width="368" /></a></div><p>Still, there's a tableau, so I'm a fan. END.</p><p>So there you have it. I ask again: is this a good story, or is it a kind of middling-at-best story where the actual quality is quite beside the point? I don't know; I could go either way. It's not a deathless masterpiece, but after spending so long working on translating it, I guess I've developed a certain affection for it. Your mileage may vary. But I'm glad I didn't wait 'til Christmas to post this; doing it a bit early kind of takes the pressure off and gives us more time to, maybe, appreciate it. Something else sometime next week? Maybe.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-46874908379110260672023-12-11T16:01:00.006-05:002023-12-12T11:39:21.988-05:00"Spaced-Out Christmas"<p>Here's a story that I found whilst rummaging around looking for something good to write about! It was published as part of IDW's much-lamented run. I'd only read it once before, and hadn't been overly impressed by it, but on rereading...I actually think it's pretty good. These things happen: I didn't much care for <a href="https://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2015/12/being-good-for-goodness-sake.html">"Being Good for Goodness Sake"</a> when I first read it, and now it's my favorite Italian Christmas story. This is not on that level, but that's never stopped me. Let's check it out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCmm9FuYEqqvrpg9g8sdY1BF-DJqSiwQfPeAavcB4iDyuNdFdeSw5R9OE-4uPfmsR5_Yp2eALWrM6U035rSJbmz4X_vCAHtuZHDMlh5ihzrolXUqh6WFpBCb7f_W_AZmXI6QGC9sOMPLtsruh9bakcJgszTT4WEDDdppbSgp-AH1XawiVfgywvMMOIKqX/s1059/RCO003_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1030" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCmm9FuYEqqvrpg9g8sdY1BF-DJqSiwQfPeAavcB4iDyuNdFdeSw5R9OE-4uPfmsR5_Yp2eALWrM6U035rSJbmz4X_vCAHtuZHDMlh5ihzrolXUqh6WFpBCb7f_W_AZmXI6QGC9sOMPLtsruh9bakcJgszTT4WEDDdppbSgp-AH1XawiVfgywvMMOIKqX/w389-h400/RCO003_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="389" /></a></div><p>The opening is certainly festive enough to pass muster. That's so important. "Spaced-out" may give you pause as to what is to come, but it's all right. Let us look, by the by, and this inducks scan of the original printing:</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFIdA_3lgkTdiu4aHM_UPCV78JEfREEIQDIqQl3ZG6FlPPZSmajcNQNnNjMji4szznRkDIBU2RDrlH2nJjNsNVa8Dt0k5QM9Ag4ryv4p90POZSYOHxYagwHSNz4oQImUNHOtbaYsY7dJLLluxAJsH4Nq_yEutChkM7yR2_Oue7JEeGVQcGvHNAT-IYPPk/s400/it_tl_1569f_001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="282" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFIdA_3lgkTdiu4aHM_UPCV78JEfREEIQDIqQl3ZG6FlPPZSmajcNQNnNjMji4szznRkDIBU2RDrlH2nJjNsNVa8Dt0k5QM9Ag4ryv4p90POZSYOHxYagwHSNz4oQImUNHOtbaYsY7dJLLluxAJsH4Nq_yEutChkM7yR2_Oue7JEeGVQcGvHNAT-IYPPk/w283-h400/it_tl_1569f_001.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><p>Man, that is some <i>odd</i> coloring. The holly leaves are barely visible, creating the impression that the berries are just floating there. And why does the Christmas tree on the right look so discolored? This is how it looks if you leave it up 'til the end of January. I dunno, man. Why not color your story to best advantage?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WEn4V1sf_OBst_NjKh6fmmhiG5cJ2h5TqoHu7GhJP92ylMRnycy5QILfY9jvyXuk7KN8jf0OloUudeMqiVKFOVBmUOcL-SdD9TqBhKVKaMBStBxnLFBFldyjrKOool6bHLiXqNRwqT5cP8bXm-6sfT8W6hUVIobLH9PCdAWqrwS3CK3Yj51NJ_LbhgY9/s983/RCO003_1463996692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="983" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WEn4V1sf_OBst_NjKh6fmmhiG5cJ2h5TqoHu7GhJP92ylMRnycy5QILfY9jvyXuk7KN8jf0OloUudeMqiVKFOVBmUOcL-SdD9TqBhKVKaMBStBxnLFBFldyjrKOool6bHLiXqNRwqT5cP8bXm-6sfT8W6hUVIobLH9PCdAWqrwS3CK3Yj51NJ_LbhgY9/w400-h185/RCO003_1463996692.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>That's the problem with getting Disney characters presents, innit? There aren't really many <i>things</i> they're associated with, or specific interests. The kids like toys (or medals, if they're in Woodchuck Mode), but it never gets any more idiosyncratic than that; Scrooge likes money or else expensive things, Donald...well, he has a car. I'm not sure if we'd use the word "like." Anyway.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEG9jCfDCnqO92bZfwZCy5pgaF1Byhs_4PbWh2dA2YUNRN13B6eKAS25WeCErw5dXejWyhV2-fP-BcAupD9T5LTaWDKiMmxiXF4nMTMIChF9UONrUjUzelrJh7-4dm4jjsM-L7rGiSTC7f74QMNaFRGccyBGoz_nye-2fAqV2h4_YDi9i8Uxqcuo0qu9l/s955/RCO004_w_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="955" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEG9jCfDCnqO92bZfwZCy5pgaF1Byhs_4PbWh2dA2YUNRN13B6eKAS25WeCErw5dXejWyhV2-fP-BcAupD9T5LTaWDKiMmxiXF4nMTMIChF9UONrUjUzelrJh7-4dm4jjsM-L7rGiSTC7f74QMNaFRGccyBGoz_nye-2fAqV2h4_YDi9i8Uxqcuo0qu9l/w400-h198/RCO004_w_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I like seeing HDL just hanging out thinking about stuff. That's the kind of slice-of-life material that I am there for. No further comment.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCBV_3NtOOeuLoVPhB7JzYrAEbnMZQfdDSXXjU5ccnD36NXpR1mQAbOTQ8TqvDYBzSDxZz4DNgqjUAjtmXbZ8DmnSKcJ8AxQW26LbNc-2z716V2_MKbcLXpgOTI20g2AtjLjln8VbfZV7yCYRgHbb1xyLCUJeaec4zVgq5ev-2lHKSMHgXaPvWZ0abz5Y/s956/RCO004_w_1463996692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="956" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCBV_3NtOOeuLoVPhB7JzYrAEbnMZQfdDSXXjU5ccnD36NXpR1mQAbOTQ8TqvDYBzSDxZz4DNgqjUAjtmXbZ8DmnSKcJ8AxQW26LbNc-2z716V2_MKbcLXpgOTI20g2AtjLjln8VbfZV7yCYRgHbb1xyLCUJeaec4zVgq5ev-2lHKSMHgXaPvWZ0abz5Y/w400-h396/RCO004_w_1463996692.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>So yes, this part, which is a little dubious. The problem is, Donald is describing his nightmare day in these over-the-top, horrific terms...and yet the reality, while not exactly FUN, also isn't anything that you would call that unusual or special for him. You need something really over-the-top if you want to sell him being like this, and the dialogue has something of a protests-too-much tone.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQ_hHjDEjP5r32wZuSX5rd3HfX4XdurxTJpmPdlMCaoUGCzRuN82Yn8EowpL7kfQJJhnbesZPOe9uIc14rPPPD7kCoc78zl1K5wSeIfB_Ge8vnHCF-pm7IkCows5n38JCobVt7Mi1cadq3pEXZ8Jjsp8Ir2gUx4dVsFjYjHro9lVz_fzso5RCdxgUBivU/s1488/RCO005_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1488" data-original-width="1031" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQ_hHjDEjP5r32wZuSX5rd3HfX4XdurxTJpmPdlMCaoUGCzRuN82Yn8EowpL7kfQJJhnbesZPOe9uIc14rPPPD7kCoc78zl1K5wSeIfB_Ge8vnHCF-pm7IkCows5n38JCobVt7Mi1cadq3pEXZ8Jjsp8Ir2gUx4dVsFjYjHro9lVz_fzso5RCdxgUBivU/w278-h400/RCO005_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><p>However, I do like the film-strip style, just for what it is. Why did Scrooge have a Ming vase? Well, he must've found it as part of some Far-Eastern adventure. Did real Ming vases have "Ming" written on them in Roman characters? We may never know.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSnPftUPEgb6rY0PAKeNfaxawTEUmzZncMLLZvhzTMMLtbQMaDyoKZRYvqtNSo5iUEpigQBsWXcVvQjRSwXsskknOH5dr2QmMPBQ6uTc1LYItqB0rjB2a-dINfYz1rXveywVR_zpG-CakzHx6XrF0UVkjargEJMqoFeCu-Z3A6o_X0CUnY5iTFDmA5pCO/s993/RCO006_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="993" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSnPftUPEgb6rY0PAKeNfaxawTEUmzZncMLLZvhzTMMLtbQMaDyoKZRYvqtNSo5iUEpigQBsWXcVvQjRSwXsskknOH5dr2QmMPBQ6uTc1LYItqB0rjB2a-dINfYz1rXveywVR_zpG-CakzHx6XrF0UVkjargEJMqoFeCu-Z3A6o_X0CUnY5iTFDmA5pCO/w400-h180/RCO006_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I don't...think you're allowed to just enslave people because they broke your shit? IANAL. This is the part of the story that sort of seems like it's shading over into "mean," albeit (of course) a lot less severely than the Guido Martina stories of yore. This isn't of yore (unless yore is more recent than I thought); it was first published in 1985. The Scarpa art gives it a classic feel, but it was written by this Massimo Marconi fella. He's made a few other US appearances, but nothing that really stands out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26ggXs4CZ6-A1nBnXJXHz4sz14BdBzSmaA87Y5JeBOcYPQacvaVA9gvY50wx_vD2REhiNfk73u0vF9wBrMj84WEXrkf4IG5kMShkpkanrk8-COz5-HfpqSVhHGyb1lRIpOT-eNlaEOKlmuLCq0V-JEweGqwUJENen3lQIMkxALBaI3guuDZJwdLgCSe1D/s1034/RCO006_1463996692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1029" data-original-width="1034" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26ggXs4CZ6-A1nBnXJXHz4sz14BdBzSmaA87Y5JeBOcYPQacvaVA9gvY50wx_vD2REhiNfk73u0vF9wBrMj84WEXrkf4IG5kMShkpkanrk8-COz5-HfpqSVhHGyb1lRIpOT-eNlaEOKlmuLCq0V-JEweGqwUJENen3lQIMkxALBaI3guuDZJwdLgCSe1D/w400-h398/RCO006_1463996692.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMMjm8Q8k5ZBjwJUxWsZwjI97Nz1GyHSacWwiRU_HkNtp0TQ_QFpf8Mor6Hz6JOZyIj7pKk1cKUWWUow_cAlDGnwgAExUIksL0IZkunEgIru3ao4GBb1S_hdt-0Nd_d7Z7DUpYL1QWoRakewG9G_hyphenhyphenuOtrfMOGl0WQ7yko64PFhVfSAXB8y6KiPUruKWu/s1035/RCO007_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1035" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMMjm8Q8k5ZBjwJUxWsZwjI97Nz1GyHSacWwiRU_HkNtp0TQ_QFpf8Mor6Hz6JOZyIj7pKk1cKUWWUow_cAlDGnwgAExUIksL0IZkunEgIru3ao4GBb1S_hdt-0Nd_d7Z7DUpYL1QWoRakewG9G_hyphenhyphenuOtrfMOGl0WQ7yko64PFhVfSAXB8y6KiPUruKWu/w400-h396/RCO007_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I mean...yeah, okay. You missed your bus and were late for your date. As I've said, it just doesn't seem all that remarkable, as these things go. Ya gotta be more resilient than this, Donald.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohAIUPjUjQgo6KYVzMryx4mA_LJyheaUawdu9WGlBdoe7GKU4nl4Sft9sL4oskQfPVeoMHjsrmnlAK_uOuOMC3i8Oe7KyRn-32DWC0lY9SRU3dcaJGFbvMeqXdg2QeuL-wGdzqKmnjqtAfT3A5RtgumQvqnNm8o2vv9Nb8Pc6bvyGyDbVbnfTxfUxs9u8/s987/RCO008_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="987" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohAIUPjUjQgo6KYVzMryx4mA_LJyheaUawdu9WGlBdoe7GKU4nl4Sft9sL4oskQfPVeoMHjsrmnlAK_uOuOMC3i8Oe7KyRn-32DWC0lY9SRU3dcaJGFbvMeqXdg2QeuL-wGdzqKmnjqtAfT3A5RtgumQvqnNm8o2vv9Nb8Pc6bvyGyDbVbnfTxfUxs9u8/w400-h399/RCO008_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I'm actually not convinced the evidence will show you've had <i>any</i> holidays like that, really. Well, I guess <a href="https://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2020/12/turkey-with-all-schemings.html">"The Duke of Baloni"</a> might come close, but given all your financial vicissitudes, the holidays have generally gone pretty darned well for you, really. Don't be a drama queen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvfQ6i6p4X1qE4h7OBI-_9nxrJf2B3yiMW1Hc4aRxYSomFYYQ9bk-YqpFQLS1SRKDPfl11iP6Ub7T4wnGAGEek_jZS6qL8LUQV2pyUDLPReEhF1BeL9errjovIGcPel3d14-lhPpw8zWrKLLbRgeIdK8XIUzoWIiu3Htf4W1osYxgRBsaXOaM6935kF2M/s988/RCO008_1463996692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="988" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvfQ6i6p4X1qE4h7OBI-_9nxrJf2B3yiMW1Hc4aRxYSomFYYQ9bk-YqpFQLS1SRKDPfl11iP6Ub7T4wnGAGEek_jZS6qL8LUQV2pyUDLPReEhF1BeL9errjovIGcPel3d14-lhPpw8zWrKLLbRgeIdK8XIUzoWIiu3Htf4W1osYxgRBsaXOaM6935kF2M/w400-h195/RCO008_1463996692.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The story does pretty well in terms of letting us know that something's going on without tipping its hand. Or so I think. It works well in that regard.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsgR-UBeMNGbYkte9hkDs24GpLzsWeGCz3tZxGZJKRL8ZvSuvCqYolMyioBpJwl5Dvo3w19un5ipXcBFtRfLFzXvw45lWap5WcmcpLfsHAKihDs6tKaMrDxrnXDOd7M37wAQsgbTLJbXUDbB366dpoodTvgOLjfkmDStLPl0PExi4H_TeuHwMC2zlb9uv/s992/RCO011_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="989" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsgR-UBeMNGbYkte9hkDs24GpLzsWeGCz3tZxGZJKRL8ZvSuvCqYolMyioBpJwl5Dvo3w19un5ipXcBFtRfLFzXvw45lWap5WcmcpLfsHAKihDs6tKaMrDxrnXDOd7M37wAQsgbTLJbXUDbB366dpoodTvgOLjfkmDStLPl0PExi4H_TeuHwMC2zlb9uv/w399-h400/RCO011_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><p>I mean, given where the story goes, this part ultimately isn't as obnoxious as it seems, but I do have to ask: is it really okay to torture a guy like this just because you have something nice for him coming up? That is not the sort of question you expect to see addressed in places like this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7puj1sMLlZ8pK7GAFZX4UV5FexYRDGSGOGwOgitkMMNB9fV5-Tp8DF65J_A3UEHAvVluG83dwbSa6A3c4UNDxzJtpoWhuVHd4mrq41gBQPVZfy7pHuzKWcSiI2LAs2YMm1B3JOo6lflYT03WXFcv9KjU6eKBycvlD07fEKQtvNRhlNGboUhAjsswy_st/s994/RCO012_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="990" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7puj1sMLlZ8pK7GAFZX4UV5FexYRDGSGOGwOgitkMMNB9fV5-Tp8DF65J_A3UEHAvVluG83dwbSa6A3c4UNDxzJtpoWhuVHd4mrq41gBQPVZfy7pHuzKWcSiI2LAs2YMm1B3JOo6lflYT03WXFcv9KjU6eKBycvlD07fEKQtvNRhlNGboUhAjsswy_st/w399-h400/RCO012_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><p>But by all means let's hear it for some hella-gorgeous art. Scarpa was perhaps the most weirdly inconsistent creator in the annals of Disney history, but when he was on he was <i>on as heck.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7JNn6a3wzewlI2qaZONEXMQnskCoeE3qbbfUR_69ZpGA4fc2khb_BziwhaNCXYrm8I9leytsqksLKJX_VxOJlhjkFcdLIFzTeiddOx4BrqhVmqQEgWbqHBuRK2FjmDMhWer7ZxBjxr9a-mZAjWJ-reSiajvti75jUwKV11K00uh946J6x6GPiSK9kH-B/s966/RCO013_w_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="966" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7JNn6a3wzewlI2qaZONEXMQnskCoeE3qbbfUR_69ZpGA4fc2khb_BziwhaNCXYrm8I9leytsqksLKJX_VxOJlhjkFcdLIFzTeiddOx4BrqhVmqQEgWbqHBuRK2FjmDMhWer7ZxBjxr9a-mZAjWJ-reSiajvti75jUwKV11K00uh946J6x6GPiSK9kH-B/w400-h398/RCO013_w_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Mmm. Well. We probably could have divined from the title that something like this was coming. The thing about Disney stories is, there are different levels of reality; they aren't usually made explicit, but you get a sense just by reading. And what level a story is operating on is going to govern how willing you'll be to accept the existence of aliens (never mind about whether these are actual aliens--it's just the fact that we're meant to believe that they plausibly <i>could</i> be). And when these different levels clash, it can feel pretty darned weird. This is definitely the first thing that turned me off the story. I mean, it's okay now; I can roll with it. But still...hmm, I say. Hmm!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhiO9KHu112qob0LQr0OkzeXLpHPB64YbAAQGfoLj9cQZiVFl2P4SNJcF3dgrsGxLeOhhzyTYc22Z_AGYYD_ZQnhKv5RsRvE3LOF9Iu_0voxbo2r30KRxrMutnjMzwhSy0n-e1fousvTRY56KUX41tX-L8jbFIiAno8KyhbLUn8qmSRyqxJ7Ob_4Qo9un/s957/RCO015_w_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="957" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhiO9KHu112qob0LQr0OkzeXLpHPB64YbAAQGfoLj9cQZiVFl2P4SNJcF3dgrsGxLeOhhzyTYc22Z_AGYYD_ZQnhKv5RsRvE3LOF9Iu_0voxbo2r30KRxrMutnjMzwhSy0n-e1fousvTRY56KUX41tX-L8jbFIiAno8KyhbLUn8qmSRyqxJ7Ob_4Qo9un/w400-h396/RCO015_w_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, obviously a UFO means aliens, but this very strongly turned me off of the story the first time, and honestly, even knowing what the purpose of this is, and that the story wouldn't very well exist without it, I still don't overly care for it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oWnDVyiWt3UUp5wZYl6NqNL9LwgHyaIFrOwbzXpIhjXyyfQEeoE82aSAFSIwm9KEwNz2EsMmQZC5G8z0H6SsCdSsIK3NAEvg_hfE5Bl_0EGwNAHWRgbJF4VdMlfEIjiB-LuIeSHT_iPsNmlZWTFNOB8C66Ypd1DukLBb-ZGEzxZAVvpDW5hLmHIm182g/s1499/RCO017_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1499" data-original-width="997" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oWnDVyiWt3UUp5wZYl6NqNL9LwgHyaIFrOwbzXpIhjXyyfQEeoE82aSAFSIwm9KEwNz2EsMmQZC5G8z0H6SsCdSsIK3NAEvg_hfE5Bl_0EGwNAHWRgbJF4VdMlfEIjiB-LuIeSHT_iPsNmlZWTFNOB8C66Ypd1DukLBb-ZGEzxZAVvpDW5hLmHIm182g/w266-h400/RCO017_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p>And yet, I do like this image of the Earth explodifying, just for itself. Boom!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVaQIJkguK_8_isYcmYV1OqmX68QxGMx8IS_hvlzZYGUclwGArl-ZvlTctlpD8W4mAfaXPx44wUwYkLwLld5uN6oHm_RuzRjYptVmXEyUQ8K3HJquuASBe5Wo33UBM4IM2EgHd1oXN9mRbRzBwvxCar2_NG0HODYR9lKNM91gTkcjF4p154nT8MLiVXMo/s1508/RCO019_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1508" data-original-width="1002" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVaQIJkguK_8_isYcmYV1OqmX68QxGMx8IS_hvlzZYGUclwGArl-ZvlTctlpD8W4mAfaXPx44wUwYkLwLld5uN6oHm_RuzRjYptVmXEyUQ8K3HJquuASBe5Wo33UBM4IM2EgHd1oXN9mRbRzBwvxCar2_NG0HODYR9lKNM91gTkcjF4p154nT8MLiVXMo/w266-h400/RCO019_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p>And I'm not sure how rhetorically convincing an alien would find this montage, but I really do like it. Christmasy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixi91A2l4hlC93u_TiOj9jYbcN0Qieh5qEsBvOZZfvvO-IyTD2TzYl5jeN0B69de2ZfJQvybBIE8SajFP4isI3l4HNFoKcyj9EYrXKvHTE_m8YO1AIoKOWowYBsUvp9VQ-e-qX5-hILeC0NBBn0GBC7ycBwABLkABoRX6j-pR-1fNmyah-NseHilY_m8nb/s994/RCO020_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="994" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixi91A2l4hlC93u_TiOj9jYbcN0Qieh5qEsBvOZZfvvO-IyTD2TzYl5jeN0B69de2ZfJQvybBIE8SajFP4isI3l4HNFoKcyj9EYrXKvHTE_m8YO1AIoKOWowYBsUvp9VQ-e-qX5-hILeC0NBBn0GBC7ycBwABLkABoRX6j-pR-1fNmyah-NseHilY_m8nb/w400-h395/RCO020_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But this is the part where I REALLY check out. Don't include videogames in your stories, guys! I realize that my saying that probably isn't based on much besides a bias for the time when Golden Age Disney stories were produced, but still, I do think there's a strong "how do you do fellow kids" element to them which makes me roll my eyes a bit. A big bit. Still, if I consider that this was 1985, I can at least imagine that it's kind of a retrogame, which I find a little more tolerable. I don't recall ever having claimed to be rational.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2sKiZCiRd6Yl4TNwpfknpNO1924uAgsYm_bHVLz3WjR0JUYUAbsJNL2T4lWvTfEDEmfVUKHh4KJWOBTYvkNFaEuNm3WyqZBSGVSwjzYKhTKc_5OlgrZfbQZ_ifIJsrfH_O7zf7zL-cbleWqsy-AMRHrGVjtvA8xDUCT_GtiUDDxaCBp_PF0ySgsdEm1J/s986/RCO021_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="986" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2sKiZCiRd6Yl4TNwpfknpNO1924uAgsYm_bHVLz3WjR0JUYUAbsJNL2T4lWvTfEDEmfVUKHh4KJWOBTYvkNFaEuNm3WyqZBSGVSwjzYKhTKc_5OlgrZfbQZ_ifIJsrfH_O7zf7zL-cbleWqsy-AMRHrGVjtvA8xDUCT_GtiUDDxaCBp_PF0ySgsdEm1J/w400-h200/RCO021_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Nope. Can't deal with "you're talking to the master!" Nuh uh. Do not want.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEwvpcGGEhftazWUVfElW_REPlgm_pix_j8SHDoODGuQyBmeTwvOJjk5s6dTBcuKqRsRFXDajlge4ZVPDYBS6pM-tNlb1j07f-3JtfIYwqlHzKFiSMs7CQlSNZbfoo8ePCPRFysLGNQtdeB1iBldQLAyb4yGk0w_jWkkdTUMwimFvOKNzqqXcxpZ9ZDa7/s957/RCO022_w_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="957" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEwvpcGGEhftazWUVfElW_REPlgm_pix_j8SHDoODGuQyBmeTwvOJjk5s6dTBcuKqRsRFXDajlge4ZVPDYBS6pM-tNlb1j07f-3JtfIYwqlHzKFiSMs7CQlSNZbfoo8ePCPRFysLGNQtdeB1iBldQLAyb4yGk0w_jWkkdTUMwimFvOKNzqqXcxpZ9ZDa7/w400-h398/RCO022_w_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Okay. Yes. Well. Ahem.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaknrRqtRMF1Dvu7snyQ6zjPKvkjTgwoRl6MW54HY1uB__5f6JxQf34roCjEbWUgcoyGXqjcWI1a5xmkecVxmZJysfl1uqQi_54FavmgAxtLKe9p_FD0YHFw08AbFy7srse-ZS-H4rrCpMxjP-Lxnibsw1CdqewrHq82TUPb7aGLWubgfXR97YXYBsB4qc/s984/RCO024_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="984" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaknrRqtRMF1Dvu7snyQ6zjPKvkjTgwoRl6MW54HY1uB__5f6JxQf34roCjEbWUgcoyGXqjcWI1a5xmkecVxmZJysfl1uqQi_54FavmgAxtLKe9p_FD0YHFw08AbFy7srse-ZS-H4rrCpMxjP-Lxnibsw1CdqewrHq82TUPb7aGLWubgfXR97YXYBsB4qc/w400-h399/RCO024_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And you might accuse me of being impossible to please, because as much as I was complaining about the presence of aliens, I don't care for <i>this,</i> either. Well, at least it's...nice. Preparatory for a good ending.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YCB4Tv6PHhzcVJRXqADpwJ_BlUw5UT1u-1ZNP12jUhYeom-pzDb4Wj1Vn1IaBwPzc6z1_d8SZLigCpjsawnQcahm91sJohhzhyphenhyphen6XKLyTD3eqHWcXpAMfrflGGWXh50HTWjZHhAhGwmVLWPYEerEgHYwRfMPpCJv4gVvhqaBeL2Py6yq87REPby1PEeWo/s989/RCO025_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="989" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YCB4Tv6PHhzcVJRXqADpwJ_BlUw5UT1u-1ZNP12jUhYeom-pzDb4Wj1Vn1IaBwPzc6z1_d8SZLigCpjsawnQcahm91sJohhzhyphenhyphen6XKLyTD3eqHWcXpAMfrflGGWXh50HTWjZHhAhGwmVLWPYEerEgHYwRfMPpCJv4gVvhqaBeL2Py6yq87REPby1PEeWo/w400-h398/RCO025_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>"As you know, Bob..." Well, it does give us the chance to see Scrooge being generous. Almost makes me not want to muse on the fact that if he was willing to throw hundreds of thousands of dollars around, he could easily have found a more practical avenue to improve his nephews's lives in a much more concrete, lasting way. One might almost think that he prefers this flashy stuff <i>because</i> it lets him make a loud and impractical bang. Always about YOU, Scrooge, innit?</p><p>I don't know why I'm being mean like that. I don't think you have to read the story like that at all (although I do think it's the logical conclusion), especially in the spirit of the season. I just sometimes see a lead like that and can't resist following it up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4aQy-i-4BWtf18ASpokn-kZM7m6BcUfbJYu7HSMxDv7vDlgi6F2F-YN5QYoyd4hmUc_gS6EwRdi0S4119oQV67yFqZi4K4XLL7nEyQ-pX8-dlSYxo8s8J98zehgoN0NJ-FtAhKHcSr83wCSgzbg_s64US6ID0PZs9yNB_0XH1gvnG4uPlav95mn7zsiK/s983/RCO026_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="983" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4aQy-i-4BWtf18ASpokn-kZM7m6BcUfbJYu7HSMxDv7vDlgi6F2F-YN5QYoyd4hmUc_gS6EwRdi0S4119oQV67yFqZi4K4XLL7nEyQ-pX8-dlSYxo8s8J98zehgoN0NJ-FtAhKHcSr83wCSgzbg_s64US6ID0PZs9yNB_0XH1gvnG4uPlav95mn7zsiK/w400-h399/RCO026_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And anyway, you can't argue with the results? A surprise Christmas party! Who doesn't want that?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FIVShAstZiN49V-KWTutBTr1Q-XocXLMa4wzH-KUcjShPnlnA1b7s0KEiu8-Yb0q24CQFw7CCNPn3JHMb2jFzE5y3hbGgzY0oazXGTb2W0bHgbh_y79jkZk0nbTy5bN5Rx09buiQIsDRzL_fn64eEUFuJr-CQaI3LEq5jq5kC7PkTPXzQda26uurHzT-/s1009/RCO027_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1009" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FIVShAstZiN49V-KWTutBTr1Q-XocXLMa4wzH-KUcjShPnlnA1b7s0KEiu8-Yb0q24CQFw7CCNPn3JHMb2jFzE5y3hbGgzY0oazXGTb2W0bHgbh_y79jkZk0nbTy5bN5Rx09buiQIsDRzL_fn64eEUFuJr-CQaI3LEq5jq5kC7PkTPXzQda26uurHzT-/w400-h394/RCO027_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Happy Christmas!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-Y5H3JK9VeWS2dEPz8bGtscuogGkzZOgilI4Vr76pltcI2cWE0W6OeN_sCn0aX1x393iFhqkUi3dw4HkjGGSCEBzjqIC26LAWvTCbhk78ItBOGYwAcpQbxHPr2xniOZ5bOvfHnODaOzuisaGmXpFOE4F9UhdZ2CfBkHzJBvIWlIdl4Qv0Vd3fUGWzo3e/s982/RCO028_1463996692-1%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="982" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-Y5H3JK9VeWS2dEPz8bGtscuogGkzZOgilI4Vr76pltcI2cWE0W6OeN_sCn0aX1x393iFhqkUi3dw4HkjGGSCEBzjqIC26LAWvTCbhk78ItBOGYwAcpQbxHPr2xniOZ5bOvfHnODaOzuisaGmXpFOE4F9UhdZ2CfBkHzJBvIWlIdl4Qv0Vd3fUGWzo3e/w400-h196/RCO028_1463996692-1%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh, wait. I like the way he shoves aside the "End" blocks, and I like the double ending. You get one satisfying conclusion and then, bam, another one. Adroitly done, I think.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzuFMw0K7YsL790pyJYN3pJHnxq3XUcM-9ObcRvEISEuTAtne_1gyFtuHY32-_AhyphenhyphenDrYvr2QCfDNdPImn6jrzND2ch80-EuEYnvWZbXktHp4NMOOy5Pfps_Z36wo09LQQKWsLlu_whu4fVXSN5SABNXrryFXrmeJx7lxzk7I5Fik5G4NRch3AYCuM8NCD/s989/RCO029_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="989" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzuFMw0K7YsL790pyJYN3pJHnxq3XUcM-9ObcRvEISEuTAtne_1gyFtuHY32-_AhyphenhyphenDrYvr2QCfDNdPImn6jrzND2ch80-EuEYnvWZbXktHp4NMOOy5Pfps_Z36wo09LQQKWsLlu_whu4fVXSN5SABNXrryFXrmeJx7lxzk7I5Fik5G4NRch3AYCuM8NCD/w400-h400/RCO029_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I mean, you might've suspected that something was off just based on the fact that the aliens had an obvious joke name. Possibly. Still, I'm not one entirely sure that my first thought on hearing them say my name would be "they must be my relatives in disguise!" As opposed to, you know, I must have just forgotten I mentioned it. It's not like he can page back through the story to see if ever comes up. And even if you definitively determine that you didn't, the only reason you leap immediately to "it must just be my family" is because, given the nature of the story, there are so few other possibilities.</p><p>Well, maybe hearing his name just made him realize, wait, none of this is very plausible. Maybe, but I don't know; he doesn't seem to be dismissing the possibility that it <i>could</i> have been aliens.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_qtzUgX0w81V3L8gvHAr9DDJ406M2p3Ee1SMxMqOfFu3aDTkBEL9vEbIKbZRyhzUJ_DLC9Bo_wW6bqM_9Nx-3rpkvPFXvyk0vuHGOxRsIHa7MsgKcYURIJCVcpipq5SFmjpvbc6XC_U36kKdXvotk9-MPdMZooMXZSxhs367orP5H-VSK9jpZnqelvXT/s1032/RCO030_1463996692%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1005" data-original-width="1032" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_qtzUgX0w81V3L8gvHAr9DDJ406M2p3Ee1SMxMqOfFu3aDTkBEL9vEbIKbZRyhzUJ_DLC9Bo_wW6bqM_9Nx-3rpkvPFXvyk0vuHGOxRsIHa7MsgKcYURIJCVcpipq5SFmjpvbc6XC_U36kKdXvotk9-MPdMZooMXZSxhs367orP5H-VSK9jpZnqelvXT/w400-h390/RCO030_1463996692%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But, of course, all that is neither here nor there. What IS here--and possibly there as well--is that there's a pretty darned big something-missing here: where the <i>heck</i> is Daisy? Her absence creates the impression--I'm sure not intended by Marconi--that she really <i>is</i> pissed off at Donald, and this is her holding a grudge. Unfortunate, as it adds a bit of a black spot to an otherwise solid ending.</p><p>Oh well! Happy Holidays anyway!</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-70751857202505374552023-12-02T16:40:00.005-05:002023-12-03T10:23:56.570-05:00"The Snow Princess"<p>Ah yes, the holiday season! And if you thought I wasn't going to have some Christmas gifts, then you, sir or madame, are a first-class chump. Assuming I'm able to get my shit together, I should have something extremely interesting to share with y'all on or about Christmas. But in the meantime, let's enjoy some vaguely Christmas-ish stories, to keep the momentum going. And let's start with some Barks, since--as incredible as it may sound--I suspect some of you aren't as obsessed with mediocre Western also-rans as I am. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGx9WyfTGIJaJC8sr1xbvWU6FkPa2zNLD1Xeqqbx5RIH0sJe4XKa8x6MuEEr-MXMTf0S5gruz5HXHjLAbfAaVXT8LhdcDK1CejNFHlJ3sMZGaOOL5MpfIBPiPxOzb1HgEezuksC-QPmwL2GRPg8Jm1iqrtXkYcACaLKSl063b8i6-zlYGuH_Sg41MZ8TxT/s961/WDC&S_196_03_Donald%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="961" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGx9WyfTGIJaJC8sr1xbvWU6FkPa2zNLD1Xeqqbx5RIH0sJe4XKa8x6MuEEr-MXMTf0S5gruz5HXHjLAbfAaVXT8LhdcDK1CejNFHlJ3sMZGaOOL5MpfIBPiPxOzb1HgEezuksC-QPmwL2GRPg8Jm1iqrtXkYcACaLKSl063b8i6-zlYGuH_Sg41MZ8TxT/w400-h219/WDC&S_196_03_Donald%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>We can call this "The Snow Princess." That's fine. The other title that inducks gives--I think the one that was decided on by whoever at Another Rainbow or whatever--is "Statues of Limitations," which I'd give a C-, maybe. On the plus side, it IS a pun. You cannot take that away from it. On the minus side, "statues" for "statutes?" In addition to having nothing to do with the story, that is the most boring pun in the world. I do not approve. Anyway. Fifty dollars! With inflation, that'd be five hundred-some, which is okay, I wouldn't refuse it, but still, it's not as high-stakes as you might think, given what people are willing to do for it.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Also, from now on I'm going to try to connect every entry here to an opera, just for the heck of it. Today, we have <i>The Snow Maiden </i>by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. I'm a huge NRK fan, and I definitely recommend it to all.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEW775x-vftRB2YSdgJD5XBzXpOFekjmZiKv2AMcaeE4HjJhHVa6ZZLTVSS76jZuE2Y72furxcMAH_Kd-47sL5X7d5A_v4D-LHNtsRPGHCF_c__SQVQji0g44IIxqqwW43rZgqgCpmROJ-xoEWVSNLxfIT-W1C1X8BBZlFn-4TUKrQ8AKDY5HggrKSn77x/s952/WDC&S_196_03_Donald.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="952" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEW775x-vftRB2YSdgJD5XBzXpOFekjmZiKv2AMcaeE4HjJhHVa6ZZLTVSS76jZuE2Y72furxcMAH_Kd-47sL5X7d5A_v4D-LHNtsRPGHCF_c__SQVQji0g44IIxqqwW43rZgqgCpmROJ-xoEWVSNLxfIT-W1C1X8BBZlFn-4TUKrQ8AKDY5HggrKSn77x/w400-h144/WDC&S_196_03_Donald.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I have to say, the inherent cockiness in "we might have taken the prize away from a lot of people who worked <b><i>hard</i></b> and <i><b>long</b></i> to win it" is a bit hard to take. You're implying that you might have won in spite of NOT working hard and long? Pull the other one. Anyway, let's learn about the Widow Umble.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMteE6OA52c8aPvfDxHJL_NLZDpfZ3GpK6zTxbqK831uiWs1Ck2zy3ehf1bdMervTrTVBj3zYHPXzzIeO-XCfMh3RCtQN_cwUfPvOwd2NQG5UJxIR3oN2FVGp54usyGT3yXgfLPWBNs1IkBRB-n4FGSPw40d7NizGFb5KSDv5vfFB7xg4bqflWbAljy331/s959/WDC&S_196_04%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="959" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMteE6OA52c8aPvfDxHJL_NLZDpfZ3GpK6zTxbqK831uiWs1Ck2zy3ehf1bdMervTrTVBj3zYHPXzzIeO-XCfMh3RCtQN_cwUfPvOwd2NQG5UJxIR3oN2FVGp54usyGT3yXgfLPWBNs1IkBRB-n4FGSPw40d7NizGFb5KSDv5vfFB7xg4bqflWbAljy331/w400-h281/WDC&S_196_04%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Is this the last time that Barks used Adorable Moppets to try to tug at the heartstrings? Maybe. And a good thing, too. The transparent insincerity is kind of funny, but still...yeesh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_LGa_ek9moGMLxBNS24twSZMBr-NNhmnUY9A5u1E3jvN8PCNgnhwINFK3ZjPOSrGgsQcKtZxkUCVhJBl9COj47qkRmTbyxmJ9gHhX8p4qfjuzdI2SaWQ0zCMv00-OxnC9CVT9PkY2G60FgNuQoVULnat4nYHRtUn1qQywB9Dq9r1vBPd5vy6C8qehPtl/s943/WDC&S_196_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="943" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_LGa_ek9moGMLxBNS24twSZMBr-NNhmnUY9A5u1E3jvN8PCNgnhwINFK3ZjPOSrGgsQcKtZxkUCVhJBl9COj47qkRmTbyxmJ9gHhX8p4qfjuzdI2SaWQ0zCMv00-OxnC9CVT9PkY2G60FgNuQoVULnat4nYHRtUn1qQywB9Dq9r1vBPd5vy6C8qehPtl/w400-h296/WDC&S_196_04.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Though really now, HDL's attitude here seems unwarranted. "Oh no, their shitty-ass statue will NEVER win!" Really? It doesn't actually seem any less accomplished than a lot of the other ones we see! And this "we will definitely win if we enter" attitude remains eye-rolling.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4jAvQGC1jIXsO0jBlctqJwXj2OBln_CNQGMjb7PW0WgEjnRX7kPU6aypYKdO2kmLQsieFiQGO3EnD-lUCPzmMTZGPKBQGcGhI1YA8IvgtaQT4PDmQpdTRSnwwidizbsxnRRZzlxNBVze2Rpq0L_R1Vp0QziBudktda6f3Emm9exAFWSTB0n0pe0kjfMb/s978/WDC&S_196_05%20copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="978" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4jAvQGC1jIXsO0jBlctqJwXj2OBln_CNQGMjb7PW0WgEjnRX7kPU6aypYKdO2kmLQsieFiQGO3EnD-lUCPzmMTZGPKBQGcGhI1YA8IvgtaQT4PDmQpdTRSnwwidizbsxnRRZzlxNBVze2Rpq0L_R1Vp0QziBudktda6f3Emm9exAFWSTB0n0pe0kjfMb/w400-h285/WDC&S_196_05%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Sure, okay. Questions abound. Such as, how do you know this about the mayor? And if it's true, aren't Cornelius Coot statues going to proliferate, making for a pretty boring contest? Also--this isn't a question--that one of the tumblers is cool. If technical skill has any relevance here, it ought to be a competitor.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEVVQQD_fme_WCZnOoTiRi8nZEL4Ycx5TGvPioLNGi7BcIEk9fbHp6r2zwK93MOJE48J94-87AYYfMqK53MFuv0SHidkBa4SKgTqDhGIxLrpTrwebk7E2dZxk10T34quJp0Ix_4Bf75nr5Ku0lCC72O-JwCLLxNnmcAIt_2lN0nrhlaEVITI1IxKK71az/s963/WDC&S_196_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="963" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEVVQQD_fme_WCZnOoTiRi8nZEL4Ycx5TGvPioLNGi7BcIEk9fbHp6r2zwK93MOJE48J94-87AYYfMqK53MFuv0SHidkBa4SKgTqDhGIxLrpTrwebk7E2dZxk10T34quJp0Ix_4Bf75nr5Ku0lCC72O-JwCLLxNnmcAIt_2lN0nrhlaEVITI1IxKK71az/w400-h293/WDC&S_196_05.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>My socialist leanings do come out a bit here, because I keep thinking, yeah, it'd be great for them to win fifty dollars, I guess, but there mom getting a new coat will do nothing to obviate their socioeconomic status. It would be <i>way better</i> for Duckburg or Calisota to institute aggressive social safety nets that would raise them out of poverty. Or possibly just nationalize the means of production, if that's not radical enough. You could level a similar criticism at "Christmas for Shacktown," but in that story the ducks got so much money for the Shacktowners that it's possible to imagine that they ended up with more than just a Christmas party.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5t82n_GQhldIL9srPduCiROzFFhq8CSNX7NW6Zqar33alCtyhQ97q-XF8-PTbi9CRLm5aB4UZJiwuwBjYXmZp0gyBGwPpiXDq1DPVNB5jjLsEKuV40sPbn2NIJSWFu5K8h8Oj0T2kJ53yII1BrjoRiv0_Gy3LBTTqByjWVe90jE5SKzc1qindloLAMOtr/s957/WDC&S_196_06%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="957" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5t82n_GQhldIL9srPduCiROzFFhq8CSNX7NW6Zqar33alCtyhQ97q-XF8-PTbi9CRLm5aB4UZJiwuwBjYXmZp0gyBGwPpiXDq1DPVNB5jjLsEKuV40sPbn2NIJSWFu5K8h8Oj0T2kJ53yII1BrjoRiv0_Gy3LBTTqByjWVe90jE5SKzc1qindloLAMOtr/w400-h288/WDC&S_196_06%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>It's quite a thing, I have to say, for Donald to get <i>indignant</i> about his nephews' actions. He doesn't even know if they actually saw the dang Umble kids! You might at least say <i>something</i> to them before immediately leaping to sneaky sabotage! But I guess the fact that said sabotage is such a standard Disney-comic trope means that it was the first thing to come to mind.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqkQg9iL-alfVdScrZ0n6hzRfmaPDwz_cUf88C3YvpMdLUFEVVLeiPZgcfAymofrvCthmUQohmhqIAW5-C25bSjIAXeDMuOli0qLz29lkwWQxTu7ZnqGnHvlFRAYJAF4373wyENYycizJaWz9oFhDSO5h-JKqvrw8xLUJjMVoklCmqJFnIILJNE8fR5jV/s968/WDC&S_196_06.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="968" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqkQg9iL-alfVdScrZ0n6hzRfmaPDwz_cUf88C3YvpMdLUFEVVLeiPZgcfAymofrvCthmUQohmhqIAW5-C25bSjIAXeDMuOli0qLz29lkwWQxTu7ZnqGnHvlFRAYJAF4373wyENYycizJaWz9oFhDSO5h-JKqvrw8xLUJjMVoklCmqJFnIILJNE8fR5jV/w400-h284/WDC&S_196_06.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>I have zero idea what this whole "General Crow" business is, and google is not helping. Is it a cultural allusion that's lost on me? Let me know in the comments.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8T2p4MUh9RyX22AIiWJz-KSTGW34YtYFHbdMDfd17Bscs2Nh29XUWmCL9tfRwuZHBXBshGE7Mi0GgbpeOcKuZtcsS0EMtwqw8Yl2jpKsPVeGrLmRCKABdFeXO0ad9ZksdmqU71SoksxrUNpWQtUfoSNshy2hVcwbNS_8ItFskAqusWD8FDNhKC9KA314/s980/WDC&S_196_07%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="980" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8T2p4MUh9RyX22AIiWJz-KSTGW34YtYFHbdMDfd17Bscs2Nh29XUWmCL9tfRwuZHBXBshGE7Mi0GgbpeOcKuZtcsS0EMtwqw8Yl2jpKsPVeGrLmRCKABdFeXO0ad9ZksdmqU71SoksxrUNpWQtUfoSNshy2hVcwbNS_8ItFskAqusWD8FDNhKC9KA314/w400-h285/WDC&S_196_07%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Say what you want about this story, but the images of the statues being destroyed are pretty dang funny. We must give it that.</p><p>Another interesting thing to point out: both Donald and HDL want to help the kids. They're on the same page even if they don't know it. <i>And yet, </i>the story still falls into the familiar groove of Donald being the underhanded one. Even in a situation where, by all rights, there shouldn't be any conflict, we get this. Don't you have the sense that the nephews didn't cheat not just because they didn't need to, but because their role--generally--is to not cheat, or at least not if not provoked? Well, <i>I</i> think it's interesting.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKEUOUULBUdkBL_SPNoUlzA4ccfkIS2dMwRq0ak8U8CGbJLQN_m5Anl8jo593sglE7CZpUuOXnx967DLU4stT20lIf07ebJ8L_vxY0bw6B-qQxxyvGr9kAfGbR0zgblSICPR98Wcx4RybQu1YTSF1SyryVkP3TxSvJ5IWlqNaroNv5iwpd2LPEphYUPEy/s973/WDC&S_196_09%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="973" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKEUOUULBUdkBL_SPNoUlzA4ccfkIS2dMwRq0ak8U8CGbJLQN_m5Anl8jo593sglE7CZpUuOXnx967DLU4stT20lIf07ebJ8L_vxY0bw6B-qQxxyvGr9kAfGbR0zgblSICPR98Wcx4RybQu1YTSF1SyryVkP3TxSvJ5IWlqNaroNv5iwpd2LPEphYUPEy/w400-h286/WDC&S_196_09%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>And I also think THIS is interesting. Here we see the spectre of Modern Art, which it is a la mode to hate. Well, for Barks, Scarpa, and Van Horn, anyway. I don't know about Rosa. He might be cool. But be that as it may, here in the top right, we see clear evidence of Barks' awareness that there are factors other than how representative it may be that impact people's appreciation of art. And yet, one panel later, we get "this is hideous because it's not clear what it is." What the heck are you driving at, Carl?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgAvoMCqupNJmQ9ZVgYAi4x-AK8wfPNfvQ4wcj8sulEN0rW7r_1hNDVUtarCH01Bb-X4pTCOq8cbOlQnr8i3lJ0Ph8zBjVCSMXBmtaPrLnPsAVSy7dAt9IQbSuxZcnWbiFCF7DkQ1xYdrxEeUOxji4EV6vgykW8hTXdm_MjN6KFtxeE-bziXvieCljTj2/s961/WDC&S_196_10%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="961" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgAvoMCqupNJmQ9ZVgYAi4x-AK8wfPNfvQ4wcj8sulEN0rW7r_1hNDVUtarCH01Bb-X4pTCOq8cbOlQnr8i3lJ0Ph8zBjVCSMXBmtaPrLnPsAVSy7dAt9IQbSuxZcnWbiFCF7DkQ1xYdrxEeUOxji4EV6vgykW8hTXdm_MjN6KFtxeE-bziXvieCljTj2/w400-h145/WDC&S_196_10%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Look! Donald is "dishonest!" Even if his motives are laudable, he's still cheating. And...does that count against him, karmically? Not entirely clear.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoch7IL8XYO5KFKNfXrdaiOh-JEG4eXJkspRt2Tlak-fMgsU3bT9Ou4F6E4S_zSgjRk4Sx0BMm2J0FR0RcPAyCudZvOhMdsPEfSR5L3jngCPzKKlHqSPpTyA3eQhw2sxEyq7aKAYi-elRfhOPioG_Yru4M0VXqeKfVfaDkFQ4VANSQXqnus1-iZ6MyRiuj/s1033/WDC&S_196_10.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="969" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoch7IL8XYO5KFKNfXrdaiOh-JEG4eXJkspRt2Tlak-fMgsU3bT9Ou4F6E4S_zSgjRk4Sx0BMm2J0FR0RcPAyCudZvOhMdsPEfSR5L3jngCPzKKlHqSPpTyA3eQhw2sxEyq7aKAYi-elRfhOPioG_Yru4M0VXqeKfVfaDkFQ4VANSQXqnus1-iZ6MyRiuj/s320/WDC&S_196_10.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>This image really does crack me up. I love the way the statue's expanding seems to match the mayor's pomposity.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rvSPd-k3Gta1VTQMwM7gYmDpN3PN23XRioO7ZZxcv5akG6cENrNc0O2aJMjaHiv0D9mALrunkCaozAhDv3pW4y_Nxo48Kiu7F8rbE9fp6OXDnrbDswb8PXv6JEcCcfZiYSCfvf9ZLlROy_pGbymFEH9oh7eGuADdkBNqSek22zaoFOFY_N4MgxlPDdYA/s947/WDC&S_196_11%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="947" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rvSPd-k3Gta1VTQMwM7gYmDpN3PN23XRioO7ZZxcv5akG6cENrNc0O2aJMjaHiv0D9mALrunkCaozAhDv3pW4y_Nxo48Kiu7F8rbE9fp6OXDnrbDswb8PXv6JEcCcfZiYSCfvf9ZLlROy_pGbymFEH9oh7eGuADdkBNqSek22zaoFOFY_N4MgxlPDdYA/w400-h289/WDC&S_196_11%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>As does this one. Duckburg has a "Hall of Infamy." Make a note of it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrfDBif2tqm1p3mTwVe_bbQV7jOd8caEIwoz0YlxTWBvtU1LpUbHwpVeM4ctzVXGDTSiSuS7apPw6-5zt4qgHEtJ2k2tCNUZy_ZBdskf087S0_znlQNNefV-jn_l748wNt5R0OUrM_39j8XItG3WpfhyphenhyphenJ99e_80wcSxIm-fM9Sb7qPrgxY3qq7JuVEQt1/s953/WDC&S_196_12%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="953" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrfDBif2tqm1p3mTwVe_bbQV7jOd8caEIwoz0YlxTWBvtU1LpUbHwpVeM4ctzVXGDTSiSuS7apPw6-5zt4qgHEtJ2k2tCNUZy_ZBdskf087S0_znlQNNefV-jn_l748wNt5R0OUrM_39j8XItG3WpfhyphenhyphenJ99e_80wcSxIm-fM9Sb7qPrgxY3qq7JuVEQt1/s320/WDC&S_196_12%20copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>So...yes. Though again, I want to note that the mayor could do A LOT more to help these kids than giving them a prize from some random contest. ADMIT IT: this is more about making himself feel good than anything else. </p><p>Well...<i>maybe</i> he could do something else for them. I actually have no idea how much power a municipal leader in Duckburg has! It is very unclear! Someone write a story clarifying this extremely important question.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgqvh1kQUeOCJCYhNlaxQO1CGICXyyYlSX-OmmSjmpcn1iteEiJaBtiMeXpHs8oBZW4pcIvZUuofnJnWHVi-gm_BCn71kCruEk8NbUIx4MM4FnmpAEPT1NmnrHNHXaqkaN2vIjzX_dNYZJbzbNzHKAVuVtD7GEE1AkAlzWsL_j0533L60LWRVzcCwfzZI/s947/WDC&S_196_12.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="947" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQgqvh1kQUeOCJCYhNlaxQO1CGICXyyYlSX-OmmSjmpcn1iteEiJaBtiMeXpHs8oBZW4pcIvZUuofnJnWHVi-gm_BCn71kCruEk8NbUIx4MM4FnmpAEPT1NmnrHNHXaqkaN2vIjzX_dNYZJbzbNzHKAVuVtD7GEE1AkAlzWsL_j0533L60LWRVzcCwfzZI/w400-h291/WDC&S_196_12.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>...is that the lesson? That we should stay out of other people's affairs? Is that the takeaway here? I get that that's a typically Barksian sentiment, but does it actually have anything to do with the action of the story?</p><p>The argument, I suppose, would be that uncle and nephews were all jockeying to win, but as it turns out, the Umble kids won anyway, so they could've just minded their own dang business and this entire story could have been avoided.</p><p>But I don't think that's true at all. It seems extremely likely that if the mayor hadn't gotten soaked by Donald's statue, he wouldn't have been in the kind of bad mood that was soothed by seeing the snow princess. And there's textual evidence for this, too: "it's an honest little statue that wasn't built to kid somebody." Comparing it to Donald's, of course. So in conclusion, I disagree that they need lessons on how to keep their noses out of other people's business. And even if I didn't, I'm not sure where they'd <i>get</i> such lessons. Check Duckburg Community College's curriculum, I guess.</p><p>Also, I do have to point out how friggin' weird Donald's head looks in that top right panel. Why is it so flat?</p><p>Okay, this was short but fun. What will be next? Who know? Seriously, as I write this, I have no idea, so stay tuned.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-13260515302259468912023-10-31T18:48:00.007-04:002023-11-07T12:26:52.032-05:00"The Fabulous Fiddlesticks"<p> Is this appropriate for Halloween? Well...Venice is commonly associated with Carnival, and with disguise more generally. There are lots of operas in Venice that take that as a theme: Ponchielli's <i>La Gioconda,</i> Korngold's <i>Violanta,</i> J. Strauss's <i>Eine Nacht in Venedig,</i> of course Britten's <i>Death in Venice.</i> What point am I making? That I like opera, and, not to brag, but I know the names of <i>several</i> operatic works. I think that's public knowledge. But anyway! Sure, let's go with it. Why not?</p><p>Man, I was hoping that that "Christmas in July" thing would be the start of me blogging here more regularly, but then I almost immediately had to go and get a job that involved relocating and, you know, doing a lot to get situated; it's not like I don't have free time, but you know how it goes. Well, here we are. Let's write about another old Western story. I was thinking a bit about Bob Gregory, and thinking, man, I know I keep saying that he was generally the best of the non-Barks Western crew, but is that true? What else can we look at? And I have the impression that this is one of his more famous stories, based on the fact that I think that I've heard upwards of two people mention it, and in a semi-positive sense at that. That's about as much positive press as you can expect this kind of story to get. I did read this when I was small, though it never stood out in my mind as being that great. Still, let's check it out.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbBqdZoFUiOzj7kEcFz0zgQ1FVhdo6A8sKWXmWmpDilwp6vRtqAj5KThxeZ2se45Cu3ZlmXRf7k_fxNjjZIXInimoWrbCmWRkZFvbCZJyNpfJeAqpGkaNOxV96sj2HeHQfWh6kP3t5jkkv0s0I_OA6VV2DuXci2PeuLH82FYX81KZLyF5J939tvPkDqhe/s941/DD_068_p03_Donald%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="941" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbBqdZoFUiOzj7kEcFz0zgQ1FVhdo6A8sKWXmWmpDilwp6vRtqAj5KThxeZ2se45Cu3ZlmXRf7k_fxNjjZIXInimoWrbCmWRkZFvbCZJyNpfJeAqpGkaNOxV96sj2HeHQfWh6kP3t5jkkv0s0I_OA6VV2DuXci2PeuLH82FYX81KZLyF5J939tvPkDqhe/w400-h230/DD_068_p03_Donald%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And let us start with that title. "The Fabulous Fiddlesticks." Now, you <i>can</i> call a violin bow a "fiddlestick," even though that would seem kind of archaic and also you'd be unlikely to do it in a classical-music context, which this story is in, and also it never refers to violins as "fiddles" and also it has nothing to do with bows specifically, but...what point was I making? Right, that title seems irrelevant. Is it referring to something specific? It sounds vaudevillian, but I can't be more specific than that. Still, it's okay; at least it's <i>something.</i> If Gregory was purely taking pleasure in messing around with words, that is a noble pursuit.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3I4BE9AvLnDvf91Wytqvqqtll2wy_VA3QxSwHKkCabZ0X1uVAHXfpjs3gEbkZWZiXOjeiRDQmjC3vtp8UT58CkyZkFHZWhyphenhyphenbvNNvQNSAywL-EgIrAN_D-hm7ZEfKgv8FD8e66lL_34KI8QDl95iwcgLnUVl3VBpVEaYseLmS899etLaP6St8KuUV9h8mG/s943/DD_068_p03_Donald.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="943" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3I4BE9AvLnDvf91Wytqvqqtll2wy_VA3QxSwHKkCabZ0X1uVAHXfpjs3gEbkZWZiXOjeiRDQmjC3vtp8UT58CkyZkFHZWhyphenhyphenbvNNvQNSAywL-EgIrAN_D-hm7ZEfKgv8FD8e66lL_34KI8QDl95iwcgLnUVl3VBpVEaYseLmS899etLaP6St8KuUV9h8mG/w400-h269/DD_068_p03_Donald.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Ah yes, of course. This is why it's so noticeable and refreshing on those occasions when Scrooge is shown to have interests that don't involve money: they're so dang rare. Although, in fairness, as much sheer nonsense as it is, Scrooge's last line there is fun. "Fats Percussion and the Bouillabaisse Five" indeed. Too bad Rosa couldn't work that into the "Life and Times."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBiKxr6J-itYse5aTwuLdZUnhc6_nImACHHxiuz7Fa6mQ8nEj5E3cyeEd-lqFs8l_TSpLGnOerQjBC8xBY_azA6IwPj3HGDKkdpLRcHLG_ELcr9YvO9invoKm0tv3GQjoLRl_JsWfypvDGMLSs6v15RSmemXSFwOYkWv_lXc2wwQPG-Ouo3hBhC6BBxsf/s940/DD_068_p04%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="940" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBiKxr6J-itYse5aTwuLdZUnhc6_nImACHHxiuz7Fa6mQ8nEj5E3cyeEd-lqFs8l_TSpLGnOerQjBC8xBY_azA6IwPj3HGDKkdpLRcHLG_ELcr9YvO9invoKm0tv3GQjoLRl_JsWfypvDGMLSs6v15RSmemXSFwOYkWv_lXc2wwQPG-Ouo3hBhC6BBxsf/w400-h288/DD_068_p04%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Man, that is some intense gatekeeping from Donald about "real classical music." What are you playing at, Donald? I guess there was that one Barks one-pager where he and Scrooge snuck into a concert. Anyway, of course, "bad violin playing" is a comics staple. Tubby's musical efforts are familiar to all. Has anyone in a comic ever played a violin well? Probably just for contrast.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpwXOWrOlLWshKrqYj4gNUS21HAuldJjpVK6HxaODDpOvDdypX4-l2chEBg5UXnrmHoVBjMnV5-ChtbnBWe4zYfqceqDCYGudXfXokdu6JQbWnpgTRNGefRKYdW7mHuFBoNC7rADkcc4loDLRTMrdMMl0NDPkx0c6uEfVL3Box0vE1SrKehbFj1PxUeEm/s940/DD_068_p05%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="940" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpwXOWrOlLWshKrqYj4gNUS21HAuldJjpVK6HxaODDpOvDdypX4-l2chEBg5UXnrmHoVBjMnV5-ChtbnBWe4zYfqceqDCYGudXfXokdu6JQbWnpgTRNGefRKYdW7mHuFBoNC7rADkcc4loDLRTMrdMMl0NDPkx0c6uEfVL3Box0vE1SrKehbFj1PxUeEm/w400-h286/DD_068_p05%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I think the reason people like this story is that it does make a half-decent effort at having a historical basis that you can take at least semi-seriously, after the manner of Barks. Though not AS good, obviously. Is he involved in opium smuggling (I mean, "spice," but you know)? Seriously, how fucking wild is it that Britain was like "fuck you, we're going to sell hard drugs in your country and we will FUCK YOUR SHIT UP if you try to stop us?" That is some depraved shit.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCsds-REAMJXNe7vjEpclIyPRHsQbwned4S_EV5MSGmp97wrrpBBfn_GSvS5_v7MLgjZMBpo4WF4AaDSlnlj6NmL-xkLuYPnFjEn3eF-D_5LWqTeBNA1dltmIvxLXwrLMt7OoGo_E490c1Uk83D9nZ8v1PXgH3GFECAOuaU4BU5Q20qaw18G-tv9yrX0l/s936/DD_068_p06%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="936" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCsds-REAMJXNe7vjEpclIyPRHsQbwned4S_EV5MSGmp97wrrpBBfn_GSvS5_v7MLgjZMBpo4WF4AaDSlnlj6NmL-xkLuYPnFjEn3eF-D_5LWqTeBNA1dltmIvxLXwrLMt7OoGo_E490c1Uk83D9nZ8v1PXgH3GFECAOuaU4BU5Q20qaw18G-tv9yrX0l/w400-h286/DD_068_p06%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, the story riffs on things that may or may not be true about Stradivarius violins, which, fair play, is a cool, unusual subject for a Disney comic, however you feel about the finished product.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jxzSH3IvrdJHn9fIodienB0QkfrWdvSfIO3KVq6NWyL6aqmhV6gvBR8BM911w5sKhRKavaFSJyIKRKWKMI5ryvUn-GGDWttUk3WOtO4YAY70AGqKCaIpnJzfnJmUKDUpr1QC1VMGe9nvs9xlhfvL2ibd3NYQxujZMtsBz5-s3VpDVrNWd4ObHK1Srfoo/s1008/DD_068_p07.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="937" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jxzSH3IvrdJHn9fIodienB0QkfrWdvSfIO3KVq6NWyL6aqmhV6gvBR8BM911w5sKhRKavaFSJyIKRKWKMI5ryvUn-GGDWttUk3WOtO4YAY70AGqKCaIpnJzfnJmUKDUpr1QC1VMGe9nvs9xlhfvL2ibd3NYQxujZMtsBz5-s3VpDVrNWd4ObHK1Srfoo/w371-h400/DD_068_p07.jpg" width="371" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Although to be honest, this characterization of Donald isn't really doing it for me, with this "you have to do what I say" stuff. Where does it come from? It somewhat resembles that Barks story where Scrooge enlists his services to get rid of excess money, but...eh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVNEi7UmwMzgyn0ftMWOgQ8z0Nme9_NZ3skqAth_o8n5UCAlKWzVGFel_Kgh-agf4EZky2_InR-B8gPsNlQaP4WykizLTcPVwqfT5r3vE2vpiS40aHWwqr7ddkkHZxV4ZBpO-tPPXbPGqr7rJWqau92-g5ERKh2Q1txRKdFzuohg362VLSxNOCnKZ3rNU/s927/DD_068_p08%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="927" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVNEi7UmwMzgyn0ftMWOgQ8z0Nme9_NZ3skqAth_o8n5UCAlKWzVGFel_Kgh-agf4EZky2_InR-B8gPsNlQaP4WykizLTcPVwqfT5r3vE2vpiS40aHWwqr7ddkkHZxV4ZBpO-tPPXbPGqr7rJWqau92-g5ERKh2Q1txRKdFzuohg362VLSxNOCnKZ3rNU/w400-h290/DD_068_p08%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And, I mean, seriously, it's mainly just used for this clunky-ass bit of plotting? Why, pray tell, is Donald going to be utterly uninterested in this formula? Wouldn't the very obvious conclusion be that it might have SOMETHING to do with the mystery at hand? It's somewhat like the thing Barks did on occasion where he would slip a seemingly irrelevant detail into a story early on to have it pay off later (most notably the box of dirt in "The Twenty-Four Karat Moon"), but here it's just nonsensical and dumb. Bah! BAH, I say!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbY7RHfZIyvARQWkLTfhyphenhyphenF2L7C1dORdJo31Z0ipM7TyOgYZH3W8vdWAPjWEbj2h3kRW3aovPuvrok-obXk3FWNlrzYWaS7rdilXMtnLjVOxyn-m9pswFF-tV_-KFHPC-eHyKiKYqfR4SKgEMoAhe_MMKPBabPGkbAVnD26R26-icN82ySLFuNWcye9Ei3e/s927/DD_068_p08.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="927" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbY7RHfZIyvARQWkLTfhyphenhyphenF2L7C1dORdJo31Z0ipM7TyOgYZH3W8vdWAPjWEbj2h3kRW3aovPuvrok-obXk3FWNlrzYWaS7rdilXMtnLjVOxyn-m9pswFF-tV_-KFHPC-eHyKiKYqfR4SKgEMoAhe_MMKPBabPGkbAVnD26R26-icN82ySLFuNWcye9Ei3e/w400-h286/DD_068_p08.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Man, Donald looks PISSED OFF there. This is more than a lighthearted prank. Dude, it's not "free labor;" he paid you ten or twenty-five cents an hour. Well...except in "The Menehune Mystery," so I suppose fair play in trying to get him back for that. Still. I dunno.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzetR2DNbcgecdTwQqcYrOGpNL1qp8p97yO6qZ_nBge_kMYUpSWV1AIHJOdsBQkJwcDN1bVYOfd00-I6jn_sBYVgN5DzCVbcFn79-PZB4mecXlEUUm3n1z1xOPLRFvgpdsVqOvQk2UcLJOgjaCA4dyDrWyJIgaTe7uUii_zjB9qNwAvvK0Dv3d60ODVRE/s949/DD_068_p09%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="949" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzetR2DNbcgecdTwQqcYrOGpNL1qp8p97yO6qZ_nBge_kMYUpSWV1AIHJOdsBQkJwcDN1bVYOfd00-I6jn_sBYVgN5DzCVbcFn79-PZB4mecXlEUUm3n1z1xOPLRFvgpdsVqOvQk2UcLJOgjaCA4dyDrWyJIgaTe7uUii_zjB9qNwAvvK0Dv3d60ODVRE/w400-h283/DD_068_p09%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...if this is meant to be a legally-binding contract, I don't think you can just insert extra provisions into it after it's been signed. Still, I am not a lawyer. Someone ask <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@LegalEagle">Devin Stone</a>; maybe he'll make a video.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxJGH50AWXQWCY7zJVdXcmPdQvwLR1mAM3_BTKhtXfmCAZWi9O33xdYbAV_m5cnvtgpbcYuMtMotnq72ZhSZ1wEiVu0pfMNiOf6sJOtJTfzpwpqX-18cRSsB4S_PPzadEI3S_iC_uuAYYqlvCU98Re_LzMZCZdktzPIuYJacqQONz8RAPhv0qvyw_gT8K/s1008/DD_068_p10%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="937" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxJGH50AWXQWCY7zJVdXcmPdQvwLR1mAM3_BTKhtXfmCAZWi9O33xdYbAV_m5cnvtgpbcYuMtMotnq72ZhSZ1wEiVu0pfMNiOf6sJOtJTfzpwpqX-18cRSsB4S_PPzadEI3S_iC_uuAYYqlvCU98Re_LzMZCZdktzPIuYJacqQONz8RAPhv0qvyw_gT8K/s320/DD_068_p10%20copy.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><p>Did you know that Venice has been steadily losing its population over the past century because absurd volume of tourists is rendering it unlivable? I learned that at the Seaplane Harbour museum in Tallinn, where they were--maybe still are--having a Venice exhibition. Bah to that, though I can't deny the romance of the idea of Venice, anyway. And I dunno, fair's fair, I like how the general atmosphere here, to the extent that there is one. Well, more or less. What's the deal with those...rodents overlooking the canal? They look like chipmunks, but those are New World animals, aren't they? Squirrels? Stoats? What are these enigmatic beasts, and why? Do these exude characteristic Venetian ambiance to you guys? Or was Strobl just kind of doodling whatever to add visual interest? In fairness, that's more than a lot of these artists would've done.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaX85Koku-oHI9gmiMMMTjVb07dvrKFGDgSKptA2dBR4llurtFkCXPdKf8GLtsvtQHKX-Qv1gJNOSbix5TQnLTIYLO-MfhZdM-5Zo11n26LiPQLx3jIfNYjOIhyphenhyphenHSfpfiPeIJyMIFrEUPFyTEP6WIHHH04Eap2HQsF3tYIL2fIjeTemuvpPhDupcYxETQX/s1004/DD_068_p11%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="935" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaX85Koku-oHI9gmiMMMTjVb07dvrKFGDgSKptA2dBR4llurtFkCXPdKf8GLtsvtQHKX-Qv1gJNOSbix5TQnLTIYLO-MfhZdM-5Zo11n26LiPQLx3jIfNYjOIhyphenhyphenHSfpfiPeIJyMIFrEUPFyTEP6WIHHH04Eap2HQsF3tYIL2fIjeTemuvpPhDupcYxETQX/w373-h400/DD_068_p11%20copy.jpg" width="373" /></a></div><p>Yes, I think that we can fairly say that the ducks wandering around and talking to locals to get clues is a bit Barksian. OF COURSE he's eating spaghetti! He's Italian! What ELSE would be be doing! It's sort of comical how artless this story is in its efforts to add local color.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOS7qRoGAfoxOlQdIaJmoxz3XD6DNai858SwHjqjiqza4JyB5V0IkpzkIEZejOe54ZXcnlIpMIYsPJM2n5QU4YY67xd0Jv4Y38z8O0Gw9YcTTi7va2ogMC3_DBJnj2v-Qn4IhtjtVgL7rlDonN3_kw6sjs6DrkblJ5TLuMv4dVkDk79bJB2vXywst22JiO/s934/DD_068_p11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="934" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOS7qRoGAfoxOlQdIaJmoxz3XD6DNai858SwHjqjiqza4JyB5V0IkpzkIEZejOe54ZXcnlIpMIYsPJM2n5QU4YY67xd0Jv4Y38z8O0Gw9YcTTi7va2ogMC3_DBJnj2v-Qn4IhtjtVgL7rlDonN3_kw6sjs6DrkblJ5TLuMv4dVkDk79bJB2vXywst22JiO/s320/DD_068_p11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Okay, this is dickish and a bit questionable from a character standpoint, or maybe any standpoint, but Scrooge's reaction to Dewey's debridgication (depontication?) actually factually makes me el oh el.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVW0hiJHtr-b3Ky2RlTOvuNIcqUy1VV4aMojhp7l98PCuw5UjZaqAfsyoG773Yg6Y-xlkE4yciY3fGMAELYL4Fuwx22fcw2Kk7J021msaJ_g6z7Mr3YfJ7vTdA920WniORWmCahIbUTkfFhOKd9GWNnJOvQhhx8JDzLg9APrwjNVrs8SfH71bDCLCOrbC/s943/DD_068_p13%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="943" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVW0hiJHtr-b3Ky2RlTOvuNIcqUy1VV4aMojhp7l98PCuw5UjZaqAfsyoG773Yg6Y-xlkE4yciY3fGMAELYL4Fuwx22fcw2Kk7J021msaJ_g6z7Mr3YfJ7vTdA920WniORWmCahIbUTkfFhOKd9GWNnJOvQhhx8JDzLg9APrwjNVrs8SfH71bDCLCOrbC/w400-h285/DD_068_p13%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>All this stuff about European bridges being transported to America and American bridges being recreated in Venice...I feel like I should gesture vaguely in the direction of postmodernism here, but I'll leave it at that. I also feel like I ought to bring up that thing with London Bridge being relocated to Arizona, but that postdates this story, alas.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZLTT6JWEuKuoMTBUNtODhXytLEXX_6LEzkSwfOePK7prvSw9iBpTtEEU5beKOLQQxJxaU-3EsHtNgCoqsGJDsYspBLmeagrJIIYSbnf433up0dJq4dDGRVFjw72w8WxEf9tkruaxSIt3EECEB0dfKJJVXDYGKq_rQOqLaXM6JUMMoBJrVeDcTt4ssMDe/s938/DD_068_p13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="938" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZLTT6JWEuKuoMTBUNtODhXytLEXX_6LEzkSwfOePK7prvSw9iBpTtEEU5beKOLQQxJxaU-3EsHtNgCoqsGJDsYspBLmeagrJIIYSbnf433up0dJq4dDGRVFjw72w8WxEf9tkruaxSIt3EECEB0dfKJJVXDYGKq_rQOqLaXM6JUMMoBJrVeDcTt4ssMDe/w400-h289/DD_068_p13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>First question: why are gondoliers in charge of dismantling the bridge? That seems outside their wheelhouse. Yes, because it's the only job that specifically makes you think "Venice." Got it. Second: if I know my stereotypes about gondoliers, I know they're supposed to sing "La donna è mobile" or something along those lines. I mean, I get that it's important for us to know that they are in fact the gondoliers, but it seems like there might be a more artful way to put that idea across. Perhaps.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXxxc48uAiBOTtHWJjuZDcMirRM5LT9N_BukbtptJ1Y4u32e9AXLN-WyTTITNjWVqdAPu6yqjw89gbisjrkwxgwDw4CQlnv2I9C0kGHivThVgGn6WttPJjaHVVvMyy9xW9uqGAvaTtOaIpwIRpxUJgeAZyXaQWEgOOiuNrSiAM9UHPG792qEHeb13ivO9/s1010/DD_068_p14%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="936" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXxxc48uAiBOTtHWJjuZDcMirRM5LT9N_BukbtptJ1Y4u32e9AXLN-WyTTITNjWVqdAPu6yqjw89gbisjrkwxgwDw4CQlnv2I9C0kGHivThVgGn6WttPJjaHVVvMyy9xW9uqGAvaTtOaIpwIRpxUJgeAZyXaQWEgOOiuNrSiAM9UHPG792qEHeb13ivO9/w371-h400/DD_068_p14%20copy.jpg" width="371" /></a></div><p>Also, this low tide thing. Sure, everyone on occasion writes stuff with no purpose other than to tread water and meet the desired page count, but rarely so egregiously as here. Well, enjoy it. It <i>is</i> art for art's sake. Allegedly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpGHkYOaRWoWwFfqewOqvvfqKvmMzC8o0EzKRdIFKFp5N-03NY0ix-P7SGSCEmwNG7lq4_l64p3xB7GvO3pXwsbB-qoAe4BCqM7cyPcnvvBxFHOUoXwh2GKgkcXvtvd9GnTB4TL4gcjJB6ZPb9aAZK2DPvygL5yOuSwjryL5NsYqjrKCuS8-8A11x3J_l/s1014/DD_068_p15%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="936" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpGHkYOaRWoWwFfqewOqvvfqKvmMzC8o0EzKRdIFKFp5N-03NY0ix-P7SGSCEmwNG7lq4_l64p3xB7GvO3pXwsbB-qoAe4BCqM7cyPcnvvBxFHOUoXwh2GKgkcXvtvd9GnTB4TL4gcjJB6ZPb9aAZK2DPvygL5yOuSwjryL5NsYqjrKCuS8-8A11x3J_l/w369-h400/DD_068_p15%20copy.jpg" width="369" /></a></div><p>And now, we get to the part where everyone ostentatiously goes on about how horrifically worthless the wood actually is. It IS an interesting little mystery in theory, but sort of goofy in practice. How many substances do YOU know where people constantly joke about how worthless they are? It's odd, is all.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwOJFJjFC_bGHu96ZAsQoeVUHQVRDrh8ktf4FRJGUC307mtf5q8ZruilK1DvVNPl6Py-WoubfCJk2KPu9OWpvC5f9mjq6UPoBsa2OrQ7Nk0WoNqixeSUbugr4fi3nWoMiQCurZOcaYBKkvXqhqR-7BGvRbonmce1M8uSxypWqJ-grlV6kATWoMbDGqT_un/s1004/DD_068_p16%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="917" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwOJFJjFC_bGHu96ZAsQoeVUHQVRDrh8ktf4FRJGUC307mtf5q8ZruilK1DvVNPl6Py-WoubfCJk2KPu9OWpvC5f9mjq6UPoBsa2OrQ7Nk0WoNqixeSUbugr4fi3nWoMiQCurZOcaYBKkvXqhqR-7BGvRbonmce1M8uSxypWqJ-grlV6kATWoMbDGqT_un/w365-h400/DD_068_p16%20copy.jpg" width="365" /></a></div><p>...the story keeps acting as though hand-crafting a violin, "Pastradi" or not, is a trivially easy thing to do. I know the idea is to create a contrast between "Pastradis are super rare and valuable" and "non-Pastradi's are comically worthless," but I think that that is a dumb contrast. Are we supposed to think that with the varnish, you can make great violins, but without it, they're much worse than those made with other kinds of wood? That would be pretty dang weird! You COULD say it, though! But the story never does. So...bleh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSjlzQPLhR_JmIqgEnee6bGNvF6paPXlKGe0U-ywcxHCjPRkPWpw2Jy2pzGxrMB9o3ayFyWRfxYVLHdYcreotx7IqzdH941IjZ-kCwMDXY7xOT-D-w_CMpguCS0ys_m8Wj-pUaJD9rXDS_1h55N9eF9NiJpU1ou2o1-JPI1DQhUXrFMwiBp1wRPIRVa03/s936/DD_068_p17%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="936" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSjlzQPLhR_JmIqgEnee6bGNvF6paPXlKGe0U-ywcxHCjPRkPWpw2Jy2pzGxrMB9o3ayFyWRfxYVLHdYcreotx7IqzdH941IjZ-kCwMDXY7xOT-D-w_CMpguCS0ys_m8Wj-pUaJD9rXDS_1h55N9eF9NiJpU1ou2o1-JPI1DQhUXrFMwiBp1wRPIRVa03/w400-h289/DD_068_p17%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>GOSH, maybe you could've saved yourself a HUGE amount of effort by not just refusing to pay any heed to that note back when you easily could've! I don't know! I'm just some guy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBZSID4QAloOV_fifLE739SufEk3U5nkhoxFvxzE8FquYgkpAFQJecSvved3ko09d7Ui3jbkDopAKCreu1zYvMEb9erVBG6r6FVmBOB-6CUAuWNFvYb5r2v_kAvwfXZ9-SrVq3Vtc_6jUnH9dbfoIAKFzeEvADEhh-xLbsV2dF-M2rf0LJWRs0-pABGTo/s940/DD_068_p18%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="940" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBZSID4QAloOV_fifLE739SufEk3U5nkhoxFvxzE8FquYgkpAFQJecSvved3ko09d7Ui3jbkDopAKCreu1zYvMEb9erVBG6r6FVmBOB-6CUAuWNFvYb5r2v_kAvwfXZ9-SrVq3Vtc_6jUnH9dbfoIAKFzeEvADEhh-xLbsV2dF-M2rf0LJWRs0-pABGTo/w400-h286/DD_068_p18%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...mmm. I thought that that "water skiing concession" thing was just a feeble throw-away joke, but it turns out it was a feeble throw-away joke with an equally feeble payoff. Hurray! I do like how the Italian stereotypes are...complicated? confused? by the inclusion of some sort of avant-garde sculpture, when it could've been a more typical Renaissance-type thing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1PyjMvdtS8O9hxvtLiPXuL5eq675k6nJEbA-uSmPvehgftYmGP-_MCZBEsJhGfNDaw7xZjeYIXOA3pv9rviGXbpPhVwt5jlhUK058YotBdhqrjsm9sU4CZgQ7RTt6Orz2nujLstKFI50haH_b1Uk1fmOz8hP5OW5ct-HclUcAOubUk7QLMLdXzTxH1D2/s937/DD_068_p20%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="937" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1PyjMvdtS8O9hxvtLiPXuL5eq675k6nJEbA-uSmPvehgftYmGP-_MCZBEsJhGfNDaw7xZjeYIXOA3pv9rviGXbpPhVwt5jlhUK058YotBdhqrjsm9sU4CZgQ7RTt6Orz2nujLstKFI50haH_b1Uk1fmOz8hP5OW5ct-HclUcAOubUk7QLMLdXzTxH1D2/w400-h284/DD_068_p20%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, back to the States. Fun, fun. Okay, okay. Let's do this...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfUJ4eLbcIFVFx5chUI2u3aYGbjK5nFc159WZIB5FPQdU-4ZY0Yk9-nhPOKEBFwjLZGXsI20FLlY_w9jSCfnK5NOider6csGvU4uju_ZSx2E85KFkMuhdEqEtI0q4v2qDEVqeRt5ObuTfqm1CrlSITO6t8g_V2Pdjauqd89bXhSeZS0VBsAcHnQlDImIM/s408/DD_068_p20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="408" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfUJ4eLbcIFVFx5chUI2u3aYGbjK5nFc159WZIB5FPQdU-4ZY0Yk9-nhPOKEBFwjLZGXsI20FLlY_w9jSCfnK5NOider6csGvU4uju_ZSx2E85KFkMuhdEqEtI0q4v2qDEVqeRt5ObuTfqm1CrlSITO6t8g_V2Pdjauqd89bXhSeZS0VBsAcHnQlDImIM/s320/DD_068_p20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>...I mean, granted, the image would have more punch if rendered by someone with more Barksian artistic talent, but it's still pretty good, under the circumstances. Clearly, an effort was being made. It would be perfectly reasonable to call it the highlight of the story.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJ-W_3G0QP4AgEpFAH_IEXd6saIvTLLLKI6aibwtCwC1zn7xqGK6Uh-TNqx1qZ1D1uMSAPotpJH4wXmHideeG-05gztx8cJv_VPj0abUywFOLf_yw_BCSGrJ2lRShgOrzY-O-_Mqj1_2fAu-4PPVuwGXIqAc3YtzbmxLUc9iMaB7MtbP39MLq6HF-7-At/s934/DD_068_p21%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="934" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJ-W_3G0QP4AgEpFAH_IEXd6saIvTLLLKI6aibwtCwC1zn7xqGK6Uh-TNqx1qZ1D1uMSAPotpJH4wXmHideeG-05gztx8cJv_VPj0abUywFOLf_yw_BCSGrJ2lRShgOrzY-O-_Mqj1_2fAu-4PPVuwGXIqAc3YtzbmxLUc9iMaB7MtbP39MLq6HF-7-At/w400-h284/DD_068_p21%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Then again, it might be this. The specifics here really make it: "Lin Chin Salt Water Crayfish," "Marco Polo," "Royal Italian Marine Society." You might wonder, well...do the crayfish still exist in <i>China,</i> maybe? But the story is close enough to the end that we're not gonna worry about such things.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyj_xOtXmdTcJM1OaTM2RtwG9mpSjol8UbHpq88dALGJOaxwIDURbeDpurarb_IZUJvZ0JTPm6cOB6bS86kENhJyFL8JPmIF8c2Ufy6Q-z7y7ADrZJxTA_BQkA8MvD1wSGYkSV1MZwugm3ImQbXOI0IiJ_arypD2Eb0lyH9ypOSZSe9spTMhQbxrOH5jCT/s932/DD_068_p21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="932" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyj_xOtXmdTcJM1OaTM2RtwG9mpSjol8UbHpq88dALGJOaxwIDURbeDpurarb_IZUJvZ0JTPm6cOB6bS86kENhJyFL8JPmIF8c2Ufy6Q-z7y7ADrZJxTA_BQkA8MvD1wSGYkSV1MZwugm3ImQbXOI0IiJ_arypD2Eb0lyH9ypOSZSe9spTMhQbxrOH5jCT/w400-h143/DD_068_p21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>So my first instinct is to ask "how is it worth a thousand dollars if we've established that the wood is worthless?" But then, in fairness, we do have to concede that Scrooge seems to be including the cost of the trip in the thousand dollars he owes. But can he do that? Shouldn't this have been established in the contract? This, I fear, is what comes of writing and signing a contract with no legal representation present. No one knows what they're doing so they're just playing by their own rules. Do any of them "have" to be doing any of what they're doing? Who knows! The actual legal system is irrelevant! They're just doing weird play-acting in their own confused little world! Hooray!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIUDZ67X5Z0pxBM-Uq9VkBJZwQf9C98D-g30FuC8GSkjKnkgK-MG-KoD2DQgOn9BZL9EF-pt-WJCB8T1S_XPtU0_019hqdC3hLxvDiydYFL1xmq6MpmfRrYaZqQW9rLAZjTDcxKGJBjHlmMu-R0vGimnwxSkSU8ZXF6ecaCSiv07ZNELtN1A3koitvMBM/s1010/DD_068_p22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="939" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIUDZ67X5Z0pxBM-Uq9VkBJZwQf9C98D-g30FuC8GSkjKnkgK-MG-KoD2DQgOn9BZL9EF-pt-WJCB8T1S_XPtU0_019hqdC3hLxvDiydYFL1xmq6MpmfRrYaZqQW9rLAZjTDcxKGJBjHlmMu-R0vGimnwxSkSU8ZXF6ecaCSiv07ZNELtN1A3koitvMBM/w373-h400/DD_068_p22.jpg" width="373" /></a></div><p>I don't know. I like him insisting on being bashed with a board and then objecting to it. Just setting up your own weird system of punishment and then complaining about it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpeXnUokj8GCdLobIBAYVcZGtosIe2MlwSMz_IZ51oJ5qCCXnbem1d8gYxMUQ02vJdiyzlYIhcA68RWId3O5ZGrPvVoxniBguYmjp8pwhGQ-jdXLozc6Qm6lFFUNpYNnePQ0y20qfklRzpC8y0D5mEetD4BLXzeaCZXxnfVFiU3Ih_0tec3RQ2diqsX41/s942/DD_068_p23%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="942" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpeXnUokj8GCdLobIBAYVcZGtosIe2MlwSMz_IZ51oJ5qCCXnbem1d8gYxMUQ02vJdiyzlYIhcA68RWId3O5ZGrPvVoxniBguYmjp8pwhGQ-jdXLozc6Qm6lFFUNpYNnePQ0y20qfklRzpC8y0D5mEetD4BLXzeaCZXxnfVFiU3Ih_0tec3RQ2diqsX41/w400-h284/DD_068_p23%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yes, okay. Comment on the relative convenience of this seems superfluous. But I just have to wonder what the dang deal with the wood is. All the Venetians were constantly going into convulsions of laughter over how commonplace it is, and yet Scrooge was unable to find any before Donald did by accident, and these guys weren't either? It can't JUST be in Venice; otherwise these guys would have to have been able to. SO...apparently it's in several places at once that are completely unaware of one another? Argh; this is the sort of thing that happens with stories like this. The vagueness and requirement to make wild inferences that then contradict each other is highly reminiscent of Scarpa, and not in a super-great way. But it's what happens, I suppose, when you really don't have a firm grip on your story.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuYk7o56x5a9zFH0k4QriQaoE75GtHSs1BnYxBF1u6kiIsWvxipuc807nX07WPkNR7EKOwL3uX1UMdqyyFj4v_mCed3n6QUTZwS30csSdFTqaB9s-vVTwjGHbLaIQ9gJvtRWDorxjf_PK6dZTWPJmU2AdsgNWOUgeR6U_pTUpDC9OACZ_sqK566e0sldn/s945/DD_068_p23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="945" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuYk7o56x5a9zFH0k4QriQaoE75GtHSs1BnYxBF1u6kiIsWvxipuc807nX07WPkNR7EKOwL3uX1UMdqyyFj4v_mCed3n6QUTZwS30csSdFTqaB9s-vVTwjGHbLaIQ9gJvtRWDorxjf_PK6dZTWPJmU2AdsgNWOUgeR6U_pTUpDC9OACZ_sqK566e0sldn/s320/DD_068_p23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Well, at least I like Diagonal Donald and Nephews. This seems to sort of call back to the feel of the title.</p><p>So what have we learned here?</p><p>[resounding silence]</p><p>Right, okay, that's what I thought. Well, contrary to, maybe, a few people, I wouldn't exactly call this one of Gregory's better efforts, for whatever that's worth. Obviously it's better than <a href="https://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-pirates-of-ashcanistran.html">stories</a> that he wrote after suffering some sort of severe head trauma or possibly just seeing a Great Old One and losing his mind, but it kind of points in that direction more than you'd like. Still! Now, improbably, I've written two thousand words about it. You may think that's bad, but hey, YOU READ THEM! Let's face it: nobody comes out of this looking good.</p><p>Still, on that note, Happy Halloween!</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-33889794440152961672023-07-31T19:48:00.004-04:002023-08-02T20:43:05.092-04:00"Mission to Mangomoa"<p> And now, the grand finale of the DCRCIJS! Well, you can judge for yourself how "grand" it is. But it's DEFINITELY the finale.</p><p>The good news, maybe-kinda, is that this is a Bob-Gregory-penned story. This wasn't written in his egregiously dumb period, so there's a certain modest level of quality guaranteed, but I wouldn't call this one of this best efforts. And, even knowing nothing about the specifics of the story, "Mangomoa" might give you vague misgivings. And, spoiler, those are not unjustified. But we'll get there when we get there.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpO_qrJvucC76cU1VFYpFKazSZHEcHA3-piEMhOL7KM9EBsxJda6uXIbOMnL9_YbOx-ZkZhaCxZxZWeKrnZ5OIWeEgEOYhKaVFBY8tYzhJXHLhezB3v3wsR_7kFnMzEW4KnLiB9zY4BTPbiOBFPToSAekGskVAnsb3L1TLj1Gq4XOE_d-1MsmcXPPt3yn/s1300/DDBP6-002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="925" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpO_qrJvucC76cU1VFYpFKazSZHEcHA3-piEMhOL7KM9EBsxJda6uXIbOMnL9_YbOx-ZkZhaCxZxZWeKrnZ5OIWeEgEOYhKaVFBY8tYzhJXHLhezB3v3wsR_7kFnMzEW4KnLiB9zY4BTPbiOBFPToSAekGskVAnsb3L1TLj1Gq4XOE_d-1MsmcXPPt3yn/w285-h400/DDBP6-002.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><p>But before we do that, why not make yourself some beachy snacks to munch on? "Sprouting apples" is just odd. I'm sorry, but I'm just not convinced it is a favorite with the gang. It's not like apples, celery, and peanut butter is a weird or unappealing combination, but somehow cramming all that stuff into a whole apple just seems...excessive. Do you really want to eat all that? Well, especially if you're a kid, you probably find it preferable to "carrot and olive dumbbells," which seems to have been created just because it looks like a thing. Are you really going to find this delicious? Olives are kind of an acquired taste, and unless you're one of those weird kids who grew up eating healthy food, I have my doubts. On the other hand, en gee el, that "pickle in a blanket" sounds kinda delicious to me. Yes, that might make me weird, but I like all the ingredients (no, I don't eat bologna, but acceptable vegetarian facsimiles are easily obtained). Maybe I'll try making one of these.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMdt1xT54qmbr4BZEy9H3-_qT14ZC5GHXzsMoXZnkkeIC-CLT8HJyStxW7gwV69aOEquENEW-UBYzbU6lqTcBxUgKqp4LYZ1390c8Q0GtTSgj4WR3Ict1MLzoUHGryTXtfPBxImyeLFWBPraoRQtfVo_D2kQXTDj8nSiSIPD5gqT2u5hVw6-YWbvI_XDy/s918/DDBP6-003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="918" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMdt1xT54qmbr4BZEy9H3-_qT14ZC5GHXzsMoXZnkkeIC-CLT8HJyStxW7gwV69aOEquENEW-UBYzbU6lqTcBxUgKqp4LYZ1390c8Q0GtTSgj4WR3Ict1MLzoUHGryTXtfPBxImyeLFWBPraoRQtfVo_D2kQXTDj8nSiSIPD5gqT2u5hVw6-YWbvI_XDy/w400-h241/DDBP6-003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Moving on to the main event, at least the story opens nicely enough, in contrast with "The Gem Jam." Though compare with "The Giant Pearl:" in that one, Donald and HDL are desperate to avoid Scrooge out of the unfounded fear that he'll make them do adventure-related stuff, whereas here they just blithely stroll into his clutches. Go figure.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhucgPe3h9lsJPd_7dMKBsEPIEsvsgK1FXTo5wAhBEIQPnSzwKpgjcRanXgvh2uO1D2U-Sr0OLh5PxkDyI95Rz7ysDC_b0Kv6dBqvff2M87GlrRCQjVxTJACEZJ908k7momSaQlTjiFMvnM48wvti0lgI6udM8KLCcHenDSB8VkiukFu5AaXVl8elCNDz/s910/DDBP6-003%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="910" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhucgPe3h9lsJPd_7dMKBsEPIEsvsgK1FXTo5wAhBEIQPnSzwKpgjcRanXgvh2uO1D2U-Sr0OLh5PxkDyI95Rz7ysDC_b0Kv6dBqvff2M87GlrRCQjVxTJACEZJ908k7momSaQlTjiFMvnM48wvti0lgI6udM8KLCcHenDSB8VkiukFu5AaXVl8elCNDz/w400-h278/DDBP6-003%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>You might appreciate this goofiness here, anyway. Somehow, Donald's expression of bemused skepticism in that last panel seems like a quite good stand-in for the reader's likely attitude.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDL15SKAUddEFkBtqawg6IVmClVLcQKDcMgWEhaB4dEe080SmwG9fVJDyuy_vysIaZ97ZhfKZTLzLgyaP0XLM0tv9lIgpPX1dYJUnxHywIT1MgX4FXU0MeSHwQSQG1xeb55yOUSrnCiTNS2ggyQlb3P9SQUSNMWfXgAcAuUqvQ76KLSSirfdx6v76Brh6c/s920/DDBP6-004%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="920" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDL15SKAUddEFkBtqawg6IVmClVLcQKDcMgWEhaB4dEe080SmwG9fVJDyuy_vysIaZ97ZhfKZTLzLgyaP0XLM0tv9lIgpPX1dYJUnxHywIT1MgX4FXU0MeSHwQSQG1xeb55yOUSrnCiTNS2ggyQlb3P9SQUSNMWfXgAcAuUqvQ76KLSSirfdx6v76Brh6c/w400-h145/DDBP6-004%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...and the cereal concern declared <i>this</i> entry the winner? What kind of deranged advertising campaign is this, anyway? Surely "why I like your cereal" contests are aimed at kids, yeah? Is "demented billionaires who like to stare at food and imagine it's made of gold" really your target demographic? Good lord.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ea53MsfePcBb1VvHt6ObW4DhCrCH1fs3DOE9SjO9uiG_jcr0-CPQesZxJTTKYYsksic6rsO_abIxCXt76LGKq4VZVEqaDK5phSNJaQS9nhfUSZtT_Zr1YPfcmK2C8xcrIXrECxnSm_1k-xDNA4xy7MmwhGiSnuZDlnlaKkmp6CZEq2TfHKMIZQhSwWSK/s993/DDBP6-004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="917" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ea53MsfePcBb1VvHt6ObW4DhCrCH1fs3DOE9SjO9uiG_jcr0-CPQesZxJTTKYYsksic6rsO_abIxCXt76LGKq4VZVEqaDK5phSNJaQS9nhfUSZtT_Zr1YPfcmK2C8xcrIXrECxnSm_1k-xDNA4xy7MmwhGiSnuZDlnlaKkmp6CZEq2TfHKMIZQhSwWSK/w370-h400/DDBP6-004.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><p>...now look, I know your colonialism klaxons are going off like mad here, but before we deal with that, let's just note, political issues aside, how incredibly bizarre this is: a cereal company is giving away an atoll as a prize? Are kids these days just crazy about atolls? I don't know what's going on.</p><p>But as far as the main thrust of this goes: why the hell does this company own the atoll in the first place? I should note that the story DOES specify that it's uninhabited, so I suppose it could be worse, but seriously, what the hell? Is it even possible to conceive of a non-awful way that they could've gotten their hands on it? And any possible reason they'd be getting rid of it other than that they've already ruthlessly stripped it of all possible economic value? It is to be doubted.</p><p>Well, if we can put all that aside--big if, admittedly--at least Scrooge isn't being overly dickish here. That's a plus.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17-OT3Hf2rXzTPblFfwr-CT5bsN4Y-pKl7sE0QJeA7jrBNMzEtNF5oIN54NJi0OO_SzeL9_OrZzT3d23C1E6PMkvDssA61Qc7yXU80kbdYEFXKTPD-NlPrjp_6Sfsm7dB20-kvWEOvM2XqEmj-7ckbmHz1iYE1KwjTWzZrIn_UZq5ITZCsoAki2AMExd_/s903/DDBP6-005%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="903" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17-OT3Hf2rXzTPblFfwr-CT5bsN4Y-pKl7sE0QJeA7jrBNMzEtNF5oIN54NJi0OO_SzeL9_OrZzT3d23C1E6PMkvDssA61Qc7yXU80kbdYEFXKTPD-NlPrjp_6Sfsm7dB20-kvWEOvM2XqEmj-7ckbmHz1iYE1KwjTWzZrIn_UZq5ITZCsoAki2AMExd_/w400-h290/DDBP6-005%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Okay, here is my very serious question: does Bob Gregory know that "flying boats" are typically called "planes?" Okay, granted, "flying boat" could conceivably be the name used for this specific type of plane, but it features a fair bit in this story, and the words "plane" and "airplane" are not used once. It is never, ever referred to as anything other than a "flying boat." Weird.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWIMbeymuyuTX3mClyZgJ4KZLJqtygVN1lK0MejRihhZob5tRWHhX4PHQzjM1fTQXC5gRzaQ8zJm5WM0NEMgBj_jhE_J0kHZqpvm2_dtZ5v5k-9RRuq_9q8W7LCnqBqb4ws-t3gk7qzTYc5Anic9exiCUv1pCMnhvxm7GyI3vlVVHXpmTHtqgaTz-qgdX/s903/DDBP6-005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="903" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWIMbeymuyuTX3mClyZgJ4KZLJqtygVN1lK0MejRihhZob5tRWHhX4PHQzjM1fTQXC5gRzaQ8zJm5WM0NEMgBj_jhE_J0kHZqpvm2_dtZ5v5k-9RRuq_9q8W7LCnqBqb4ws-t3gk7qzTYc5Anic9exiCUv1pCMnhvxm7GyI3vlVVHXpmTHtqgaTz-qgdX/w400-h143/DDBP6-005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>"The McDuck Elevator Company has taken a terrific drop" is definitely sub-Barksian wordplay. Nonetheless, it at least demonstrates some degree of effort, so I'm going to allow it. Although really, with so many dang companies in the McDuck empire, one or another of them is <i>always</i> going to be having problems at any given time. You can't personally see to each one of them every time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtfHuj2r_kkXE-Ra3GdtjdeEqgWA3JGRxKYQuJXtgxPLZvF_NyZpo6-AjglnBNhmh7Wf0bfKbtGHPvYd_O0eRTs3fq6co_AGokUmbIIWwaaBPuuBdWVY7tak-0aUt00MDZez-VjdNOTC-h62-4Q5LXnIvDe3IEucTpa4Y4L9irHaXpuYjT5_mZLw2_MRe/s915/DDBP6-007%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="915" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtfHuj2r_kkXE-Ra3GdtjdeEqgWA3JGRxKYQuJXtgxPLZvF_NyZpo6-AjglnBNhmh7Wf0bfKbtGHPvYd_O0eRTs3fq6co_AGokUmbIIWwaaBPuuBdWVY7tak-0aUt00MDZez-VjdNOTC-h62-4Q5LXnIvDe3IEucTpa4Y4L9irHaXpuYjT5_mZLw2_MRe/w400-h288/DDBP6-007%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Hmm. Well, I mean, it could be worse. Or better; it could also be better. Those cannibalism hints are just misdirection that never comes to anything, so there's that. Still, I don't know if that gets you off the hook; even if you just <i>hint</i> that Jews include the blood of Christian children in their matzo but never make that something that actually happens...I'm still going to look at you funny.</p><p>Look how weirdly-proportioned Donald is in that lower right panel. No other observation; just that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwA7UWgxw1u4Iv52Wj7aBBUF4R6xqvRr-TXy19h1BSJnts6mVrvApgH-LVGfAff22Jhns1hNQ8bbqfMBW_e-Tki3na_bi_qcKkndn8VWP5nZH0DMsZJF7TPqdOopbEk1jkunIB5GYu5G5yGsDnZcq4IUq2uTTnLFjaPtE3hi2hdtNth3-ItRxBxhqkMbHc/s909/DDBP6-007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="909" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwA7UWgxw1u4Iv52Wj7aBBUF4R6xqvRr-TXy19h1BSJnts6mVrvApgH-LVGfAff22Jhns1hNQ8bbqfMBW_e-Tki3na_bi_qcKkndn8VWP5nZH0DMsZJF7TPqdOopbEk1jkunIB5GYu5G5yGsDnZcq4IUq2uTTnLFjaPtE3hi2hdtNth3-ItRxBxhqkMbHc/w400-h291/DDBP6-007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yeah, you probably should have remembered that. Note Donald lusting after human women; that has precedent, of course, in animation, but not so much in comics.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1uU1X7HCmmlw_sfZDzQW1JHJcIObMd59ynTbm4uRv9kWIbnOQ4FPSMOoU41dZEH02pdHSgepjKFPykbPdy0BwYYwO0ez92o2RB_TIf9q0pYnzCGz7p8-ukcWNfPh2woSUNfvO5uju21e2Mnehcy-Jh2ni5asyFHkqL3f4NUDL7nau_4zjuQU1cdM2ej2/s988/DDBP6-008%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="911" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1uU1X7HCmmlw_sfZDzQW1JHJcIObMd59ynTbm4uRv9kWIbnOQ4FPSMOoU41dZEH02pdHSgepjKFPykbPdy0BwYYwO0ez92o2RB_TIf9q0pYnzCGz7p8-ukcWNfPh2woSUNfvO5uju21e2Mnehcy-Jh2ni5asyFHkqL3f4NUDL7nau_4zjuQU1cdM2ej2/w369-h400/DDBP6-008%20copy.jpg" width="369" /></a></div><p>I mean, I know the indigenous people are the antagonists here, but the ducks <i>were</i> incredibly idiotic, it must be allowed. Is salt that important, though? Is this for their own dietary needs, or for export? Hum.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoxACCHf-Hm46oWTG4OwbGzQL9zxq_O1dg9Q4aI8nE-VnTrfMwA9OJaY7GCJRzlCt_081c6wBD5pVDp73In4xh_ceNab57ArN9coceZaBd_yZFcebRxXMS_lDXnxZCkuslhA29dUYqbtQM5LHXo900q1CdXT86tD1ZEdWiPEkxJU42KmRmoU4hgqOsl9m/s978/DDBP6-009%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="904" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoxACCHf-Hm46oWTG4OwbGzQL9zxq_O1dg9Q4aI8nE-VnTrfMwA9OJaY7GCJRzlCt_081c6wBD5pVDp73In4xh_ceNab57ArN9coceZaBd_yZFcebRxXMS_lDXnxZCkuslhA29dUYqbtQM5LHXo900q1CdXT86tD1ZEdWiPEkxJU42KmRmoU4hgqOsl9m/w370-h400/DDBP6-009%20copy.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><p>Oooookay, now we're getting into the kind of shit you expect. I mean, yes, you're right: as I said above, things could be worse, and often are. But there's just something about the dreary predictability of these "superstitious natives" tropes. As much as I feel ambivalent about Disney deciding not to republish certain stories, or the Seuss estate letting certain books go out of print, at the same time, I DO extremely sympathize with the idea that all this shit should be consigned to the past. Bleh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkk28iz35_S1yxhG3Cj1LYuZcwb1mrgJ_k_cAZ2vHZP9T1UEgiKk06V822gyX7Bi4l8Sk1fHSiZxXNcS-f5MEmRd_SmheT4LW7TT-FljIKUrK48jPlgrhEYq2NdH9Gw0BfO3drNWQqHJid77gB-Ksu5DuQEY3MkDxXom1MWD3FbU7gOQMRubWI4k4kAhi/s903/DDBP6-009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="903" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkk28iz35_S1yxhG3Cj1LYuZcwb1mrgJ_k_cAZ2vHZP9T1UEgiKk06V822gyX7Bi4l8Sk1fHSiZxXNcS-f5MEmRd_SmheT4LW7TT-FljIKUrK48jPlgrhEYq2NdH9Gw0BfO3drNWQqHJid77gB-Ksu5DuQEY3MkDxXom1MWD3FbU7gOQMRubWI4k4kAhi/w400-h143/DDBP6-009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...I mean, in fairness, the ducks amongst the bamboo DO make for a pretty nice visual.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7oeS9_QlRCMhiW2ApTPSgRSjKnFHn6ulv1sEiOmb-cgK2Q9uPEPkmQjy8O-7nCobhe_SnaCI5vBrK7WMOP5RqMKYXTp0tw12Dxt1I5Kca3JFtX-tfiA-wgexVoB3LiePFlkJnyYKSsg3IwKJMoPkz-Qx36RA6Q13QIgdv0ig2vm8s4qzy4-yGUQlH8hfa/s904/DDBP6-010%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="904" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7oeS9_QlRCMhiW2ApTPSgRSjKnFHn6ulv1sEiOmb-cgK2Q9uPEPkmQjy8O-7nCobhe_SnaCI5vBrK7WMOP5RqMKYXTp0tw12Dxt1I5Kca3JFtX-tfiA-wgexVoB3LiePFlkJnyYKSsg3IwKJMoPkz-Qx36RA6Q13QIgdv0ig2vm8s4qzy4-yGUQlH8hfa/w400-h294/DDBP6-010%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Those rascals! Can't trust 'em. Scrooge is quite good at hut-building, I must say. In contrast to his proficiency in <a href="http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-voluntary-castaway.html">this story</a> what I translated.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuQVnSfJ4cc7OcAcwmWAGC27vE42ftdDoyIYCNX1hGPotnKEyq-z2GzAlvXMLyIyQXdB9jRe65NkJd1-ZksvnYNkwbGN5h3BsxX6kZsyD7EtF35R3Md30JmouE3eFS-hqtimdOl6iM-FaWHaDR793QUiCJIkBWXqHBhjtUtSg3oN_Wnzms1Idtju7yjvy/s909/DDBP6-011%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="909" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuQVnSfJ4cc7OcAcwmWAGC27vE42ftdDoyIYCNX1hGPotnKEyq-z2GzAlvXMLyIyQXdB9jRe65NkJd1-ZksvnYNkwbGN5h3BsxX6kZsyD7EtF35R3Md30JmouE3eFS-hqtimdOl6iM-FaWHaDR793QUiCJIkBWXqHBhjtUtSg3oN_Wnzms1Idtju7yjvy/w400-h289/DDBP6-011%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I feel like if it feels like you're sleeping on a row of bats, that's your own dern fault. There are very few bamboo shoots just lying around. You would have to really make an effort to lie on them.</p><p>Can humans eat bamboo? That is the kind of question one finds oneself asking google. And the answer is: yes, but only some species, and you have to cook them first to get rid of the cyanide. So...this probably isn't the greatest idea. Not a good example for kids to follow, certainly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEm3GEv_g8HQp-C71PPNT8g-WtCjsF0t4_LMUzWm8_hCBD4RWnS1HG_6IzEw3rnixFv6DyYYbYfZSZhykXgTYU8SLg-Gd_ukiyq6aEHEe1koTjSgcp0zPXuqURfijz_B5K8Tb8V2QQnNHg0yk4TVDVgSWT1XD5QorS2FMzvqaEPKXOHq1WnL4L0IbSGIO/s907/DDBP6-012%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="907" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEm3GEv_g8HQp-C71PPNT8g-WtCjsF0t4_LMUzWm8_hCBD4RWnS1HG_6IzEw3rnixFv6DyYYbYfZSZhykXgTYU8SLg-Gd_ukiyq6aEHEe1koTjSgcp0zPXuqURfijz_B5K8Tb8V2QQnNHg0yk4TVDVgSWT1XD5QorS2FMzvqaEPKXOHq1WnL4L0IbSGIO/w400-h288/DDBP6-012%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I have a comment to make here: LOL. And also, come to think of it, another one: WUT. I mean damn, Gregory, seriously, what is this? Couldn't you even find a superficially plausible way to accomplish this? Jeez.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikadzgY6qkWAjDZ0qRpoSrbwqF7NEGFyPDxEJab5h4mKBC2KIIj9LcOuzptVjqHQsuoUvvMpLf_2vbV3-g4B0_keD4F89-NqNqTj4ItPJ2agRY105I9bcd2yzqUuVc2RL5_co7BmUy7OoJoAw9L7ao7ODCNEk2Y-fePwkmE0JsuX8dHYfsaC1nQDo0dDIB/s316/DDBP6-017%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikadzgY6qkWAjDZ0qRpoSrbwqF7NEGFyPDxEJab5h4mKBC2KIIj9LcOuzptVjqHQsuoUvvMpLf_2vbV3-g4B0_keD4F89-NqNqTj4ItPJ2agRY105I9bcd2yzqUuVc2RL5_co7BmUy7OoJoAw9L7ao7ODCNEk2Y-fePwkmE0JsuX8dHYfsaC1nQDo0dDIB/w314-h400/DDBP6-017%20copy.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><p>My attitude exactly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYaDY4mUo9JfKoAobuk3SQAjPud9a91Nbk7TrhIu7IJDD9PZeWQ6IwlamlpcUE6-8Y13vxzLDC3pQNvLO9egaTc7CA_7w-rl7-hNWNTEXBjTZYO44ru0OW8fF2Rm8uYNZr1Z1CtudcsmkajJLc6q9du7RuBUM-080IL2tqYPr9mrwASlpTWR-AKEt12GJ/s906/DDBP6-012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="906" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYaDY4mUo9JfKoAobuk3SQAjPud9a91Nbk7TrhIu7IJDD9PZeWQ6IwlamlpcUE6-8Y13vxzLDC3pQNvLO9egaTc7CA_7w-rl7-hNWNTEXBjTZYO44ru0OW8fF2Rm8uYNZr1Z1CtudcsmkajJLc6q9du7RuBUM-080IL2tqYPr9mrwASlpTWR-AKEt12GJ/w400-h289/DDBP6-012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...oh, okay. So this may work, but it doesn't work <i>well.</i> That would be crazy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5w-kOlF0lfQUHTMo3AViGxNBJIGL594pi28PoUQFe3zQd2RDID9sIL7Ocx8RbpCh804wojpNi042uV0gqQPdHHrq_QtFE2w6bXJq2-4OESVojTrMiqGXdsgcJxMMiJDvFftte__FuQzBLm3vZMc_X8bKk0KRxe6LWI6E-VVWlxfr4qY3hjCpUcYBniKrH/s905/DDBP6-015%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="905" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5w-kOlF0lfQUHTMo3AViGxNBJIGL594pi28PoUQFe3zQd2RDID9sIL7Ocx8RbpCh804wojpNi042uV0gqQPdHHrq_QtFE2w6bXJq2-4OESVojTrMiqGXdsgcJxMMiJDvFftte__FuQzBLm3vZMc_X8bKk0KRxe6LWI6E-VVWlxfr4qY3hjCpUcYBniKrH/w400-h290/DDBP6-015%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I'm skipping a few things, but you get the picture, surely. How did we get to generic Hostile Natives like this? It seems like the story had a sort of gravitational force in that regard that couldn't be avoided. So here we are.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztR1eBHQbg95ieICUhvabZ5XTeiIQ1fajmF-l_wwyNjepSg5b2DEOnkMTLGmoX0ivpgaLss8f2gjdHAydsVsOQwc7TY4LdEPBrRure921KIm1ofl-FpGw1hhpiIlS-6ANZSv6MN39N2av_Bf3nZFci00wxAurk3kBKXmh7qMEzF7mgQXIb953tEutkHU4/s985/DDBP6-016%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="905" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztR1eBHQbg95ieICUhvabZ5XTeiIQ1fajmF-l_wwyNjepSg5b2DEOnkMTLGmoX0ivpgaLss8f2gjdHAydsVsOQwc7TY4LdEPBrRure921KIm1ofl-FpGw1hhpiIlS-6ANZSv6MN39N2av_Bf3nZFci00wxAurk3kBKXmh7qMEzF7mgQXIb953tEutkHU4/w368-h400/DDBP6-016%20copy.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><p>And now, White People Overwhelming the Natives with Superior Technology. Awesome. Like and subscribe. A++++. Would buy again.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghH9OQq6m3YCLDfTI6aJhpzbs1Gu4rhYYNLmn2NlpyN-cKMARRj83SEoeiNyzUMdAiUKii_lSJ6RBmKuzQaCEaAybbEKLRIFkQstiI538In7Dn4wBaNU3kQw_7abLCPtLR2wxRZtpVLsslLHcuQVGdIx5Kk9E_Z3n7fMSCHSRPTiKw0oG_LMxHCiB0U9ZO/s916/DDBP6-018%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="916" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghH9OQq6m3YCLDfTI6aJhpzbs1Gu4rhYYNLmn2NlpyN-cKMARRj83SEoeiNyzUMdAiUKii_lSJ6RBmKuzQaCEaAybbEKLRIFkQstiI538In7Dn4wBaNU3kQw_7abLCPtLR2wxRZtpVLsslLHcuQVGdIx5Kk9E_Z3n7fMSCHSRPTiKw0oG_LMxHCiB0U9ZO/s320/DDBP6-018%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>But if you're thinking "the problem with this story is that it doesn't contain a sufficiently potent metaphor for colonialism then I am glad (is "glad" the right word?) to say, the ending has you covered.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9O-edauLGX88_oIjtArVabMucndM3oQnYcACM3K-jtXA9tIvfIPdTJrRc5_nb2R38MR0EV5bK_J__RD-M34XMkbx5Ac53wbiJFgyUijoAe-CiuU765xiT3YzgYetrRNJ2a_JsVggLyEfRma2YYWiRVbYZUrhI9E4vwxkf9vaGALISCfX42w-gaTPK8zBQ/s1309/DDBP6-019%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1309" data-original-width="913" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9O-edauLGX88_oIjtArVabMucndM3oQnYcACM3K-jtXA9tIvfIPdTJrRc5_nb2R38MR0EV5bK_J__RD-M34XMkbx5Ac53wbiJFgyUijoAe-CiuU765xiT3YzgYetrRNJ2a_JsVggLyEfRma2YYWiRVbYZUrhI9E4vwxkf9vaGALISCfX42w-gaTPK8zBQ/w279-h400/DDBP6-019%20copy.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><p>The specifics of this are a little bit confusing, but suffice it to say, they <i>tow away</i> the atoll.</p><p>There's a part in Gabriel García Márquez' novel <i>The Autumn of the Patriarch</i> where the titular patriarch--the dictator of a Caribbean nation--<i>sells the sea</i> to American interests in the most literal way possible: they come and take the water away, and all that's left is a barren wasteland. For some reason I just remembered that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjeaHMt15nz4piF3Bn1nFKg8X6B-HRN8ncuuGklcEeaW5BYft9UNivbKV6IVvnZ7-7KDW3Bd5LLnfS0Sxu_0IfqDVT95U_BKgFXGw39j_tszxA-x0jSYZIhOAq20xesUGoEMaiyoKCkuI3_XxghRND0Zga8oabdUCjWMVWfIhhNIH2-15YKdlTTJmAZSAn/s992/DDBP6-020%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="915" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjeaHMt15nz4piF3Bn1nFKg8X6B-HRN8ncuuGklcEeaW5BYft9UNivbKV6IVvnZ7-7KDW3Bd5LLnfS0Sxu_0IfqDVT95U_BKgFXGw39j_tszxA-x0jSYZIhOAq20xesUGoEMaiyoKCkuI3_XxghRND0Zga8oabdUCjWMVWfIhhNIH2-15YKdlTTJmAZSAn/w369-h400/DDBP6-020%20copy.jpg" width="369" /></a></div><p>But seriously, people, what's the deal? Just because you "own" property doesn't mean you're allowed to just...move it to a different country? I don't know who has jurisdiction over the Friendly Islands--is that the name of a sovereign country? this was clearly not something Bob Gregory troubled himself overly with, or even conceived of existing--but they cannot be happy with this. I'm not!</p><p>...and, you know, it's too bad, because if you take away the context, this actually may be the most pleasing ending to one of these stories we've encountered. So it goes. Although I will not dignify Donald's closing pun with any comment beyond this sentence.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SD4CY-3bBkObHxhZJhBAlWf-LXjhhnIxXB8zwAck53G-AvqBZodiddcCkgr7RQsoijQPL2Yf24GsBGfnCz7UkLbdqDPgmuwNqOROgOusyM4FW18xHHvuUsHqZ-ILEA5x4e_e56zIRihetD1mPUzbrNeYNIrG7eD7d9jed9ku5okspqm7Kp1ojTMKX_mq/s1311/DDBP6-021%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="903" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SD4CY-3bBkObHxhZJhBAlWf-LXjhhnIxXB8zwAck53G-AvqBZodiddcCkgr7RQsoijQPL2Yf24GsBGfnCz7UkLbdqDPgmuwNqOROgOusyM4FW18xHHvuUsHqZ-ILEA5x4e_e56zIRihetD1mPUzbrNeYNIrG7eD7d9jed9ku5okspqm7Kp1ojTMKX_mq/w275-h400/DDBP6-021%20copy.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p>These have even nothing to do with the main story, but as ever, they may be the highlight.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0_QhBQRuWbzyRItWf9hU67CIcOAoXmfqMpIkn0DzMWLh1eTFc4k-k1RwgQPDhNSooSx9bH8K5_IEDbmSWPvLIy0Mwkgz8icdc40RWmujgrjYxH94ms7KMLQXOh2Ksag78yEHWCWK059awd-uJFgcbidjnPftKsrJz_CIt_-gzBXhup8Re6S2nKJJiVfT/s1329/DDBP6-032%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="915" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0_QhBQRuWbzyRItWf9hU67CIcOAoXmfqMpIkn0DzMWLh1eTFc4k-k1RwgQPDhNSooSx9bH8K5_IEDbmSWPvLIy0Mwkgz8icdc40RWmujgrjYxH94ms7KMLQXOh2Ksag78yEHWCWK059awd-uJFgcbidjnPftKsrJz_CIt_-gzBXhup8Re6S2nKJJiVfT/w275-h400/DDBP6-032%20copy.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p>And hey, here's a first and last! One that's multi-panel! And even beyond that, it's pretty darned awesome! So at least we end on a high note.</p><p>So that's the Duck Comics Revue Christmas in July Spectacular, ending anticlimactically, as these things do (there's one Gold Key Beach Party--though not a giant--but it just reprints "Sea Breeze Sailors"). Will there be another? It's not inconceivable; I was toying with the idea of doing the same thing next year with Vacation Parades. The problem with that is quality, though. The good news: the average quality level is actually much higher than here. The bad news: that is wholly because of Barks "Vacation Time." Take that away, and the quality plummets in meteoric fashion--far, far lower than we've seen this month. If they had had any self-awareness, the authors of those other stories would NOT have appreciated Barks showing them up like that.</p><p>"Why is that a problem?" you ask. "You love writing about terrible stories." Well...that's actually a little complicated. On the one hand, yes. Kind of. But a little of that does go a long way, and there's a difference between "mediocre" and "oppressively bad." I have a certain amount of affection for the former--which is how I'd categorize all of these Peach Parties--whereas the latter, while it can be fun to write about in moderation, does get old pretty fast. Blah.</p><p>Still! One never knows. I might find another story from some one-shot giant or other to make up the difference. There are some interesting ones out there.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-68152150266843699052023-07-25T09:50:00.006-04:002023-07-25T21:50:16.935-04:00"The Gem Jam"<p> "The Gem Jam," eh? As soon as I saw that title, my Fallberg detector started going like crazy. What, you've never heard of a Fallberg detector? Every home should have one. At any rate, in spite of being better known for writing those abominable Paul Murry mouse stories, he also did a lot of ducks--some of them <a href="http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2016/07/rattled-railroader.html">not too bad</a>. Still, don't expect too much from this one; I'm pretty confident that this is going to be the shortest entry in this series, just because this story really isn't interesting in any way. Well, it happens; what can you do?</p><p>But MY POINT WAS, two-word alliterative titles were extremely Fallberg's jam. His...gem jam. Oh, stop it.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfogh84kQ9GDjlnm0V5avaqJRclhj8iGpVJsZllb6plGy9-NmMj_re2zFWnnKOOMYZg4zBBnZX5U5N0367cFUMdlKMRJr8QaPKHocR9h6IIXgW8KfPKpNxZYqTYu1SjvgB3oPsEfXqfOygCbBeDuKQE6Q2rmXDmJq9deOgGycqbVFrD4G0UeHRGgMfPj_/s1248/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_01%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1248" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfogh84kQ9GDjlnm0V5avaqJRclhj8iGpVJsZllb6plGy9-NmMj_re2zFWnnKOOMYZg4zBBnZX5U5N0367cFUMdlKMRJr8QaPKHocR9h6IIXgW8KfPKpNxZYqTYu1SjvgB3oPsEfXqfOygCbBeDuKQE6Q2rmXDmJq9deOgGycqbVFrD4G0UeHRGgMfPj_/w400-h383/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_01%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>One clear problem with this story compared to all the other in this series: NO DANG BEACH PARTY! There's not a single moment of utopian summer bliss here! It opens on frustration and closes on...well, you'll see, but not what I'm looking for. You have failed me, Fallberg.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEAFkrvK7wprSLEaEtb5gQ9OezrGkX1ORocIIRYYSbRdievzGmLvjYbkKwLrm4NXq3V5BP91Q8QvspahX8qLFTu2nuwecIGDngQsy1IGLdz7HSsVVfHR_M6qOgARIH0x2s_9q5gOQngb03bMJNfVud3S7PAvl6ffEr2zrbCYCW9moZvbBwa5hBzLDb52Y/s1235/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_02%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="1235" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEAFkrvK7wprSLEaEtb5gQ9OezrGkX1ORocIIRYYSbRdievzGmLvjYbkKwLrm4NXq3V5BP91Q8QvspahX8qLFTu2nuwecIGDngQsy1IGLdz7HSsVVfHR_M6qOgARIH0x2s_9q5gOQngb03bMJNfVud3S7PAvl6ffEr2zrbCYCW9moZvbBwa5hBzLDb52Y/w400-h381/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_02%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Also, gotta say, this isn't Strobl's best work. Look how weird that head-on nephew looks in the bottom right. Anyway, another bottle with, well, not quite a message, but the same general idea. Surprised there aren't more of these.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MGIwoNmMRecBaIRAtCxUQXrw6HMkwk1YDeqD1Fb8tCrx1gWINyAZ6geXHu1QoyhdO-7dghFmF_wPnkFVqiF6r-BANwj2Bhg9yT8jRNkmdSNQrmCEpC-7HClmjeBxWAi5bAtitYoyDvFZR9vdICIGo1wZNrWPD2osC5W-cP7jlfCmFHw0c3B1PFP9Sw5m/s1224/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_03%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="1224" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MGIwoNmMRecBaIRAtCxUQXrw6HMkwk1YDeqD1Fb8tCrx1gWINyAZ6geXHu1QoyhdO-7dghFmF_wPnkFVqiF6r-BANwj2Bhg9yT8jRNkmdSNQrmCEpC-7HClmjeBxWAi5bAtitYoyDvFZR9vdICIGo1wZNrWPD2osC5W-cP7jlfCmFHw0c3B1PFP9Sw5m/w400-h385/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_03%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Louie <i>does</i> have a point there. Another point: why would this smuggler do something so wildly inefficient? I think smuggling's one of those unexamined concepts in these stories. I mean...are we supposed to assume they're doing this to evade customs? Or is there an unstated prohibition on bringing emeralds into the States? The more you think about it, the less sense it makes.</p><p>I know I know; we're not meant to think about it at all. It's really just a magical concept that's meant to justify the story and not be thought about beyond that. So here we are. But it bugs the hell out of me; I can't deny it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-SxNNa_4tj2gxvuJOQPHJBKyQ01XYrjFwVSpMVL99_uwXpX-gRbVTA6bqPcC8IEP2c5ACSB_VfPQV-ud3ejf3gpGPlACLVqhiUt3nN81XOpeDonib3LCjYRFatk_SWxhZ-OocITbGtXfUScw2mu2elG6wAGppvXwEYMXIIZotnJxgMNhFuS0GTir-N5F/s1232/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_04%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="1232" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-SxNNa_4tj2gxvuJOQPHJBKyQ01XYrjFwVSpMVL99_uwXpX-gRbVTA6bqPcC8IEP2c5ACSB_VfPQV-ud3ejf3gpGPlACLVqhiUt3nN81XOpeDonib3LCjYRFatk_SWxhZ-OocITbGtXfUScw2mu2elG6wAGppvXwEYMXIIZotnJxgMNhFuS0GTir-N5F/w400-h191/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_04%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, here's this. "A truckload of alfalfa," a detail that will never be referenced again and has no relevance to anything. A precursor to Van Horn's lolrandom wackiness ("my collection of Bulgarian bus transfers," "a nine-volume history of prune whip" and the like)? Sure; let's say that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bOptdtofbpbZcWQWhu2FGKOLrYgGE-mDP86mDHON6eaP_jtBJQ9NZ0hVgsF0xw2OgCA_ZxHtpNDI0lTx0aeQ_aSwglVtRSmNG28apomXfFEEotzOAJiglH8G9w6YCfS0t8lgkj30NuO8BuF_I_MBzfTiOceMdoxxPvHi5CwDRLEgTugv-GvrKZS2Su49/s1235/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1235" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bOptdtofbpbZcWQWhu2FGKOLrYgGE-mDP86mDHON6eaP_jtBJQ9NZ0hVgsF0xw2OgCA_ZxHtpNDI0lTx0aeQ_aSwglVtRSmNG28apomXfFEEotzOAJiglH8G9w6YCfS0t8lgkj30NuO8BuF_I_MBzfTiOceMdoxxPvHi5CwDRLEgTugv-GvrKZS2Su49/w400-h194/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh no; we've also got THESE guys. More of Fallberg's fingerprints. His name is "Hulk?" Has that always been the case? He's in a bunch of Murry stories, isn't he? But if that was his name there, it sure doesn't sound familiar, though you'd think Fallberg would know. At any rate, I refuse to check, only partially because Inducks is currently down.</p><p>Surprisingly law-abiding of them to not just TAKE the dang horse.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TnrnM9st3FKkbTCbAWuHFdRVkvpE8ANXmp-rFOJtr_xLYOxCRcnWLiyYi99XkwwdsJsGUKHvICtxafXjdEwT08QxaS4g_vYhml51t2kvHLJeIaKSVvt1lwERV1k8TBM-fZHVC6pky25pFAAakSr4W_07fw5MHVMd3cxvK8w9Ll0yZ2NjLrzyceQB3ER7/s1243/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_06%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="1243" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TnrnM9st3FKkbTCbAWuHFdRVkvpE8ANXmp-rFOJtr_xLYOxCRcnWLiyYi99XkwwdsJsGUKHvICtxafXjdEwT08QxaS4g_vYhml51t2kvHLJeIaKSVvt1lwERV1k8TBM-fZHVC6pky25pFAAakSr4W_07fw5MHVMd3cxvK8w9Ll0yZ2NjLrzyceQB3ER7/w400-h376/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_06%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>One of the unbreakable ones from my new bottle works. Obviously. Don't think I'm losing sight of the fact that this story relies on extremely improbably happenstance, 'cause I'm not.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8ck9FBC3oP0H0RliTmrap-dG144I1FN6Ucp4BsT4bW2ceiHXP03ENIwXWzUI_eVX4CW_AeoPBzb-rewmgqmNVXAtxOpcy6mpzQJAti1CI7HyEMEmVV9NGFBTH0TKQ7LESnOGy5JCk1PrHu1TZE6El7-9mHLAqjXyDmshFuUf2NYC8mDvD3PHucmRaJdX/s1220/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_07.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="1220" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8ck9FBC3oP0H0RliTmrap-dG144I1FN6Ucp4BsT4bW2ceiHXP03ENIwXWzUI_eVX4CW_AeoPBzb-rewmgqmNVXAtxOpcy6mpzQJAti1CI7HyEMEmVV9NGFBTH0TKQ7LESnOGy5JCk1PrHu1TZE6El7-9mHLAqjXyDmshFuUf2NYC8mDvD3PHucmRaJdX/w400-h195/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, if this emerald IS smuggled, Scrooge does not appear to have a problem with profiting from these goings on. That stuff with HDL sobbing about being taken advantage of is kind of unusual, isn't it? In the hands of someone doing this more intentionally, that could lead to some interesting commentary.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBjaGQrvOX5771rt20qtcxIj_c6GIaD5ZwZuLNQXHo9bcCI1Yiol0Tpx_pf2ZNeC6ustCHp-pUZaSF4e54FucAl3UKxNmKOE9j7gfpqRf8ZxOyO44O-0bhd8p0hRJ9l0zt6JPNI1sPIZgaidlEBtsXu_obmUMswyx5PDgBfChMaCsPn3O7CDxaP5CK9vn/s1240/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_08%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1240" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBjaGQrvOX5771rt20qtcxIj_c6GIaD5ZwZuLNQXHo9bcCI1Yiol0Tpx_pf2ZNeC6ustCHp-pUZaSF4e54FucAl3UKxNmKOE9j7gfpqRf8ZxOyO44O-0bhd8p0hRJ9l0zt6JPNI1sPIZgaidlEBtsXu_obmUMswyx5PDgBfChMaCsPn3O7CDxaP5CK9vn/w400-h384/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_08%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Just because it comes from your factory doesn't mean you own it in perpetuity, you buffoon. I would argue that this is, in fact, NOT fair enough. Anyway, note that coconut thing. Without it, the story is completely nonsensical, as opposed to only partially.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4BF8u2f4FpXhC2P7ZXJqOeKwHTu-3qoZzdAGpfVW6MfR3xmkaujSWd_wqRYF4e2BUipgfjFjlcX9vYPWbTF7BlerccXMGrLjBdZIHfW6SgKSf9KiBZZSsKn9Jgw0SlcB9xSGyyxx_be13NK7tVYGdpHNLQByGLOFCRkjU6U7VE4PT0OemMaN92X6zMIpk/s1220/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_14%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1220" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4BF8u2f4FpXhC2P7ZXJqOeKwHTu-3qoZzdAGpfVW6MfR3xmkaujSWd_wqRYF4e2BUipgfjFjlcX9vYPWbTF7BlerccXMGrLjBdZIHfW6SgKSf9KiBZZSsKn9Jgw0SlcB9xSGyyxx_be13NK7tVYGdpHNLQByGLOFCRkjU6U7VE4PT0OemMaN92X6zMIpk/w400-h390/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_14%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I'm moving through this story pretty quickly because there's a lot here that just isn't interesting enough to talk about. But this is sorta spooky/fun, even if it doesn't last.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdw_yZ9FPIaYfevy_dxvdQHV9tVFAWkOf3Z2FY5cC8miDEN1QvUxQTWps9luxN0lO5a-xxSzvyxmyo3VGHFPGANrW8zsF0fy3MEoIX4vT1S9hMGq8pAumbs2pQQk2Wu1glDGcIUte6_DMIs-7HmUHQBAG6jmqrZ0LZtIkWxnFyS_wRHv7jKOGpQM_xFYs/s1228/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1228" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdw_yZ9FPIaYfevy_dxvdQHV9tVFAWkOf3Z2FY5cC8miDEN1QvUxQTWps9luxN0lO5a-xxSzvyxmyo3VGHFPGANrW8zsF0fy3MEoIX4vT1S9hMGq8pAumbs2pQQk2Wu1glDGcIUte6_DMIs-7HmUHQBAG6jmqrZ0LZtIkWxnFyS_wRHv7jKOGpQM_xFYs/w400-h194/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yup. Momentarily had some real tension here, but it dissipates very quickly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1_5JpOSUL4TBugdVvZHNDZ8SUv5mG4zc16bItPKU_VQ0Qm7r5pU9m8gpZT2cX8ec65tL8S1_ATnW1HNhet7fVDdS2mc_2d4iCIq6OnBxPCDxKUz3-K18a7_nQqUIyoJATqUomLHtuWE3C7yybie8W6Ki2La4wRfocmGQObJGTvoee8IsO2I1Y4SJZa9C/s1233/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_15%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="1233" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1_5JpOSUL4TBugdVvZHNDZ8SUv5mG4zc16bItPKU_VQ0Qm7r5pU9m8gpZT2cX8ec65tL8S1_ATnW1HNhet7fVDdS2mc_2d4iCIq6OnBxPCDxKUz3-K18a7_nQqUIyoJATqUomLHtuWE3C7yybie8W6Ki2La4wRfocmGQObJGTvoee8IsO2I1Y4SJZa9C/w400-h190/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_15%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yeah, great. Only there's STILL no indication of how this "business" works or where these emeralds are coming from or why they need to be smuggled. I mean, it would be one thing if they were trying to bring opium or something into the country, but this...wugh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSGXThtQEA4y-VLOiahI97B4YfjROhLeOp6dlU1_WHr2jufeoCRJaw4orT4ltbtFarpScS5xZUEiXadah-sQqGPeC4_ML2BeE9FkOKHNZrrv_DQ-XNh-k8LTRihuFkLR02avLuefd8y69NHVHcEm2env-2clLK2PlftqMBLNbfuxrozAyFwmO-7P9hD70/s1244/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_16%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1244" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSGXThtQEA4y-VLOiahI97B4YfjROhLeOp6dlU1_WHr2jufeoCRJaw4orT4ltbtFarpScS5xZUEiXadah-sQqGPeC4_ML2BeE9FkOKHNZrrv_DQ-XNh-k8LTRihuFkLR02avLuefd8y69NHVHcEm2env-2clLK2PlftqMBLNbfuxrozAyFwmO-7P9hD70/w400-h380/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_16%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>"The greatest li'l ol' smugglin' gimmick in the world!" Do you think Fallberg even KNOWS what sort of accent he's going for here? I have my doubts.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqHXxbDc0M8nsN0iPQp0HBM--3QEKGo27nroVuh9tECJVO9lCehnWOf3WtVGZ0esHQNJY70VccS9GQz_lL4inKVhYvXELXz-Xg1GMQqNYCxzOVsLr3YLqRGhS1_ioArBcQhRMar-5g82msgVF33BORl9u9fRqyGjZkHPVyhz-ioN6qw26wVzTsvu_3tdh/s1231/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_18%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1231" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqHXxbDc0M8nsN0iPQp0HBM--3QEKGo27nroVuh9tECJVO9lCehnWOf3WtVGZ0esHQNJY70VccS9GQz_lL4inKVhYvXELXz-Xg1GMQqNYCxzOVsLr3YLqRGhS1_ioArBcQhRMar-5g82msgVF33BORl9u9fRqyGjZkHPVyhz-ioN6qw26wVzTsvu_3tdh/w400-h384/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_18%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh no sharks. In fairness, Pete and Pete jr. do seem edifyingly murderous here, not that this'll ever amount to anything.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2l4HP66hs7BvSm5IaZjoomF-NpUA-vITYn8j8FFQN5fLZ77VcV0Wx-Tu38H5-2nVzUgsmN2flhwcaUXISp2XUe_GFxIcKq4bnywCwXRxqyW3-XVFqPTP-xeR-1--YZt4ERIngtKqm3mWPWhTD2PifpHpGAMz-i6IOCgb1GuNellEtjLcsK63hiWjOG2jU/s1227/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="1227" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2l4HP66hs7BvSm5IaZjoomF-NpUA-vITYn8j8FFQN5fLZ77VcV0Wx-Tu38H5-2nVzUgsmN2flhwcaUXISp2XUe_GFxIcKq4bnywCwXRxqyW3-XVFqPTP-xeR-1--YZt4ERIngtKqm3mWPWhTD2PifpHpGAMz-i6IOCgb1GuNellEtjLcsK63hiWjOG2jU/w400-h195/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And if there's one thing you've gotta love, it's Scrooge and Donald literally at loggerheads like that, though it'd be better if the story itself had been more interesting. Neither of them has a good point, exactly, but Scrooge's is especially lame.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkhIytW30Fw40Ml-UulG5sWP3s-JKm2qgIkCDcL45OlAEbGZERZVAMvhwcOv1iyU3pWd1DLM6EfIEMxP7FW7JNDw9vTHqXqXDIMN_H4tPUHJtaNfgR2C8GeXk3TfeEULTxDBHgMc3zBnr4ru2W13iR6h0Q5K48hBo-A9vgf-2DUbvI9k1mkUarZ7K666e/s1230/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_19%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="1230" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkhIytW30Fw40Ml-UulG5sWP3s-JKm2qgIkCDcL45OlAEbGZERZVAMvhwcOv1iyU3pWd1DLM6EfIEMxP7FW7JNDw9vTHqXqXDIMN_H4tPUHJtaNfgR2C8GeXk3TfeEULTxDBHgMc3zBnr4ru2W13iR6h0Q5K48hBo-A9vgf-2DUbvI9k1mkUarZ7K666e/w400-h386/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_19%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well...at any rate, now you saw THIS. Don't say I never gave you anything.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRJGEAe2eiV4oAUkXeQ0qz8B9sWLH6GlUmP5mS0MJUIQc2hwU3nhtLlO1A-LZAU1IgjFY0uetbTSkm2K0pRzh2BGUMvaOe0bKZOhCCsBqDnf9xfChx3EZPmoOTgassoqvxo_r02cXE3HyyCB1naeG_y58zv6yb-Ao2tks0vX8Cyiv5bukopzaADEma82m/s1227/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_20%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="1227" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRJGEAe2eiV4oAUkXeQ0qz8B9sWLH6GlUmP5mS0MJUIQc2hwU3nhtLlO1A-LZAU1IgjFY0uetbTSkm2K0pRzh2BGUMvaOe0bKZOhCCsBqDnf9xfChx3EZPmoOTgassoqvxo_r02cXE3HyyCB1naeG_y58zv6yb-Ao2tks0vX8Cyiv5bukopzaADEma82m/w400-h388/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_20%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Please note, again, that this business about hypnotizing sharks just comes and then goes forever. Clearly you <i>can</i> just throw crud like this into your story...but <i>should</i> you?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1uRhXPqpgt8nh1oh3Ff06cbgPIWfIo_v3NSK96RlMYsav6NuXVSUZW9fw5MnW9H3OPGrO8hlF4b24sUwFqQ6PO7zkPKkQQQJKCOq4UbLB734bioxypc1KR4Vsc36pPPZwwcYv7hYAJW_jgPN_BocbBvPq5ZES4QHF4RXFF73kHArG4oXtMczdc7JGlWbJ/s1232/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_21%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="1232" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1uRhXPqpgt8nh1oh3Ff06cbgPIWfIo_v3NSK96RlMYsav6NuXVSUZW9fw5MnW9H3OPGrO8hlF4b24sUwFqQ6PO7zkPKkQQQJKCOq4UbLB734bioxypc1KR4Vsc36pPPZwwcYv7hYAJW_jgPN_BocbBvPq5ZES4QHF4RXFF73kHArG4oXtMczdc7JGlWbJ/w400-h196/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_21%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>If you were hoping for some sort of climactic sequence...well, you were pretty naive. But I can't blame you for expecting at least a LITTLE more than this. I hope for Fallberg's sake that the editor's cut a BUNCH of panels between these two, because otherwise, this is the most half-assed thing ever. I mean, it is regardless, but is if Fallberg's fault? We may never know. Or, to be fair, care.</p><p>What happened to the emerald? We have completely lost track of it, it appears. Plotting isn't this story's strong suit. In fairness, though, I don't know that <i>anything</i> is.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpy2CqOOJnQnyV04LvjwiAJfzbIFRTqE7clu19PieH-_KZBmdRRiyMYyKLV8o1ZkK1UbzPsTuyXv08c2-ODJ160bH9NxNZ3amyiJ5NCh_TJSBEYazifxrh-de7oT6pzoQnlxVh-DNwlg1ifnsz60HWuFvuu3y2xHlQgBiJ4n8AjfBVzhBp-jdA7Se0y0H/s1235/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="1235" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpy2CqOOJnQnyV04LvjwiAJfzbIFRTqE7clu19PieH-_KZBmdRRiyMYyKLV8o1ZkK1UbzPsTuyXv08c2-ODJ160bH9NxNZ3amyiJ5NCh_TJSBEYazifxrh-de7oT6pzoQnlxVh-DNwlg1ifnsz60HWuFvuu3y2xHlQgBiJ4n8AjfBVzhBp-jdA7Se0y0H/w400-h381/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, here's the ending. As I said: there is no goddamn beach party delightfulness ANYWHERE in the whole dang story. Bow your head in shame, Carl.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDkSB4abJxk_FV-zD89Xw4ct6NtteyGuWH3cpV0kbKM7NMZ7EoQl9Qco0C0ViLn0gucQ6JCmxHhLnT-82Lp2XZIIgGoEh3A9Y6l4VsRe0cvJYvzwtWX_t2gxKqloGLCNSnT9fpa_t2B9ZcIE9JTJeOhIEQLIU7yHS_H0_wOKEf5DsIl02iVHPf-1whMKo/s1858/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1858" data-original-width="1273" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDkSB4abJxk_FV-zD89Xw4ct6NtteyGuWH3cpV0kbKM7NMZ7EoQl9Qco0C0ViLn0gucQ6JCmxHhLnT-82Lp2XZIIgGoEh3A9Y6l4VsRe0cvJYvzwtWX_t2gxKqloGLCNSnT9fpa_t2B9ZcIE9JTJeOhIEQLIU7yHS_H0_wOKEf5DsIl02iVHPf-1whMKo/w274-h400/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_22.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><p>I mean...there are the usual games/comics panels, but they relate even less to the story itself than all the others do. This one especially is not great.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVYnzfEZj2pAQySvaTILNAupUtHsoyuldbpZ3vLXKqueIUG1YlP9vp5Gxe8UP_GPcAq51Lm9cOD2w32ikTO2kf2a9moIJPw3VVeHwH72jW6J3kzvKcWNNBIVPXD0WaTIiCC-qrIBSOu64GcFE9uuOJtLjO-xhURe21Kk-zXMcEr2T0A_kEb-8ryKGTbPI/s1885/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1885" data-original-width="1270" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVYnzfEZj2pAQySvaTILNAupUtHsoyuldbpZ3vLXKqueIUG1YlP9vp5Gxe8UP_GPcAq51Lm9cOD2w32ikTO2kf2a9moIJPw3VVeHwH72jW6J3kzvKcWNNBIVPXD0WaTIiCC-qrIBSOu64GcFE9uuOJtLjO-xhURe21Kk-zXMcEr2T0A_kEb-8ryKGTbPI/w270-h400/WD_DD_Beach_Party_05_33.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p>This one's better, but again, it seems to be connected to a different, better story. "The Gem Jam" is actually kind of a worst-case scenario: not good in any sense, but also not really bad enough to let be skewer it in an entertaining way. Just kinda...there. But cover it we must, and we have!</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-37421735288247854532023-07-18T18:53:00.008-04:002023-07-24T12:00:40.606-04:00"The Secret of Saltwater Cove"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLGu867n33-LItk2Qrxy9TUedQy4ozKwaDqpLrxwYUBTjxwkzGN_l_Zvje3VTht0uURK7SrpxZaUcggoqpofJVf5M4gLjFlBZX9O5WKHxdq3XxrQY8eNCV6ul20BxEjeD7Qk3AriZloy249VxwWf7JKzcDi2f-7t2459nHwvi_ceQCZAvEEMxz-H07QTP/s918/DDBP004_003%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="918" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLGu867n33-LItk2Qrxy9TUedQy4ozKwaDqpLrxwYUBTjxwkzGN_l_Zvje3VTht0uURK7SrpxZaUcggoqpofJVf5M4gLjFlBZX9O5WKHxdq3XxrQY8eNCV6ul20BxEjeD7Qk3AriZloy249VxwWf7JKzcDi2f-7t2459nHwvi_ceQCZAvEEMxz-H07QTP/w400-h388/DDBP004_003%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>You know, the openings of these stories often have these glimpses of a kind of utopian blissfulness that evaporates like the morning mist when the actual plot kicks in, which is always very quickly. Still, I don't know. We can maybe appreciate these isolated bright spots for what they are, even if the story itself isn't much. Not that this one is really bad, by the standards of these things, but...worth thinking about, anyway. How 'bout someone just printing a book consisting of the fragmentary good parts of these forgettable stories? I'll be the editor. Granted, the resulting book probably won't appeal to anyone but me, but, well, it would appeal to ME. What else do you want?</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvIsQdAIS3kbzkYxrOJ0lRUAptymhJ2gxxJzFzF7BmuNel7OeHqvAOrzRMVOz6LcqqZV4uEoOtNzeEeirBrj5N72SkQBKUnDgWGh6cdeUYxtGEa4ShVJeYgRy4ynP45Iexm808NZ-gUeUxu131LRrmCRUvP8jLgSBD1lzyzIfGZeyz27rNy5ULX6_USwj/s1310/DDBP004_004%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="908" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvIsQdAIS3kbzkYxrOJ0lRUAptymhJ2gxxJzFzF7BmuNel7OeHqvAOrzRMVOz6LcqqZV4uEoOtNzeEeirBrj5N72SkQBKUnDgWGh6cdeUYxtGEa4ShVJeYgRy4ynP45Iexm808NZ-gUeUxu131LRrmCRUvP8jLgSBD1lzyzIfGZeyz27rNy5ULX6_USwj/w278-h400/DDBP004_004%20copy.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><p>This may be making my abstract discussion of the story's progression literal: boom. Out go the lights. What has become of my vacation fun?!? In spite of what it may look like, at least this isn't supposed to be pollution. So there's that. Still a bit dismal, though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLf-5Z7xEoIsw3ptsKsNr_ku02fbxcRnfbvdQBrGkG0EULDqE71x3ZDXhPSONIX5vDfjM3bmZn1Z7P07kwXWxzJoRunoJshumv3G7nfcOkKQXPwQsRKzDxJEJ77LM4RZzut8y7ChYMg57FJIKRfahsythU1Xy3-gJbrj5_rg-Wu1SGb85ij9D4TfC1QHOY/s1223/DDBP004_005%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1223" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLf-5Z7xEoIsw3ptsKsNr_ku02fbxcRnfbvdQBrGkG0EULDqE71x3ZDXhPSONIX5vDfjM3bmZn1Z7P07kwXWxzJoRunoJshumv3G7nfcOkKQXPwQsRKzDxJEJ77LM4RZzut8y7ChYMg57FJIKRfahsythU1Xy3-gJbrj5_rg-Wu1SGb85ij9D4TfC1QHOY/w400-h386/DDBP004_005%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh, well, hey, we're back. Let the sunshine in. I really like the nephew in the upper left there because Strobl was content to understate things--no elaborate, labored sarcasm. That works pretty darn well, and it would NOT be the case in the Jippes redraw, I will tell you that much.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28_LgtLt2yjL6Ozo8BZ0EYuzje8YVwErXiRl7-xhuiGVpYHA4B_GwrBFS6XeOUrdQnituFq4dxCHLl_aUB2oeSe15qGgUu0WJHQUhjhK5soUHEZi2L9yZcXi225bw_k63sU_F6kPCBkCcn3K0iudJfrhcI3_0HN1OT0zJQ2a4Zu6GpfKscpR3E8KKKC3r/s1233/DDBP004_006%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1233" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28_LgtLt2yjL6Ozo8BZ0EYuzje8YVwErXiRl7-xhuiGVpYHA4B_GwrBFS6XeOUrdQnituFq4dxCHLl_aUB2oeSe15qGgUu0WJHQUhjhK5soUHEZi2L9yZcXi225bw_k63sU_F6kPCBkCcn3K0iudJfrhcI3_0HN1OT0zJQ2a4Zu6GpfKscpR3E8KKKC3r/w400-h379/DDBP004_006%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Okay! Here! We've gotten where I want us to be! Pause; stop! This is enough!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3tlI913D4MgnnEo5QTJDcw0FB_JWsNMfTW4ht1KLv0LNmBnAvLZ4y59rgI6jdU1s8L4axxQzCGH-_a9kbSgfNHhBxQ9iGtWWafSyXp9sw2P1TzQO4wzYUo6uxmi2lD9SHeiLejmpQSuPZETcesjeH-8Nas8Pr_QrqCzAwHRZrP40ozirBZuSqQb-Gn2s/s1219/DDBP004_007%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="1219" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3tlI913D4MgnnEo5QTJDcw0FB_JWsNMfTW4ht1KLv0LNmBnAvLZ4y59rgI6jdU1s8L4axxQzCGH-_a9kbSgfNHhBxQ9iGtWWafSyXp9sw2P1TzQO4wzYUo6uxmi2lD9SHeiLejmpQSuPZETcesjeH-8Nas8Pr_QrqCzAwHRZrP40ozirBZuSqQb-Gn2s/w400-h190/DDBP004_007%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Sigh. I always feel just a bit deflated at Scrooge's inevitable appearance. But, well, here he is. Trying to do a weird, impossible thing that looks for all the world like a supervillain plot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTt8uCQmWCRzOcwRW5kqpV3n9V0l7sVedBxr1P4xhwtgzEehAo4FPw5ZwIEoGuRqcZEx1EyM7NS8D5jp9s5RjeLkCEYny4s22QTYT1U5a9vNyTsazN11z-m7X0Q1ydxrbxC-6VuhNwETO67QfejAVbOCLPGKRTGQizlufVIwGCXP2SBneDFAk3XoYsneFw/s1221/DDBP004_007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1221" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTt8uCQmWCRzOcwRW5kqpV3n9V0l7sVedBxr1P4xhwtgzEehAo4FPw5ZwIEoGuRqcZEx1EyM7NS8D5jp9s5RjeLkCEYny4s22QTYT1U5a9vNyTsazN11z-m7X0Q1ydxrbxC-6VuhNwETO67QfejAVbOCLPGKRTGQizlufVIwGCXP2SBneDFAk3XoYsneFw/w400-h388/DDBP004_007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yes. That's why I have this money all weirdly piled on the floor like that. It is NOT for plot purposes, and shame on you for thinking that. "Several fruitless days before I made my first million." Try shoving that line into yer <i>Life & Times!</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SWDaWL2n-BfuBwiruWE0uS5K3d4FeAlWQlVg_em75SVYtbja6CPWmPdilr15eaht1Za8ULidj_J2rnuyOnCMVFWGLqW0dPeCDWSH9gJmpwXRuKDtd445tkafkhyeqzcFvByxn3JNNFPo3QjdU4TVVtKq2zD5ZXEXwRSX4ArJA6sxIqNqmxn5pQBSx0RF/s1225/DDBP004_008%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1225" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SWDaWL2n-BfuBwiruWE0uS5K3d4FeAlWQlVg_em75SVYtbja6CPWmPdilr15eaht1Za8ULidj_J2rnuyOnCMVFWGLqW0dPeCDWSH9gJmpwXRuKDtd445tkafkhyeqzcFvByxn3JNNFPo3QjdU4TVVtKq2zD5ZXEXwRSX4ArJA6sxIqNqmxn5pQBSx0RF/w400-h386/DDBP004_008%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>C-c-c-counterfeiters! You know, these stories aren't really allowed to feature anyone guilty of REALLY irredeemable crimes, so to make up for that, sometimes they inflate the terribleness of significantly less-terrible crimes to quite an excessive degree, making the characters seem a little deranged. Here is one such instance.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuj2OExGKegVjLRMMBwDD8r928JtQ7ZDBortNgtUawG1OEjSReEMG6eOh2DV3x9uhY-_F2teC2wfv9endmBL74dqld5W_g8Lxn1o9PnTvSrZDEiYqAVs2L_iWiiKpWGcNYhtFyc28kMlrNpu3xtKvdCUiRwJ8uh1YdudQJE6A95coVge5c4XECDAEciwhF/s1216/DDBP004_009%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="1216" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuj2OExGKegVjLRMMBwDD8r928JtQ7ZDBortNgtUawG1OEjSReEMG6eOh2DV3x9uhY-_F2teC2wfv9endmBL74dqld5W_g8Lxn1o9PnTvSrZDEiYqAVs2L_iWiiKpWGcNYhtFyc28kMlrNpu3xtKvdCUiRwJ8uh1YdudQJE6A95coVge5c4XECDAEciwhF/w400-h195/DDBP004_009%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>ARGH! Again with the "reward!" I swear, you notice this trope and you just can't stop seeing it. Granted, it happens in Barks as well fairly often, but he was artful enough that it generally doesn't seem so egregious. When I see it in stories like this, I always quite literally ell oh ell.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0OnoZizDz_5CROKofNybbAZbpcUwmu4e_wcLUa5NmJvjWaCmrhrSesh9jMvrF8yi-Mp3trZwJlFG2P649tfqXkhXRKXtNyS-LFZPFEYduVLLVa8NH2768bBwqxB6bzXgWQ7VhzU-RnnXQU0j1QejlhsWBFac7O7YyrZ01GT619LzmIqM_t5Yf_pI4J5i/s1240/DDBP004_010%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="1240" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0OnoZizDz_5CROKofNybbAZbpcUwmu4e_wcLUa5NmJvjWaCmrhrSesh9jMvrF8yi-Mp3trZwJlFG2P649tfqXkhXRKXtNyS-LFZPFEYduVLLVa8NH2768bBwqxB6bzXgWQ7VhzU-RnnXQU0j1QejlhsWBFac7O7YyrZ01GT619LzmIqM_t5Yf_pI4J5i/w400-h380/DDBP004_010%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Boy, what a surprise to see these guys. Note the story's "sotto voce" font. That's quite unusual, isn't it?</p><p>Let me also note re that fog: it recurs frequently, and you feel like there ought to be some sort of explanation for it, but there absolutely is not. It's just there as an excuse to get the ducks to the island and then have people not see each other in the fog, but its lack of justification makes it feel very inorganic. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZgQUbjWPgC_Z1CXgc7A5rA7hoURwQYf1So9YLoPsy9y4Y4zkEFvEjIBbLq0_I6oCdMMDESqPfT1WiTi4Ld9-SsaDuNCmuRSQNMUpN2LEEhs1SwVLCHJjt7tUHMcupUxA3ekUVFe2AlaFGa-c1B70EvfpV3MYpufGSFuN-3SC-IXNxQG9jk2cQRHROcaG/s1219/DDBP004_011%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="1219" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZgQUbjWPgC_Z1CXgc7A5rA7hoURwQYf1So9YLoPsy9y4Y4zkEFvEjIBbLq0_I6oCdMMDESqPfT1WiTi4Ld9-SsaDuNCmuRSQNMUpN2LEEhs1SwVLCHJjt7tUHMcupUxA3ekUVFe2AlaFGa-c1B70EvfpV3MYpufGSFuN-3SC-IXNxQG9jk2cQRHROcaG/w400-h194/DDBP004_011%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>If you were wondering "wait, why is there a printing press here, anyway?" the answer is: sheer nonsense. I mean, it IS an explanation, sort of, but I don't know; I feel like it's not enough to have AN explanation; it has to make some sort of sense. I know, I know; I'm unreasonably demanding.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LOpMWc0_pa8w349jkZfW2ohIwSy_Ovokb0bRL_xWK0I032xDv9dycK45tNLkR1a2WU9OCNtaTMZEj-V0gnE1FtjAVRfKRTiLvcz_Dx8JCDHWOdstCnbMxxsZKVrnH9-tR2-WWhv29wOK6M1AQRMtY26IipnNVxvBsFq577GJln3jklKaxvxUCZ6A2lgG/s1222/DDBP004_013%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1222" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LOpMWc0_pa8w349jkZfW2ohIwSy_Ovokb0bRL_xWK0I032xDv9dycK45tNLkR1a2WU9OCNtaTMZEj-V0gnE1FtjAVRfKRTiLvcz_Dx8JCDHWOdstCnbMxxsZKVrnH9-tR2-WWhv29wOK6M1AQRMtY26IipnNVxvBsFq577GJln3jklKaxvxUCZ6A2lgG/w400-h390/DDBP004_013%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>That is one weird moral compass ya got there, boys. Okay, okay, I get the point; it's not meant to be an ethical opposition to fake money; it's just that they think it won't work. Still seems counter to most depictions of the characters, though. It's really just here so we can have the predictable yet slightly amusing series of misunderstandings that we do.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEQa2B95iRMncXOIRkmXBKivnrNvtaYFBmT36f4JIs7dBYIvMlTfLkItKVNLe3XBuyGd_loIGCw_Mj1roNc9SIZGGaJeKCcVKmuFzB_8rLBoLEomrOUBxXoRybpHZpiobgoZywkKt2B_VafV8gKs_C_oWYqesT8MUi32xF5ZJmcZ_K8oXU9MiYYHOgOjd/s1226/DDBP004_014%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="1226" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEQa2B95iRMncXOIRkmXBKivnrNvtaYFBmT36f4JIs7dBYIvMlTfLkItKVNLe3XBuyGd_loIGCw_Mj1roNc9SIZGGaJeKCcVKmuFzB_8rLBoLEomrOUBxXoRybpHZpiobgoZywkKt2B_VafV8gKs_C_oWYqesT8MUi32xF5ZJmcZ_K8oXU9MiYYHOgOjd/w400-h194/DDBP004_014%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>We know that this violence that the Coast Guardians predict isn't going to come to pass, but it's just weird to think about that being a real possibility. You sure can hint at what you can't show, here. It's not that I mind all that much--in spite of the weird dissonance it can create--but really, does Dell Comics Are Good Comics mean NOTHING these days? Why when I was your age mumblemumble.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT365i2BccDAXteGMU9i2ddk6AadToHhju5_gTsODI_2wQDaFeIWAvwj8q6XM8v8cvQsldGJSizuO3gyNhdlRbFu7RQhf2b3TqoC0I2KhVWI4xax1efEQklj7U6qr5M410AiApycKRsbvSRq5H58WysS5b4y3Y0ltRchrrCk1gCWi65hxKsU_ReHUi-_E/s1221/DDBP004_015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1221" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT365i2BccDAXteGMU9i2ddk6AadToHhju5_gTsODI_2wQDaFeIWAvwj8q6XM8v8cvQsldGJSizuO3gyNhdlRbFu7RQhf2b3TqoC0I2KhVWI4xax1efEQklj7U6qr5M410AiApycKRsbvSRq5H58WysS5b4y3Y0ltRchrrCk1gCWi65hxKsU_ReHUi-_E/w400-h388/DDBP004_015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Okay. Right. We all get the picture...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWuZawkDVBh6CwjxW582U_oXncn4VTkrGiFDL403-Fm2Q9LreHC-iZzPeRjcjmEVlfN9iJV6ySptKboGCUcztAdOkebR8LEAtKcmNCtIzzZefXE79Xyb6EW8bwfqVQpNAuLU0Yw7FARiRplbv6e8o2y2hs70zCjF2PIppxfHlVo9MoLVU1uLJU-eL4yEn/s1761/DDBP004_016%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1761" data-original-width="1217" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWuZawkDVBh6CwjxW582U_oXncn4VTkrGiFDL403-Fm2Q9LreHC-iZzPeRjcjmEVlfN9iJV6ySptKboGCUcztAdOkebR8LEAtKcmNCtIzzZefXE79Xyb6EW8bwfqVQpNAuLU0Yw7FARiRplbv6e8o2y2hs70zCjF2PIppxfHlVo9MoLVU1uLJU-eL4yEn/w276-h400/DDBP004_016%20copy.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><p>That image of Scrooge in the middle right. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2IU7zXy1I5AXdLayYeqhvkGtODjbJimozMcJhqkqtJizcqD_oA5-2OAwYsTVwUaW_dZe04QHAyZx7DM7ZbMKmpuoHBfjp7cNwANDHPir-1QZaZYEZlAsh1OhTDvaE0hdTpk-JgTfxNzz7RAXvayjjwBy3eyaQZTpFO-Rg-gY8C1xTflLJXqGXiijCWM-/s1262/Screenshot%202023-07-11%20at%209.08.13%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1262" data-original-width="752" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2IU7zXy1I5AXdLayYeqhvkGtODjbJimozMcJhqkqtJizcqD_oA5-2OAwYsTVwUaW_dZe04QHAyZx7DM7ZbMKmpuoHBfjp7cNwANDHPir-1QZaZYEZlAsh1OhTDvaE0hdTpk-JgTfxNzz7RAXvayjjwBy3eyaQZTpFO-Rg-gY8C1xTflLJXqGXiijCWM-/w239-h400/Screenshot%202023-07-11%20at%209.08.13%20AM.png" width="239" /></a></div><p>I...don't know how to respond to that. Everybody's doin' a brand new dance?</p><p>But can we also just acknowledge the flagrant illegality of this? I am not a constitutional lawyer, but I'm fairly sure the Coast Guard is not allowed to just spy on you and then smash, warrantless, into your house on the say-so of some rando.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nSS73fiC7OPcLEqsGqxtY2MF0R6j3Z9eiacz6KDOMesEHewRZy15YtgrxT1f-qpxgYVc6ThXU-NHlFp8UxdYiQJNuLN9mmfN85DyKfyprPpZAmV5OIgycqhfD8hue2n0eOQ_AyK9X5h2hXp4FkOdcGET2T_m_OwbTCtkacfmaoIIs1fLFboLuQ6e4Oyl/s1220/DDBP004_017%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="1220" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nSS73fiC7OPcLEqsGqxtY2MF0R6j3Z9eiacz6KDOMesEHewRZy15YtgrxT1f-qpxgYVc6ThXU-NHlFp8UxdYiQJNuLN9mmfN85DyKfyprPpZAmV5OIgycqhfD8hue2n0eOQ_AyK9X5h2hXp4FkOdcGET2T_m_OwbTCtkacfmaoIIs1fLFboLuQ6e4Oyl/w400-h198/DDBP004_017%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>You know, Scrooge, if you're trying to turn rocks into cheese, it is a matter of indifference if the word gets out: A) no one and their kid brother will try to imitate you; and B) even if they did, they wouldn't beat you to it, I guarantee it. Obviously you wouldn't beat them either, but hey. The point is: stop pretending your nonsense plan is in any way meaningful in the real world.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwngt5XZVI3goD2PT8yYsLyTjddlGMO__kuuB-Cks8T65BMjV_0-TvcvZ_7T-qnMDFrfMcsoyB-dNG3MzcZ5s7f0zdEqFIqorlP8f358ZVtnyY56D0n2qq2eILYZASuaiFI6ZmunlbjSVFnpy_nvbSexX2GGz-7p9NhFd_ZqTPGOY23i5bpu2zN3h0tGYH/s1205/DDBP004_017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="1205" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwngt5XZVI3goD2PT8yYsLyTjddlGMO__kuuB-Cks8T65BMjV_0-TvcvZ_7T-qnMDFrfMcsoyB-dNG3MzcZ5s7f0zdEqFIqorlP8f358ZVtnyY56D0n2qq2eILYZASuaiFI6ZmunlbjSVFnpy_nvbSexX2GGz-7p9NhFd_ZqTPGOY23i5bpu2zN3h0tGYH/w400-h200/DDBP004_017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...oh. That shows what I know, I guess. Hard to say why Donald knows this alleged factoid and the others don't, but it's really remarkable how instantaneously Scrooge's entrepreneurial spirit just vanishes: dude, the you don't just give up! You resolve to build a <i>better</i> mousetrap! Really, now.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhgu9_H3BMW_9bnKfj7LMn2L7lyJUUvIkfdFOjI_-j5nysyhXBp18XaZJgVxwaUSZk_I_VBxjVDVIkSP0bWpdFsP1Fygr6-JGAU_s8SpZKyhv3cTZ_fvfNatvGGGSlncY_vtv3Z0KGUj2MzFFx2ue6Kb7CTP-ind66gWPkwvJsmyceM1bVO8f8flYSo1e/s1229/DDBP004_018%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="1229" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhgu9_H3BMW_9bnKfj7LMn2L7lyJUUvIkfdFOjI_-j5nysyhXBp18XaZJgVxwaUSZk_I_VBxjVDVIkSP0bWpdFsP1Fygr6-JGAU_s8SpZKyhv3cTZ_fvfNatvGGGSlncY_vtv3Z0KGUj2MzFFx2ue6Kb7CTP-ind66gWPkwvJsmyceM1bVO8f8flYSo1e/w400-h194/DDBP004_018%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Okay, just one more go-round. Come to think of it, I guess the Beagle Boys fishing in the mist IS kind of evocative. No comment on the Coast Guard ship people hollering plot-relevant information at one another, but "one hears many interesting things in the fog!" and "let us not dilly-dally" are pretty good. The script has its moments, as well as its anti-moments. Not sure who wrote it; doesn't quite feel like Bob Gregory to me (though what do I know? He DID do a later entry in this series), but either way, it's a cut above. That's one of the frustrating things about so many of these stories being of unknown authorship: it's difficult to critically evaluate the writers, or say who was better and who worse.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6CBWfYDZ7Cw_v-qmG8ilir8naHjfd00SG5V8W2LnkWds1oJZOomt5hNCxnIuqTAoTktO1fpuMbwCc_lTVCl0iASvjTPNtHjrWSxNq0hI1NWEyfTFSgDLIEm5nsQ42huLj-n29qTRAtpQp9lGLYR5gNoxLqfJXILxxzg0lfV_mKByDJzuGcF65ypz16J8/s1235/DDBP004_020%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1235" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6CBWfYDZ7Cw_v-qmG8ilir8naHjfd00SG5V8W2LnkWds1oJZOomt5hNCxnIuqTAoTktO1fpuMbwCc_lTVCl0iASvjTPNtHjrWSxNq0hI1NWEyfTFSgDLIEm5nsQ42huLj-n29qTRAtpQp9lGLYR5gNoxLqfJXILxxzg0lfV_mKByDJzuGcF65ypz16J8/w400-h381/DDBP004_020%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yeah. Okay. Fine. I mean, this isn't terrible as these things go, but it really DOES seem like something I would've come up with when I was five. Let's just hope that at no point do the Beagles think to glance inside the bags until they're far enough away that Scrooge and the money are able to beat it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUXNneueRmnoWjLu-RtbmyTTO0ek0OlkM90Cdthu3QMxYHgIX4zrkuG0T_8GC7P0wspQAEwWELVGXN-3-597v95HIKL_YKBfTqTpVPHTrlRqe1En8J2oXc2vy0Cv3pLxOAHJ-ZPpnrW7GZXhM9MqOiclEmyvPXDi70FbOugxtKQeXkwtITdmRGmSavUUT/s1221/DDBP004_021%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="1221" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUXNneueRmnoWjLu-RtbmyTTO0ek0OlkM90Cdthu3QMxYHgIX4zrkuG0T_8GC7P0wspQAEwWELVGXN-3-597v95HIKL_YKBfTqTpVPHTrlRqe1En8J2oXc2vy0Cv3pLxOAHJ-ZPpnrW7GZXhM9MqOiclEmyvPXDi70FbOugxtKQeXkwtITdmRGmSavUUT/w400-h193/DDBP004_021%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Ah ha! This wily writer thought of everything! What do we do about Donald and HDL not having the opportunity to refill the last sack? Well, the Beagles probably just leave it there. NBD.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoXsSMe3iWg_Rk7r002aE_h9RmsvoP_9R28IIKxr9xF8H_TrVzdXkJRcD7IatvXmbNZwy_o3FIlIAYJNPf2IE-KEY2krGB6TKLZQa959gapEZNtE6xtXaOcFHU94W2hFwGFIT9O-IhIZutEZEB7DnWItQAvaF9TQ7haynl_C_xbPl02PcHw9P2UiLhmdz/s1215/DDBP004_023%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="1215" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoXsSMe3iWg_Rk7r002aE_h9RmsvoP_9R28IIKxr9xF8H_TrVzdXkJRcD7IatvXmbNZwy_o3FIlIAYJNPf2IE-KEY2krGB6TKLZQa959gapEZNtE6xtXaOcFHU94W2hFwGFIT9O-IhIZutEZEB7DnWItQAvaF9TQ7haynl_C_xbPl02PcHw9P2UiLhmdz/w400-h386/DDBP004_023%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Um...salt. I don't know if...well, <i>whatever.</i> You do you, I guess. At least it's less environmentally devastating than Plan A would have been had it worked, which it wouldn't have. I don't know what my point is here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij12wNrau8VlmyJwTRrDrEcMjYPo8QKbq867Z8MBv8CtA-yXQFmSsrd7TNFRHTzeGMwMNUJTtFvQtRxX8zundcgqJ14lPzJlQA6fiajCLFdGmSch5j3p5iMSNZ9-qbZmcnIsbNyLmAIf4hh56YSJvwCoiD5JgzUw2j8nlJ_75j1YngPvgRrIII9WfiMUKq/s1215/DDBP004_023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="1215" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij12wNrau8VlmyJwTRrDrEcMjYPo8QKbq867Z8MBv8CtA-yXQFmSsrd7TNFRHTzeGMwMNUJTtFvQtRxX8zundcgqJ14lPzJlQA6fiajCLFdGmSch5j3p5iMSNZ9-qbZmcnIsbNyLmAIf4hh56YSJvwCoiD5JgzUw2j8nlJ_75j1YngPvgRrIII9WfiMUKq/w400-h196/DDBP004_023.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And we end on a hearty heh, heh!, the official catchphrase of Western comics. Maybe I should get a sticker made:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMxCuoRPd7-KsdzrR3SXjopObJo_KKhX__RlvHtAlm0HqPmPhfWmywhu2am2BLeudtymTQsHfLjUWSn8rN6LL4nNHUONHowNdBZtGVFdARwXF0X2rC5QVqGVxpJHCmfXS6uOBD0K49oYH5ngmb9ZY6tzLbiv4c6xov78oMRZar9uDxt9FK8f_8MPdKQ08/s1018/Screenshot%202023-07-11%20at%2012.02.29%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="1018" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMxCuoRPd7-KsdzrR3SXjopObJo_KKhX__RlvHtAlm0HqPmPhfWmywhu2am2BLeudtymTQsHfLjUWSn8rN6LL4nNHUONHowNdBZtGVFdARwXF0X2rC5QVqGVxpJHCmfXS6uOBD0K49oYH5ngmb9ZY6tzLbiv4c6xov78oMRZar9uDxt9FK8f_8MPdKQ08/w400-h216/Screenshot%202023-07-11%20at%2012.02.29%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>That's what I'm talking about. I haven't been checking, but you've gotta figure there are some stories that both open and end on "heh, heh!" right? Tell me if you know any.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TE1JDDfPLQGCqrQVGHpk2T-HOBi6Bppn0vlN_QR1Wxawfa2qeqc0HsSf7XRmimMnQY2SQXoKKwdhp-uycQcOjD2c97hjADG5i85o7Ihpkz7Ub66n1N-KafIIPpqWLsOYHUBgLxpV_kVACiTY1CKOiybBo4bZXTnd9Ml-IXOMnedF_n4kkMDaSwusm3s0/s1788/DDBP004_024%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1788" data-original-width="1233" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TE1JDDfPLQGCqrQVGHpk2T-HOBi6Bppn0vlN_QR1Wxawfa2qeqc0HsSf7XRmimMnQY2SQXoKKwdhp-uycQcOjD2c97hjADG5i85o7Ihpkz7Ub66n1N-KafIIPpqWLsOYHUBgLxpV_kVACiTY1CKOiybBo4bZXTnd9Ml-IXOMnedF_n4kkMDaSwusm3s0/w276-h400/DDBP004_024%20copy.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><p>Earlier I was wondering whether I should keep including the introductory splash panels for the games and comics, but now I realize, duh--of <i>course</i> I should! Those are typically the best thing in the book! Why would you possibly write about stories of questionable quality and leave them out? Yeesh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8qJieus_OG-gQWngajNsW3pSbnZ03LGUjcOJp85kYn4GGvSXgrPO_G4fHyuuveB3tmavlzcJggLpaLo2CCxJtKPgKgs_Rj1kXarU1TAhGmGZQv_HHoLFwnc07YrIOVlXOPinTpmyFUItKHxO738XDCCP0dx8v4Ef6UPeJqB3v_Z54u8DwVi8JsmdTQhA/s1758/DDBP004_030%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1758" data-original-width="1245" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8qJieus_OG-gQWngajNsW3pSbnZ03LGUjcOJp85kYn4GGvSXgrPO_G4fHyuuveB3tmavlzcJggLpaLo2CCxJtKPgKgs_Rj1kXarU1TAhGmGZQv_HHoLFwnc07YrIOVlXOPinTpmyFUItKHxO738XDCCP0dx8v4Ef6UPeJqB3v_Z54u8DwVi8JsmdTQhA/w284-h400/DDBP004_030%20copy.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><p>"Dumbfoozler." I thought this was maybe an actual term for something, but no, if you google it, you just get this and a few other activities in old Dell comics (and now, this blog--hi, everyone!). Clearly, these were all written by one person. But who? This is culturally vital information, and I fear it may be lost to time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxKf4bonjXT2LS1C12HuaiT70-F2Yn2YOA1-vyKizzj_APRgVrPmZKxdZOorUx_jdr-xulsBQn5MJb54142plZe0JjHAAHl13jfsoK8TGuRRSxDQzpuunpM3o--9I87Pgc-tmSVp6DloPi-1xaNTkilosMGlmRWNsCvVtjofFSo0mai5RgiB5Wulde3KmK/s1779/DDBP004_035%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1779" data-original-width="1209" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxKf4bonjXT2LS1C12HuaiT70-F2Yn2YOA1-vyKizzj_APRgVrPmZKxdZOorUx_jdr-xulsBQn5MJb54142plZe0JjHAAHl13jfsoK8TGuRRSxDQzpuunpM3o--9I87Pgc-tmSVp6DloPi-1xaNTkilosMGlmRWNsCvVtjofFSo0mai5RgiB5Wulde3KmK/w271-h400/DDBP004_035%20copy.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><p>Anyway, there you go.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-56731050815868119002023-07-13T13:39:00.004-04:002023-07-22T08:15:10.714-04:00"The Giant Pearl"<p> Hope ya like Tony Strobl, or at least tolerate him, 'cause he's gonna be bringing you the art for all subsequent stories in the DCRCIJS (as I like to call it). I feel like I shouldn't have complained about "Sea Breeze Sailors" being lumpy, because this really laps that one in that regard. I'm almost afraid to write this entry, but press on I must.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyL48_c339W5_MkIaOcMprlJCNrwyVNDjACmpM7NvkI-wSOwGL2s9_LwDb92enN4qPt8ewSCYyecKMacCgr9JdF2NA3c-Yx80jFaa8FEWo0eW_-Z96x-BYV8JiNRzTE-fDmdbRk2_GZ1SbiUYdXPOCMoVSxvIqUKUyQGLsXCmb-IqevBAGnunUZiyviLZP/s1795/DDBP003_003%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="1271" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyL48_c339W5_MkIaOcMprlJCNrwyVNDjACmpM7NvkI-wSOwGL2s9_LwDb92enN4qPt8ewSCYyecKMacCgr9JdF2NA3c-Yx80jFaa8FEWo0eW_-Z96x-BYV8JiNRzTE-fDmdbRk2_GZ1SbiUYdXPOCMoVSxvIqUKUyQGLsXCmb-IqevBAGnunUZiyviLZP/w284-h400/DDBP003_003%20copy.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><p>Anyway, if nothing else, Strobl turns in pretty good work here. Fairly dynamic sense of movement.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>I'm thinking a lot as I read these stories about the tropes that tend to come up--that you see over and over. Wondering to what extent AI could recreate them. I think right NOW the answer is "not very well," since I doubt any AI has a well of them to draw on. But it's interesting how these things appear. So: can you tell from THIS page what's going on with Scrooge, or are we not quite there yet? I think at this point, there might be several options.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-k_-ivL9ewTaWzz0-1hPY3K72ohxAQBB0fEL6DhKucd68zgM-6_N6jMDNgOeFtrNs1Hlsw7Ow9gV798Zd3JjKbucDjDHIlcnp-jpC7OfBi2LgTLXOg5byWLhnA5vFSfNbcZ5ZN0-_L5JirLgUnCqFEXUU8OiB39Lky4v0_3DRMIlK7BWMmLXOJvG5ls58/s1239/DDBP003_004%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1239" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-k_-ivL9ewTaWzz0-1hPY3K72ohxAQBB0fEL6DhKucd68zgM-6_N6jMDNgOeFtrNs1Hlsw7Ow9gV798Zd3JjKbucDjDHIlcnp-jpC7OfBi2LgTLXOg5byWLhnA5vFSfNbcZ5ZN0-_L5JirLgUnCqFEXUU8OiB39Lky4v0_3DRMIlK7BWMmLXOJvG5ls58/w400-h291/DDBP003_004%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...but most of those are foreclosed extremely quickly. NOW you know what's happening, at least as regards Scrooge being after his nephews. He is one hundred percent not going to want to take them off somewhere to hunt for treasure. JUST. ISN'T. HAPPENING. Is this interesting? IS IT INTERESTING?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfgyhvD2kGkGSqkmpFD2FRG1WILwu9_IsPFXVjLAr_uR_Z9WKsq9Z6CB0y3LQcFNA1WXJwcQn4H4Y3fvNNgNpmxGfWrlrPpjcMxRBrYagFRIL70Efoypi-kME7XqrIorjp5wZiISJ-h8tx1yo-eD0aQj4RiExNB093lKQldvHmltv3ijwvQVhq_D13NPl/s1238/DDBP003_006%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1238" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfgyhvD2kGkGSqkmpFD2FRG1WILwu9_IsPFXVjLAr_uR_Z9WKsq9Z6CB0y3LQcFNA1WXJwcQn4H4Y3fvNNgNpmxGfWrlrPpjcMxRBrYagFRIL70Efoypi-kME7XqrIorjp5wZiISJ-h8tx1yo-eD0aQj4RiExNB093lKQldvHmltv3ijwvQVhq_D13NPl/w400-h288/DDBP003_006%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well...there's this. Conflict! Of a sort. I guess "the Underground Gazette" is all right. But really, why are you worrying about this one pearl? If you're going to the trouble of trying to safecrack Scrooge at all, mightn't you as well go for the main cache? Or is the idea that they've just given up on that? I find the idea unacceptable.</p><p>(Also, how about "mightn't you as well?" It seems to parse as a phrase, but it took me a moment to formulate it, and a google search reveals that very few other people have ever said it. Fun!)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH58t3QpSMsZ0xL_wszx4jjeHkljsRlur1oi_JGHF0VFFvFFLPiweuASONbR20-XmOTiEi0Wt9U6hIbtvfhe18BHihrTvCW4fjHgQxNC_uheIcan98xbCxMqreO3pGDExoZuCz6AycwmTUkJV4qFr_o33wzOhlLPpCZ7j5pPOT3CI1UaXyiFzikaaWFVq-/s1235/DDBP003_007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1235" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH58t3QpSMsZ0xL_wszx4jjeHkljsRlur1oi_JGHF0VFFvFFLPiweuASONbR20-XmOTiEi0Wt9U6hIbtvfhe18BHihrTvCW4fjHgQxNC_uheIcan98xbCxMqreO3pGDExoZuCz6AycwmTUkJV4qFr_o33wzOhlLPpCZ7j5pPOT3CI1UaXyiFzikaaWFVq-/w400-h291/DDBP003_007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>One problem with covering a lot of these old stories is that there's SO much filler material, and I want to just breeze on past it, but I can't, because this IS the story. There is nothing else. On one level it reminds me of nothing so much as the Scarpa story "The Flying Scot," where--if you remember--there's this whole long sequence of the ducks trying to find a sardine for a bird. But at least with that story, eventually we <i>do</i> get somewhere. Here, there's just no other there there. It frustrates.</p><p>Suffice it to say, here's the kind of stuff you'd be missing out on if I skimmed: Donald buys a boat to avoid Scrooge; it immediately sinks. Okay. That's probably representative of the sort of thing you're going to see here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo-kuk2JXx0ORgUCVb5pPtSjwEEMr04gU-Eb_DEPphHG21sKq3ce4ZOY2hJKlkCrvdE268iTaNNVTxXYgfkFUmpvzm8FVr29ZKFy4Jifyc3IG8o6Lg2fAEuTxPDv4PxE5umBpOYSzHjrh7HE2UaDqV0SqJEnYERhN9tn-KgBiAM6kOwMGUqdBQqj560yi/s1246/DDBP003_008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1246" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo-kuk2JXx0ORgUCVb5pPtSjwEEMr04gU-Eb_DEPphHG21sKq3ce4ZOY2hJKlkCrvdE268iTaNNVTxXYgfkFUmpvzm8FVr29ZKFy4Jifyc3IG8o6Lg2fAEuTxPDv4PxE5umBpOYSzHjrh7HE2UaDqV0SqJEnYERhN9tn-KgBiAM6kOwMGUqdBQqj560yi/w400-h291/DDBP003_008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: start;">But actually, right here the story threatens to get interesting in an unexpected way: so Donald and HDL are after the guy who sold them the defective boat, Scrooge is after Donald and HDL, and the Beagles are after Scrooge.</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWtOTUJnzsc7E0AmcoxKFHGdgZYbwdOZq7h-FTAEM2nQCDoqMHlsjVaQVt3dm4bw4xuiOs9yRrJR4g_Ko5ju_7esNT337_8ZpNMh01_sNGpMot6wHmnWX-A8JPV8-gUsDDT3JL4z4WNv5uHK09MQqJI_6MruEz4-SnjF9TLV5MIdbCTX3PDWgAbRZkTfq/s1246/DDBP003_009%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="1246" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWtOTUJnzsc7E0AmcoxKFHGdgZYbwdOZq7h-FTAEM2nQCDoqMHlsjVaQVt3dm4bw4xuiOs9yRrJR4g_Ko5ju_7esNT337_8ZpNMh01_sNGpMot6wHmnWX-A8JPV8-gUsDDT3JL4z4WNv5uHK09MQqJI_6MruEz4-SnjF9TLV5MIdbCTX3PDWgAbRZkTfq/w400-h288/DDBP003_009%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And for one brief shining moment, I imagined that maybe the entire story was just going to become one giant farcical chase sequence. Alas, 'twas not to be. Things like this show that actually, a lot of these writers could have made their stories A LOT more interesting if the writers had had the ambition. Imagine that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi559s9JPE2aLYKEWpZ7LdsBgazUHKKt5cDmsoPtaQt9AJ8LkdrrNFecV7hBrSc4s27kNggE5gfwitit1jCiFanlft8TYvkNWjafkoxD9oyxbDr3PLGeH5-oJnHK4YfaOFgElePolo99wL5bhW0IcMtS9enfaDeSENDZi5C6VyS204mIcTUNJRVNT0bfVZo/s1328/DDBP003_011%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1328" data-original-width="1232" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi559s9JPE2aLYKEWpZ7LdsBgazUHKKt5cDmsoPtaQt9AJ8LkdrrNFecV7hBrSc4s27kNggE5gfwitit1jCiFanlft8TYvkNWjafkoxD9oyxbDr3PLGeH5-oJnHK4YfaOFgElePolo99wL5bhW0IcMtS9enfaDeSENDZi5C6VyS204mIcTUNJRVNT0bfVZo/w371-h400/DDBP003_011%20copy.jpg" width="371" /></a></div><p>Well, anyway, the Beagles torture Scrooge by making him ride a ride. Isn't that a pretty basic-ass combination for the safe? I feel like unless it's information that's important to the story, or you're making a joke, you shouldn't bother with providing specific details like that. It's just pointlessly distracting.</p><p>Also, if there's any question, I should clarify that, no, Donald is not being the slightest bit sarcastic when he talks about the Beagle Boys "treating" Scrooge. He's just not very bright, it appears.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBO7sjI6FNdqgua3SaRPJEJ8XMpHWhFZGVMfLMbYdq_A9Wq8eOtJHLdZDYBdQ5hOzVYC0SAwc15CBVTEceyzaESuC7AzF_4UiOa5frs55ZaTL_sgvBkq8Lktetpc68FTfgjFZxWLtL35-QNA5n98XXeRyhEw25hcafal_vXgTe9WKccQmi-1-cGBqm--8/s1243/DDBP003_012%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1243" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBO7sjI6FNdqgua3SaRPJEJ8XMpHWhFZGVMfLMbYdq_A9Wq8eOtJHLdZDYBdQ5hOzVYC0SAwc15CBVTEceyzaESuC7AzF_4UiOa5frs55ZaTL_sgvBkq8Lktetpc68FTfgjFZxWLtL35-QNA5n98XXeRyhEw25hcafal_vXgTe9WKccQmi-1-cGBqm--8/w400-h286/DDBP003_012%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>You can see the Beagle's mask sort of coming off in the bottom left there. Exciting! Though the idea that he has a special bin here, I dunno. This is one of those instances where you have to wonder, was the writer aware of the existence of the Money Bin? You can't blame people for feeling things out like this, but still, It feels very odd.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje37uENyeiU19kprLFLG96F2-zEHtbbR_wVFXtLKuVSP3c7Q6_T6eNRFEP9sOnadOUD_OShVJpdYJO9SxWVTSrD1mLtkSg67Po2VVrYVR5Q-kRJK6twmGun5prQLHmK2AioXYLVgTRuEeYXJBRvUARZBtwa_FlZSn5n1Hv4hrY3GU-GP1HZvz64EkBNxjk/s1342/DDBP003_013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1342" data-original-width="1233" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje37uENyeiU19kprLFLG96F2-zEHtbbR_wVFXtLKuVSP3c7Q6_T6eNRFEP9sOnadOUD_OShVJpdYJO9SxWVTSrD1mLtkSg67Po2VVrYVR5Q-kRJK6twmGun5prQLHmK2AioXYLVgTRuEeYXJBRvUARZBtwa_FlZSn5n1Hv4hrY3GU-GP1HZvz64EkBNxjk/w368-h400/DDBP003_013.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><p>Sometimes, I show an image that I really have nothing to say about just so everyone can follow along with the story. This is one such time. Well, except that that ride operator is either really dumb or really passive aggressive. Could go either way. Do his bosses like the fact that he's letting this guy ride forever for free? Do the other parkgoers waiting in line? ARE there even other parkgoers? We do not ask such questions. Okay, I guess I had something to say about it after all.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCauljj0MukmmHcE2zMcSWGSTyEh-oe7z7wz2ilJkuEPhptC1yivUNNJKbIoFhiZzPvbNtuSuR3KzkjXCkRiHbnmIfGC-7nEDC49bZBefkW4_ITz06UK22SMrRc8K4l1TmY6XpsLtheQS2MB-cOSk-PElr9SHQVDPYMXhAk13Ff7U7VSQRezJbxoTpVd9/s1239/DDBP003_014%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1239" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCauljj0MukmmHcE2zMcSWGSTyEh-oe7z7wz2ilJkuEPhptC1yivUNNJKbIoFhiZzPvbNtuSuR3KzkjXCkRiHbnmIfGC-7nEDC49bZBefkW4_ITz06UK22SMrRc8K4l1TmY6XpsLtheQS2MB-cOSk-PElr9SHQVDPYMXhAk13Ff7U7VSQRezJbxoTpVd9/w400-h284/DDBP003_014%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>That is extremely not how that works, but I kind of like the image anyway. Very cartoony.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8vQyqRiVVEEZGVSQ2KoXj0aOyG61ukQagZrw3PiVX4IUvRzEO45LIcnZt3FwWlEZ_J8HO8xCFpVLbdutTrwEHI5zRZTTYnpEFGi37fYNtSrMcc5qmIm-HihdUNzdYP0ixxW9W_f3PTpvnLSFo1ShY4v_RJ9zDUwY7xwP6l5k3y53yP4tGrOmuVasLcZC/s1249/DDBP003_014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1249" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8vQyqRiVVEEZGVSQ2KoXj0aOyG61ukQagZrw3PiVX4IUvRzEO45LIcnZt3FwWlEZ_J8HO8xCFpVLbdutTrwEHI5zRZTTYnpEFGi37fYNtSrMcc5qmIm-HihdUNzdYP0ixxW9W_f3PTpvnLSFo1ShY4v_RJ9zDUwY7xwP6l5k3y53yP4tGrOmuVasLcZC/w400-h285/DDBP003_014.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>See? Is anyone surprised? You saw this or something very like it coming. Still, this is pretty deflating. Isn't there any way it could be made a little less lame? We may not have expected anything different, but STILL, the entire story so far has revolved around this, and at least in theory we weren't meant to see it coming, so to cavalierly just brush it off like this...well, I guess it's meant to be funny, and maybe it would be if this entire concept was completely new to me, but it really just comes off as lazy. Laziness? In a Western comic? Shocking, I know.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7WU2Mii5rSaro3ZH-svs1s-5bKkJ-GiIIqmvz01j2KZAd2wh4qpOMxx9ITm1nqkpEldb5JqytZ3u4lF11L3dRzN-VcE4JPmLvFB0YG_F0cZkz6CuJZnATuXDNMCL0HFQOrj5zfy7g1pG-ie5L9v6HORQpfF-hdmoxKZJC3isKV6hcikwxPscL6jc7o87/s1248/DDBP003_015%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1248" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7WU2Mii5rSaro3ZH-svs1s-5bKkJ-GiIIqmvz01j2KZAd2wh4qpOMxx9ITm1nqkpEldb5JqytZ3u4lF11L3dRzN-VcE4JPmLvFB0YG_F0cZkz6CuJZnATuXDNMCL0HFQOrj5zfy7g1pG-ie5L9v6HORQpfF-hdmoxKZJC3isKV6hcikwxPscL6jc7o87/w400-h286/DDBP003_015%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>"A keen reward." All right. Of course, this business about rewards is a standard thing in these comics. You want the ducks to get some money for finding a thing, but you don't want them to just keep money because that would be ethically dubious? No problem. There's a reward. Boom.</p><p>But should this work here? I submit that it should not. What about Scrooge would make you think he would give a reward like that if he weren't forced to? As we'll see momentarily, the whole question is moot in this particular case, but the story seems to be suggesting that all things being equal, Scrooge WOULD give ten thousand dollars to have his pearl returned. Is there a sense that he doesn't have a choice; that his nephews are holding it for ransom? I think it's more accurate to say that this is just a trope that functions in these stories, and therefore it functions with Scrooge too, regardless of whether that makes sense. You wouldn't call it a character-driven story.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRGcreIrnBCPlfgy0BX_6qWcl0COP38oy4Yd56t4o6cCTww5sTfNG_smbsWfUZuyCQ8Ge6JpxSPhUyO2GMiEkned8wdBkyXsDyEkyFX2na2BTHnXo3LhKn27_ihXtik81LiaOFnrOOu7vZmE2MN3NQxxNzk4QcxpQOe5XhNpfUZB9RTBWAxAec1tRHzFu/s1238/DDBP003_015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1238" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRGcreIrnBCPlfgy0BX_6qWcl0COP38oy4Yd56t4o6cCTww5sTfNG_smbsWfUZuyCQ8Ge6JpxSPhUyO2GMiEkned8wdBkyXsDyEkyFX2na2BTHnXo3LhKn27_ihXtik81LiaOFnrOOu7vZmE2MN3NQxxNzk4QcxpQOe5XhNpfUZB9RTBWAxAec1tRHzFu/w400-h285/DDBP003_015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Of course you do. Is there any purpose in noting that carrying around .0000000000000000000000001% of your fortune doesn't sound like it's making anything particularly secure? Probably not. Whatever. You do you. But really, are you at least carrying around your dang dime as well? Because if not, I don't even know.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdsgVvvGPNwpeTm4ICY_2NqNuoZEOTQftrAnZjN1-b7tPMwpaBOaxzm9Ylqwqsl2SbwhdNtU8kWwth6X9t7XBFyd_1Vyxqqz-j3f_-0tNBvs6daZhygtsg7ANfXfEd7xRuszRewTN2rKFnIXikFPRNNVMg8g1tk_cdcs74YpjIzFNtIRiyhJShwrsCWjM/s1251/DDBP003_017%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1251" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdsgVvvGPNwpeTm4ICY_2NqNuoZEOTQftrAnZjN1-b7tPMwpaBOaxzm9Ylqwqsl2SbwhdNtU8kWwth6X9t7XBFyd_1Vyxqqz-j3f_-0tNBvs6daZhygtsg7ANfXfEd7xRuszRewTN2rKFnIXikFPRNNVMg8g1tk_cdcs74YpjIzFNtIRiyhJShwrsCWjM/w400-h286/DDBP003_017%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Right, now we move from the "evading Scrooge" portion of the story to the "get that pearl" part (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRyvMcNyr9o">gonna get that pearl, soon if I'm lucky...</a>). The one is no less exciting than the other.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTg07tdQJawg1X4Bs43eLZ5LXSGzDm2uAudTLrWZsSwed5dpivFtArwum1Xqhey6HzuIntDUE4suA4nnZw8lq1iS6Y9iUi2JjOZuALDJe7iereTI9cJmfa49atdSSCJ_FAQjPCoi7z-NNO4IJlRgyqPhjkNhDVmhAxPnTUK3uDZRf1FD79cw2eF7yueO2k/s1227/DDBP003_018%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1227" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTg07tdQJawg1X4Bs43eLZ5LXSGzDm2uAudTLrWZsSwed5dpivFtArwum1Xqhey6HzuIntDUE4suA4nnZw8lq1iS6Y9iUi2JjOZuALDJe7iereTI9cJmfa49atdSSCJ_FAQjPCoi7z-NNO4IJlRgyqPhjkNhDVmhAxPnTUK3uDZRf1FD79cw2eF7yueO2k/w400-h293/DDBP003_018%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Blah. Why IS this amusement park so depopulated, anyway?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSbFUpsSRQtI_CRxbefmaw7aN99QfaJmaY1UB549Uo5sPL8M6XeOqADVYRIhC5O1h0-hJCGxOk-ZZzJ2snoKu3tCYNPTViwGFRq2KoCBpJJ_YcvcIHpWPIdE_EfnHUAJfEtpGk-FY0zAZ2bXZtaPk6bF8r5iIzbTFea-nMbh6o5p1iVE9WqKKkKNyNvnZp/s1229/DDBP003_021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="1229" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSbFUpsSRQtI_CRxbefmaw7aN99QfaJmaY1UB549Uo5sPL8M6XeOqADVYRIhC5O1h0-hJCGxOk-ZZzJ2snoKu3tCYNPTViwGFRq2KoCBpJJ_YcvcIHpWPIdE_EfnHUAJfEtpGk-FY0zAZ2bXZtaPk6bF8r5iIzbTFea-nMbh6o5p1iVE9WqKKkKNyNvnZp/w400-h288/DDBP003_021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Hurrah. Problem solved. Everyone is happy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFjd1uFIgH2xtq7IyxEjPadzrRzvwEOjuRnZ7rbPP6uOenMI98iYMfBLG2-MTX440dxoUXjnM7eZIuSGTbTX0eWSE68R3AyNgQYPgJPawhFcacdcyu9yzFC8_wNFoDt1hX4PFC0JDz9cRmpI_godJFSXBzkpgPpBRj3laPGJvA1Q_VIFVK4lQ5jGfKXjO/s1230/DDBP003_021%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="1230" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFjd1uFIgH2xtq7IyxEjPadzrRzvwEOjuRnZ7rbPP6uOenMI98iYMfBLG2-MTX440dxoUXjnM7eZIuSGTbTX0eWSE68R3AyNgQYPgJPawhFcacdcyu9yzFC8_wNFoDt1hX4PFC0JDz9cRmpI_godJFSXBzkpgPpBRj3laPGJvA1Q_VIFVK4lQ5jGfKXjO/w400-h145/DDBP003_021%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, "everyone" except those of us who are incapable of any kind of lasting happiness. I dunno, Scrooge. A therapist might actually be the more effective solution here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7hbg-YnZgM5m2h3qaixZWEftsb24dG3XgywED0w0d8MPBMGGHp5fVCa6FK7mbhoIaIyIgp4cKw_RQJhTjSZWTwy4szKnNzu7GVC7O7v604V_bXTeMlarTw3YqTXDKPKcF3trBg_tMUmqmtSJI7Ph0q_foe_VPWIhUVE-P6KxxYK5GNWYvUq3RZFG8kg6/s1254/DDBP003_022%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="1254" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7hbg-YnZgM5m2h3qaixZWEftsb24dG3XgywED0w0d8MPBMGGHp5fVCa6FK7mbhoIaIyIgp4cKw_RQJhTjSZWTwy4szKnNzu7GVC7O7v604V_bXTeMlarTw3YqTXDKPKcF3trBg_tMUmqmtSJI7Ph0q_foe_VPWIhUVE-P6KxxYK5GNWYvUq3RZFG8kg6/w400-h283/DDBP003_022%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I'm a big fan of the nephew lying on his back pouring pie into his mouth, however! That's one for the ages. Strobl really does do a good job of making this look appealing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchDEY3VwP9uiWhrYph4hIx8aFhaA0mWslL6fVvSOmbS6o-GEMnqU0MR0643-wTEeVMkFpeuPzfeEv1KqXLH9U03cjQzy2CmRmoKPlxoWzf5wESWX6Jj9UJeqfqbCFD1aczY1z39agfcc1Mr17PgWNNBVVXfzLkwpBwPbzi52rnIEGjh3z7qC03qeKSdOa/s1239/DDBP003_022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1239" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchDEY3VwP9uiWhrYph4hIx8aFhaA0mWslL6fVvSOmbS6o-GEMnqU0MR0643-wTEeVMkFpeuPzfeEv1KqXLH9U03cjQzy2CmRmoKPlxoWzf5wESWX6Jj9UJeqfqbCFD1aczY1z39agfcc1Mr17PgWNNBVVXfzLkwpBwPbzi52rnIEGjh3z7qC03qeKSdOa/w400-h290/DDBP003_022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...you shouldn't act like Scrooge's untreated mental illness is some sort of lovable quirk. Well, I don't know; maybe you should (anybody able to identify what if anything he's humming?). At any rate, we're about done here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTWaM_dYsrzl-YCFIKM6a6sEQJc7ERa5aFATLigh_DuciV_qUgbLgSkVkw3DRz9gymNnPiFJ1IxMIM0swjaMbGm2aH3cv0lQ09F5_AZjS8np6qmmv5pa6ePQ9FG65Nr-boqHGTz_SqkJMe6wWjqNkTdL4pUg1NMKMSUmaAF-ZL-9r4YeJbZqHJDbi7xh2/s1780/DDBP003_023%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1780" data-original-width="1236" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTWaM_dYsrzl-YCFIKM6a6sEQJc7ERa5aFATLigh_DuciV_qUgbLgSkVkw3DRz9gymNnPiFJ1IxMIM0swjaMbGm2aH3cv0lQ09F5_AZjS8np6qmmv5pa6ePQ9FG65Nr-boqHGTz_SqkJMe6wWjqNkTdL4pUg1NMKMSUmaAF-ZL-9r4YeJbZqHJDbi7xh2/w278-h400/DDBP003_023%20copy.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><p>And now: games. What exactly are "photographic dots?" It's just one of those stand-ups of a pirate or whatnot you have at boardwalks where you stick your head through. Only this one is a connect-the-dots. It's extremely weird that the story advertises "photographic dots" like it's an established thing. But why am I describing it rather than just showing it?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQ7QGm9x-VLzyLywigsTzEdXlsEroevmL6jpZCZCPOJgL-kjK6nUI4YI-tGTQcM2IPOw2Q5-N41x4fFV-YNT-jHbaKFeTICfbE-RU98KBqBUU2F-B80WnPK_6hbyklwZnTn3_BDSLW84SB4NwSnM2h5jDccn1H_LNYNP3klOWnb9Pj0LB3GmrqF7df6oj/s2007/DDBP003_030.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2007" data-original-width="1374" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQ7QGm9x-VLzyLywigsTzEdXlsEroevmL6jpZCZCPOJgL-kjK6nUI4YI-tGTQcM2IPOw2Q5-N41x4fFV-YNT-jHbaKFeTICfbE-RU98KBqBUU2F-B80WnPK_6hbyklwZnTn3_BDSLW84SB4NwSnM2h5jDccn1H_LNYNP3klOWnb9Pj0LB3GmrqF7df6oj/w274-h400/DDBP003_030.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><p>HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THEM?!? I demand to know! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbixK4PwLtPVqs7FbKCrD-ECbz9teHvQTl2iqKKmMbbJpm45ziDN96vdMunV-fXWaGIqWai738kHG8mACYVfB38cWkc8u4GGBLOuXfkZabFhYxX2vHFvhqwEcDVbWpExH9GgQCqemt6yyvUACL3yEHrNRvYEv9Gkqa1XV7Law62H5FPq4TfupPP1xK_S2/s1753/DDBP003_031%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1753" data-original-width="1233" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbixK4PwLtPVqs7FbKCrD-ECbz9teHvQTl2iqKKmMbbJpm45ziDN96vdMunV-fXWaGIqWai738kHG8mACYVfB38cWkc8u4GGBLOuXfkZabFhYxX2vHFvhqwEcDVbWpExH9GgQCqemt6yyvUACL3yEHrNRvYEv9Gkqa1XV7Law62H5FPq4TfupPP1xK_S2/w281-h400/DDBP003_031%20copy.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><p>We've also got this turtle here. Is it supposed to bite him on the nose? If not, it doesn't seem like much of a prank. And if so, it seems pretty mean. I only include this to note how palpably obvious it is that no one at Dell bothered to actually playtest these little activities. All you'd have if you tried this is a paint- and glue-sodden mess.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMXBd5vWJ8y_qGmyXuqNPp2uaFsxzAoMsm9JbkpLf2dxLHilSgudGrho6TrajZTwGCTRxb8a0CSlVP-JSGXmGZmHafXFRRjaGsSiU663B-7Yt8sEr03uAAaJnnQfTknLttFqop7gP_Duu23_-7vELbfyrsQ-yXmiX3yotkUMBLWCq7mK_FPScyDdh77zJ/s1774/DDBP003_034%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1774" data-original-width="1267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMXBd5vWJ8y_qGmyXuqNPp2uaFsxzAoMsm9JbkpLf2dxLHilSgudGrho6TrajZTwGCTRxb8a0CSlVP-JSGXmGZmHafXFRRjaGsSiU663B-7Yt8sEr03uAAaJnnQfTknLttFqop7gP_Duu23_-7vELbfyrsQ-yXmiX3yotkUMBLWCq7mK_FPScyDdh77zJ/w286-h400/DDBP003_034%20copy.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p>Also, comic books! I can't not show these pages; I like them too much. Have fun with comics.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3XKSnGMlgDmtd-vZ9P4Xncyjt45FZgmioVsnIHorM0gxYbgy-cqi1nDVr0cJADC2oBge83gGeJ_HZPImR0D4CTT7KOyUXCPBkMFUncjOcnmVGfZ4Lgvx4HKknuzahxaE9dMoyWrEDZHIARajdGGQmr6g2ZqG5W9TXQE5SFVultTZ4CGveUca8Zt-p0Qk/s1798/DDBP003_093%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1798" data-original-width="1245" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3XKSnGMlgDmtd-vZ9P4Xncyjt45FZgmioVsnIHorM0gxYbgy-cqi1nDVr0cJADC2oBge83gGeJ_HZPImR0D4CTT7KOyUXCPBkMFUncjOcnmVGfZ4Lgvx4HKknuzahxaE9dMoyWrEDZHIARajdGGQmr6g2ZqG5W9TXQE5SFVultTZ4CGveUca8Zt-p0Qk/w278-h400/DDBP003_093%20copy.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><p>BUT WAIT, WHAT'S THIS? THERE'S MORE! You thought the story was over just because we got what looked for all the world like an ending? Think again! Flip to the end of the comic, and you get a full five more pages of...stuff. Well, not a "full" five, since the last panel is the ol' pledge to parents, but still. It's quite odd; I don't know if I've seen anything like this before. It's certainly not common. This last part feels so disconnected from the main story that it really looks for all the world like someone told Strobl or his writer, hey, we need some more pages to fill this issue; can you tack some extra crud on to the end of your story? Dunno if that's what happened, but it does, as you'll see, look REALLY extraneous.</p><p>Still, it's kind of interesting in one way: I sort of think of stories as parts of the ducks' lives that are illuminated for us. We see what they're doing for the length of the story, and then the lights are extinguished, but they're still doing stuff; we're just not privy to it. And, well, here's a little peek into the darkness. Not unlike those weird interstitial sequences that they used to include in European digests. Of course, in both of these cases, the conclusion one tends to draw is "hmmm...maybe they don't generally show us this stuff for a REASON." Still, theoretically interesting!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwvxe2a-iKxU3pYhhRw5l-qWpPlp9O9hHNHEpldf21OrLOGki6ZQLJ3zJauLsgPVCRVT53bU4UvloWmZSwi01YQBfbomtPg9H8d6SRwlWlV_pqv1YnyfjmRwZKONXxfdpGKUSJLCYKil2ft0fT36RUieu9bjN0x_kIgRL2FEPPNzAMQFHyw2u3vpeBnMx/s1247/DDBP003_094%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1247" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwvxe2a-iKxU3pYhhRw5l-qWpPlp9O9hHNHEpldf21OrLOGki6ZQLJ3zJauLsgPVCRVT53bU4UvloWmZSwi01YQBfbomtPg9H8d6SRwlWlV_pqv1YnyfjmRwZKONXxfdpGKUSJLCYKil2ft0fT36RUieu9bjN0x_kIgRL2FEPPNzAMQFHyw2u3vpeBnMx/w400-h286/DDBP003_094%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Okay, so let's get to it. Scrooge, having found a thousand dollars' worth of crud, is ready to eat. Great! Nobody point out to him that he's STILL down a thousand dollars from where he could be. He tortures himself enough without us helping him.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUiTmrzsFzQ81eqGqLu3kNWcfWedRcd4Php-hcGxi44kb7W5_9Iwzzs0KSXCKLlqoUpGUjkvfOrIEibvYSNDcM6ybBnyi2h7MzopZgLb-Lw4Tpzv8hp_YjUJsk8VObaLkJ2LnayJSnacCAcqgMfavnHZLh9I3IDGdIlNoUhL49AGTMbdvxibuJaAp2Lah/s1268/DDBP003_094.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1268" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUiTmrzsFzQ81eqGqLu3kNWcfWedRcd4Php-hcGxi44kb7W5_9Iwzzs0KSXCKLlqoUpGUjkvfOrIEibvYSNDcM6ybBnyi2h7MzopZgLb-Lw4Tpzv8hp_YjUJsk8VObaLkJ2LnayJSnacCAcqgMfavnHZLh9I3IDGdIlNoUhL49AGTMbdvxibuJaAp2Lah/w400-h284/DDBP003_094.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh no! No food today; his love has gone away. Yes! Come to this blog for the Herman's Hermits references! Anyway, is this an exciting conflict? I don't know.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_IHIMZQ7NOM99BmPWaNgIVNrFow-t8PXPOVhwU90nGEKtvULJgsNkxqNojZ-sxQJDxkrSe80PFYJiHGqGIZYEpiYCE0o_OS5IUP83u8cfVLGRWG43RstnGKFVraHdiSk1msYt1cqkf1YnWUoJwJ0b8ggUyOYjr5uLarsv6NOkG_NnmGVbxf8UlcVufiH/s1224/DDBP003_095%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1224" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_IHIMZQ7NOM99BmPWaNgIVNrFow-t8PXPOVhwU90nGEKtvULJgsNkxqNojZ-sxQJDxkrSe80PFYJiHGqGIZYEpiYCE0o_OS5IUP83u8cfVLGRWG43RstnGKFVraHdiSk1msYt1cqkf1YnWUoJwJ0b8ggUyOYjr5uLarsv6NOkG_NnmGVbxf8UlcVufiH/w400-h291/DDBP003_095%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Seriously, was any character ever more demon-haunted than Scrooge is here? I do have to admit that there's something funny about the non-existent and somewhat ludicrous stakes here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlKgBJ-gcq9e4IZogtYO2wXwjPqZ3y-lDkVL135LAsJUu0MKhqZE6SBGSrNmf0pOBtCOJldkemJULJxjMofhBmZ11d_a9qjM4-QyshW4zRevzwGMcRQ_a7GUjPU0Nxe9I-ldvD9PrU_sWKfIhG78xJJa-cfkhsZO58Zif62o_7qopz5JY8ldWVfnbjc8k/s606/DDBP003_095.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="606" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlKgBJ-gcq9e4IZogtYO2wXwjPqZ3y-lDkVL135LAsJUu0MKhqZE6SBGSrNmf0pOBtCOJldkemJULJxjMofhBmZ11d_a9qjM4-QyshW4zRevzwGMcRQ_a7GUjPU0Nxe9I-ldvD9PrU_sWKfIhG78xJJa-cfkhsZO58Zif62o_7qopz5JY8ldWVfnbjc8k/w400-h290/DDBP003_095.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh do we. I dunno: I know I asked in the intro post to this serious if your heart could take the excitement, and nobody objected, but if you want to change your mind now, I do not blame you.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhsKbC9B3XO3INucUR1abEvlKcgs-DXiyoqelgR7a9_3XKrU84Nfd4grG70jjD_pdwbC4Ywe26CvLW4_NLpOeODgElLTg8j_sOp-WCROUWA5_l10dnNceE2o5EfXtKkurlA1JO5UmRr37nOXNZFWVyPFKv4I723wQ9xkm6Zrakbaqm4yWmwZuXh47EYc0/s1239/DDBP003_096%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1239" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhsKbC9B3XO3INucUR1abEvlKcgs-DXiyoqelgR7a9_3XKrU84Nfd4grG70jjD_pdwbC4Ywe26CvLW4_NLpOeODgElLTg8j_sOp-WCROUWA5_l10dnNceE2o5EfXtKkurlA1JO5UmRr37nOXNZFWVyPFKv4I723wQ9xkm6Zrakbaqm4yWmwZuXh47EYc0/w400-h293/DDBP003_096%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Just one thing after another. As I've said, this is mental illness. There's no need for Donald to be so smug about it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfgglIXdSHbCzpEIOO-JCZwhbpCKDWvluHvR5Gg-81cWfIMIzYBeiilPoIc8WsnzTEUvNXPuwHQNYYmMu16CuOEIHLdaolP-mnRSjozYNX2A8USSDPTVr3wa7d9akVZMRsfu2qhXg07wNl7NfPmHXA_VL9ejvlqjzWlAXr1zVF_I2Pzv0Ss3vJvFxYGlb/s1248/DDBP003_096.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1248" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfgglIXdSHbCzpEIOO-JCZwhbpCKDWvluHvR5Gg-81cWfIMIzYBeiilPoIc8WsnzTEUvNXPuwHQNYYmMu16CuOEIHLdaolP-mnRSjozYNX2A8USSDPTVr3wa7d9akVZMRsfu2qhXg07wNl7NfPmHXA_VL9ejvlqjzWlAXr1zVF_I2Pzv0Ss3vJvFxYGlb/w400-h285/DDBP003_096.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Are YOU sort of curious too? Seriously, you couldn't sleep without knowing the thrilling conclusion? I mean, I know this was before videogames, but seriously, was your threshold for excitement THAT low?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs897S4phnXl4QF7Dzx37EpL3p_GeLMiKpFIBqPZKNIIsg2NnhIZ884rkuYxm1cH7VaaYFYrigQW345CKOGVJps_N-YRP2PIxh4GND4UI7o6L4LqciyRvdlc5iK1CEkcfcFOzB0nceVJDvomJe2IYrZ6gleQ3k2uwKInV7wu04GRqjH8VDao7Spc2UW1Xw/s1218/DDBP003_097%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1218" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs897S4phnXl4QF7Dzx37EpL3p_GeLMiKpFIBqPZKNIIsg2NnhIZ884rkuYxm1cH7VaaYFYrigQW345CKOGVJps_N-YRP2PIxh4GND4UI7o6L4LqciyRvdlc5iK1CEkcfcFOzB0nceVJDvomJe2IYrZ6gleQ3k2uwKInV7wu04GRqjH8VDao7Spc2UW1Xw/w400-h295/DDBP003_097%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I know I've been semi-joking about Scrooge's suffering here, but GOOD GOD, that bottom middle panel. The absolute picture of misery. Could ANYTHING be worse? Does he EVER eat a decent meal in this world? Regardless of whether he deserves it, I just want to throw a cheeseburger at him to end the vicarious suffering.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6U-FIZ8-WDjtsiW0vOXo0Jiue_G0gyiNnGBd1kY4DnPuBwQGmAiE0Nm1CQMO9uVs75d7owo_-NhCoxcZsOaInIzrdk5qYZAsNmIm16HH6GHFhsZIs1ZT73fUocSBwROC3seLxMKLrcQKNjXIN6SrMTSECFo2gyukb8kPH9Id2Vwzq_nT1OMpRaUEdNO2P/s1242/DDBP003_097.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="1242" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6U-FIZ8-WDjtsiW0vOXo0Jiue_G0gyiNnGBd1kY4DnPuBwQGmAiE0Nm1CQMO9uVs75d7owo_-NhCoxcZsOaInIzrdk5qYZAsNmIm16HH6GHFhsZIs1ZT73fUocSBwROC3seLxMKLrcQKNjXIN6SrMTSECFo2gyukb8kPH9Id2Vwzq_nT1OMpRaUEdNO2P/w400-h286/DDBP003_097.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>My sympathy tends to dissipate a little here, however. Plutocrat screws working man out of an expensive meal? Not so cool.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKMBjScyJEfSsHjIsDiv8H45ACYUTUWt7EGBUX156yUsTo127oAqsA5zZkgl0vWwgqllUksgv1I6mDXi4wJ99tvVFGZTVzGaU9_u41Vz1yyB5DHJHNvPo9v0UERRYHhge0xKDMZvnVek3LulD9sSVtwkn76-UYMlWn2FREBtHLqa4-ANheSp7IrGeWtJY/s1246/DDBP003_098%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1246" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKMBjScyJEfSsHjIsDiv8H45ACYUTUWt7EGBUX156yUsTo127oAqsA5zZkgl0vWwgqllUksgv1I6mDXi4wJ99tvVFGZTVzGaU9_u41Vz1yyB5DHJHNvPo9v0UERRYHhge0xKDMZvnVek3LulD9sSVtwkn76-UYMlWn2FREBtHLqa4-ANheSp7IrGeWtJY/w400-h289/DDBP003_098%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But Donald ain't helping either! I believe last time I introduced my fun game where you decide how likely Donald is to join a leftist paramilitary group. The answer here seems to be, NOT VERY. He seems to view this whole thing as little more than a game. Sure, he's indignant at Scrooge, but more because he's breaking the rules than because of the basic immorality of his actions.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2CNJ7Bdz6iC-KhXBGLJfkn_cv1F9Xe4DnFKZBUjTVAqB_5fJtvrORWS8nOgXhU3SU9mcPiT0EL8Dqq0bvVHn0YT1G2Br67JAhY5VIkNhxF-u2MHTyTw_tYNoEwmfWmRR6UKMK7A5g94MmmVmj77bKo-OqBX5_z3f08Sj_UzzEZu_yyPu2fobDdykaF8L/s1255/DDBP003_098.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="1255" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2CNJ7Bdz6iC-KhXBGLJfkn_cv1F9Xe4DnFKZBUjTVAqB_5fJtvrORWS8nOgXhU3SU9mcPiT0EL8Dqq0bvVHn0YT1G2Br67JAhY5VIkNhxF-u2MHTyTw_tYNoEwmfWmRR6UKMK7A5g94MmmVmj77bKo-OqBX5_z3f08Sj_UzzEZu_yyPu2fobDdykaF8L/w400-h283/DDBP003_098.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, don't worry, because standard narrative tropes again come to our rescue. Terrific. I'm not actually sure that this one supports the idea that DELL COMICS ARE GOOD COMICS. I suppose as these things go, this isn't one of the MOST nightmarish, but...well, it is what it is. It sits there and exists. I guess that's all it was required to do, but I wish it had done more to transcend its roots.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-24158499064751482412023-07-07T13:39:00.006-04:002023-07-22T11:07:22.665-04:00"Sea Breeze Sailors"<p> Here's a "fun" fact: this story has been reprinted twice in the US, more than any of the others we're covering. Is that justified? We will see, possibly.</p><p>Before we start, take a look at this frontispiece: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NnZauBFBVi1weCOl2_ZJKxlFAPxVhHuxa25euxcxHbd67REbC43Aodbw1xmOJvLcei9mB7rqJ_dsdx6fdU7f7c7IL5uy14HD4Lh6z95R-T46ayiFpQNFk_MFU2rrKqc-KJpPD7fSR8Y_DLFKBHvRLtT13gnFFlAbuhZ9bN9Unlva0OF6IkVnGb3i0nKM/s1323/DDBP002_002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1323" data-original-width="1155" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NnZauBFBVi1weCOl2_ZJKxlFAPxVhHuxa25euxcxHbd67REbC43Aodbw1xmOJvLcei9mB7rqJ_dsdx6fdU7f7c7IL5uy14HD4Lh6z95R-T46ayiFpQNFk_MFU2rrKqc-KJpPD7fSR8Y_DLFKBHvRLtT13gnFFlAbuhZ9bN9Unlva0OF6IkVnGb3i0nKM/w349-h400/DDBP002_002.jpg" width="349" /></a></div><p>Maybe the fact that these things excite me is a sign I've been doing this too long, but I can't help it; I find this super-interesting. "A hilarious adventure with Donald and the nephews aboard Uncle Scrooge's yacht." Now, I'm positive there must be other examples, but this is the first instance I've seen--or at least that I remember--of a Western comic book providing any kind of actual editorial comment regarding the stories. Is this significant? Is the story a hilarious adventure with Donald and the nephews aboard Uncle Scrooge's yacht? Well, somebody's certainly SAYING it is! They couldn't print it if it weren't true. So, you know.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaXkX1lWTDMgYw7QdxW0IfJNx6zLWjNcO2dQToSBORZHIZvffGFIvwUz0XWema-LZQS5VGnPq3dRDj5e5gcojT3z4QjQ5A0QBE_XCCHzAbO689_XEidSSkGgkogJyVQSR5sxPlrEFpYk-GyXKt0MUos2Rx3Tg_dgJtZNAkcoqmDPvC22I_e6iUYlsmECx/s1248/DDBP002_003%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1248" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaXkX1lWTDMgYw7QdxW0IfJNx6zLWjNcO2dQToSBORZHIZvffGFIvwUz0XWema-LZQS5VGnPq3dRDj5e5gcojT3z4QjQ5A0QBE_XCCHzAbO689_XEidSSkGgkogJyVQSR5sxPlrEFpYk-GyXKt0MUos2Rx3Tg_dgJtZNAkcoqmDPvC22I_e6iUYlsmECx/w400-h285/DDBP002_003%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Heh, heh! Somehow, that feels like the absolute ideal opening panel of one of these stories. We've got your only man Dick Moores back on art duty, for what that's worth. One thing I will give him some degree of credit for: that "boom!" out in the ocean refers to a plot device that won't appear until a ways in. It shows an unusual degree of care that Moores bothered to foreshadow it like this. Also, it strongly suggests that he might have written this story himself, since then he'd be more aware of the overall plot and maybe have been more likely to do what he did (well, that was my speculation, but inducks sez Del Connell, for what it's worth). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0n1K1wLMvaCTO4GuuRTIvwgnJNtJli0OmYOxUIssTKR3ELI4TZR1baklnmwKrdoJBI8S0Z2iBypeAHD480rPEmJ0MSxD_7rr_CO3rKNexH-k6TMr4FyVPh6h-vXuF6M3IKuEbzCBLgy7fpRmMz3DptjZu3M9r7Lw3d1QDmv1weuuzv9ruuEgGsgF5LZN/s1235/DDBP002_003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1235" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0n1K1wLMvaCTO4GuuRTIvwgnJNtJli0OmYOxUIssTKR3ELI4TZR1baklnmwKrdoJBI8S0Z2iBypeAHD480rPEmJ0MSxD_7rr_CO3rKNexH-k6TMr4FyVPh6h-vXuF6M3IKuEbzCBLgy7fpRmMz3DptjZu3M9r7Lw3d1QDmv1weuuzv9ruuEgGsgF5LZN/w400-h289/DDBP002_003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Awfully damn smug, is what I call them. And jeez, you went THAT quickly from being poor to being bitterly resentful of the idea of not living in luxury? You guys would be absolutely USELESS in a class war. Actually, here's a fun game you can play at home: whenever you read a duck story, ask yourself, based on his depiction in this story, how likely from one to ten do I think Donald would be to join a revolutionary left-wing paramilitary group? I don't know how you win or what the winner gets.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfMG0rk-LvkRUkVhoY2lyNtzBKnNwVEVYNEqTUKTgUdHAy6QnrgwBxy03hxZAS7lAqYUQKcuPr-FyTbazsv0dAt_lR83rnKR39QOCkVRpECo59MwBYPQkwI7ybBAZR1QO0aItsJ8xpRVnCPkZlIKS4mKElqZFeN3mmoDJdBl00Ogall4uDLIFVFZQjA8U/s671/DDBP002_004%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="671" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfMG0rk-LvkRUkVhoY2lyNtzBKnNwVEVYNEqTUKTgUdHAy6QnrgwBxy03hxZAS7lAqYUQKcuPr-FyTbazsv0dAt_lR83rnKR39QOCkVRpECo59MwBYPQkwI7ybBAZR1QO0aItsJ8xpRVnCPkZlIKS4mKElqZFeN3mmoDJdBl00Ogall4uDLIFVFZQjA8U/w400-h260/DDBP002_004%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I just want you to picture all three of them saying that whole long thing in perfect unison. Whatever; it's a small sin. Still, it makes me laugh.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLn0KLHs4bSp9X8pOLj37SyIVI5oTQ_yWsBmTDLtSgPFg3JTokffBi6q_XYVpIUfflAovtvNqGFbLffCNRoRqs469qHsZFk2qUuVcFZZ2xlS4UOzBF7v7HpO9irsC9F3S_8bCepBnEGx5Jn18FEd0epixH_BGlFa7YVBPp-04GfuVAPEOFtS3SRjk3YyU/s1321/DDBP002_004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="1240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLn0KLHs4bSp9X8pOLj37SyIVI5oTQ_yWsBmTDLtSgPFg3JTokffBi6q_XYVpIUfflAovtvNqGFbLffCNRoRqs469qHsZFk2qUuVcFZZ2xlS4UOzBF7v7HpO9irsC9F3S_8bCepBnEGx5Jn18FEd0epixH_BGlFa7YVBPp-04GfuVAPEOFtS3SRjk3YyU/w375-h400/DDBP002_004.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><p>This isn't dishonest, is it? Well, regardless of questions of honesty, the first question to Donald about his brilliant plan is, how essential is it that you sell? Because if it's not that important, then fine, I guess. But if it IS, that "we'll stick the sign up and sell his house and yacht...it's that simple!" is doing an absolutely tremendous amount of work there. That easy, is it? And on an unrelated note, would you like to sign up for my multilevel marketing plan?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIHvBTZMZ5Imbn1V1PPF5OsUyZPclCSWfXV-ee1rs-AAy1CiniN47sMWhn57xYK5vrcMhSTJxdiz9JdXhng1k6xZlebrjZKxleR_dvYPIYEoNijw-sgjpqPaAvwP4UebjMk7iSPQDkVXQ6pu1EzopYw-abVQARHDDXSRhsdxqESvmcEMU82Dkzkt9gfEA/s1220/DDBP002_005%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="1220" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIHvBTZMZ5Imbn1V1PPF5OsUyZPclCSWfXV-ee1rs-AAy1CiniN47sMWhn57xYK5vrcMhSTJxdiz9JdXhng1k6xZlebrjZKxleR_dvYPIYEoNijw-sgjpqPaAvwP4UebjMk7iSPQDkVXQ6pu1EzopYw-abVQARHDDXSRhsdxqESvmcEMU82Dkzkt9gfEA/w400-h143/DDBP002_005%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Good news, everyone. The housing shortage has been eliminated. Nationwide, you mean? Or just in Calisota? Either way, that is pretty big news to just clumsily shove into the story for minor exposition purposes. And remember: eliminating homelessness is explicitly counter to the desires of the ruling class. Comrade Dick Moores told me so.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljkiRFiFg31j4C-XsVTIl0Sz8GIpGU_a-65nCDy07Q28-dexoFCLLBwocmbeG_f3DaQVXxImkYRU-HFHacNh1iJBw4pKVjSexmS46MAUCMyTzbqVlW54hePi9S5Or-_jkmb3okZcBGNiu6MrqmJmz22pKlN9qfV3jLJI5SsuI11OM-XWlsdawxf7riFuv/s1242/DDBP002_005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1242" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljkiRFiFg31j4C-XsVTIl0Sz8GIpGU_a-65nCDy07Q28-dexoFCLLBwocmbeG_f3DaQVXxImkYRU-HFHacNh1iJBw4pKVjSexmS46MAUCMyTzbqVlW54hePi9S5Or-_jkmb3okZcBGNiu6MrqmJmz22pKlN9qfV3jLJI5SsuI11OM-XWlsdawxf7riFuv/w400-h284/DDBP002_005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Typical stuff, but it's still kind of funny how nonsensical Scrooge's sense of money is. He must sell fast! It's an emergency! Better cut off this tiny fraction of the price (.005%, some fast math reveals) that could never have any effect on its sale! The fact that he had the phone disconnected just goes to reinforce this impression that he has the mind of a child.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlEx5FmdLZRcxwp7iMqFq5hkCosu4dEM0ow3zEnMP6TdHITPly_cv8WHBGKoviKxKLTveLwFYL2RLKa5290yyx7LvlkJ2qx0jDXdDgply4JYb4kdsOsMuX3ci4QFDtjOdo5fO3mMypOcg6Y2LX5Ct4TOHGu8Cfs1EwasY0n31rYKQJXCQ3IbR77J4lsTJ/s1230/DDBP002_006%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1230" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlEx5FmdLZRcxwp7iMqFq5hkCosu4dEM0ow3zEnMP6TdHITPly_cv8WHBGKoviKxKLTveLwFYL2RLKa5290yyx7LvlkJ2qx0jDXdDgply4JYb4kdsOsMuX3ci4QFDtjOdo5fO3mMypOcg6Y2LX5Ct4TOHGu8Cfs1EwasY0n31rYKQJXCQ3IbR77J4lsTJ/w400-h285/DDBP002_006%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yes. Okay. Very sitcommy. Even when he's not being overtly egregious about it, Scrooge's general dimwittedness here is something to see.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORNe3USuYazsaiyPNnwMfzowUkg70vqmlQ5rlz0pIzW3tdonZA2Z1uZIumjwTj58P8QhSWfNAVcIVObv-eUKITShNlpsUvDoPl3ADF9lUrmmcP_cjQAEI2eAWWlNwwZqcUcUPSpRo4Bp-8c4gVDcfWivoPBTY3LPMsy-TEaYt4NG_qIPL0QiIGe94N0my/s1769/DDBP002_007%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1769" data-original-width="1236" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORNe3USuYazsaiyPNnwMfzowUkg70vqmlQ5rlz0pIzW3tdonZA2Z1uZIumjwTj58P8QhSWfNAVcIVObv-eUKITShNlpsUvDoPl3ADF9lUrmmcP_cjQAEI2eAWWlNwwZqcUcUPSpRo4Bp-8c4gVDcfWivoPBTY3LPMsy-TEaYt4NG_qIPL0QiIGe94N0my/w280-h400/DDBP002_007%20copy.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p>Hokay. Let's just put the whole thing out there. First, I should note that that image of Scrooge in the upper left there is cheating; he was trying to spy his nephews, yes, but there was no indication that he was scowling like that. You might say, oh, that's just a projection of the ducks' guilty minds, to which I would respond, DAMN I wish I could believe the writer (CONNELL!!) could be up to something that sophisticated, but I've never seen him before, so it seems dubious. Not that authorial intent is the be all end all, but you know.</p><p>In any case, now the main plan. I know that extravagantly elaborate plots to avoid Scrooge when he's mad are standard-issue in Disney comics of all nations, but still, even by the standards of the genre, this one seems a bit much: sail this unsupplied ship thousands of miles, spend three months...beachcombing, and then...home again; bob's yer uncle. This is what I call a nutty idea.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvOuZ6snht1Mxu1OhDzdcji5pJI5uoACgVn46qAc8Fcn-Mo7F_C6i0OibQ2xFYVyGTVPv68FqQNsCnMriE8pypHvoccWYebTeVRD05N3aAp0jB0M3xH3pcqhyiHUlyZfauGToaOoAJzAvFXamX1ZsR76St_NULBDREeeBmLMrintBos4En2bgCrCjTz3d/s1235/DDBP002_008%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1235" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvOuZ6snht1Mxu1OhDzdcji5pJI5uoACgVn46qAc8Fcn-Mo7F_C6i0OibQ2xFYVyGTVPv68FqQNsCnMriE8pypHvoccWYebTeVRD05N3aAp0jB0M3xH3pcqhyiHUlyZfauGToaOoAJzAvFXamX1ZsR76St_NULBDREeeBmLMrintBos4En2bgCrCjTz3d/w400-h286/DDBP002_008%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I don't know that I'd characterize this story as "hilarious," but there is at least something modestly amusing about watching Scrooge cheerfully undermine himself like this. Fair enough.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBAv0UxxQd7TzBLwJw1B9GzK1Zh_072YaNeZFCE9wXHsjfKv1wY6-HO_FRcfz15Y4_4IEe276TUIW8qgNX3smTJ1qZO8x8TXPa_A9YoQbyga7BVW5d2tXJVwMj2F9evs6mRXjptsw7SHGBTj9fcdB2OpKsdhiqP1j-rQOLwR9bVz9mB6CGqRxptf-QXwX/s1230/DDBP002_008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="1230" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBAv0UxxQd7TzBLwJw1B9GzK1Zh_072YaNeZFCE9wXHsjfKv1wY6-HO_FRcfz15Y4_4IEe276TUIW8qgNX3smTJ1qZO8x8TXPa_A9YoQbyga7BVW5d2tXJVwMj2F9evs6mRXjptsw7SHGBTj9fcdB2OpKsdhiqP1j-rQOLwR9bVz9mB6CGqRxptf-QXwX/w400-h144/DDBP002_008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Okay, now it's Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold. Why wouldn't it be? Overall, it's fair to say that this story has a lumpen quality to it. Everybody meaning everybody is sometimes guilty of sticking in extraneous plot threads just to fill up space, but it's these early Western guys who <i>really</i> exploit the practice. I've talked plenty in the past about insane, terrible plotting in vintage Italian comics, but I feel like the mediocre Italian writers did a better job than their mediocre American counterparts. They were just maybe more extravagant about it, so it tends to stand out more.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN10uHaINUK-ajgA47uRH9DHPEuLwA7kzJ1egxcsD8VFfzdDjpQtnjbMGk5ctqBxLFQ3xBG-_oFnX909R2a6yMN157yd2i8VsJ3ljlr2Bc4LWLIfXetzu6riXS0wjKe1Aq6uKNv0OSmcxaI0Lf7aISuz1CR-PlhWOEotlk7tH4mkwiyhr6j0_fTq6y6VSD/s1316/DDBP002_009%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="1234" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN10uHaINUK-ajgA47uRH9DHPEuLwA7kzJ1egxcsD8VFfzdDjpQtnjbMGk5ctqBxLFQ3xBG-_oFnX909R2a6yMN157yd2i8VsJ3ljlr2Bc4LWLIfXetzu6riXS0wjKe1Aq6uKNv0OSmcxaI0Lf7aISuz1CR-PlhWOEotlk7tH4mkwiyhr6j0_fTq6y6VSD/w375-h400/DDBP002_009%20copy.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><p>See? Did we want this to suddenly reconfigure itself into a treasure hunt? Can't say I did. Note that this guy is not actually a Yellow Beak sort of parrot, in that he doesn't seem to actually understand English. But anyway, good news: it's off the coast of Central America! We'll find it for sure!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRYGygi88XxuqH17bPRTE-3dPfX9lz6CdfiROd0Fw2qe9QYPM3p-Es4TRDb0b4s5HQD4XU6b3Ef8OzTioiEalZu5C0Fgoj54qKEoXxCFSy9A4NI2BT0Dp6J4dl97xcTLYenZj1YN4pEm7bdCof2DPe2irnKZRBF9nukMtbQlunDmXK18iB5ph4dxK0xFy/s1238/DDBP002_010%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1238" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRYGygi88XxuqH17bPRTE-3dPfX9lz6CdfiROd0Fw2qe9QYPM3p-Es4TRDb0b4s5HQD4XU6b3Ef8OzTioiEalZu5C0Fgoj54qKEoXxCFSy9A4NI2BT0Dp6J4dl97xcTLYenZj1YN4pEm7bdCof2DPe2irnKZRBF9nukMtbQlunDmXK18iB5ph4dxK0xFy/w400-h284/DDBP002_010%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Is "blockhead" a pirate word? I don't know. But I DID learn one thing: I'd never heard "cleave 'im to the brisket" before, but apparently it's an actual pirate phrase for murdering someone by, it I understand aright (definitions on the internet aren't really clear), stabbing them vertically from top to bottom. That's pretty fun, though I think Donald is a bit naive if he thinks that unlike pirates, regular sailors maintain decorum at all times.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWLzTUHQafYqIxjPUpIGvO_edQDlYCqXydyLAzFnJ2VwTMiInbEt7dzAROYIFkOqClIqXISDx7OyXufv1RHdvaDgcp3PVUulFnB0JnKRTojLZoM64MdiSX-BTSr-hGDWYbh3_GNXVj_6DXe_GTKq9v9ve_wEu49mU_m1_0SQHTsJTjWNBCXSpb-ypoMUV/s1229/DDBP002_010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="1229" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWLzTUHQafYqIxjPUpIGvO_edQDlYCqXydyLAzFnJ2VwTMiInbEt7dzAROYIFkOqClIqXISDx7OyXufv1RHdvaDgcp3PVUulFnB0JnKRTojLZoM64MdiSX-BTSr-hGDWYbh3_GNXVj_6DXe_GTKq9v9ve_wEu49mU_m1_0SQHTsJTjWNBCXSpb-ypoMUV/w400-h144/DDBP002_010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>"Like little lambs." Bet ya didn't think Scrooge was going to turn into a Christ figure, DID ya?</p><p>But I also want to give a bit of a tip of the cap here to Moores for a fairly aesthetically pleasing night here. Well done, Moores.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dPNmMs2BkWiVDJrkmuOofQiJEWGdgjob6tTQi0caysjvZFOiD3cFLwH-8SHE18jLKM4jFTYck_mb6YIQhG9lsfhFQsydnibiwBuvQHT7D-hPxIdnaHo_S1ozPFpIOsG8DIVV9F_BDeVXoj2slhrixCkVuRd9y9Ph2-ZJfOrH5h5gUnP5bsmBxDa79OgT/s1223/DDBP002_011%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1223" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dPNmMs2BkWiVDJrkmuOofQiJEWGdgjob6tTQi0caysjvZFOiD3cFLwH-8SHE18jLKM4jFTYck_mb6YIQhG9lsfhFQsydnibiwBuvQHT7D-hPxIdnaHo_S1ozPFpIOsG8DIVV9F_BDeVXoj2slhrixCkVuRd9y9Ph2-ZJfOrH5h5gUnP5bsmBxDa79OgT/w400-h289/DDBP002_011%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>"These FEET of mine have been called shovels on occasion." Um. Wut. And why does this so delight the nephew? These occasional moments of bafflement are really one of the best thing about these stories.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkbYsdtcak7ITTGe-PRWAS3ch_cO2Lk5KPrlx9C5MgAIFBQ3V7drnkku1yBBXm9qhSw1U_Uf7C4HnwPWaS_TJytaaEiuhovyY3GwxFOACx957MA5xm7kZ0nZfUVaMoWddzaCPH4Qm2uuIPV0mRTTxC7UBhOa9sXXGScaAAkZzAeP-oa4abbY-fVSNlb3F/s1237/DDBP002_012%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1237" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkbYsdtcak7ITTGe-PRWAS3ch_cO2Lk5KPrlx9C5MgAIFBQ3V7drnkku1yBBXm9qhSw1U_Uf7C4HnwPWaS_TJytaaEiuhovyY3GwxFOACx957MA5xm7kZ0nZfUVaMoWddzaCPH4Qm2uuIPV0mRTTxC7UBhOa9sXXGScaAAkZzAeP-oa4abbY-fVSNlb3F/w400-h286/DDBP002_012%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, it turns out boar island has boars. Fair enough. Stop idly bumbling your way through life, Donald. It's maddening to look at.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywPzMnAAaqUUWcHaqE-qeT5iAt5teHTG0q8UM-zkqMh8FtBH622P0zFUOLLY90jz9ptI0jQZLZbO2th7v7vgRMtLTusuShLlxzs9vIy9XDqYjG3tkvmn5QEKgLlOFd3IWlaO_5hZMzUmcIzD33dI2i97P4coO3mO1VhLI-oRXWJUJ9uRMVvUjdsY89hzv/s1223/DDBP002_013%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1223" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywPzMnAAaqUUWcHaqE-qeT5iAt5teHTG0q8UM-zkqMh8FtBH622P0zFUOLLY90jz9ptI0jQZLZbO2th7v7vgRMtLTusuShLlxzs9vIy9XDqYjG3tkvmn5QEKgLlOFd3IWlaO_5hZMzUmcIzD33dI2i97P4coO3mO1VhLI-oRXWJUJ9uRMVvUjdsY89hzv/w400-h290/DDBP002_013%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Okay. The internet is oddly cagey on this question, but I'm <i>sure</i> boars can bite as well as gore you. Yeah? And in any case, do we really think being rammed into (and subsequently trampled, you've gotta think) by a large, angry animal is fine just because it can't also stab us? Donald's smugness in that last panel is really a bit much. It's not fair to be so damn self-impressed just because your world operates according to weird, opaque principles.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UYrkWNdbRlI8HNAgA2miBBi-jARU1gSYnTbA-5hETXJ27EsjmvWBL_3VNntC2umdP8NTJiUcuQcZCGARIHradPha7PqVgGhdjhvL8QPXFhYcdFvQ4ZD3DVTkjQ6I9cklIvkYEzZELSmdv2z1fi0FLa-arw7jvPXyVb2hSDXbZjpeCl0zZuCKb_eP-Ib8/s1250/DDBP002_014%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="1250" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UYrkWNdbRlI8HNAgA2miBBi-jARU1gSYnTbA-5hETXJ27EsjmvWBL_3VNntC2umdP8NTJiUcuQcZCGARIHradPha7PqVgGhdjhvL8QPXFhYcdFvQ4ZD3DVTkjQ6I9cklIvkYEzZELSmdv2z1fi0FLa-arw7jvPXyVb2hSDXbZjpeCl0zZuCKb_eP-Ib8/w400-h130/DDBP002_014%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Just want to note <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvWUHxZ99Jk">the reference</a>. Was this song for some reason well-known in other people's childhoods, or is it something unusual to me? I mean, there's no particular reason anyone should know it. It's not particularly memorable or...good. But either way, there it is.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGOWeeSRz59zUmDXP4gcEVy9JJB5s6Xl3YecXxnc8kIGw9ez5UPI03GWg_MEYNL90HO6B_zvNS9osV9DtfN5LEWmlFWoAik_ijEyCElq6-sg0yaEyc3LkGhNVtzWJJR1qzHxxHesdzSayiE2shZlGRgn07_W7yUpSe9UWyWFpraQ7UFXjkCpnSiHaIJv3/s1268/DDBP002_014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1268" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGOWeeSRz59zUmDXP4gcEVy9JJB5s6Xl3YecXxnc8kIGw9ez5UPI03GWg_MEYNL90HO6B_zvNS9osV9DtfN5LEWmlFWoAik_ijEyCElq6-sg0yaEyc3LkGhNVtzWJJR1qzHxxHesdzSayiE2shZlGRgn07_W7yUpSe9UWyWFpraQ7UFXjkCpnSiHaIJv3/w400-h274/DDBP002_014.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The idea that a rich guy would be able to summon the armed forces at a whim is terrifying yet plausible. But really, I just want to note the phone disconnection. I wish the story did more with this, because it really does get funnier every time it comes up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeelkiLqgMT5iNG-pV8QZBoIVGAF-GXjF9wZ3pbhRbMl4T0ojDU6F3l3lvm-24P9QfnKijoWc1BVNHIpaeDDJVXZEFjv6x47xp1AW9SZArY4lgMTZOepXGy1wv2_AN0ybp0WJwmtJ1gXbQC_u2pb8MslfkgpvDvnjwU2q5vDFWcsyM14ac5OxQRA_MLm8S/s1227/DDBP002_015%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="1227" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeelkiLqgMT5iNG-pV8QZBoIVGAF-GXjF9wZ3pbhRbMl4T0ojDU6F3l3lvm-24P9QfnKijoWc1BVNHIpaeDDJVXZEFjv6x47xp1AW9SZArY4lgMTZOepXGy1wv2_AN0ybp0WJwmtJ1gXbQC_u2pb8MslfkgpvDvnjwU2q5vDFWcsyM14ac5OxQRA_MLm8S/w400-h149/DDBP002_015%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Fortunately! Why are you cool with this car phone if not with a regular landline? Are we supposed to think it's cheaper? The opposite seems almost certain.</p><p>Car phones are an interesting thing. At one time, they were used as shorthand for luxury, but it just turned out to be an evolutionary cul de sac. They <i>could</i> have developed further and become ever-more sophisticated, but at a certain point we realized, hey, this idea that phones have to somehow be tied down to something is limiting our thinking. It makes way more sense to just have one you can take with you. Where are the carphones of yesteryear? They are vanished like the snow.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gQQynz9nm80L8p7mmR0IcKoedfm7BPbt8qXpjqW7E762CCTYGWjYu3MGKwxiKjrm_yuHH8tLt2Z6T-SS74jBSvKzMnHLFQAdtjuRSFwVWaF6W9OezuQj0w2_9IzmFZt_BNnK9tsJWxsKfVVSKgIz2lUDgwHnJlPc-A5RJ4FhS4p7_dIS-mbeaWbmLljB/s1236/DDBP002_016%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1236" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gQQynz9nm80L8p7mmR0IcKoedfm7BPbt8qXpjqW7E762CCTYGWjYu3MGKwxiKjrm_yuHH8tLt2Z6T-SS74jBSvKzMnHLFQAdtjuRSFwVWaF6W9OezuQj0w2_9IzmFZt_BNnK9tsJWxsKfVVSKgIz2lUDgwHnJlPc-A5RJ4FhS4p7_dIS-mbeaWbmLljB/w400-h284/DDBP002_016%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Man, there's not even any actual treasure, for whatever meager pleasure that would've given us. Probably it would've been more than the ducks' kabuki-like crying there, but I don't know, maybe not. That gets at least a few points for dopiness.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51xLXg8s9o2RsSOddH7FgyqAtODtyke6FER0iH7NY0qSIrzdVroYg0-ziptaub5-zL7cYMYK2BlEZZiVq5Xk5fhSPZ9LmJBs3H44gbnduGCgZOqzPvfT286lrn7GCh_0dsjzCah3V543r5pGjICQBDcola5SubnuEPNnbAaxD7xj9eaQX1fzHXX4Hscsc/s1322/DDBP002_017%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1322" data-original-width="1216" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51xLXg8s9o2RsSOddH7FgyqAtODtyke6FER0iH7NY0qSIrzdVroYg0-ziptaub5-zL7cYMYK2BlEZZiVq5Xk5fhSPZ9LmJBs3H44gbnduGCgZOqzPvfT286lrn7GCh_0dsjzCah3V543r5pGjICQBDcola5SubnuEPNnbAaxD7xj9eaQX1fzHXX4Hscsc/w368-h400/DDBP002_017%20copy.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><p>JEEZ, don't you guys have a Cold War to attend to? Is this a good use of resources?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdUCg4G18nGlZJbwe44TnS1Vuj8bkYZ92-bNjgu9_IGEg-3fc8J1RGbLM_MfW4NFx5gtsrAb0qgjVQzr8x5AGIE8mFHAGLMlC7xnJo4_SlQV-X96Cs_wUDhvWlldFrbfWNFsm9Z9eVqLH3C0zEmYvyLqY56P1z__2m56R0MLe5KfGG3hH5i26UN7xr94Q/s1329/DDBP002_018%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="1230" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdUCg4G18nGlZJbwe44TnS1Vuj8bkYZ92-bNjgu9_IGEg-3fc8J1RGbLM_MfW4NFx5gtsrAb0qgjVQzr8x5AGIE8mFHAGLMlC7xnJo4_SlQV-X96Cs_wUDhvWlldFrbfWNFsm9Z9eVqLH3C0zEmYvyLqY56P1z__2m56R0MLe5KfGG3hH5i26UN7xr94Q/w370-h400/DDBP002_018%20copy.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><p>Jokes about Scrooge being a lousy tipper are the regular thing, but somehow, they don't get much more lazy than this. You expect some kind of small reveal or twist, and it turns out that he's just...giving the kid a small tip. I ask you! In all honesty, can you truly tell me that this is worthy of a roflcopter? Because I do not find that to be the case.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOqjDz_72uVCkZUJnSZszG5yYrqjlobxvqtF4cD0YeI6Fb2MnUo-8mgYU77CaU48qldyEns_7h-zYHHD4OCqtvjEFgfVwbWkTqiL750huvP_PQYQTYcbQM07KLV-gv2nfP9TBCUF7cyk4oPdMLbTbEx3z-fQ-KoKqMyIaLAphml3pkxTi9VcYzMCp5RB94/s1223/DDBP002_020%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1223" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOqjDz_72uVCkZUJnSZszG5yYrqjlobxvqtF4cD0YeI6Fb2MnUo-8mgYU77CaU48qldyEns_7h-zYHHD4OCqtvjEFgfVwbWkTqiL750huvP_PQYQTYcbQM07KLV-gv2nfP9TBCUF7cyk4oPdMLbTbEx3z-fQ-KoKqMyIaLAphml3pkxTi9VcYzMCp5RB94/w400-h290/DDBP002_020%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This whole song and dance. If you've read one or more stories of this type, you'll be able to guess very exactly what's coming up next. If not, it seems unlikely you'd be on this blog. Still, I like the implications of "you go first, Unca Donald--you're bigger." So Scrooge is just going to try to beat the hell out of whomever he sees first? Come to think of it, that's interesting: stories ending with Scrooge chasing Donald with a cane are normal, and there are ones that end with Donald chasing HDL (like that Barks New Years resolutions story). But Scrooge attacking the nephews? I don't think that ever happens. Does it?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDl02DVV0UaHqmFpBmP2mdks9Yh2azWyQKFRl9npa3twWs0lbT4hxqXJreWERphKAiSa8Nno327LMy3953pGSXEfJckqYvzNK863iKG8ASGNGzIW4h8kDdHbR8PDIDC39vdeI-vuUPHvQUCsNKi16wrLWZPLR95Edf9ZDVU7vyg5qGT9ftz961DSCaRKMb/s1235/DDBP002_020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="1235" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDl02DVV0UaHqmFpBmP2mdks9Yh2azWyQKFRl9npa3twWs0lbT4hxqXJreWERphKAiSa8Nno327LMy3953pGSXEfJckqYvzNK863iKG8ASGNGzIW4h8kDdHbR8PDIDC39vdeI-vuUPHvQUCsNKi16wrLWZPLR95Edf9ZDVU7vyg5qGT9ftz961DSCaRKMb/w400-h284/DDBP002_020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Be that as it may. You knew this was coming, didn't you? You knew that it would turn out that Scrooge got news that made him not want to sell, and you almost certainly even guessed that it involved striking oil (spoiler, I guess, but not really). That's JUST HOW IT GOES. Somehow I find myself slightly irritated at the story for dragging its super-obvious reveal out like this. I mean, okay, maybe it's all that it CAN do, but I still feel a little patronized.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRr6LLTNGod5mD_FFj0i24wgYaJ5ZGxnymXzI-_SRuJSY0Rpxuldp4t7ilrR_RGyuGpjYdpklB2pcW6z51LqizzaddZFgQdqis0k5Wx-reqSDijd40nv9zycSFJZviBnvnSe-u51ifSoZg8e2zmRKP55qbaWjXg8vdIioaS2XCqdExRZj0qBmemOs8VWi/s1763/DDBP002_021%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1763" data-original-width="1213" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRr6LLTNGod5mD_FFj0i24wgYaJ5ZGxnymXzI-_SRuJSY0Rpxuldp4t7ilrR_RGyuGpjYdpklB2pcW6z51LqizzaddZFgQdqis0k5Wx-reqSDijd40nv9zycSFJZviBnvnSe-u51ifSoZg8e2zmRKP55qbaWjXg8vdIioaS2XCqdExRZj0qBmemOs8VWi/w275-h400/DDBP002_021%20copy.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p>Yes, okay. Behold the denouement in all its glory. But I read something like this and wonder, what sort of moral universe is this? What message is it trying to impart? Is this just Dante-type comedy, in the sense that in spite of shit being fucked, we get the happy ending that we don't deserve? 'Cause what it SEEMS more like is the ducks idiotically dicking around and then getting bailed out by the random happenstance of an arbitrary universe. Or...are those actually the same thing? Deep, man.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-J1fCdeONArxkFxtmkE1MDHR9n0v-Vr3A3xqiNN4AZ4uXs-gQZ1www0upXitjI5aPyd_EIH1e8kbtcULMVZRKCitaCWE3mKx8q9w6ITricO-8AY1P3XBmvpQkQKS0WoeAxujNhCUeYDtPaX9EHlNyAj_SsGuRxloz6M-5XAYpyk4cUmQUYszb41sTqU-/s1221/DDBP002_022%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="1221" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-J1fCdeONArxkFxtmkE1MDHR9n0v-Vr3A3xqiNN4AZ4uXs-gQZ1www0upXitjI5aPyd_EIH1e8kbtcULMVZRKCitaCWE3mKx8q9w6ITricO-8AY1P3XBmvpQkQKS0WoeAxujNhCUeYDtPaX9EHlNyAj_SsGuRxloz6M-5XAYpyk4cUmQUYszb41sTqU-/w400-h294/DDBP002_022%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Um, yes, so on that note, happy Christmas in July! Heh, heh!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7u-05e14VoY5pUnyNBdviIlVhc4wD9uj-DGhKtwSc5wJqIg_5wUUL9f2x3aqTSFVYP1ttoDGP_95vmWf5b2WNe9YOlabcToTjm67VDwXx_g_-ZsImL3YwZAC8lf72UKADFRpMcPQV0AB5PZJgewaausDIrlQ9_Fn0GrgFb_B50BMN5scOsUIbIQSKdlY/s1779/DDBP002_023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1779" data-original-width="1211" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7u-05e14VoY5pUnyNBdviIlVhc4wD9uj-DGhKtwSc5wJqIg_5wUUL9f2x3aqTSFVYP1ttoDGP_95vmWf5b2WNe9YOlabcToTjm67VDwXx_g_-ZsImL3YwZAC8lf72UKADFRpMcPQV0AB5PZJgewaausDIrlQ9_Fn0GrgFb_B50BMN5scOsUIbIQSKdlY/w273-h400/DDBP002_023.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><p>Oh, right. The "frame narrative," if we want to honor it with that name. Do I need to cover them? They're basically the same every issue.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xjr2W9PCQyA5SmmTI51e-8QqwmU49lHt1cVuTI2dl8l6_lEheuMWOx_w88j4TDKsHNePnFJmZ8KNeu4E4UdfbpAfroO9h0hkKCsX0bltcnQc5hJbFedYtH06Z1saHwkWtbw5LUkfvA9MmAPhL1QmRwpdQ2eq-sYwBYV1dcvQggtWe7FEB-2kASl4eyi1/s1772/DDBP002_034%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1772" data-original-width="1232" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xjr2W9PCQyA5SmmTI51e-8QqwmU49lHt1cVuTI2dl8l6_lEheuMWOx_w88j4TDKsHNePnFJmZ8KNeu4E4UdfbpAfroO9h0hkKCsX0bltcnQc5hJbFedYtH06Z1saHwkWtbw5LUkfvA9MmAPhL1QmRwpdQ2eq-sYwBYV1dcvQggtWe7FEB-2kASl4eyi1/w278-h400/DDBP002_034%20copy.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><p>I also appreciate them every time, though! And I like that they found a treasure chest filled with the latest Dell Comics. That's fun.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-43148483970812234902023-07-02T09:21:00.004-04:002023-07-02T09:21:29.943-04:00"Beach Party"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbvvZVxDxQUOr9Mz-B1TCsIP2p4_HMs9b-csF_-_DSaQRzXfcuGhtoB9TbqsFC-oz8TqG2RjrG-RuSe5zgbslsSuHe6s9Kbrcr2NHTxQ5qN5RD9_3-M8-2Mj7Qpo8Nk3C4WgJ2eREDjYKHK8urutxdET679aYC1gOh529oGzh0zMlhub2em7xcBBqmeiu/s1321/DDBP001_003%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="1238" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbvvZVxDxQUOr9Mz-B1TCsIP2p4_HMs9b-csF_-_DSaQRzXfcuGhtoB9TbqsFC-oz8TqG2RjrG-RuSe5zgbslsSuHe6s9Kbrcr2NHTxQ5qN5RD9_3-M8-2Mj7Qpo8Nk3C4WgJ2eREDjYKHK8urutxdET679aYC1gOh529oGzh0zMlhub2em7xcBBqmeiu/s320/DDBP001_003%20copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Our first story, from the first Beach Party in 1954, is the only one that I actually read as a child: it was the only Disney Giant that was part of my dad's old collection. Go figure. You know, I criticize these things a lot, but they were clearly doing something right. I'm sure I've noted on multiple occasions that even though the stories in Duck Albums are rarely any great shakes, the concept, really, really resonated with me. Same thing here: I just loved the idea of a "beach party," which is what all of these stories, in theory, start with, though predictably, they all kind of veer violently away from that initial conceit. Still! Look at that! It promises Fun in the Sun! Note that although this one doesn't have a title, the others in the series do, so it's okay to just call this "Beach Party."</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQm-BU1b_Kad9uW9r9dmuYAXF0aBuR6UmJ00l9-r5EnRHjS4wlT6CDiPPhG9rtDQi2hdDlc_JAPpENt9bXA2IPWkEy71eSmrj_5VPahgfdJKu_6fEu3PaUc01b96ZSv31QYP8eAiQI5_acLHwUQRX6HlpHSoJCckDXJW6GxiNE970QpkLF48Nnla5u_c59/s1216/DDBP001_003a%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="1216" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQm-BU1b_Kad9uW9r9dmuYAXF0aBuR6UmJ00l9-r5EnRHjS4wlT6CDiPPhG9rtDQi2hdDlc_JAPpENt9bXA2IPWkEy71eSmrj_5VPahgfdJKu_6fEu3PaUc01b96ZSv31QYP8eAiQI5_acLHwUQRX6HlpHSoJCckDXJW6GxiNE970QpkLF48Nnla5u_c59/w400-h148/DDBP001_003a%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Seriously, isn't that nice? Don't you want to be there?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QGb2ePuowpD-P5k6OQQz8i1MfX_rPcGht5ng7xlpjVYOgxwTSEn6FDc22UBwu9wqNiTZkDERiM5lYacYfJSinYdzS8v9BHd2toXuTuV7Rmmea3SdcQX6FeR8BlKwae5c_nOyAmFuCjiPBvhqMWwFBHdJxRZegEZ-XbQlCxF9_WguusxU68aJQUuuwXcc/s1224/DDBP001_004%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="1224" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QGb2ePuowpD-P5k6OQQz8i1MfX_rPcGht5ng7xlpjVYOgxwTSEn6FDc22UBwu9wqNiTZkDERiM5lYacYfJSinYdzS8v9BHd2toXuTuV7Rmmea3SdcQX6FeR8BlKwae5c_nOyAmFuCjiPBvhqMWwFBHdJxRZegEZ-XbQlCxF9_WguusxU68aJQUuuwXcc/w400-h286/DDBP001_004%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>"Darned plot device! Let's throw it up onto the beach for no particular reason! Grrr!" Yes, well, there was never any chance this was ever going to just be a plotless slice-of-life, alas.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnpCFlJRZ5C6OPvKZjylni1gMmBI3GxlIWA3_03R1sNpP8Qk7HJquAjNPs_RLZp-E6LNeTLzlOv37PRJ8Qv-VaWgE42RUAyOe9N8PKFvdhNrJXVevfEeDQB1fI85_gZ8epkGMP0z1GH1_eht02ndgBIZgN2hQ0QunjbjqU28qG520ii2sM6GfQYd9_bvL/s1231/DDBP001_005%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1231" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnpCFlJRZ5C6OPvKZjylni1gMmBI3GxlIWA3_03R1sNpP8Qk7HJquAjNPs_RLZp-E6LNeTLzlOv37PRJ8Qv-VaWgE42RUAyOe9N8PKFvdhNrJXVevfEeDQB1fI85_gZ8epkGMP0z1GH1_eht02ndgBIZgN2hQ0QunjbjqU28qG520ii2sM6GfQYd9_bvL/s320/DDBP001_005%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>What?!? Who'da thunk THIS guy would show up?!? Do you think kids were reading with bated breath muttering "please let Scrooge appear please let Scrooge appear?" Not that it would have any appreciable impact on story quality, but sometimes I think it would've been interesting if these random writers didn't rely on bringing Scrooge into their stories all the time. Force them to get a little more creative. Maybe? Maybe.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEkTDIkW-PSjQP1-xsp7MMMdsC6VC5rrj9UHhvaEl3e6x6Iwypoby9Q6f6uLWdB9VuAjvv2OVx61TuCyM1CcVXg9SPyDfUgxetLeukC-Luv2nl5aQGUBMshYPGKzddlkNDQKjKWNUFDZOr8ggFHMEgOv-utimQYU7nXqDYwfiM-yMy5iNdK1m9-Y1uCC_/s1213/DDBP001_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1213" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEkTDIkW-PSjQP1-xsp7MMMdsC6VC5rrj9UHhvaEl3e6x6Iwypoby9Q6f6uLWdB9VuAjvv2OVx61TuCyM1CcVXg9SPyDfUgxetLeukC-Luv2nl5aQGUBMshYPGKzddlkNDQKjKWNUFDZOr8ggFHMEgOv-utimQYU7nXqDYwfiM-yMy5iNdK1m9-Y1uCC_/w400-h288/DDBP001_005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Still! Look, these stories are rarely if ever going to boggle your mind, but you do occasionally have to give them credit for a flash of unexpected quality, and that's what we see here with Scrooge distractedly eating his nephews' food a la "Christmas for Shacktown" and other Barks stories. Good job, anonymous writer. Well captured.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv13SiHyEN2h3qj-3qZmwfCH-gXmmJs6gb9vKW9P9WWSXXMPX8N3eAv6_CnWqMrNqt65PkY-99hwG2z-YCIkVCU5gEPOIq6BrfyWzTQvaCjcb0IjIig1O3PLsoGDmmD06QPnULWfxu0k7XKf4B1Yl-kIdrR1hMMpBtGa8HKNxGMbvRSbPJErynFdkg1tKw/s1235/DDBP001_006%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="1235" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv13SiHyEN2h3qj-3qZmwfCH-gXmmJs6gb9vKW9P9WWSXXMPX8N3eAv6_CnWqMrNqt65PkY-99hwG2z-YCIkVCU5gEPOIq6BrfyWzTQvaCjcb0IjIig1O3PLsoGDmmD06QPnULWfxu0k7XKf4B1Yl-kIdrR1hMMpBtGa8HKNxGMbvRSbPJErynFdkg1tKw/w400-h144/DDBP001_006%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Scrooge, at least, knows a plot device when he sees one. I feel like they're comparatively underused, but messages in bottles definitely seem like one of the more egregiously convenient plot devices. Possibly because the sheer implausibility of finding one is always really in your face.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PrysmQXoCxIsx0giPH98mCYm2QLgcHqBKMcCR-J17RyB0yOOVyVKRKY0vyvscCOc3dCi82oDMrnwnl9AoSltwopbF-OJxFDcJKeUBI_SCoIWYojnesMC4YDBGGFaW4S5g7XGs_XvTVIPUyz7pJAT0axWJJ-gkkBYuDJmEsNlPWqjvRSbOTKEkgMI8jsv/s1213/DDBP001_007%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1213" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PrysmQXoCxIsx0giPH98mCYm2QLgcHqBKMcCR-J17RyB0yOOVyVKRKY0vyvscCOc3dCi82oDMrnwnl9AoSltwopbF-OJxFDcJKeUBI_SCoIWYojnesMC4YDBGGFaW4S5g7XGs_XvTVIPUyz7pJAT0axWJJ-gkkBYuDJmEsNlPWqjvRSbOTKEkgMI8jsv/w400-h288/DDBP001_007%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...I'm not sure if anyone here has a clear sense of how far twenty miles is. Also, naming his ship after himself? I don't want to read too much into these things, but I do think this is an indication of the general lack of thought that our writer put into this story. So it goes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNZYsaiXp-cnulxR3tTcXqOisOpF2t4SDddHsLjVjaUDqX5R021Cpbfj8GIKbRzYkP_fho8InCFD5QBLy6R2yXu4cnYS37jYDh3xxX4R_dgQcsJzm4k6w2jLF2VC178YtlC423QxJb_KGC0oE9Zl9AXpsSc4aGQDanQm9JOMKtyiF9BGW6-G4TZaHOfBf/s1229/DDBP001_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="1229" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNZYsaiXp-cnulxR3tTcXqOisOpF2t4SDddHsLjVjaUDqX5R021Cpbfj8GIKbRzYkP_fho8InCFD5QBLy6R2yXu4cnYS37jYDh3xxX4R_dgQcsJzm4k6w2jLF2VC178YtlC423QxJb_KGC0oE9Zl9AXpsSc4aGQDanQm9JOMKtyiF9BGW6-G4TZaHOfBf/w400-h141/DDBP001_007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Incipient cannibalism? Probably. Can you imagine them eating ALL of those goddamn cocoanuts? The mind reels. How did they open the shells? *mutter*</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCkMpG-r0jNu9hNIFq59H6Myk7DMv6_nidpRNAy91lh7EArBLRetbIvXEezXpV6f7AHD-hqsrHFMFks1ujD2F__zzMix0GN_5dOOaapqulf5ZduZHeDk_9X_wGvOkfiBNSd2h2_4kvDsl--Ogh3M62VmfSDRIxzqb94PzaaN8YTpQSWbU92X5rLJweZqd/s1226/DDBP001_008%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1226" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCkMpG-r0jNu9hNIFq59H6Myk7DMv6_nidpRNAy91lh7EArBLRetbIvXEezXpV6f7AHD-hqsrHFMFks1ujD2F__zzMix0GN_5dOOaapqulf5ZduZHeDk_9X_wGvOkfiBNSd2h2_4kvDsl--Ogh3M62VmfSDRIxzqb94PzaaN8YTpQSWbU92X5rLJweZqd/w400-h283/DDBP001_008%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The notable thing here is that at first, Pete doesn't seem to have any particular villainous intent. He's just trawlin' about, doin' his thing. What's he doing here? Was he going to just pick these guys up out of the goodness of his heart? Somehow, this world feels very small.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_HugDasNdMt3ziCiMBgCCK1ed6Xv5bIi6z8Vx8nqC2OgAKXHssjuqDJAJkit6HiwNB_MImG84n6_ELXM9_mgHc6xXq6f0z2WwBxDN5DwNSc2etAwxdgRhFOOI6jAbMtiRqfrvC1MPM_c9Vpz0zyYclFygSDr9Cjr_jjFKFxOFyDnpiHhx4OZzinb1sgL/s1220/DDBP001_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="1220" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_HugDasNdMt3ziCiMBgCCK1ed6Xv5bIi6z8Vx8nqC2OgAKXHssjuqDJAJkit6HiwNB_MImG84n6_ELXM9_mgHc6xXq6f0z2WwBxDN5DwNSc2etAwxdgRhFOOI6jAbMtiRqfrvC1MPM_c9Vpz0zyYclFygSDr9Cjr_jjFKFxOFyDnpiHhx4OZzinb1sgL/w400-h288/DDBP001_008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>A MILLION BUCKS IN G-GOLD BULLION?!? This story contains A LOT of images of people pointing huge foreboding guns at each other. Not that you'd probably want to, but you'd have a helluva lot of trouble getting this one reprinted if you did.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvTfYYdGPlbLVLj8PdigYKPN24UoXeOvxnRwlKChGy_-eYIcTiWZYfGzjrGyCM_707AYUiVSMZhK3b2kW_H77BFuDVwyuT0YrtgVDLHx0HvIb8mJX6qQaxkrWQkH1r5NkMCPfSwXoNkqbJmpL0ByIxzEPfPFbIBBVaMZtDwcBLbLxK_I4PTAINj5-i9zo/s1233/DDBP001_010%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="1233" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvTfYYdGPlbLVLj8PdigYKPN24UoXeOvxnRwlKChGy_-eYIcTiWZYfGzjrGyCM_707AYUiVSMZhK3b2kW_H77BFuDVwyuT0YrtgVDLHx0HvIb8mJX6qQaxkrWQkH1r5NkMCPfSwXoNkqbJmpL0ByIxzEPfPFbIBBVaMZtDwcBLbLxK_I4PTAINj5-i9zo/w400-h285/DDBP001_010%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Foggy Fox, whom we knew. The <a href="https://inducks.org/story.php?c=W+DDBP++1-02">inducks entry</a> doesn't even bother to index this guy. What an indignity. This character HAS to have a more common name he goes by, doesn't he? If you do want to create a one-shot character for these purposes, PLEASE give him a better name than "Foggy Fox." I mean, come ON, give him a name that refers in some way to his vulpinity or to his villainous role. "Foggy" makes it super-obvious that you just groped around until you found a word that would alliterate.</p><p>(Also, how do you like "vulpinity?" Pretty sweet word, eh?) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFn7eBYg6sv0sEl2kraBuWF4VRAkTdpE3xOhl21GD_JGTSS5wrCV3ru4rWsUw2UH4_RwRfc9F9d8hFCJZehgPYkfNCWWGfXWt-IE6kT0SWwJcjqPv_0nysEidvsGs44dfX65UOzf1USGfB-LdoyWJVA_49GCm4ChxXQwigLUkDQ68fbGQBbK2Pz8xSzmH/s1246/DDBP001_010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1246" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFn7eBYg6sv0sEl2kraBuWF4VRAkTdpE3xOhl21GD_JGTSS5wrCV3ru4rWsUw2UH4_RwRfc9F9d8hFCJZehgPYkfNCWWGfXWt-IE6kT0SWwJcjqPv_0nysEidvsGs44dfX65UOzf1USGfB-LdoyWJVA_49GCm4ChxXQwigLUkDQ68fbGQBbK2Pz8xSzmH/w400-h284/DDBP001_010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Smack over a million bucks, see? Waah! Somehow I'm imaging Scrooge sounding like Edward G. Robinson there. "Whale gun!" Remember <a href="http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-flat-footed-floogle.html">when</a> I was commenting on some of these writers not seeming to know the names of common things? Well, here you are.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTydZDFoZcp-Ton9HCTZazZfkXVzcMcFzzIk8Q70GnAPMaayE8bWEi1rRQcw69WUOMyuvohE3kuwMpacdMqm2ymtq9P3MkhOptOrQM0MeCDVWwqKloqDFqsbtIMs89afWnp87Y-jM2buG-bg5FDdJ_h1-KlshBws8mokdyJe4AdxDRkFgztrW3RC1QZmk/s1207/DDBP001_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1207" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTydZDFoZcp-Ton9HCTZazZfkXVzcMcFzzIk8Q70GnAPMaayE8bWEi1rRQcw69WUOMyuvohE3kuwMpacdMqm2ymtq9P3MkhOptOrQM0MeCDVWwqKloqDFqsbtIMs89afWnp87Y-jM2buG-bg5FDdJ_h1-KlshBws8mokdyJe4AdxDRkFgztrW3RC1QZmk/w400-h304/DDBP001_011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>JEEZ, just shoving guns in people's mouths like it's nothing. I have to say, I'm not saying artists shouldn't have been allowed to draw guns, but I also think they sometimes did so in rather poor taste.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5N9-gD3ptLq1u9RS7xogVvvO8KuABEkYKmhi3VPQyXGCSLaWfKjgQ_eaLquk0qH3ka84JhY25ccrSTJRlDS5q0N72qv6gHwc4KtGnkwHSkuhe3v4nVf5XPfDYleeqeTBsnDzAqUNKYaEzWKMRRfcXuXUgiT3K_R9HNvigzNmPa5Gycux-71TgSF3kVcg/s1215/DDBP001_012%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1215" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5N9-gD3ptLq1u9RS7xogVvvO8KuABEkYKmhi3VPQyXGCSLaWfKjgQ_eaLquk0qH3ka84JhY25ccrSTJRlDS5q0N72qv6gHwc4KtGnkwHSkuhe3v4nVf5XPfDYleeqeTBsnDzAqUNKYaEzWKMRRfcXuXUgiT3K_R9HNvigzNmPa5Gycux-71TgSF3kVcg/w400-h290/DDBP001_012%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This is like in "The Menehune Mystery" when it seems like the ducks have escaped but no, whoops, forget it. That story is a lot better than this, in spite of being one of Barks' weaker efforts. Dig the lovingly-rendered revolver, though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVhnYj-mif7kLVVM3KsW2ohzC6bG76uT3kN-KEHusiGmcQLg1CE7N0yU17U_mj1tn7FjF-bHD861ZhLPrK4OBIBc7cT2bx-5jTSpnuRSvjy7cIYp6YPhlsAp0sa5Fyf40Sd6LLS0o8QN0lTS9vFE6QG6qWQEsj22jneGdEs7Dj4ATiPmYNHpUQqHgsW63/s1198/DDBP001_013%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1198" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVhnYj-mif7kLVVM3KsW2ohzC6bG76uT3kN-KEHusiGmcQLg1CE7N0yU17U_mj1tn7FjF-bHD861ZhLPrK4OBIBc7cT2bx-5jTSpnuRSvjy7cIYp6YPhlsAp0sa5Fyf40Sd6LLS0o8QN0lTS9vFE6QG6qWQEsj22jneGdEs7Dj4ATiPmYNHpUQqHgsW63/w400-h313/DDBP001_013%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I do like that Donald more or less saves the day, although I might like it more in, I don't know, a story that felt like it had stakes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBHSRSf7UpvZtr9y98JjRUGYQ0ml1caqoI43H7FOsw8R6rMpGscdRxsPWSg47ZejTLJh3dAZtElfg9gCZwwchVqVMrVn7DIxiLsd_eD6MBFKSZuygwaT-SewA8LbMtPHbyJBZ5ll7KO0WH4dntITqoW2AwOmh009PvbdPNXbhJ4TIvGfOfKCMGJcGHC8H/s1231/DDBP001_014%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1231" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBHSRSf7UpvZtr9y98JjRUGYQ0ml1caqoI43H7FOsw8R6rMpGscdRxsPWSg47ZejTLJh3dAZtElfg9gCZwwchVqVMrVn7DIxiLsd_eD6MBFKSZuygwaT-SewA8LbMtPHbyJBZ5ll7KO0WH4dntITqoW2AwOmh009PvbdPNXbhJ4TIvGfOfKCMGJcGHC8H/w400-h286/DDBP001_014%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>"Let's get their guns!" Really, now. Priorities. Belaying pins--I wouldn't know THEY existed if not for duck comics. They're used for holding down masts, but really, they seem to be exclusively used for whomping people.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aBg0HLzxyST5tZ6K_6ZVBzYXabz-84L4gY8DD9BrqowOsyaOFfrEvLQj8cZlLYyPrcWBUzdPMphR0EwJWtz3yaFLZXy2EdfvYGsHrrWNGgo03qZ6vGUb82j4JPAmejTmbj4JmZECQ1ZOm8SEADHTBymOFa-EsoZmpIlxXVw-1otfGL9M7_vcn6Drcft_/s1221/DDBP001_015%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="1221" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aBg0HLzxyST5tZ6K_6ZVBzYXabz-84L4gY8DD9BrqowOsyaOFfrEvLQj8cZlLYyPrcWBUzdPMphR0EwJWtz3yaFLZXy2EdfvYGsHrrWNGgo03qZ6vGUb82j4JPAmejTmbj4JmZECQ1ZOm8SEADHTBymOFa-EsoZmpIlxXVw-1otfGL9M7_vcn6Drcft_/w400-h146/DDBP001_015%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I know I'm harping on this gun thing, but seriously, that image of Scrooge and nephew grinning while pointing these huge weapons at their antagonists just feels fundamentally <i>wrong.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lG2XUAU0vSQGvMicppeIhaX0JgbXM9pfxhVcpOl0TE7bgGpybyVmYE4-x3QcKfHsIuJQ7ta8lV4XKruHJYjqKmbGljeMyuHtfhVLUq6EXkrNXpq8IvgnEuM9SUhw1ev18oR_EUkTFlGzXFmI9qkA7i8FZi3yPCIjiBZA1vdJuY1pEjD-km7FqXfDdl_X/s1228/DDBP001_015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="1228" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lG2XUAU0vSQGvMicppeIhaX0JgbXM9pfxhVcpOl0TE7bgGpybyVmYE4-x3QcKfHsIuJQ7ta8lV4XKruHJYjqKmbGljeMyuHtfhVLUq6EXkrNXpq8IvgnEuM9SUhw1ev18oR_EUkTFlGzXFmI9qkA7i8FZi3yPCIjiBZA1vdJuY1pEjD-km7FqXfDdl_X/w400-h144/DDBP001_015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Let's think about this for a moment: they were marooned on this island until Pete captured/rescued them, they know there's some kind of fracas going on with their captors and their boss, and yet...as all this is going on, they're just single-mindedly focused on eating bananas? For some reason? Apparently? Odd, odd stuff, I tell you.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtbE3MWjzv5bbMMyAq8mu0--Rnn7yqBbOcbbRFFg4hISa5nO0TTWZki3iFRi44wk1VI32D9Ia0SQaVVUPODyo8pHrSljj_7uU8wHnosMrJ4P17knZdE55i5XJPMsGGwDUAFA4dk-E1EHlP6swqynrVcYn0xbhbZ2LTEiKbqIRQ89e-4Kub8CY83TBBdx2/s1223/DDBP001_017%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1223" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtbE3MWjzv5bbMMyAq8mu0--Rnn7yqBbOcbbRFFg4hISa5nO0TTWZki3iFRi44wk1VI32D9Ia0SQaVVUPODyo8pHrSljj_7uU8wHnosMrJ4P17knZdE55i5XJPMsGGwDUAFA4dk-E1EHlP6swqynrVcYn0xbhbZ2LTEiKbqIRQ89e-4Kub8CY83TBBdx2/w400-h285/DDBP001_017%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yes. It's climactic, I guess, but I find this whale very disturbing looking. Whales at large should file a class-action suit for defamation. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBd5J4h7SYKe3E4Y45yVcXvtY_HUg4ImL1IOb8x2U-vxRQ7GnyYWOhtP3TaNCwaEOdSIXwjpWq5o8P43uf0ld4BYB_A_oxcYq00c-6Nvd8JH_FPyICzsuU5IVN_N95nngJJIrYzo9aVYfecm9HVA4nH-xyTieV9lFuRXPr7t9Yell-D2evVn6aJkWoC7lY/s1223/DDBP001_018%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1223" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBd5J4h7SYKe3E4Y45yVcXvtY_HUg4ImL1IOb8x2U-vxRQ7GnyYWOhtP3TaNCwaEOdSIXwjpWq5o8P43uf0ld4BYB_A_oxcYq00c-6Nvd8JH_FPyICzsuU5IVN_N95nngJJIrYzo9aVYfecm9HVA4nH-xyTieV9lFuRXPr7t9Yell-D2evVn6aJkWoC7lY/w400-h286/DDBP001_018%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>"Whale gun" again. Just in case you thought they might've just been using it interchangeably with "harpoon." Whale gun!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1jKhpoY1cyiIMrMmybK-gCytMkwKv3y9m5D2p1ZlAZw8U9B5OqTW7Rz-B8Ongf4fDY7cfydl9GDhd32_b4DZGqatwjjxF--QF8hBiiol_sLqMzGa50ofuTqMxKuXbdTpvz2IC9RItsEdHcyP96L_qD9Vh_dcSZytDYMpgDXEmlbS5Ng0yLOtai4oKBZE/s1213/DDBP001_018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="1213" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1jKhpoY1cyiIMrMmybK-gCytMkwKv3y9m5D2p1ZlAZw8U9B5OqTW7Rz-B8Ongf4fDY7cfydl9GDhd32_b4DZGqatwjjxF--QF8hBiiol_sLqMzGa50ofuTqMxKuXbdTpvz2IC9RItsEdHcyP96L_qD9Vh_dcSZytDYMpgDXEmlbS5Ng0yLOtai4oKBZE/w400-h150/DDBP001_018.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>See? LOOK how many goddamn bananas they've eaten in the, what, half-hour? that they've been down there. They have a fixation. I'm glad we were able to get a little slapstick out of it, anyway.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBMbV5KKZD113YQiDqIwtIYNk3kzH1GnpkrJS0xyhJ-ad7Jzvld3Yty76soL3whU7zlbUwYywi_mJAz0tpMTyHJsA0Vl36Zg_gRSYWZSv3A81qBU8Bqp8SqQEGPmkh7Mf95_3ZKBtaTqFULav4I3A-4b2HXVzu_72cLQS4MBmpD54ZOzxcsWKky28FILZ/s1239/DDBP001_019%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="1239" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBMbV5KKZD113YQiDqIwtIYNk3kzH1GnpkrJS0xyhJ-ad7Jzvld3Yty76soL3whU7zlbUwYywi_mJAz0tpMTyHJsA0Vl36Zg_gRSYWZSv3A81qBU8Bqp8SqQEGPmkh7Mf95_3ZKBtaTqFULav4I3A-4b2HXVzu_72cLQS4MBmpD54ZOzxcsWKky28FILZ/w400-h276/DDBP001_019%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Hey, hey! Seriously, now. How does that HAPPEN? I know you'd have trouble getting an AI to write a story even this unsophisticated, but it really feels like some sort of sensor didn't quite make the connections it needed to, and as a result, heh, heh! is now hey, hey! Whee!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqq5xETwQycfpyfctHD6e-5_nQeT6nMDyX5_U6qbUl8EZ90x1129FZvK046AqYssFYJAEwc1ieY0Ls70uhAV9xw-RBv_Tsv3STcee5ZMOdqwwB-wN3er12LlnwqpDYX03yMjoBoFbcMl_zA2RbclNQrJhogvBhPXaqygxGOm-EcDJjX34VOZQ6p1eEBNM/s1244/DDBP001_021%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1244" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqq5xETwQycfpyfctHD6e-5_nQeT6nMDyX5_U6qbUl8EZ90x1129FZvK046AqYssFYJAEwc1ieY0Ls70uhAV9xw-RBv_Tsv3STcee5ZMOdqwwB-wN3er12LlnwqpDYX03yMjoBoFbcMl_zA2RbclNQrJhogvBhPXaqygxGOm-EcDJjX34VOZQ6p1eEBNM/w400-h279/DDBP001_021%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, he beats the whale. Not really an Ahab-esque arc. Little purpose to getting mad here on conservationist grounds; nobody involved in this story had any damn clue what a whale was. Debit where debit is due.</p><p>I do have to make one observation/request, though: when I started rereading this story for this project, I had the very, very clear recollection that it ended with Scrooge using an octopus as a claw machine to try to get back his money or whatever. But that very much does NOT happen here. So what did I get that from? Somebody tell me!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vCkI7JB-xu8B9cyTrUtlqqvFxAIJRA00Euav3M6X3thB3m_Dc-C_4fd4vOhjWyKx_4MZsB1o-V-_OnBOzEvwoLijq1GF7QvHLhpK_1ghz_p90IUHTM8rdNzBoVVMiVvjBsHqS3vftgDxZKYsz7vAIGCbxr_enH4EToGusbC_uONAgwkYzlafQLD4cyFA/s1208/DDBP001_021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1208" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vCkI7JB-xu8B9cyTrUtlqqvFxAIJRA00Euav3M6X3thB3m_Dc-C_4fd4vOhjWyKx_4MZsB1o-V-_OnBOzEvwoLijq1GF7QvHLhpK_1ghz_p90IUHTM8rdNzBoVVMiVvjBsHqS3vftgDxZKYsz7vAIGCbxr_enH4EToGusbC_uONAgwkYzlafQLD4cyFA/w400-h295/DDBP001_021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, that's about that. It ends with HDL messing around in an umbrella and Donald looking kind of stunned. I suppose all told, this isn't a terrible story, or at least not repulsively terrible. WOW do I ever praise with faint damns here. Still, it could be worse.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUBgey_FRdksQwVXDtYHcu64ZrCvU_SG6FhRwH9tutp6Vu1BDXpQnZ9lL1tnXoI_135Zy-OCYIgh2TkVChUJkNcQ0YVCdXddqHolYsvI5lV7NEpIp_98zhlXfCy5JsGbRaaxpVDzAneq26nxD9gdnOcKsft6hEpN6Z8LVZTYJ4le8eUzjqcgYYoQdF45F/s1755/DDBP001_022%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1755" data-original-width="1220" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUBgey_FRdksQwVXDtYHcu64ZrCvU_SG6FhRwH9tutp6Vu1BDXpQnZ9lL1tnXoI_135Zy-OCYIgh2TkVChUJkNcQ0YVCdXddqHolYsvI5lV7NEpIp_98zhlXfCy5JsGbRaaxpVDzAneq26nxD9gdnOcKsft6hEpN6Z8LVZTYJ4le8eUzjqcgYYoQdF45F/w278-h400/DDBP001_022%20copy.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><p>But wait, there's more! Sort of. These Beach Parties all had the conceit that all the other games and stories were happening in the reality of the first story, and so we get splash pages like this. I like that they kept Jack Bradbury as artist, for continuity reasons.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iRtPey9AmTvLExzd9hDDIy8PtmdSTsh--Aqw9UvuLTzEFEzXQgDVZfYZQr-Mw22BwUaCWbZE8DsCXT_siqbp9lk1PbMI7Li9WmBSgw24zUReQlpfF2Ys05Ys_Jm1ZiHHz1QULudoletINIYFQ0rHMhl37o-MvibsohTMSb0Dhm286KZ5DFgXZOt8j9JP/s1793/DDBP001_033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1793" data-original-width="1285" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iRtPey9AmTvLExzd9hDDIy8PtmdSTsh--Aqw9UvuLTzEFEzXQgDVZfYZQr-Mw22BwUaCWbZE8DsCXT_siqbp9lk1PbMI7Li9WmBSgw24zUReQlpfF2Ys05Ys_Jm1ZiHHz1QULudoletINIYFQ0rHMhl37o-MvibsohTMSb0Dhm286KZ5DFgXZOt8j9JP/w286-h400/DDBP001_033.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p>En gee el, people: I LOVED this concept as a kid. Regardless of how good the stories in question are, just the idea of the ducks reading them on the beach like that thrilled me. So...yup.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0Q-wZ9HR2tGPdXA-Yb40_uIXjkNhCIexsnQ1kP_5IinGL-0rQSEe9tkw9Z2L3RqDU6_dY9b4xGOlmq2kmxut6Hgeb3DKlCK0QQiPxNoB51CSQG9KD1rzjLOAPWd9hjzxcOxydMwGkB80H0XXdDLCLJqH_OsngDKs-BHEBq07TKPeGZfxl73229G0VONE/s1375/DDBP001_098%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1375" data-original-width="1243" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0Q-wZ9HR2tGPdXA-Yb40_uIXjkNhCIexsnQ1kP_5IinGL-0rQSEe9tkw9Z2L3RqDU6_dY9b4xGOlmq2kmxut6Hgeb3DKlCK0QQiPxNoB51CSQG9KD1rzjLOAPWd9hjzxcOxydMwGkB80H0XXdDLCLJqH_OsngDKs-BHEBq07TKPeGZfxl73229G0VONE/w361-h400/DDBP001_098%20copy.jpg" width="361" /></a></div><p>And a final splash panel, this time NOT by Bradbury (inducks speculates on Tony Strobl, but won't commit), unfortunately. Still, I dunno this whole outing was still more pleasant that not! I look forward to seeing how things shape up.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-13512326905735719432023-06-30T14:48:00.003-04:002023-06-30T15:47:50.569-04:00 Can your heart withstand the excitement of the Duck Comics Revue Christmas in July Spectacular?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopT7BvVqlaVzY6PbDuZflhYNOnk_XgIzN1qxacWACKqV1tVowAJlMi9HvODvEwuu577NH4WCcpGV8sGuSGI7BUSZOZI9qla8ydIhI-mRPwuX8jqchOYU_zQpjLbI8lnAp5ykHwK_1OcLuBgNjdyOBzo3DdWcUphk9c_zg3_YXmX72j30H_KFCz8wLBZMT/s2031/DDBP001_001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2031" data-original-width="1451" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopT7BvVqlaVzY6PbDuZflhYNOnk_XgIzN1qxacWACKqV1tVowAJlMi9HvODvEwuu577NH4WCcpGV8sGuSGI7BUSZOZI9qla8ydIhI-mRPwuX8jqchOYU_zQpjLbI8lnAp5ykHwK_1OcLuBgNjdyOBzo3DdWcUphk9c_zg3_YXmX72j30H_KFCz8wLBZMT/w286-h400/DDBP001_001.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p>Seriously, can it? 'Cause if not, I'll call this whole thing off; the last thing I want is to be responsible for your untimely demise. But if you're good to go, then look forward to it. The most enjoyable Christmas special that I've written was in 2018, when I covered a bunch of marquee stories from old Christmas Parades. They may not exactly have been good, but they were interesting! So this is an attempt to recapture faded glories: we're going to be covering the front stories from all six of Dell's Beach Party giants over the course of the month. At any rate, my plan is to finish by the end of July, but if I miss the deadline, well, let's face it, Christmas in July is really just an excuse for sales at car dealerships, so it's not an exact science. It's done when it's done!</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-74448621215906373612023-05-08T10:55:00.003-04:002023-05-10T04:19:44.750-04:00"A Spicy Tale"<p> Hey, if you want, you can listen to me'n'Mark <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/67-the-twenty-four-carat-moon/id1569066754?i=1000612122658">blathering</a> about "The Twenty-Four Carat Moon." To commemorate this occasion, I have chosen to write about a wholly unrelated story. It's been a long time coming, though, as was me appearing on this podcast, so maybe that's a connection? Well, maybe not. Don't be mean to me.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>It's actually quite surprising that it's taken me so long to get to this, which might possibly (the memory is a little hazy) have been my first duck story. One of the first few, at any rate. And I have to say, I still think it's a pretty darn solid story, especially for the time period (1962), problematic aspects notwithstanding. So let's get into it, dangit!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_L7tItHRecxrccQUIj5PSg6ZEW4yt_Z-8eLunFt4gHID8qcBJ1aprIsG2_Hf4HS5x2R3RPlGWFhkHbYvIizoEFeThgF-XeqlCQX43N0ApqmM0qRaDAOjPjPOlggXfC1cNMMFLoN9ABnnlelZ1JGHA-fyiGsn3QqBoFin7c_JtYtE9i1n3UHXr6X9ROg/s922/US_39_03%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="922" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_L7tItHRecxrccQUIj5PSg6ZEW4yt_Z-8eLunFt4gHID8qcBJ1aprIsG2_Hf4HS5x2R3RPlGWFhkHbYvIizoEFeThgF-XeqlCQX43N0ApqmM0qRaDAOjPjPOlggXfC1cNMMFLoN9ABnnlelZ1JGHA-fyiGsn3QqBoFin7c_JtYtE9i1n3UHXr6X9ROg/w400-h328/US_39_03%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The first thing to be noted is that Scrooge is apparently in the habit of counting coins for <i>twenty-four straight hours.</i> Okay. I will say that I find this somehow emblematic of late-stage capitalism: you have all this money, so what do you do? You spend one hundred percent of your time wallowing in that money. What does it signify? Nothing, really, except for the bare fact that you have it. We are very far from the idea that every coin has some specific meaning.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNEMg8kfvIo80ZpfbzqlBtbVrLWOsFQGyA-MWZuDmOVVegCCpgT7F8S2jtNRQ6jOmIey9fsNldxV4oS8MQ7Qvo5F6gxibhWU19YRShpNAdMLzQu7ee-kwalo0RcfN-4p5GplIoMKzRDWCpQ9osf-aY-OhQ_77C3Yvif8axWFomNV8TlKslEstDSthWg/s921/US_39_04%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="921" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNEMg8kfvIo80ZpfbzqlBtbVrLWOsFQGyA-MWZuDmOVVegCCpgT7F8S2jtNRQ6jOmIey9fsNldxV4oS8MQ7Qvo5F6gxibhWU19YRShpNAdMLzQu7ee-kwalo0RcfN-4p5GplIoMKzRDWCpQ9osf-aY-OhQ_77C3Yvif8axWFomNV8TlKslEstDSthWg/w400-h145/US_39_04%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>So...no nutmeg tea, is the lesson here. And right at the start, we get to the problematic aspect. You get the impression here that Barks wasn't quite sure how much he wanted the, hum, natives to speak in pidgin, as it kind of wavers back and forth. We will talk more about the natives anon, have no fear.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBYj_ZiBHpHV7JVudpuFVrTuSJ7lmzSXIpNMbKcdUjUyBr7uII3Y22qfyuhin3FhkCsy9rgao0zdbMTCo_ykXz5T2LKbLocGfjU_5Qclxu52ue-VxljJOlsX0ZFSIOiKnMVvQ0waBCPlR06Ag9DScv22ol-NKy8yE4oSGE5mGqkxMqYloJ_MqbI59jA/s476/US_39_04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="476" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBYj_ZiBHpHV7JVudpuFVrTuSJ7lmzSXIpNMbKcdUjUyBr7uII3Y22qfyuhin3FhkCsy9rgao0zdbMTCo_ykXz5T2LKbLocGfjU_5Qclxu52ue-VxljJOlsX0ZFSIOiKnMVvQ0waBCPlR06Ag9DScv22ol-NKy8yE4oSGE5mGqkxMqYloJ_MqbI59jA/w400-h281/US_39_04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This isn't as flakey as something like "The Looney Lunar Gold Rush" or "Queen of the Wild Dog Pack," but it's still a BIT flakey, as we can see. I really love "smooth cookies out of rough rookies." I didn't really note or appreciate that line when I was small, somehow. But now that has changed!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhizBs71WdYbzQYvIeLPW_ZdqoKumJJJUEEnqc5hOW2hGoywPsyZ-PqM0w5SC-sbvkEp3c1xSYJcY-Z5BprcL7n1QW4ualw_d69cEsi1DL9N8oBjqDzLuylsWNnMTPdoY-5jBDYByPAbhoQu1fcTiWF8zWsSZzkAgM7-MGED4RwzhbGIsmRsVOwx1Crw/s921/US_39_05%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="921" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhizBs71WdYbzQYvIeLPW_ZdqoKumJJJUEEnqc5hOW2hGoywPsyZ-PqM0w5SC-sbvkEp3c1xSYJcY-Z5BprcL7n1QW4ualw_d69cEsi1DL9N8oBjqDzLuylsWNnMTPdoY-5jBDYByPAbhoQu1fcTiWF8zWsSZzkAgM7-MGED4RwzhbGIsmRsVOwx1Crw/w400-h291/US_39_05%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yup, Donald is a Peace Corps volunteer. One of the first, actually, since the organization had just been founded in 1961. Barks was on the ball, more or less, although he doesn't appear quite sure what this entails or whether it's a paying position.</p><p>Still, it's a noble thing to do. Well, from my perspective it is; I don't think Barks was thinking along those lines at all, but that's still what I get out of it, regardless of where the story ends up going. Donald is cool.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jXe9IfpawpapBlDwRjrB5D4O_4CuWC5McnQdUusLsdIdrF3LaIioQaSZm3YP6MWzFy1BDpVrJNCMO0cPXsV5PlZ-JexPBRdRNv9kn5-BaFnD7dSEN747N5KkWMl5dkAkWubDBb-kmEQ-qzWLAA-xv9kGkQtFEZozQclVojQnkNTI6913_HQFDu_MGg/s917/US_39_06%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="917" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jXe9IfpawpapBlDwRjrB5D4O_4CuWC5McnQdUusLsdIdrF3LaIioQaSZm3YP6MWzFy1BDpVrJNCMO0cPXsV5PlZ-JexPBRdRNv9kn5-BaFnD7dSEN747N5KkWMl5dkAkWubDBb-kmEQ-qzWLAA-xv9kGkQtFEZozQclVojQnkNTI6913_HQFDu_MGg/w400-h290/US_39_06%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Also worth noting that this version of the Peace Corps has absolutely no concern for the safety of its volunteers, apparently. And good god, look at the jowls on that bottom-left-most nephew. That hearkens back to Barks's earliest drawing style.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoWFtAXNtHp7KKckVrY9f8_EWaEbFToXpT7enNeFAbEWvxessrSYnXVTiVQX41bxjSeaqDDe_rAkbrvYX5DeFHwpizr3V5PdmiZZ0MPCvjf69FSI_Ha68iH-0h2JixreOF5bvSaomhHu9b2lcUC169AknGmW-hPTELXkVBEFIbhcTMzL9uGE17RuVLQ/s921/US_39_07%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="921" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoWFtAXNtHp7KKckVrY9f8_EWaEbFToXpT7enNeFAbEWvxessrSYnXVTiVQX41bxjSeaqDDe_rAkbrvYX5DeFHwpizr3V5PdmiZZ0MPCvjf69FSI_Ha68iH-0h2JixreOF5bvSaomhHu9b2lcUC169AknGmW-hPTELXkVBEFIbhcTMzL9uGE17RuVLQ/w400-h149/US_39_07%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The comic really pushes this idea about how the locals like eating alligator, and how repulsed the ducks are by this concept. But I don't know; I try to maintain a vegetarian diet, but what is particularly gross about alligator, if you're eating meat? It probably tastes pretty normal. Seems like Barks had different sensibilities than I do. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvfkRk45ETJPE9dZpQaTIjZpoIf9TPi9Ib7zM81CEy7GwEQ7AL_RNT7LrwC6FRmPbtOfCXAwNN6tUvIUnOFmJBCz13QTYEVda9ThwyHro1LWZitSJZK97znvQSSiGOsEZsCDm9m17vqaFAPktBQ0ioOR7hIWVL6-pgHzaamEf6l9SOhrFpFw-fQtkyA/s920/US_39_08%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="920" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvfkRk45ETJPE9dZpQaTIjZpoIf9TPi9Ib7zM81CEy7GwEQ7AL_RNT7LrwC6FRmPbtOfCXAwNN6tUvIUnOFmJBCz13QTYEVda9ThwyHro1LWZitSJZK97znvQSSiGOsEZsCDm9m17vqaFAPktBQ0ioOR7hIWVL6-pgHzaamEf6l9SOhrFpFw-fQtkyA/w400-h146/US_39_08%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Elfish Pestly, not to be confused with Shoeless Pashley. Anyway, I suppose I might as well comment on this aspect of the story. I know there's been a lot of fustle and bustle lately about Disney deciding they don't want to republish certain stories. And I hate to get involved in these arguments, because they always seem to devolve from "we shouldn't censor the past" to "old-timey racism was GOOD, actually!" It rarely seems to bring out the best in people. But, well, here I am.</p><p>My feeling is that this is an impossible question. I read this story when I was small. Did it turn me into a racist? No, but imagining that that's the objection is just childish. If a parent says "I'd prefer that my child not be exposed to sixty-year-old racist tropes"...it is extremely hard to argue with that. And I kind of think that people are mostly fooling themselves when they suggest, oh, well, these books are aimed at <i>adults,</i> so it's different. Do we really think these hardcovers are read mainly by adults? I'd love to see some stats on that. I can more or less buy it for the Gottfredson books, but that's about as far as I'll go. I love these stories, but is there any justification for reprinting them? I dunno, man!</p><p>But let's look past the controversies and just look at this story qua story. Think back to something like "Darkest Africa:"</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiebNO_RAzufMl_I3KkKONR2vo0buAXnf97Fo5Y-MrpXJDEu04V3Vp4wcivK4rmHdWVkmFdeHcMRUFr0EAl4UtMCWLcRz2Mvq_-MISO125LO2wRjzFajtRgXXQIfhFZbpQFk7zzEy7ig-p0FhkrIeRnD52WS1vCAI5_H_b1sLYX9Bxa2MhH-8xrjS0_A/s910/Screenshot%202023-05-08%20at%205.00.12%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="910" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiebNO_RAzufMl_I3KkKONR2vo0buAXnf97Fo5Y-MrpXJDEu04V3Vp4wcivK4rmHdWVkmFdeHcMRUFr0EAl4UtMCWLcRz2Mvq_-MISO125LO2wRjzFajtRgXXQIfhFZbpQFk7zzEy7ig-p0FhkrIeRnD52WS1vCAI5_H_b1sLYX9Bxa2MhH-8xrjS0_A/w400-h294/Screenshot%202023-05-08%20at%205.00.12%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Pretty awful! </p><p>But by the time you get to a story like this we are far, far removed from anything that could be considered representative of what anyone might mistake for anything real. I know I've probably overused the word "postmodern" in the past, but it seems unavoidable here: these simulacra that dimly reflect half-remembered racist stereotypes, but are so caught up in this fragmentary, pop-culture buzz that it all becomes basically indecipherable. I mean, it is what it is, and you can take umbrage if you like, but that does seem a bit performative when it comes to something like this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dA1N5tiSKt2wri6qeUHQm-_37-Ibs9ewwdox_R9brEvWUI9mhFRsuoIBTsSZUIIfRwpoQdia-y5T2pmHigflIXKmY2AmEVje9bpLyLC3UoaOGAMzk7nEEKD6FDgJjikDwQ4Xh7KSSOSFafffFDiETSEBXpDjrVz-J8VL1m68oo-6IW2yi-2sFAG4fQ/s404/US_39_13%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="404" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dA1N5tiSKt2wri6qeUHQm-_37-Ibs9ewwdox_R9brEvWUI9mhFRsuoIBTsSZUIIfRwpoQdia-y5T2pmHigflIXKmY2AmEVje9bpLyLC3UoaOGAMzk7nEEKD6FDgJjikDwQ4Xh7KSSOSFafffFDiETSEBXpDjrVz-J8VL1m68oo-6IW2yi-2sFAG4fQ/w400-h333/US_39_13%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Did I say that? Well, I still believe it, and I can argue (accurately, I think) that even this doesn't really mean anything either, but I do have to concede that there will never be a situation where referring to indigenous people as "childlike savages" is okay.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDcQg_EupV1JkETgYFzfkRtVuAolkkgE3cS0icL8pF8vYBh0_1rVFQwMUlVR-ZJINWhtD9jF8Se69QybxQYfb24Wz_X0vQskF22rov-1VgxT7vnHPX3GyojY23vrDkBnv-5LmOjpfVh07PY_17KXswPeQbm9pz2ESPx6TJOQPxny_8KtdzT9dA81TGw/s923/US_39_09%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="923" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDcQg_EupV1JkETgYFzfkRtVuAolkkgE3cS0icL8pF8vYBh0_1rVFQwMUlVR-ZJINWhtD9jF8Se69QybxQYfb24Wz_X0vQskF22rov-1VgxT7vnHPX3GyojY23vrDkBnv-5LmOjpfVh07PY_17KXswPeQbm9pz2ESPx6TJOQPxny_8KtdzT9dA81TGw/w400-h290/US_39_09%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I remember thinking when I read this story as a child--and still thinking now! How <i>wildly</i> irresponsible Donald's behavior is here. I mean, in a funny way, but still. You were sent here to help the people develop sustainable agriculture! I don't know how well this alternative is going to go down, man (actually, I do, from the end of this story, and the answer is: badly. Fair enough).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aUoiI-DS8kbVbui0MBtI-ovQp-pyVz-Z_ScQnn8IFsz_n6WvJGfUSWfNalE0tKCm_ojoJsyco2QwzZNl9uKWg4oW139XqzWP44SWh-7957_7pFXYTUMRlW7jr4J8lkdPtsKu2LmsFgfCY0DVafO4rLYbOR_N8OOwfvck2s-WzVkotJ81Am1BiseeWw/s1003/US_39_12%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="925" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aUoiI-DS8kbVbui0MBtI-ovQp-pyVz-Z_ScQnn8IFsz_n6WvJGfUSWfNalE0tKCm_ojoJsyco2QwzZNl9uKWg4oW139XqzWP44SWh-7957_7pFXYTUMRlW7jr4J8lkdPtsKu2LmsFgfCY0DVafO4rLYbOR_N8OOwfvck2s-WzVkotJ81Am1BiseeWw/w369-h400/US_39_12%20copy.jpg" width="369" /></a></div><p>I also really like the business of Scrooge being chained up and giving out wholly useless/irrelevant financial advice.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGV_qy_09WLxbtml6CgrwQx0A3VrrOslxSJRW6CXF1anfLmVQ6J1e8SQujY1jIjHoP6SH5Ix15HscZcjHIypW8biCImoOqVyRqQ0whzcAIKIvzSA9hESdygacXQA-OzOmnWhCRfU3O2PJ9pOMAAZCffebPHb8Scep00ifniuU798EsH0ao0NtVKdDaw/s403/US_39_15%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="403" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGV_qy_09WLxbtml6CgrwQx0A3VrrOslxSJRW6CXF1anfLmVQ6J1e8SQujY1jIjHoP6SH5Ix15HscZcjHIypW8biCImoOqVyRqQ0whzcAIKIvzSA9hESdygacXQA-OzOmnWhCRfU3O2PJ9pOMAAZCffebPHb8Scep00ifniuU798EsH0ao0NtVKdDaw/w400-h330/US_39_15%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Seeing him screaming about oil wells as he's drowned out by bongos is especially hilarious. The reductio ad absurdum of capitalism, maybe.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqj0jfHrspU_bDcP8ZGxPmesruPH5hWQ5Ml9wBDzWZx_9d8GO8dC0vp14B1Q0Ncxjbj15n6qCfUMuv-ePQGGQcFJJQea-7ryNKtM24aivARv6pSOp7meeQV8SQayjLZnCISiNJNUwoGMNNgir2pV7QIhv_NHUTtJ44zIIS2Ti_8ob3uNP0bK-9IgYWw/s1002/US_39_14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="919" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqj0jfHrspU_bDcP8ZGxPmesruPH5hWQ5Ml9wBDzWZx_9d8GO8dC0vp14B1Q0Ncxjbj15n6qCfUMuv-ePQGGQcFJJQea-7ryNKtM24aivARv6pSOp7meeQV8SQayjLZnCISiNJNUwoGMNNgir2pV7QIhv_NHUTtJ44zIIS2Ti_8ob3uNP0bK-9IgYWw/w366-h400/US_39_14.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><p>I should probably at least point out this guy, even if I don't really have anything to say about him. I like how the expressions on his barrel costume thingie change according to his mood.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZUNE81suPpzEVWSwdKc0yK_yfyaUmYlT_NApujBNiPfxvjyQWsWQ_JkO_4wYZ3eWkE8W7izlRx7mJKvT68rwI5K30VFwOEiDeEJjoSXo8qG9L8qGA9avaVzHASi256zWr8HO5SUKldvavJ8yLhUhVd-Rj6ejnZAhhUEsHaNf0qYABhvBtY8wgSc1AAA/s919/US_39_16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="919" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZUNE81suPpzEVWSwdKc0yK_yfyaUmYlT_NApujBNiPfxvjyQWsWQ_JkO_4wYZ3eWkE8W7izlRx7mJKvT68rwI5K30VFwOEiDeEJjoSXo8qG9L8qGA9avaVzHASi256zWr8HO5SUKldvavJ8yLhUhVd-Rj6ejnZAhhUEsHaNf0qYABhvBtY8wgSc1AAA/w400-h291/US_39_16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, we move onto this business of animals getting giganticized. It's just fun to see, okay? Especially when you're a little kid.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EjZP-5AmOQj7uCIbpgCa3UzcDd5aCww5h5KMnJ5iK9UrmA6NZCcCgA-twfcNSJL1i1Zm7M88Ev3xMpSMskuIZ_12JOM81sjZTsmIyPPKo0GOFZquaIq8SkwdxQWWDvZH8RHRvYqagZI-_OhW9jwDIJTPJAeUksXxASQnft-SRorENcI9DeINCVWh-w/s920/US_39_17%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="920" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EjZP-5AmOQj7uCIbpgCa3UzcDd5aCww5h5KMnJ5iK9UrmA6NZCcCgA-twfcNSJL1i1Zm7M88Ev3xMpSMskuIZ_12JOM81sjZTsmIyPPKo0GOFZquaIq8SkwdxQWWDvZH8RHRvYqagZI-_OhW9jwDIJTPJAeUksXxASQnft-SRorENcI9DeINCVWh-w/w400-h291/US_39_17%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Very convenient, I must say, how those animals all appeared at the same time, Three-Musketeers-style. Still, who can say no to a giant armadillo? No one, probably!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsU2EWSY68HB8NQOmQ77uOgrb9RuI3N-s8FYfEQg63ggvEOno3QHCeBHe1PUCOC7DYDiqByG8RS81v3x6aSyZH5rjP_6vBdIS2opgPUJ9Uu-obl1vKeNx8dLpa_8AunZxM0kZOWL9tAT9Uhs0dh2Oq_yrB107_07CXrT1ezCt3kWFuyZJM89GNndzdKw/s912/US_39_19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="912" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsU2EWSY68HB8NQOmQ77uOgrb9RuI3N-s8FYfEQg63ggvEOno3QHCeBHe1PUCOC7DYDiqByG8RS81v3x6aSyZH5rjP_6vBdIS2opgPUJ9Uu-obl1vKeNx8dLpa_8AunZxM0kZOWL9tAT9Uhs0dh2Oq_yrB107_07CXrT1ezCt3kWFuyZJM89GNndzdKw/w400-h296/US_39_19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I do have to admit that the ending is a bit rushed. You see that in a lot of later Barks stories, no doubt having something to do with page limits. Still...a giant panther. Can't complain about that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzvljwjfsYRgwWNDJIQwKKjcwE3DiD2oRoLz6Z0tgXdcm4wIAkwa8VqEJkbZZSo32uIpBPn6Tq9ArfLMRlAVRW1cDFsOQbb-DJkdspcFKSTG26wgju9k-sSwG6enjhrc86UV-4UcTIjdlDamkXqSdzEIh_ffq4ESPBEN9pCO3gIpWobpighTHtr7yWw/s921/US_39_20%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="921" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzvljwjfsYRgwWNDJIQwKKjcwE3DiD2oRoLz6Z0tgXdcm4wIAkwa8VqEJkbZZSo32uIpBPn6Tq9ArfLMRlAVRW1cDFsOQbb-DJkdspcFKSTG26wgju9k-sSwG6enjhrc86UV-4UcTIjdlDamkXqSdzEIh_ffq4ESPBEN9pCO3gIpWobpighTHtr7yWw/w400-h293/US_39_20%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>So was Donald being paid, or not? If not, I don't know that "fired" is the right word. But I dunno; that madness seems like it might have SOME international appeal. And to end on an incredibly trivial note, here's a Clerkly appearance that is not, as of this writing, inducksed. Get on that, someone!</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-51650707076660902672023-04-18T07:09:00.003-04:002023-04-19T06:53:13.435-04:00"The Chickadee Challenge"<p> Hey, whaddaya know? I was on a podcast! Two, actually, with more to come. It's Mark Severino's <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ten-page-podcast-operation-st-bernard-ten-star-generals/id1569066754?i=1000609239355">Barks Remarks</a>, and also his spin-off <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/3-mythological-menagerie/id1664868578?i=1000609237943">Rosa Remarks</a>, and if you want to know why it took so long for me to do this...well, it was really just a matter of missed communications. But better late than never; the experience was extremely delightful, so I hope you like them, 'cause you haven't heard the last of me! Grrr!</p><p>We talked about some Junior Woodchucks stories, so I thought this would be a good opportunity for me to write about "Chickadee Challenge"--one that we were contemplating discussing but then didn't. All things considered, I think that was the right decision, but it's still worth touching on.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX423qjql4UAD5amToX4QKBkbLcG8L2IQ81tsE2buS8laCSZIPWRKCStXVRLFfhu6dPOsHSKuexj7mtt4OtB9igDyFYj79JbE6ytkdhrYs36lwTxKR9VFFKY_iMrvHsdOko0xFXkPobJoNddnfQSH8zy4Zk5bkMrPtKG1ISJDR0o6Qr7yaMc0o4KzK1w/s914/WDC&S_181_03%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="914" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX423qjql4UAD5amToX4QKBkbLcG8L2IQ81tsE2buS8laCSZIPWRKCStXVRLFfhu6dPOsHSKuexj7mtt4OtB9igDyFYj79JbE6ytkdhrYs36lwTxKR9VFFKY_iMrvHsdOko0xFXkPobJoNddnfQSH8zy4Zk5bkMrPtKG1ISJDR0o6Qr7yaMc0o4KzK1w/w400-h290/WDC&S_181_03%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, let's get right into it. The problem is: <i>girls!</i> Quelle horreur! Donald, at any rate, has chilled out a bit since the likes of "Ten-Star Generals," his current attitude being more one of bemusement, which seems like the appropriate reaction, really.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2nH-S7ulHHWUYIIFGdjDW3TJEhrtlgnir6GtqoofG6hftxWQMks8oH-1n8fOXWwxTa0aX5vh7FH1i-QOfIe5QXp2D66YVcPJB_Fy0W9L0FTKuW7quKDhJS8Xs_vPbgnuRRPW4qqX4ExTZGMFor8YihNlflcYryMGj6GLeA1bzQXgek9usgb4jp1TZg/s932/WDC&S_181_04%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="932" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2nH-S7ulHHWUYIIFGdjDW3TJEhrtlgnir6GtqoofG6hftxWQMks8oH-1n8fOXWwxTa0aX5vh7FH1i-QOfIe5QXp2D66YVcPJB_Fy0W9L0FTKuW7quKDhJS8Xs_vPbgnuRRPW4qqX4ExTZGMFor8YihNlflcYryMGj6GLeA1bzQXgek9usgb4jp1TZg/w400-h288/WDC&S_181_04%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>"Rugged he-men." "Send them back to their dolls and teacups!" Look, let's not beat around the bush: I find this story very confused and significantly flawed. Maybe, in fact, an out-and-out failure, although you can judge. HDL's childish sexism isn't very fun to look at, but from this introduction, you would get the very strong impression that they're being set up for a fall. I mean, how could you not? That's OBVIOUSLY what the story is setting up. And then...it just drops the whole idea and never resolves it in any way. I mean, as you'll see. Momentarily. If anyone wants to defend this story, please do, but I have my doubts about it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymMQiGPXvX6A6JecpTl6vvvcch3nI7rddHrY1Ks6jmfhWZkBN2HLtkrRY-FxZmoLQ-p9r65e4OrSW-_H0cosXwFBSbZl4FjYw742-A4F0ZYND6d2HsV0GUTMTDMytyLzgN3aCEPjg6HJhXQxBwK-gYVsBHmOprMY2YL3_zTgmCmIbk2CDXfqu-FGr5g/s923/WDC&S_181_04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="923" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymMQiGPXvX6A6JecpTl6vvvcch3nI7rddHrY1Ks6jmfhWZkBN2HLtkrRY-FxZmoLQ-p9r65e4OrSW-_H0cosXwFBSbZl4FjYw742-A4F0ZYND6d2HsV0GUTMTDMytyLzgN3aCEPjg6HJhXQxBwK-gYVsBHmOprMY2YL3_zTgmCmIbk2CDXfqu-FGr5g/w400-h144/WDC&S_181_04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh well. I enjoy Donald's more or less detached attitude, anyway. No getting woodcraft mixed up with his ideas of parenthood here, as we saw in "Generals." Guffey's Grove. That is fun. Has anyone reused that name?</p><p>Also, note that in the early days of Barks, the elaborate Junior Woodchucks acronyms didn't spell out words. But nowadays, it would be impossible for anyone to have them not.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjif0yxiAgzWT1piflhk5VYl6m1nv0edK63moB3GQK9-2LzsHP6SUjpxr4eXzaj7B8dPXBCDXHGRyFB2X0lsubLKMyu9g0TsG3UrkOhvEo4DF2XyAnhABopgVjRQZPdhCOz8JPnvSz9F3oY_UuBgOD6Ut8xcJZ0T0p0z309Axho38gxqB24rRRLifDIFA/s924/WDC&S_181_05%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="924" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjif0yxiAgzWT1piflhk5VYl6m1nv0edK63moB3GQK9-2LzsHP6SUjpxr4eXzaj7B8dPXBCDXHGRyFB2X0lsubLKMyu9g0TsG3UrkOhvEo4DF2XyAnhABopgVjRQZPdhCOz8JPnvSz9F3oY_UuBgOD6Ut8xcJZ0T0p0z309Axho38gxqB24rRRLifDIFA/w400-h288/WDC&S_181_05%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Introducing...her. There are definitely certain ideas about gender here. Note also: that flag. Is that the first use of the Junior Woodchucks logo? I haven't been tracking these things or anything, but it might be!</p><p>Yes, this story introduces the Chickadees as a distaff version of the Woodchucks. Are they just called that because of association with "chicks" as slang for women, which was <a href="https://www.quora.com/Where-does-the-word-chick-in-referring-to-a-female-originate-from">well-established</a> when this story was written? But the thing is, in this story, they are extremely non-distinct. After the chauvinist-nephews introduction, little or nothing about the story would be different if they were boys. Disney comics have historically been, it must be admitted, a highly masculine form, and I'm not sure Barks here was really up to the task of creating a girl scouts equivalent, as much as it's a good idea. Look at how the girls in that top-left panel are bathed in purple and rendered kind of anonymous and indistinct. That's a good metaphor for their overall depiction in the story, in which none of the girls make any impression. The only real featured antagonist is the troop leader. She's more the kind of cartoonish grotesque that Barks was comfortable with, and if you think it's unfair and possibly misogynistic of me to describe her as "grotesque," maybe you should wait to see how the story proceeds. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnUn2EeAGuK97q3pu7G7i9h_PQ0LpERaD1fiXlHatvLqzYoQnxEp_CjUKp_UmpexoYei_n0g6d-t95xRbto8M6cOmpD3KmWeGbCDBxSu3GJHdRm52Wq5l1e2BQrm6ceYqJgdUMwcmU4zvL16KzIvbZSk7zR0jRANNCtJEAv83LptegvTpGHQ0LpnSsA/s505/WDC&S_181_06%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="505" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnUn2EeAGuK97q3pu7G7i9h_PQ0LpERaD1fiXlHatvLqzYoQnxEp_CjUKp_UmpexoYei_n0g6d-t95xRbto8M6cOmpD3KmWeGbCDBxSu3GJHdRm52Wq5l1e2BQrm6ceYqJgdUMwcmU4zvL16KzIvbZSk7zR0jRANNCtJEAv83LptegvTpGHQ0LpnSsA/w400-h263/WDC&S_181_06%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Right, so here's the thing: the Chickadee leader here is meant to be being conniving. You wouldn't necessarily know that from just this picture, but it becomes obvious soon enough that this is what Barks is going for. But why? What's wrong with this bridge? Is this crypto-sexism: look at those girls with their "simple" bridge, as opposed to the manly woodchucks with their "real" bridge-building skillz. Well, that might be an overstatement. But I'm making it because this story is confused, dammit. Whatever message it has is not clearly communicated.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVntm-oIbpXpCRimpiV7VP1tN0saUSPcpRltsyvFLp-774ZpNjUiCxI15hnah8RVqXpiywwSRSPs_AMH5Ye72oALD0m8N31qtgoJKd7VcM9DsKUMsHDSSQ5heKRZv3LvJ_2ThVq1O5P0M6Z7G62TrCyAqJ4Jyw9zAf_VMYfberNwSiBN8I-pGO91mtAg/s925/WDC&S_181_07%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="925" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVntm-oIbpXpCRimpiV7VP1tN0saUSPcpRltsyvFLp-774ZpNjUiCxI15hnah8RVqXpiywwSRSPs_AMH5Ye72oALD0m8N31qtgoJKd7VcM9DsKUMsHDSSQ5heKRZv3LvJ_2ThVq1O5P0M6Z7G62TrCyAqJ4Jyw9zAf_VMYfberNwSiBN8I-pGO91mtAg/w400-h288/WDC&S_181_07%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This also features some Donald bumbling, though it's fairly low-key in that regard. It's also a little hard to suss out his motivations entirely: does he share some of his nephews' sexism, or is he just trying to keep the peace?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstK3z6bBC3vBCNzZFmmqDXHjQKoytfD5lzKo5dkQilmBqj-LvsBIxYPkGQjMsHB2H52HrPvydPEncT7hjA66nTDgR2-8wDddcg5Io8Tv9TRdx2tQ5qpij1MULuycO1eauxls6noRvcLQuyipOM0L4NLZiud-bMhB0q8KH4CrKHH0AyXSLYnvPKjNzbQ/s918/WDC&S_181_07.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="918" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstK3z6bBC3vBCNzZFmmqDXHjQKoytfD5lzKo5dkQilmBqj-LvsBIxYPkGQjMsHB2H52HrPvydPEncT7hjA66nTDgR2-8wDddcg5Io8Tv9TRdx2tQ5qpij1MULuycO1eauxls6noRvcLQuyipOM0L4NLZiud-bMhB0q8KH4CrKHH0AyXSLYnvPKjNzbQ/w400-h148/WDC&S_181_07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Regardless, if nothing else, you've gotta give the story credit for this much: "just imagine these posts are thousands of feet long!" is excellent. You cannot argue with that logic. Well, you can maybe point out that a thousands-of-feet-long pole probably wouldn't be very stable, but to that, I can only reply, NEEEEEERRD!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi01lflNs05ZO-jQjOSebNV6iVRMaF2SqhsZvywUVDLV2KS_bEKiFrejP3qOFqHMiR0tapM7NEZUEm2XXYo_V0gRQsuPQ6W6xGO-xUFtJ2857SYxQqIo3POi-TQtNQDjx6DUvlNBCrGDodzyZKJfIU1I6PRwIHIH9WLrfvVrWxSdz_KD5JC4Q_9yMqVw/s1000/WDC&S_181_08%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="922" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi01lflNs05ZO-jQjOSebNV6iVRMaF2SqhsZvywUVDLV2KS_bEKiFrejP3qOFqHMiR0tapM7NEZUEm2XXYo_V0gRQsuPQ6W6xGO-xUFtJ2857SYxQqIo3POi-TQtNQDjx6DUvlNBCrGDodzyZKJfIU1I6PRwIHIH9WLrfvVrWxSdz_KD5JC4Q_9yMqVw/w369-h400/WDC&S_181_08%20copy.jpg" width="369" /></a></div><p>See? See? The Chickadee leader is meant to be sneaky and underhanded. Heh! Heh! Heh! Hee! Hee! Hee! You can argue about whether this is sexist, I suppose, but I must maintain that whatever it is, it doesn't address the conflict that the beginning sets up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcD7ncDDP87UeWDPenpH-juD3FN4XOEpQjRMzYSCzvFpH-2rGul8JWms4ay1VUqEdFHaTe-g1uX8vt5Q9z_xIB7yy2wJXxdW_GJZdetSUbRGtLAMUcKOlMO97qK2QqtUNj4LiYN7ICmHDumzPi4HG_YGJIHiTvUjLdag61gX_xpAoawmCwRGjDKoL5-w/s459/WDC&S_181_10%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="459" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcD7ncDDP87UeWDPenpH-juD3FN4XOEpQjRMzYSCzvFpH-2rGul8JWms4ay1VUqEdFHaTe-g1uX8vt5Q9z_xIB7yy2wJXxdW_GJZdetSUbRGtLAMUcKOlMO97qK2QqtUNj4LiYN7ICmHDumzPi4HG_YGJIHiTvUjLdag61gX_xpAoawmCwRGjDKoL5-w/w400-h289/WDC&S_181_10%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I MEAN GOOD GOD. This is one of the most extreme caricatures Barks ever drew. It ain't great!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczVPQMEo1fBmBiMyg1Vz9C_W16CHIH3wU1ADwTdXqc6Jw-CGZfTJuCv5bGoZhWCpQe7MMOABkGmmRaO39iKC867Pl0Mn3EBjaGv24ae5L2HHH2xNfsNnI-raIQnoe4kYF-IgTAfF_9pnTZmMNITCECEhNMpm7Zrq8KDhMTUV5JTuNKj_6DOnSj7zZWw/s918/WDC&S_181_11%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="918" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczVPQMEo1fBmBiMyg1Vz9C_W16CHIH3wU1ADwTdXqc6Jw-CGZfTJuCv5bGoZhWCpQe7MMOABkGmmRaO39iKC867Pl0Mn3EBjaGv24ae5L2HHH2xNfsNnI-raIQnoe4kYF-IgTAfF_9pnTZmMNITCECEhNMpm7Zrq8KDhMTUV5JTuNKj_6DOnSj7zZWw/w400-h290/WDC&S_181_11%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, the ultimate result? It's a tie. Is this saying something about gender equality? If it is, you'd expect the story to, I don't know, hint at that in any way.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3hLxNGINLCyaYVBEKtMtYKJvxv58l8i2inJHNBFdtgMR_RykOYjzTlFn78uX0CKzyKGUocBhD8HDiYz0piHR38J6eQTCi26KGCEsHkmXgBA9dAPNYtOnEqXkT3Vb4mj8OeChXTwsNt3gquVztaal6J5P722PSsrhKKIWunsmdATJmDQGl-1XmZ-SvA/s923/WDC&S_181_12%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="923" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3hLxNGINLCyaYVBEKtMtYKJvxv58l8i2inJHNBFdtgMR_RykOYjzTlFn78uX0CKzyKGUocBhD8HDiYz0piHR38J6eQTCi26KGCEsHkmXgBA9dAPNYtOnEqXkT3Vb4mj8OeChXTwsNt3gquVztaal6J5P722PSsrhKKIWunsmdATJmDQGl-1XmZ-SvA/w400-h144/WDC&S_181_12%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Here's the only actual interaction between the boys and the girls in the entire story. If there had been more, this whole thing might be more interesting. Perhaps. I AM amused by the Woodchucks muckety-muck just appearing like that. The peace-bringer. A real Christ figure.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCt0mwrn-k-Okabp_92J3mrjGIlVFZD7OFQTWs8mqxvNBvzDBc3D5uL0juP6qVcl9ph8ajwsEKVMT_f_xCS_BbHNe3wmqoelAefo3ABdGxc-TnlQ_HDT3idyFMrlXLsVTPJLGRraKostc4Dji0rjxIYhbBoC-xJ7h0GxXVOL85vdEX5EAjfnu5qDk9w/s922/WDC&S_181_12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="922" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCt0mwrn-k-Okabp_92J3mrjGIlVFZD7OFQTWs8mqxvNBvzDBc3D5uL0juP6qVcl9ph8ajwsEKVMT_f_xCS_BbHNe3wmqoelAefo3ABdGxc-TnlQ_HDT3idyFMrlXLsVTPJLGRraKostc4Dji0rjxIYhbBoC-xJ7h0GxXVOL85vdEX5EAjfnu5qDk9w/w400-h141/WDC&S_181_12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Also, I think this story pioneered the idea of just awarding medals in bulk, which is pretty funny.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTfUFqxFl_RXt0BlUUviFS5eJKLLhBaQ4xVB8SGGRn2E1kfQZZtkG0OszmA3a9IiFnp2AQic1AQXs9_PwLtMrayResf7mKH_tLpxNjL3Oa_3aqH53bn4c4fm68lG46VLQvtXn4jMPqJ4yup9rQCm8h86nuG-GHD9u8-VBFDsaWhKlcNRnk-JbHxY5AQ/s920/WDC&S_181_12%20copy%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="920" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTfUFqxFl_RXt0BlUUviFS5eJKLLhBaQ4xVB8SGGRn2E1kfQZZtkG0OszmA3a9IiFnp2AQic1AQXs9_PwLtMrayResf7mKH_tLpxNjL3Oa_3aqH53bn4c4fm68lG46VLQvtXn4jMPqJ4yup9rQCm8h86nuG-GHD9u8-VBFDsaWhKlcNRnk-JbHxY5AQ/w400-h288/WDC&S_181_12%20copy%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And yet, in the end, what message can we take from this story? What moral? No one was cheered and nothing was discussed. If you're able to bring more insight to this than I am, please do, but I'm not convinced that this isn't one of Barks' most notable failures. Still, regardless of how well he used them, introducing the Chickadees was a good expansion of the universe.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-85995495938099363802023-04-07T10:29:00.004-04:002023-04-07T13:54:20.036-04:00"Inventor of Anything" and "The Cat Box"<p> I think it makes sense to talk about these two stories--Barks' second and third Gyro four-pagers--in tandem. Actually, it might've made sense to include the <a href="https://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2022/03/trapped-lightning.html">first one</a> as well, but that ship has sailed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHw5A4VQkpadtHt6SsDShL13guVpS_j12pIBEfIT6burSGGR6akJ8PUuMhDxjQZrTqwbXPwN59O65J6NK3vZzSJr0vOlkgztuq6DYZ6ytkz4F7-DoX2Ao-sksxgIqYY6-tkaqBQkNQ2k3MCxw0JfxH6vDqnJsKq4sd1LXDoAk8jDL56yn9RVGgSeMsRg/s849/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_22%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="849" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHw5A4VQkpadtHt6SsDShL13guVpS_j12pIBEfIT6burSGGR6akJ8PUuMhDxjQZrTqwbXPwN59O65J6NK3vZzSJr0vOlkgztuq6DYZ6ytkz4F7-DoX2Ao-sksxgIqYY6-tkaqBQkNQ2k3MCxw0JfxH6vDqnJsKq4sd1LXDoAk8jDL56yn9RVGgSeMsRg/w400-h290/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_22%202.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Actually, I don't think "Inventor of Anything" is really all that interesting. Fight me. I mean, it's pleasant enough; how could it not be? But I'm not sure that at this point Barks had much of a vision for how these were going to go. I do like crik niggles and upp snuffles, however. Is there some cipher there that I'm missing? I feel like there ought to be.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSg0JSpNb-RyO5QpMBXC3-quGdaYnflDiPjjLIYeM07EnwMw0IwOm3c9Ac4LiB66jTOlKH2VmnoQc8t-7wWNO2VF8BwyYfmDelXLHQbgSo2Rc0mVu1SnBqos0KXLql6JuWDWf_Y4IB59SijDrpjZrd3QlWT3wIMcEiBZZltGKclFtrN1tzu_gn3MWpyw/s413/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_22.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="413" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSg0JSpNb-RyO5QpMBXC3-quGdaYnflDiPjjLIYeM07EnwMw0IwOm3c9Ac4LiB66jTOlKH2VmnoQc8t-7wWNO2VF8BwyYfmDelXLHQbgSo2Rc0mVu1SnBqos0KXLql6JuWDWf_Y4IB59SijDrpjZrd3QlWT3wIMcEiBZZltGKclFtrN1tzu_gn3MWpyw/w400-h295/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_22.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yeah, okay, there IS "Speedy." How much is there to say about Speedy that's different than what one would say about Mortie and Ferdie in "Trapped Lighting?" I wonder.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyMjuIeTxFP8Tycsf79DZqjOaxl7KDMtfwV3x3ZiVTICzVhr49wBKgC1ZQogI1pahHHsnPR9CpGxeIt38z5RuU5ad-9dUyNcmMyibY42pEb5q8OZk693RYjySo82DVJ9d0X7vSac08UeviUTlOb_EgpOYGuWJFZpGd81h44SrafP-NOvG1ry9PPoQwA/s853/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_23%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="853" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyMjuIeTxFP8Tycsf79DZqjOaxl7KDMtfwV3x3ZiVTICzVhr49wBKgC1ZQogI1pahHHsnPR9CpGxeIt38z5RuU5ad-9dUyNcmMyibY42pEb5q8OZk693RYjySo82DVJ9d0X7vSac08UeviUTlOb_EgpOYGuWJFZpGd81h44SrafP-NOvG1ry9PPoQwA/w400-h289/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_23%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>So here he is: a weird little homunculus. He does provide an object lesson in the different proportions of ducks and humans, and how they're not interchangeable. And also: Gyro's neighbor, who is pure unfathomable, Iago-like malice.</p><p>BUT: I've been sharing the URL for this site fairly promiscuously lately, so there might be a few new readers who aren't really down with the whole story here. So let's sum up what we know: the Gyro four-pagers ran in the back of the <i>Uncle $crooge</i> comic book. They were introduced because of a quirk in USPS shipping prices, under which magazines were cheaper to ship than books, and to be categorized as the former rather than the latter, they had to feature stories with at least two wholly disparate casts (did superhero comics ever do something like Western did? It's an interesting question). Barks had used Gyro in a number of previous stories, but this is where the character really came into his own. At first, Barks didn't quite understand the "wholly disparate casts" thing, and tried to feature HDL and Donald respectively in his first and second stories, but then when he learned he couldn't, replaced them with other characters--Mickey's nephews Mortie and Ferdie in the one, and this random "Speedy" dude in the other.</p><p>So Barks couldn't use his main characters in these Gyro shorts. But could he have used secondary characters who rarely if ever appeared in his <i>U$</i> adventures? Gladstone, Daisy, Grandma, Gus, April May and June? Probably; Grandma was permitted to remain in "Trapped Lightning." But he didn't, presumably out of a preference for safety over sorrow.</p><p>What I feel like we haven't adequately noted is that this whole thing is really dumb. Because notwithstanding the word "book" in the name, a comic book is <i>obviously,</i> for all intents and purposes, a magazine. It has the same format, it's distributed and sold in the same way, and it's found in the magazine section of a store. The fact that this was apparently an argument is incredibly bizarre to me. I'm picturing postal officials combing through comics to determine the character content of the stories. It's silly. And under this system, is an anthology of unrelated short stories now a magazine, or what? SO WEIRD.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizfiqz9CFHVYio7Y02sMSzx-57JCa97CadIpzUqhajB8I7C-MhEgWy-VXlltnHxq48DWi3-hp0Grvmo9wgOj3nq5MPH2xe8paHjuXKrTfMBAumO4ZjHUe6aUQFL5p-WBZQPe7-jUzbqwQcR6h5l2561dD5pvoD6GAFFkluXxfB9T3TlrIhZ7rlw5COXw/s859/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="859" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizfiqz9CFHVYio7Y02sMSzx-57JCa97CadIpzUqhajB8I7C-MhEgWy-VXlltnHxq48DWi3-hp0Grvmo9wgOj3nq5MPH2xe8paHjuXKrTfMBAumO4ZjHUe6aUQFL5p-WBZQPe7-jUzbqwQcR6h5l2561dD5pvoD6GAFFkluXxfB9T3TlrIhZ7rlw5COXw/w400-h145/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>At any rate, this kind of a fun invention, if much less baroque than what Gyro would get up to later.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-O27XkvO8T6OZykPoT4o8Rul4Xrg6Y9Jmy7MZxUT3ljh039zOF_RKplmUq4P3QpL6nPDlwCQRpTQWkngAlkMeVdy-InGbO7jnyiRf2dtKAB7UeANCmug_GVed2rd_d0T-V2WlNicY9tv1RzrZLED_sG73Fyg5f8eXdCwuHZkByiTY9KcsVgiUMmdfQ/s855/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_24%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="855" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-O27XkvO8T6OZykPoT4o8Rul4Xrg6Y9Jmy7MZxUT3ljh039zOF_RKplmUq4P3QpL6nPDlwCQRpTQWkngAlkMeVdy-InGbO7jnyiRf2dtKAB7UeANCmug_GVed2rd_d0T-V2WlNicY9tv1RzrZLED_sG73Fyg5f8eXdCwuHZkByiTY9KcsVgiUMmdfQ/w400-h288/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_24%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>And I do like imagining Donald beating the hell out of Bad Neighbor (any relation to Jones?).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLZIlLBPT_x8tsFPQM615GTvmT6FCG6rn_2N9N7a5K2DGowkwKZUpdcoVe2una8_Z7OrJDHT6cnU3r6g9qS432HADY2--Rxb4sDvWZVtOhYJT1owVXenf67BfbYV5tIDHx6Ds1VSclW3pYBsgB3RSqhlBPj_qnhiXqu4zKtAf3jrcFihRLYsi5x0_JQ/s855/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_24.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="855" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLZIlLBPT_x8tsFPQM615GTvmT6FCG6rn_2N9N7a5K2DGowkwKZUpdcoVe2una8_Z7OrJDHT6cnU3r6g9qS432HADY2--Rxb4sDvWZVtOhYJT1owVXenf67BfbYV5tIDHx6Ds1VSclW3pYBsgB3RSqhlBPj_qnhiXqu4zKtAf3jrcFihRLYsi5x0_JQ/w400-h289/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>BIFF BAM SOCK OW CLONK. That is a pretty fun collection of sound effects, I must say, though I can't decide whether it would've been MORE fun to actually see the fight. But will "that man" (should Gyro know his name, maybe?) really still be running in ten minutes? Where's he trying to get to, exactly? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOSRLmoidkKLo5KiY6sTMtWIr7MyeGPTd2bFzn3GZpsbHXZmy0tFrotZYEEZOf97RmiMdM9d9Q-hlZqztc3I3eoftTRNjIEUK3lZkkB9P_56w2QlkdqVA3_Z7mUN-w74UvOzYpNyxZ_oVWwrg73UjaRUwCo-q3bE6Y9nyLac4Z7PDFC6jyEhEriqtAg/s853/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_25.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="853" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOSRLmoidkKLo5KiY6sTMtWIr7MyeGPTd2bFzn3GZpsbHXZmy0tFrotZYEEZOf97RmiMdM9d9Q-hlZqztc3I3eoftTRNjIEUK3lZkkB9P_56w2QlkdqVA3_Z7mUN-w74UvOzYpNyxZ_oVWwrg73UjaRUwCo-q3bE6Y9nyLac4Z7PDFC6jyEhEriqtAg/w400-h288/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_14_25.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh, is THAT what it goes to show? All right. It would be pointless to complain about the dubious physics here, so...I shan't. Whoa! How's THAT for a twist?</p><p>Anyway, let's return to postal regulations for a moment--the kids love 'em! But the thing to be noted is that, as nonsensical as they may have been, they were, at least in this case, actually <i>extremely good.</i> No doubt the Gyro shorts would've turned out fun in any case. Why wouldn't they have? Barks is Barks. But the fact that he was working under this oulipo-like constraint gives them a singular tone that we don't really see elsewhere in his work. I've struggled to articulate the distinction, but you know I'm right. Admit it! This informs Gyro's entire character, and it's just...cool and unique.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Nq3tUQkDQ54d3EjWPAy-QhUsX-DDIgnpF1Cei5KcHvOYzYUY9XvBo-IBp-NBaLq03tJU-HNql-LL_IGph6Jd_RHm2AdUcVrjj5AYE-sCQfrWe2zCmrxYvxHxUdQMIGk_5HPfOFgO_2R2VZbJG24UdtUGXThfHWET0owklOPxW8rYXuL45658Vt65Uw/s857/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_15_23%20copy.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="857" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Nq3tUQkDQ54d3EjWPAy-QhUsX-DDIgnpF1Cei5KcHvOYzYUY9XvBo-IBp-NBaLq03tJU-HNql-LL_IGph6Jd_RHm2AdUcVrjj5AYE-sCQfrWe2zCmrxYvxHxUdQMIGk_5HPfOFgO_2R2VZbJG24UdtUGXThfHWET0owklOPxW8rYXuL45658Vt65Uw/w400-h145/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_15_23%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>And that is not to even SPEAK of the other, related Barksian innovation that would not exist if not for these weird rules. I refer, of course, to Helper here, who was introduced right here in the third Gyro short. Clearly, Barks realized that if he was going to write stories with JUST Gyro, it would be needful to have <i>some</i> other regular character, so he's not <i>totally</i> isolated. But (this is just me extrapolating, but it certainly seems plausible) the problem is that these are very short stories, and a whole new regular duck (or dogface) character could make them overcrowded. The solution? This little guy, who never talks and who doesn't have to play a big role in the story (though he does a few times), but nonetheless is there and makes Gyro seem a bit less alone. How smart is that?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmM1syzDtjqttJq416iuT01goq_NBi1p9_HFDvUtbwBuPn_KfPUjE-30_7VT1q17Z-VeJau_NKpDtBAegJ8zzI-KqcCCQMlZcUm-0aJpRy9zunOlR1QDaseG6pOPazRsk_3-TCjoO-8oFpaz8zbZdUmF55Uzjnpg6M5q6S9HrliNvPe94g9vEo54KLQ/s869/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_15_24%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="869" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmM1syzDtjqttJq416iuT01goq_NBi1p9_HFDvUtbwBuPn_KfPUjE-30_7VT1q17Z-VeJau_NKpDtBAegJ8zzI-KqcCCQMlZcUm-0aJpRy9zunOlR1QDaseG6pOPazRsk_3-TCjoO-8oFpaz8zbZdUmF55Uzjnpg6M5q6S9HrliNvPe94g9vEo54KLQ/w400-h285/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_15_24%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Of course, in later stories, Helper starts (brilliantly) having whole parallel stories; that's not the case here, where he doesn't really do much. But Barks got there soon enough!</p><p>Anyway, as for the plot of the story: is it really worth thinking about? Not too much. "Hot ice for hot iced tea" is fun, though. Also, shouldn't you need to, like, input some linguistic data if you're going to invent a translator? In fairness, that was never an issue in Star Trek either.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWB3KkYk5rYPTzsa16LrluoEHFvpIHLGrcTQpLbynFC6_78b6fPtMepvBHtHem1bkwx68tbhe00vLZC074bRvYO6jfx7ZfopocZI956xd2MFiRSssCgs7dpaNYiWUdfaWQYlNpGMMuT1xduZ-hi-NSVi2zZmXmA7EfY59VHyhzUjI67ZKSq_tXC3n8Q/s862/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_15_25%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="862" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWB3KkYk5rYPTzsa16LrluoEHFvpIHLGrcTQpLbynFC6_78b6fPtMepvBHtHem1bkwx68tbhe00vLZC074bRvYO6jfx7ZfopocZI956xd2MFiRSssCgs7dpaNYiWUdfaWQYlNpGMMuT1xduZ-hi-NSVi2zZmXmA7EfY59VHyhzUjI67ZKSq_tXC3n8Q/w400-h290/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_15_25%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Okay, we DO have to give out some plaudits for the hep cat patter, which is very superior. Nobody else could've done this! Well...Bob Gregory on a good day might've come close. But Barks' supremacy is indisputable. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDR43Rt4znuoJ6sd3hYx97kmZZIuctSoOsnB2M-VZRjEePCJZl0GewLSBl7twVs0t8Aq7So9vBHKFzhsXt_9-ZgwKF0DBkNi1iX6378ino0x7ObTJjs5SQxSl_JLVAdaOQbDYot2-Og-4Ds6aqVSwX3E2EAoIkF05DTDhe-qEq0Xc60__eQH3D8I9Dg/s860/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_15_26%20copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="860" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDR43Rt4znuoJ6sd3hYx97kmZZIuctSoOsnB2M-VZRjEePCJZl0GewLSBl7twVs0t8Aq7So9vBHKFzhsXt_9-ZgwKF0DBkNi1iX6378ino0x7ObTJjs5SQxSl_JLVAdaOQbDYot2-Og-4Ds6aqVSwX3E2EAoIkF05DTDhe-qEq0Xc60__eQH3D8I9Dg/w400-h290/Uncle_Scrooge_cscan_15_26%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqHMQGwONsY">A real song!</a> I don't if there was a particular popular version of it at the time that Barks would've known. Also, I'm not sure why it needs to be translated to be an effective deterrent. Still, I like the image of him singing, and I like that he's shorted out his Helper. That guy has to put up with some weird stuff.</p><p>So "Inventor of Everything" and "The Cat Box." There you have them!</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-18109887528443287702023-03-30T12:27:00.009-04:002023-03-31T10:07:17.107-04:00"The Flat-Footed Floogle"<p> You definitely shouldn't get used to me churning out blog entires at this pace (who knows, maybe there'll be a six-month gap between this and the next one, though I hope not). But I'm enjoying this, and here's another Dick Moores story that NEEDS ATTENTION. To be clear, I'm not planning on writing about his entire oeuvre, nor am I lobbying for a Dick Moores Library. Still, as weird as it sounds to say, this is true: I'm very likely the biggest living fan of his (I mean, of his duck work--he spent most of his career working on the comic strip <i>Gasoline Alley,</i> of which I know nothing). How about that? And yet, even I have to concede that a large percentage of his work is both bad and unwriteaboutable. You're getting a very curated selection here.</p><p>(incidentally, the wikipedia page for Gasoline Alley informs us that it features "storylines reflecting traditional American values," and it just goes to show how toxic the right has made that phrase that it can't not sound ominous as hell.)</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrOa8QZaMEX1nYSU-y6QinokzJJmuWLfeEBsQFg3o-e0M3f1fyVjs2qDjbZF8vRcQ_SHI-2fyNfMOYXMPStQlSf8eiRkUMGaqqrFjNl8OkYv-1X_ie_nNoALbneaTu4ccCEt8wQqt93KmNyygP4tvuoOV89srDeo-XCL4nBbvNGuQAG9jdGuZFrR0Pw/s935/Donald_Duck034_03%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="935" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrOa8QZaMEX1nYSU-y6QinokzJJmuWLfeEBsQFg3o-e0M3f1fyVjs2qDjbZF8vRcQ_SHI-2fyNfMOYXMPStQlSf8eiRkUMGaqqrFjNl8OkYv-1X_ie_nNoALbneaTu4ccCEt8wQqt93KmNyygP4tvuoOV89srDeo-XCL4nBbvNGuQAG9jdGuZFrR0Pw/w400-h143/Donald_Duck034_03%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>On the other hand, he <i>did</i> on occasion write some pretty fun stuff, like HDL's suggestions for what day it might be. Saint Elmo's Day is a real feast day, on June second (quoth wikipedia: "Saint Elmo is the patron saint of sailors and abdominal pain"--um...great tastes that taste great together?). The most prominent use of the name "Jimmy Valentine" I can find is to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Valentine">a play</a> which was made into a number of movies that Moores might've seen (as I mentioned when writing about <a href="http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2020/01/show-biz.html">this</a>, his cultural references tend to be a bit out-of-date; the most recent of these films is from 1928).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREvhmfqZk6u5UpijsN85ROVpONY9CcPGS4Q_YulJRUEgngn48XJK-ZSFr8z2q5f37bQdZ0YWzdKovvxWzLum0cmeE1FTDcrRtEjPQ-XGSg612lJDSWnIKRPmMnk3LjiPiiHVZs8RzxrWDxQYF_vkY80dcXOrQQLREm7AVxAGqj0g22FGvbfRH3BJtZQ/s997/Donald_Duck034_03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="939" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREvhmfqZk6u5UpijsN85ROVpONY9CcPGS4Q_YulJRUEgngn48XJK-ZSFr8z2q5f37bQdZ0YWzdKovvxWzLum0cmeE1FTDcrRtEjPQ-XGSg612lJDSWnIKRPmMnk3LjiPiiHVZs8RzxrWDxQYF_vkY80dcXOrQQLREm7AVxAGqj0g22FGvbfRH3BJtZQ/w376-h400/Donald_Duck034_03.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><p>One thing about Moores' work is that his character portrayals swing wildly back and forth: Donald and Scrooge can be mostly likable, or they can just be unbearably conniving. I don't think I've ever written about the latter sort, as they're pretty dispiriting (I assume these were all written by Moores, or if not then at least by the same person; they're stylistically of a piece). But the problem is that he writes characters to fit the plot, rather than the other way 'round. Everyone, including Barks, is sometimes guilty of this, but Moores could take it to fairly egregious extremes.</p><p>Well, this one is fairly nice, albeit goofy. I like how there's no justification for <i>why</i> it's so vitally important that we give Scrooge a present: it just is, okay? He's our uncle, so we have to. Whether that's out of love or a sense of obligation is left as an exercise for the reader, but he needs a present. And since he has everything, let's give him a party. Experiences are better than things, they say, although they might not if they were aware of a little thing called a Steam Deck. Regardless! I like how they're all on the same page about this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T_p0rlD49qdl4X77qPKCu7BSae2xJDQsG4qepUDVNZYcrvYimS_W0m2uddyuICNhsTBNC9AVIn3JRsKzd54_g4xnRRJRAGrxzMgoBje41PsRaAl4YpqMdmOJgihbCgaNljrcZjSmt-Fmd0LXo0KgxaDpf_ZkKBxlHMJcdyWk1vXwilhTyD_K7w722A/s930/Donald_Duck034_04%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="930" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T_p0rlD49qdl4X77qPKCu7BSae2xJDQsG4qepUDVNZYcrvYimS_W0m2uddyuICNhsTBNC9AVIn3JRsKzd54_g4xnRRJRAGrxzMgoBje41PsRaAl4YpqMdmOJgihbCgaNljrcZjSmt-Fmd0LXo0KgxaDpf_ZkKBxlHMJcdyWk1vXwilhTyD_K7w722A/w400-h285/Donald_Duck034_04%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Meanwhile, here's Scrooge, playing his little game of coin tiddlywinks, which certainly wouldn't have been out-of-place on a Barks cover. That is sort of cute, but he is NOT INTERESTED. But I am sort of trying to figure out how to parse this: you have to assume that Scrooge has multiple phone lines, right? At the very least, one for business and one for personal use (I mean, realistically, many for business use, but let's keep it simple here). But if that's the case, then wouldn't Donald be one of the few people who would even have his personal number? So why is he just immediately hanging up like that? It might be an emergency; <i>he</i> doesn't know. You're thinking about this way too hard, you might argue; the question of how many phone lines he has definitely never passed through Moores' mind, and to the extent that he had any implicit assumptions on the subject, it would probably be that he just had the one. He's not a complicated thinker, is Moores. To which I say, that was unnecessarily insulting to the man, but you might have a point. Only...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTkll_vyrXHLQSl8gpxuiJluq_KiSeavXwKielZUuF65VrOA5HtoA7P9vHj1SHJ_Vzi0Os2CA98MuwCiihnUAxZTJB3HlQIeSSrXlR1RGkGgVvRHBHf3b55__vyo95_T7Ur7JfKtC1WeAte8P6PVpK52wpkeKpzrYULJK38nDofvvilMKwV3raER3ZQ/s931/Donald_Duck034_04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="931" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTkll_vyrXHLQSl8gpxuiJluq_KiSeavXwKielZUuF65VrOA5HtoA7P9vHj1SHJ_Vzi0Os2CA98MuwCiihnUAxZTJB3HlQIeSSrXlR1RGkGgVvRHBHf3b55__vyo95_T7Ur7JfKtC1WeAte8P6PVpK52wpkeKpzrYULJK38nDofvvilMKwV3raER3ZQ/w400-h286/Donald_Duck034_04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>It's hard to imagine how he could've gotten rich if he's going around sabotaging his business line all willy nilly. On the other hand, why even HAVE a personal line if he's gonna do this? And unless he never plans on replacing it, this is all very penny-wise pound-foolish. I can't believe how many words I've wasted trying to make this trivial joke mean something.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn6ln2BDXXWAbUJ30mU5TZhUwXSQOdSdqYpgwREuRfxoXaQK97bebV5tTYBpMDmcIzEpjWEkJJkg35qznLvwIhvpaFFtzfqYe9kDhQpplv0DoLQkSqfL7xoREhHg9bpvVK8bIPw1mOHoG9OoIJNaCaIJZZ49nEYz1VNFbXnyHbQjr8-i33uLaqmDQWA/s399/Donald_Duck034_05%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="399" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn6ln2BDXXWAbUJ30mU5TZhUwXSQOdSdqYpgwREuRfxoXaQK97bebV5tTYBpMDmcIzEpjWEkJJkg35qznLvwIhvpaFFtzfqYe9kDhQpplv0DoLQkSqfL7xoREhHg9bpvVK8bIPw1mOHoG9OoIJNaCaIJZZ49nEYz1VNFbXnyHbQjr8-i33uLaqmDQWA/w400-h336/Donald_Duck034_05%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Why is Donald reacting to this with the sort of embarrassed saving-face attitude that cartoon characters use? Probably heard me blathering.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWSSMpFgSFCYr1R3TGAi-c7u422qB76CkPtukiFU9TO2pNUh8jI1rcGdsdQgChHEIo8i_PxMhsUjMLeiyCq3zKmRPIzqk_s2j3jKB4hUzYPB216HtTGx6z8w45-RP2BISoJtzIloJtb-hPpx1THZGmcs5iwufP0eMhkLPT7bS343gLglEzvpTSS9GDA/s924/Donald_Duck034_05.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="924" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWSSMpFgSFCYr1R3TGAi-c7u422qB76CkPtukiFU9TO2pNUh8jI1rcGdsdQgChHEIo8i_PxMhsUjMLeiyCq3zKmRPIzqk_s2j3jKB4hUzYPB216HtTGx6z8w45-RP2BISoJtzIloJtb-hPpx1THZGmcs5iwufP0eMhkLPT7bS343gLglEzvpTSS9GDA/s320/Donald_Duck034_05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Anyway, now we get to the crux of the biscuit, which is this Looney Tunes escapee. Two entries in a row featuring weird birds! And they were published in back-to-back issues of <i>Donald Duck.</i> Moores was on a roll. You have to admit, if nothing else, it DOES look pretty cool.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdB88Cd3JfmefGePBCY2_HfnDPIPB_CHWxFo-NWcaSbjQdAuQBDVN_qQ6gQpL_A0kHag84hUxaisf0c68_0xqiP7r00zuQgP-ZIz-L2M6lcvgWcIqg9BdMmEBaWIm2c1oX64B26kyJwmmoYQGsDIHmvbjfGbSbM_7hsOBsuq1VQYEk3qjp3nTXALGcGA/s927/Donald_Duck034_06%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="927" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdB88Cd3JfmefGePBCY2_HfnDPIPB_CHWxFo-NWcaSbjQdAuQBDVN_qQ6gQpL_A0kHag84hUxaisf0c68_0xqiP7r00zuQgP-ZIz-L2M6lcvgWcIqg9BdMmEBaWIm2c1oX64B26kyJwmmoYQGsDIHmvbjfGbSbM_7hsOBsuq1VQYEk3qjp3nTXALGcGA/w400-h289/Donald_Duck034_06%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>It's called the "Flat-Footed Floogle" (I guess the title of this entry makes that obvious) and that is all we learn about it. This story is untitled in English; all of the foreign-language printings of this story call it "Scrooge's Birthday" or words to that effect, but it seems pretty obvious that the floogle is really its distinguishing feature.</p><p>I also just wanted to take the opportunity to comment further briefly on the <a href="http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-money-bird.html">last story</a>, as inspired by commenters: I really did miss a trick in failing to note that that bird--which dispenses allegedly-genuine US currency in its eggs--is from Africa, and that that simple fact carries a hell of a lot of baggage with it. It's interesting and important to understand these things. Clearly, Moores wasn't <i>trying</i> to make any kind of Statement; he just thought, this bird's weird; what's an exotic place it could come from? Africa. Bada bing, bada boom. Bob's yer uncle. Job's a good'un. And yet, to a contemporary audience if raises all sorts of dicey questions about the exploitation of Africa by Europe and America. Without meaning to, Moores reflects and reinforces the dominant narratives of his time and place. I suppose if there's any justification for writing about these stories, that would be it: you can't understand the past solely by looking at its masterpieces.</p><p>Well, sometimes that's the case. I'm not sure if the present story's really going to help anyone understand anything, but so it goes. </p><p>Note the '313' here. I guess I haven't been paying close attention here; at what point did it become de rigueur for writers to use that number? Also, as long as we're making trivial observations, isn't seven cents an awfully awkward amount to have to pay for a newspaper?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jE6RG5KobdHD2N6RMgaxIzS4lJ6cl6osQAJeCE35s35OW1wX-OztQnsyU7V01HmuSRej0pSD1UY774axLaYDjrFIe-lJbSRobY_Iyjti94WXy4up_yLwpPmTztRwDSEAkpo02aayVcRhBbgY3fvfbdXmzemsOeXdqgUWN2QI74Qi0Cg6w1UxMwVP0w/s918/Donald_Duck034_07%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="918" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jE6RG5KobdHD2N6RMgaxIzS4lJ6cl6osQAJeCE35s35OW1wX-OztQnsyU7V01HmuSRej0pSD1UY774axLaYDjrFIe-lJbSRobY_Iyjti94WXy4up_yLwpPmTztRwDSEAkpo02aayVcRhBbgY3fvfbdXmzemsOeXdqgUWN2QI74Qi0Cg6w1UxMwVP0w/w400-h146/Donald_Duck034_07%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>You know, I always joke about how "extremely obvious costumes fool everyone perfectly" is such a Disney-comics trope, but it really is kind of weird how absolutely universal it is. Come to think of it, I guess it might not<i> just</i> be a duck comic thing--it's just that these are what I know best. I have to imagine it's at least the same in Looney Tunes or Walter Lantz comics, many of which were written by the same people. </p><p>Those glasses look as if Moores, or someone, just pressed stamps of black ink over Scrooge's eyes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMiLmOFpvux989SNvhS5OUtlccJVe2GdUukH_ak04k7lU8Fkyf1KMtQMkFjNDUKafCeGqUljfwLNmd7wq1-iXXlLytGOZDF-okHNTkYGcZo7dhVL7IFecMEVGaOu3bwSdX3OCSTGCqr5VEnigt_ndB34xRdA1D-UIXWOd9KO6F29VNI_J7DOYDh5DNA/s923/Donald_Duck034_08%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="923" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMiLmOFpvux989SNvhS5OUtlccJVe2GdUukH_ak04k7lU8Fkyf1KMtQMkFjNDUKafCeGqUljfwLNmd7wq1-iXXlLytGOZDF-okHNTkYGcZo7dhVL7IFecMEVGaOu3bwSdX3OCSTGCqr5VEnigt_ndB34xRdA1D-UIXWOd9KO6F29VNI_J7DOYDh5DNA/w400-h284/Donald_Duck034_08%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>JEEZ, wha'd you even ask him what he wanted for if you were just going to forcibly eject him without him even saying anything? How do you EVER interact with him? Is it even possible for you to have interpersonal relationships? Okay, granted, you DON'T have many. But that's just all the more reason to not act like a raving lunatic around the few people who'll put up with you!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkykAFTqP_mCx1tbT3w7MdGzUJZHKR4HF9UC6TPlsO4Fm_Q56SXaQTw5R3Q9FFX2sR1je4srvl5BfalSJuLmGZaigobaLnys7DEl22apkBrF11SbiC113-13wpuwvnHBWSa_qKHN3L_sNvL2cY7fG5ZFwkMjU3hTHPnTzDGrnWehM9lk0oDIfjZuiHg/s928/Donald_Duck034_09%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="928" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkykAFTqP_mCx1tbT3w7MdGzUJZHKR4HF9UC6TPlsO4Fm_Q56SXaQTw5R3Q9FFX2sR1je4srvl5BfalSJuLmGZaigobaLnys7DEl22apkBrF11SbiC113-13wpuwvnHBWSa_qKHN3L_sNvL2cY7fG5ZFwkMjU3hTHPnTzDGrnWehM9lk0oDIfjZuiHg/w400-h284/Donald_Duck034_09%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Granted that talking about gun safety can seem like a sick joke these days, but one rule I DO know is that you should never point a gun at someone if you aren't prepared to fire it. Are you prepared to murder your nephew because he asked if you were going to be home? Is that a thing that's going to happen? I mean, the portrayal of Scrooge in this story really isn't that bad, comparatively, and yet he still has his psychotic moments.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQv-9g6QnGv09JLKG80ff_rIGerE460V-jqf2r84ipxMcRqFfuWlRRs3oaHsHluOBQRLWwzldbHBH5NOdmAfISkeVaGK3Cauk1LPLUU_VNBSoE-R8pTtIUqvjdO6_EdeLL14fP2cHZY8SaFkjZMUnOkYpVoEr68B58PN36lfjHWTun91aYrHjPOGYFaQ/s990/Donald_Duck034_10%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="925" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQv-9g6QnGv09JLKG80ff_rIGerE460V-jqf2r84ipxMcRqFfuWlRRs3oaHsHluOBQRLWwzldbHBH5NOdmAfISkeVaGK3Cauk1LPLUU_VNBSoE-R8pTtIUqvjdO6_EdeLL14fP2cHZY8SaFkjZMUnOkYpVoEr68B58PN36lfjHWTun91aYrHjPOGYFaQ/s320/Donald_Duck034_10%20copy.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><p>And yet! In spite of everything (did he really borrow <i>one cent</i> from Scrooge?), Donald remains determined to go through with this birthday party. There's this gap here that the story never explains--why he is so determined--that lends at least a bit of interest, and makes it all seem weirdly humanistic.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwW_aqtgrFrMeuqQFUbWo_DjqMoerbzoTYa5IULmznm-myDmn_kSeUkHnD3AvT4fvxGXNsO6MkmSvh9V9MEepv9cc21oaBPENEYyH9zbQW5AkwSf0IK8i1PHDUVnPW373yBtxaF8Y6Gratmjd1KMbNFGm8ux1D7KuCZo_kkuhbjLsXaDZhUOrKTVGSoQ/s985/Donald_Duck034_11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="934" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwW_aqtgrFrMeuqQFUbWo_DjqMoerbzoTYa5IULmznm-myDmn_kSeUkHnD3AvT4fvxGXNsO6MkmSvh9V9MEepv9cc21oaBPENEYyH9zbQW5AkwSf0IK8i1PHDUVnPW373yBtxaF8Y6Gratmjd1KMbNFGm8ux1D7KuCZo_kkuhbjLsXaDZhUOrKTVGSoQ/w379-h400/Donald_Duck034_11.jpg" width="379" /></a></div><p>"Trackman?" Maybe that's an old-fashioned term that I've just never heard, I thought; I should check that before making fun of Moores for not understanding words. But no, its sole use seems to apply to railroad workers; this is just weird. But not uncharacteristic! Here's Moores not knowing the word "jackhammer:"</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMjJEB8D_Z8pYmE2GTXl-cnhEvbnPSwi_fzyJuIYswkZuLbSeYUgvWL0PJ07C6ecCQQlLja34jdAdlMoiOSO3MPwcDNXboSQiILF4IPUC6ShMr7djGfkhWynNujpRiu3FOxg154NIOTWkephcG_4-Fa6-V5wFUMObeDB3aOpwbOLg7jSrgBJI6VOegg/s647/DD_33_35.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="647" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMjJEB8D_Z8pYmE2GTXl-cnhEvbnPSwi_fzyJuIYswkZuLbSeYUgvWL0PJ07C6ecCQQlLja34jdAdlMoiOSO3MPwcDNXboSQiILF4IPUC6ShMr7djGfkhWynNujpRiu3FOxg154NIOTWkephcG_4-Fa6-V5wFUMObeDB3aOpwbOLg7jSrgBJI6VOegg/w400-h203/DD_33_35.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Heh, heh. Heh, heh, indeed. Draw your own conclusions. Anyway, in contrast to that, I kind of like the absurdity of baloney ice cream. But then, is that misspelling of "parfait" intentional or not? There is literally no way to know.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKW9p3peY0X6hSIQ7LDckmr9LiHiNmJHukI0dZ-z0ENqQ_2kxxCGo5rMLpxwzz2ML4uLugKinCnGq_YbFWrKrLdevl7i3L4Z50Yallnzh4khRlRz-PnPi06WZcidlcs_Drky9pULx9O8BroLmwMXk8MBdUARby9VSdhdBp62xe5ZsT9SUxMHSUEDnGw/s932/Donald_Duck034_12%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="932" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKW9p3peY0X6hSIQ7LDckmr9LiHiNmJHukI0dZ-z0ENqQ_2kxxCGo5rMLpxwzz2ML4uLugKinCnGq_YbFWrKrLdevl7i3L4Z50Yallnzh4khRlRz-PnPi06WZcidlcs_Drky9pULx9O8BroLmwMXk8MBdUARby9VSdhdBp62xe5ZsT9SUxMHSUEDnGw/w400-h283/Donald_Duck034_12%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And SERIOUSLY, "mustachio?" I get that sometimes Disney comics use fun parody names for things, but pistachio is just a doggone ice cream flavor! None of the <i>others</i> are burlesqued in this hilarious manner! So what gives?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimsQ-FBSxYTCJXDcrrHfEkwn3dDIyjQ9DsrkCZh5X0n7CAICA9sQLB8dSXb4eIWP74yndlXQih81_MrS5x_Jp8mlNcfLvgj8R8rMLy4x-eiWaiamlL0vZz9U7C7N0t3YPTIfihx5IM0B-1hbZJ9sSnK7ERydFBLWH8wlroktjG_8s36Bf3Kvc28YemDA/s928/Donald_Duck034_12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="928" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimsQ-FBSxYTCJXDcrrHfEkwn3dDIyjQ9DsrkCZh5X0n7CAICA9sQLB8dSXb4eIWP74yndlXQih81_MrS5x_Jp8mlNcfLvgj8R8rMLy4x-eiWaiamlL0vZz9U7C7N0t3YPTIfihx5IM0B-1hbZJ9sSnK7ERydFBLWH8wlroktjG_8s36Bf3Kvc28YemDA/w400-h284/Donald_Duck034_12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And if you think that's bad, check THIS shit out. That dialogue in the bottom panel is beyond comprehension. Also, marvel as Moores violates English rules of ADJECTIVE ORDER ("Swiss old lady"), something that any native speaker knows intuitively. The mind boggles.</p><p>Yes, well, as far as the bird goes, it doesn't actually do all that much. It just sort of appears and Donald gets irrationally angry about it and that's about it. But I like it in a wig, which is the most overtly Looney-Tunes-esque thing it does, and also the most likely to get this story banned in the state of Florida.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vTHNtcA1ccyGabdiQ14M5-jrgloXY2WhvhkMCGInrZgC8VYmH8OkSc_oysY1NSUijDlwyT_0GbgZf6oCOn3mYiJ24pcAZVZ9jyrN5IzDHQSfMU-EXAauzwVeVBoX47SE6FRVHjc75xKU_L54A1BQ5B06kQiqO0hvzTJdGa_GrEg4K1zQ7cVRTFkFnA/s928/Donald_Duck034_13%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="928" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vTHNtcA1ccyGabdiQ14M5-jrgloXY2WhvhkMCGInrZgC8VYmH8OkSc_oysY1NSUijDlwyT_0GbgZf6oCOn3mYiJ24pcAZVZ9jyrN5IzDHQSfMU-EXAauzwVeVBoX47SE6FRVHjc75xKU_L54A1BQ5B06kQiqO0hvzTJdGa_GrEg4K1zQ7cVRTFkFnA/w400-h143/Donald_Duck034_13%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...oh, so <i>that's</i> the only reason you threatened to murder him. Well all right then. This story really takes a tell-don't-show approach to character. I do, at any rate, like that Scrooge has separate taps for dimes and quarters--though the faucet appears to be shooting plain ol' water as well. Either way, that would be incredibly painful in any realistic scenario.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9GnTG95mDZLeHlBBpvN-XsxOexSYLvZ_lF8myFnNgLyvkzP2kbIxyz_ZmTAJYayMtF_e6HgQwEzX1rFUowkCAND0ZEVkfVtNdTHfvJsdVXCQFSY1wB2TT2-EcscGZkA97je7XNsoH-lgkuiJkTIF_G_BNhIig7RMaYG1znlDNWNhvHSAR12EN0y0gw/s990/Donald_Duck034_14%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="930" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9GnTG95mDZLeHlBBpvN-XsxOexSYLvZ_lF8myFnNgLyvkzP2kbIxyz_ZmTAJYayMtF_e6HgQwEzX1rFUowkCAND0ZEVkfVtNdTHfvJsdVXCQFSY1wB2TT2-EcscGZkA97je7XNsoH-lgkuiJkTIF_G_BNhIig7RMaYG1znlDNWNhvHSAR12EN0y0gw/w376-h400/Donald_Duck034_14%20copy.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><p>Man, given that Donald's gun-safety protocols are if anything even worse than Scrooge's, it's a wonder this family has lasted as long as it has. Blam! Ka-blowie!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAFU4jTJuNANPceZHKegDOKU1OADws84NjurUI72_S7WcJwiNx9FiBiIAOjop0HHZC82rpLHCKzeOhvcRJUC6zH1hJQHSkVQO8YM0aSndv-Qs4QA5ak6mAfs5gDdu-lgjXyZJDDj2i3oLMP1xwpixc_yX4S5b97sw5Dna9dqXkxrkO5QnKAY5BLBFfQ/s931/Donald_Duck034_14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="931" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAFU4jTJuNANPceZHKegDOKU1OADws84NjurUI72_S7WcJwiNx9FiBiIAOjop0HHZC82rpLHCKzeOhvcRJUC6zH1hJQHSkVQO8YM0aSndv-Qs4QA5ak6mAfs5gDdu-lgjXyZJDDj2i3oLMP1xwpixc_yX4S5b97sw5Dna9dqXkxrkO5QnKAY5BLBFfQ/w400-h143/Donald_Duck034_14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>One Disney-comics trope that many commentators, including yours truly, have mostly overlooked is the tendency of radios to suddenly start blurting out relevant information at key moments. It's extremely convenient.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGVSzGpYu3KrAWBxa-GH8HYrzdMJGpi_j2ihcQSmNbx-mUuXSeB0eUABEld3Bulyh968VdvoDLxjHi7hMBeIDNfnyFmXrqdNvskTK6Oa0-LeZscNHyjlg9cKGG5ngBRZJKfcIOi7M5sy3Qf9mNDhPx8KeE622W9f5VmvslWfarjhHaSd5aSVnunkoqw/s926/Donald_Duck034_15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="926" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGVSzGpYu3KrAWBxa-GH8HYrzdMJGpi_j2ihcQSmNbx-mUuXSeB0eUABEld3Bulyh968VdvoDLxjHi7hMBeIDNfnyFmXrqdNvskTK6Oa0-LeZscNHyjlg9cKGG5ngBRZJKfcIOi7M5sy3Qf9mNDhPx8KeE622W9f5VmvslWfarjhHaSd5aSVnunkoqw/w400-h143/Donald_Duck034_15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Brank!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rQawPlq1w6vas-aljWhQTuCNo9XJITVVou41bI6Vc9BeXXPxahob4JqOtx8ANXXXqJUIw2fe2NmYvqWtSm8uxDdH6Mj_TN60p6r7sjM3vqrKzT3fjXALwdx9waVB80s2nfh-DP5XY1mR6JXv9riTEi9bwef5lgypyZ5qHJO9bgPeC6RNCNNKQ7dDJg/s925/Donald_Duck034_15%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="925" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rQawPlq1w6vas-aljWhQTuCNo9XJITVVou41bI6Vc9BeXXPxahob4JqOtx8ANXXXqJUIw2fe2NmYvqWtSm8uxDdH6Mj_TN60p6r7sjM3vqrKzT3fjXALwdx9waVB80s2nfh-DP5XY1mR6JXv9riTEi9bwef5lgypyZ5qHJO9bgPeC6RNCNNKQ7dDJg/w400-h286/Donald_Duck034_15%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>One does wonder what Donald and Scrooge were doing during this hour. Just making awkward small talk? But anyway, here we go! A charming ending, I will grant. Donald and Scrooge have made peace, and it's time for some cake and ice cream! It's not entirely clear if they're dressed as kids to try to trick anyone (obvious disguises that fool everyone are one thing, but I kind of doubt that what they've got going on would be enough even for that), or just getting into the spirit of the thing. Obviously, I prefer the latter explanation, but either way, we are DONE here.</p><p>Yup eighteen hundred words on THIS. I've written less about Barks masterpieces. What am I DOING here?</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-26325194881355501652023-03-26T12:22:00.004-04:002023-03-27T04:49:21.866-04:00"The Money Bird"<p>I don't know why I'm so into these old non-Barks Western stories! Am I like an aging libertine whose palate is so jaded that he has to venture into the realms of the bizarre and possibly illegal to receive any sort of frisson of pleasure? Maybe! Was it a good idea for me to make that simile? Definitely not! But here we are!</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQL-irt-AuXi4tAve7qvVy9Z7hurX_bD-m_YP8rETpGIrCa-m5RtN5dvs3VNf78JMxlVDBSDTIvjAFr7Y128tzvBp-Jc0DSobwHVxX2Xt-mZ9bIemR6E5UwPPD_B_gARezWBvxTesal-sj38QBU3mZ2XrwCtOAvlnXHertioOpWLG-2-ESW6mtsMZzow/s1000/DD_33_03%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="915" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQL-irt-AuXi4tAve7qvVy9Z7hurX_bD-m_YP8rETpGIrCa-m5RtN5dvs3VNf78JMxlVDBSDTIvjAFr7Y128tzvBp-Jc0DSobwHVxX2Xt-mZ9bIemR6E5UwPPD_B_gARezWBvxTesal-sj38QBU3mZ2XrwCtOAvlnXHertioOpWLG-2-ESW6mtsMZzow/w366-h400/DD_33_03%20copy.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><p>The first thing I have to note about this story is something that will be meaningless to ninety-nine, or more likely one hundred, percent of people reading this. But needs must: once you've imagined ol' Tom Boldface there talking in the voice of Evrart Claire, the cheerfully corrupt head of the dockworkers' union in <i>Disco Elysium,</i> you will be unable to not hear him like that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZZTCgptQvigwGqq2dKDX-tBdH3u1EuZXWe7eHT5PsTFnEEz3UalRKF-MOsZxkDL8nio2FNUscw5s6yf8wOJXP3LslnKdX6fIe7VpaVjuSQZHGW9GH77dZdfBh7qMSgawfUX2-ftUiSI0HAR8Zd8fZh6Cx1xByyFkmsE__iLmYocKsAXDDGDJI3vGUg/s917/DD_33_03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="917" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZZTCgptQvigwGqq2dKDX-tBdH3u1EuZXWe7eHT5PsTFnEEz3UalRKF-MOsZxkDL8nio2FNUscw5s6yf8wOJXP3LslnKdX6fIe7VpaVjuSQZHGW9GH77dZdfBh7qMSgawfUX2-ftUiSI0HAR8Zd8fZh6Cx1xByyFkmsE__iLmYocKsAXDDGDJI3vGUg/w400-h145/DD_33_03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, this is Dick Moores, about whom I have written a number of times, as you will see if you click the handy little tag. I don't know why I have such a weakness for him, but the evidence strongly suggests I do. Do reporters typically just wander around aimlessly waiting for news to occur? Seems like a pretty chill job.</p><p>Also, those nephews look <i>stoned to the gills.</i> They're dreaming a strange dream, where nothing is gray. Moores is very good at creating that effect. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWY8_ofK8orABo-Vw9igu2iQ3AU98av5H7PS6iNZVEiz9BFB9wBNluG1XT2zXEgGWYefhW_4hqlzEFJ8CEtgsch0Fnpbl_pe9R5pz3i6b9d678taSHs6jXNZEvfFkVVKjJC8Su_x2TeKFWmKfyzoWvIPHKD87vDTBeTLnEq0ncHdag2m7eayPFwHzA3g/s909/DD_33_04%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="909" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWY8_ofK8orABo-Vw9igu2iQ3AU98av5H7PS6iNZVEiz9BFB9wBNluG1XT2zXEgGWYefhW_4hqlzEFJ8CEtgsch0Fnpbl_pe9R5pz3i6b9d678taSHs6jXNZEvfFkVVKjJC8Su_x2TeKFWmKfyzoWvIPHKD87vDTBeTLnEq0ncHdag2m7eayPFwHzA3g/w400-h290/DD_33_04%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>My old friend, Clyde Beetroot. Donald has a lot of old friends in these stories that are then heard from never no never no more. I do wonder about the name here, though. That the editor is called Tom Boldface suggests that we're going for some sort of nominative determinism here, but I have no notion of what "Beetroot" could mean in that context. Pretty weird!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYFJM4Bt7vJkovxSyScPrAkYEhvbn6Y9Q614z6NMUdn1o3VHRXRzNLZDcLtC0Gsj0R3tdlkekDG4zRV0P_y1G9LyWNjsT5bga2INDKiY7p6Wh7dCtFp2XEqPnoFtCAbzebz9_FDd9RtyaGCqyH-Wau_ZTWm42e604QJAuNkJbF7kIU1obNo3xZIMqMQ/s910/DD_33_05%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="910" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYFJM4Bt7vJkovxSyScPrAkYEhvbn6Y9Q614z6NMUdn1o3VHRXRzNLZDcLtC0Gsj0R3tdlkekDG4zRV0P_y1G9LyWNjsT5bga2INDKiY7p6Wh7dCtFp2XEqPnoFtCAbzebz9_FDd9RtyaGCqyH-Wau_ZTWm42e604QJAuNkJbF7kIU1obNo3xZIMqMQ/w400-h291/DD_33_05%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I think it is safe to say that that is indeed unbelievable, in the most literal sense of the word. It is impossible to believe. Anyway, how does ol' Clyde <i>know</i> it's "genuine?" And what exactly would it mean if it were counterfeit? The ontological questions here are enough to set one's head a-spinning. Also, they're all entirely meaningless. Let's move on.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1V3Gxq4LIaNcfrjW8fsTbQDElj5T0WnkfhQj8xD_CPQkqm0evudjGovLdJu998l4MJqpCu5MBhdcTGDPVops881XVBKIIs1ZuRDF_snTtVaT3swq_mScil0XA7ovDTG57VxsnYgl4iX6Z7jMpRYuk_G2BBrzUdDE0iAvxRxKnRtkLbNJJkx5tO-J6Q/s921/DD_33_06%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="921" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1V3Gxq4LIaNcfrjW8fsTbQDElj5T0WnkfhQj8xD_CPQkqm0evudjGovLdJu998l4MJqpCu5MBhdcTGDPVops881XVBKIIs1ZuRDF_snTtVaT3swq_mScil0XA7ovDTG57VxsnYgl4iX6Z7jMpRYuk_G2BBrzUdDE0iAvxRxKnRtkLbNJJkx5tO-J6Q/w400-h288/DD_33_06%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This...just occurred to you? I mean, whether or not it's a good idea, doesn't it seem like the implications, or even the bare existence of implications of <i>some</i> kind, should've been obvious? Meh. Anyway, I do appreciate Donald's selflessness here, even if his quick-wittedness is up for debate.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcDefWwGzhLWsde8nEntNo7jmSPcgNCEIO3RadOfX4zOUDic2ZjZKP5-8a03SpEQ3wvwJNqBIBX1mSNKsR5pjq1TnhYMvnl7hjvJazTvcIv_XvI_MZEV03g4PqWsLEc7bdNPibpH3vZf60S2hWh5L-FrSewAsVoEnqQ-FAzGwuTU6G-ZkiDH2XJCeVA/s477/DD_33_08%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="477" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcDefWwGzhLWsde8nEntNo7jmSPcgNCEIO3RadOfX4zOUDic2ZjZKP5-8a03SpEQ3wvwJNqBIBX1mSNKsR5pjq1TnhYMvnl7hjvJazTvcIv_XvI_MZEV03g4PqWsLEc7bdNPibpH3vZf60S2hWh5L-FrSewAsVoEnqQ-FAzGwuTU6G-ZkiDH2XJCeVA/w400-h259/DD_33_08%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>"I refuse to believe that everybody can be as rich as I am." There's just something about that turn of phrase...it would be one thing if the word was "anybody;" then it would just be a typical Scroogian sentiment. But the borderline agrammaticality of this version really tickles me. As much as I think our plutocrats' wealth has warped their minds and made them other than human, I don't think they think quite like this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzs2VzCx0B_geNaLb4e3Tk3K9Vuno7WVEagXOvdngYmZhhVMir8lK0BxDxO0egP8_dQtLz0-Jo3pq7zIj0Qf42I28_kxx0HSOeEGXQVam9lHORlbCQhmE2QaTstPhp5DXwMfPWud7O-qxoVAfRA1f2pzSU6YRiJ8d430EA5zJ1FaiuDDOHooz7olZKpw/s988/DD_33_09%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="921" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzs2VzCx0B_geNaLb4e3Tk3K9Vuno7WVEagXOvdngYmZhhVMir8lK0BxDxO0egP8_dQtLz0-Jo3pq7zIj0Qf42I28_kxx0HSOeEGXQVam9lHORlbCQhmE2QaTstPhp5DXwMfPWud7O-qxoVAfRA1f2pzSU6YRiJ8d430EA5zJ1FaiuDDOHooz7olZKpw/w373-h400/DD_33_09%20copy.jpg" width="373" /></a></div><p>A li'l economics lesson, as Barks liked to dispense on occasion, albeit significantly more ham-handed. But if you think that the rest of the story is going to confirm this or refute it or address it in any way...all I can say is, BOY ARE YOU DUMB.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5smHUXgc1LYsNutbsblIIyAGUBmsj_C5qbBAYCIDeGGDCcys1eTkpIBuDLw_HWyz-9sbOiw5U7zTD6eUgC8mEKPl3ckNFVY_UuFqSecljjTafZECoSgiMqkquFPec8vBEingchsX3hB3tKh_q2xOFIGhW--WYyKcr1P-zlyuhHpWmnonyCO_Cq2ZYUg/s987/DD_33_10%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="987" data-original-width="910" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5smHUXgc1LYsNutbsblIIyAGUBmsj_C5qbBAYCIDeGGDCcys1eTkpIBuDLw_HWyz-9sbOiw5U7zTD6eUgC8mEKPl3ckNFVY_UuFqSecljjTafZECoSgiMqkquFPec8vBEingchsX3hB3tKh_q2xOFIGhW--WYyKcr1P-zlyuhHpWmnonyCO_Cq2ZYUg/w369-h400/DD_33_10%20copy.jpg" width="369" /></a></div><p>...</p><p>Right. You know, these stories tend to be so thoughtless and goofy that there's not much point in acting all ostentatiously surprised by their twists. It generally feels fairly performative. But in all honesty, the mental processes involved in Scrooge's line of thinking here truly defy even a general approximation of comprehension. "It takes brains to figure these things out!" Brains or <i>something.</i> There's a bunch of stuff that I've cut out involving him trying to buy as many peanuts as possible. It's a little like the Barks story where he thinks fish is going to be the new currency and tries to corner the market, but much more demented.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EsoBmHUkPxfGxSmnQ8HYcuY2OV-3erGm61d8nkSUraNIW7htNQGPx5CL3V2j5MJ-DsuoVFAnfiTjYQYgy1k21oOLh-7ip-q3rIPLMukBh-xGZ2BpOtIf65jUYPSvUpaYpnXyAJ4U-f79xnebgy5qNjNW-qLyzAvW2iESPQR4Z_LVU6Vu0sIb6yNWJg/s915/DD_33_12%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="915" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EsoBmHUkPxfGxSmnQ8HYcuY2OV-3erGm61d8nkSUraNIW7htNQGPx5CL3V2j5MJ-DsuoVFAnfiTjYQYgy1k21oOLh-7ip-q3rIPLMukBh-xGZ2BpOtIf65jUYPSvUpaYpnXyAJ4U-f79xnebgy5qNjNW-qLyzAvW2iESPQR4Z_LVU6Vu0sIb6yNWJg/w400-h291/DD_33_12%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, here's yer denouement, such as it is. It remains good only if you keep it. Well...okay, so we definitely saw ol' Clyde handing an eggful of it to one of the nephews, above, but let's leave that aside. It's hard to tell what <i>exactly</i> the parameters of that are. So, "it's only good if you keep it" and "as soon as you try to spend it the money turns blank." But those aren't the only options, are they? What if you just try to deposit it into your bank account? You're not "keeping" it, but neither are you spending it. And, I mean, we were told that it's "genuine United States currency," and if that's the case, doing this couldn't be illegal. Well, what's "genuine" even <i>mean,</i> anyway? What would it mean to distinguish between "genuine" and counterfeit money that comes from an egg? This is far too complicated, and I'm far too drunk, to think about any further.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnUBF-U5LP4cs0hEtZGJC4cJn6_u-EPklh20diXGPetgA6Tlk8tUVCIwyXym1ELe6Zwl79Amcmc7q7IANsRdj-jE0JusiUicPZLBxCDdfEjbbE3mXyF_aoAnJ4f2PepvVtqsY-wVJfNloIpaDy0Xk5lGrE0YTDYNprQK7dFVHIY3TRvAgLIvW0zLAQQ/s382/DD_33_12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="382" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnUBF-U5LP4cs0hEtZGJC4cJn6_u-EPklh20diXGPetgA6Tlk8tUVCIwyXym1ELe6Zwl79Amcmc7q7IANsRdj-jE0JusiUicPZLBxCDdfEjbbE3mXyF_aoAnJ4f2PepvVtqsY-wVJfNloIpaDy0Xk5lGrE0YTDYNprQK7dFVHIY3TRvAgLIvW0zLAQQ/w400-h345/DD_33_12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yes, "it just proves" that. Is this meant to be a profundity? Is getting money just by wishing for it the ultimate dream? I mean, I suppose it is, if you think about books like <i>Think and Grow Rich</i> or, more recently, <i>The Secret.</i> Still, the way he says that looks faintly ludicrous. Big "since the beginning of time, man has yearned to destroy the Sun" energy. Okay, we're done here.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-12972414409080427582023-03-24T13:38:00.010-04:002023-03-25T13:55:36.675-04:00"Bottled Battlers"<p> So here we have another Barks script given life by others. There's the usual rigamarole with the art: the story was originally drawn by Tony Strobl, but then Daan Jippes swooped in and redid it. I'm always a bit skeptical about these redraws, and never more so here: there's no cut art to be restored, and Strobl puts in pretty solid work. I don't have any real complaint about Jippes's art either, but I dunno: regardless of their relative levels of talent, Barks and Strobl came from the same cultural milieu, so to me, his art just seems to fit the story better than Jippes', even if the latter is a more technically proficient artist.</p><p>...okay, actually, since I might have a few non-regular readers, I'll explain for the total layperson: Carl Barks was the best Disney artist, and certainly the most prominent. He retired in 1967, but after his retirement he was convinced to come back to write scripts for other artists to draw, of which he did several dozen. The original artwork for most of these was pretty indifferent (although I have a soft spot for some of the artists in question, particularly Tony Strobl), which is why most or all of them were redrawn by the Dutch artist Daan Jippes in the '00s. There; that probably covers that.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYkkVVaFaNFyrAXaAHRJ2_2YhPBnCUtxPUPAxDNsEQAGO5baYEDJPoQrGczmiTa9pdC204bTwG2ox6P1hN7y76upvUQjEeBr0lQHjfgTbZWFjrgdWhukF8w-moYGWSk8uoblBixqLn8qlF6XC-VAzLFVuGHgyGEUlllyh7ZLLarvjxNZPDD-kQ0Haxw/s913/RCO020_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="913" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYkkVVaFaNFyrAXaAHRJ2_2YhPBnCUtxPUPAxDNsEQAGO5baYEDJPoQrGczmiTa9pdC204bTwG2ox6P1hN7y76upvUQjEeBr0lQHjfgTbZWFjrgdWhukF8w-moYGWSk8uoblBixqLn8qlF6XC-VAzLFVuGHgyGEUlllyh7ZLLarvjxNZPDD-kQ0Haxw/w400-h286/RCO020_1467392293.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvrhDojB4xpxNiSqeJQk_W2RF_eliAGQbZmYK11v7EMr0sftHEfG_VT6Ve_ArD5UZDWHf1sTHks5T5lz3YCrgP53N_2OiIKQSK8CInlGdbQbPabwANAwLuqIIZNsI_hf6-CsIPp9lu4U1CxwytSR-r_da-MFrj5dZg6wcpeLk9e7S8AFo4ZM91FwhVw/s1362/Uncle%20Scrooge%20355%2039.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1362" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvrhDojB4xpxNiSqeJQk_W2RF_eliAGQbZmYK11v7EMr0sftHEfG_VT6Ve_ArD5UZDWHf1sTHks5T5lz3YCrgP53N_2OiIKQSK8CInlGdbQbPabwANAwLuqIIZNsI_hf6-CsIPp9lu4U1CxwytSR-r_da-MFrj5dZg6wcpeLk9e7S8AFo4ZM91FwhVw/w400-h295/Uncle%20Scrooge%20355%2039.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Okay, I do like how Jippes integrates the title with the opening panel. One thing you will notice if you read them side by side is that there are a few places where the scripts deviate. Most of these are so tiny and insubstantial that they're barely worth mentioning; by far the biggest is in the opening text box and the Grand Mogul's first line. And I'm a little baffled here: I have to assume that the Jippes version is how Barks originally wrote it, because why else would you change it? And yet, that version is...obviously worse. The first just makes sense: it's early spring, but already the pussy willow buds are appearing. But in the latter version, it's nearly summer, but they're peeping out? And this is, I guess, surprising because...it's too late for them to be doing that? What's going on here? Gotta say, if the editors at Western changed the original, they did the right thing. Even Homer nods, you know?</p><p><br /></p><p>At any rate, from now on I'll just use panels from the original version.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQLN5RlljRTUYOoy-OCNDAuQc7xV-8wfngrgYJeb0rEMhAV0NQ8A62uNp6frjri7K6vz0TMihBFylK7Kye5-ARCV6k_fRSij3o7xtks9JE-lsQ1KQc32hA0jVZC6cq2au1MNPYyCnRy0Z9TgQgd3ebVarNb-DER2gwu9WPiCgveg0O7WgiiyrL0tztg/s907/RCO020_1467392293%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="907" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQLN5RlljRTUYOoy-OCNDAuQc7xV-8wfngrgYJeb0rEMhAV0NQ8A62uNp6frjri7K6vz0TMihBFylK7Kye5-ARCV6k_fRSij3o7xtks9JE-lsQ1KQc32hA0jVZC6cq2au1MNPYyCnRy0Z9TgQgd3ebVarNb-DER2gwu9WPiCgveg0O7WgiiyrL0tztg/w400-h291/RCO020_1467392293%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>One thing I do appreciate about this story is that, while Barks is still in his rather heavy-handed environmentalist mode, it's much lower-stakes than many of the others of the same sort: no nightmarish dystopian lake pollution, no Scrooge the Evil Whaler...just littering. Makes you heave a sigh of relief, really.</p><p>I'll also note that one other thing the Jippes version changes is that bottom right panel, which switches 'left' and 'right' around. I don't know if this is just because of the general Western (as in, civilization, not the publisher) bias towards things moving from left to right just because that's how our writing systems generally work, or whether it's meant to evoke "Stuck in the Middle with You" (which would be anachronistic, as that song was released a few years after the original story)...but whatever it is, there it is.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4hmiQ7ArIxmuf5-qDNMCVOhHuPxawxTRTdGXgnjpoKIl6Fpxsx1hmKT3tNy2qvPPaKo9iMyKSb5AtFXrCDjzsMm48DnZh1yJcxLdwui6D_ILxWk6ow_80TSR3d6anCCHSMpKCyh3pvc0rjKaAHGVyLdqmBf3WNXk1KIbh_GMfT4qoGm5BDp-88vOIQ/s978/RCO021_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="916" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4hmiQ7ArIxmuf5-qDNMCVOhHuPxawxTRTdGXgnjpoKIl6Fpxsx1hmKT3tNy2qvPPaKo9iMyKSb5AtFXrCDjzsMm48DnZh1yJcxLdwui6D_ILxWk6ow_80TSR3d6anCCHSMpKCyh3pvc0rjKaAHGVyLdqmBf3WNXk1KIbh_GMfT4qoGm5BDp-88vOIQ/w375-h400/RCO021_1467392293.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><p>Flippin' brats! Granted, littering IS a problem. Not to downplay that. It just seems so <i>solvable</i> compared to other problems that it gets short shrift. I do like that "Here is a bottle in two shapes!" "Here is a bottle in three colors!" bits. Very Seuss-ish, somehow enhanced by the slightly stilted way it eschews contractions.</p><p>Also, note how I said "flippin'" instead of "fuckin'." I've noticed that lately I tend to swear less. It's not a conscious thing; I guess it just seems like profanity has more of an impact if kept to a minimum. Probably. Also, without this paragraph, I wouldn't be swearing <i>at all</i> in this entry, so take that for what it's worth.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMC2bAe-WVhE1sn0G0QXDFkTacUaCcueBzHrcaRzQ2awE-t4tJXe0IgBBrIGhzxzIfrOWYmcU6aj2MmAaIdc2JmcbyTkDmvFxBzdpY5ZKYYWi9a7YnX4utV61SOETvtZWb3W8gDj_kZ5IVPBzjU8wsdm_N9sf0y2l8FKVbwOG7Qoc21glOOljj9UQHg/s912/RCO022_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="912" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMC2bAe-WVhE1sn0G0QXDFkTacUaCcueBzHrcaRzQ2awE-t4tJXe0IgBBrIGhzxzIfrOWYmcU6aj2MmAaIdc2JmcbyTkDmvFxBzdpY5ZKYYWi9a7YnX4utV61SOETvtZWb3W8gDj_kZ5IVPBzjU8wsdm_N9sf0y2l8FKVbwOG7Qoc21glOOljj9UQHg/w400-h286/RCO022_1467392293.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And hey, here's Magica, whose presence changes this story from a minor footnote to a slightly notable footnote! Because there's no Scrooge! That's not something you see every day, or any day. I mean, okay, given the sheer volume of duck stories out there, there must be other examples, but none spring readily to mind. Magica without Scrooge is nothing. Her entire existence is in relation to him. Other writers may have complicated this dynamic a bit by giving her family members, but it's certainly true in Barks and in most other stories. Of course, this story doesn't change the dynamic, and Scrooge's non-appearance is probably just down to lack of ambition and/or limited page counts. But that doesn't change the fact that it is what it is.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIFu0FAqmcWoiw69QdDP1iqbmKnA_UPIQTCuLKCl13NTFsFFvNjPpzWXCBhxOMp1KdbTRMvk2nSELK_fGKkb_Yp2pTORiqzHN4kVuDCgP03h8OoaTofXGuaa2FRL6cHXwcsgYQrsGijTFpd4FqAr_39-6cGhWEGwpk9Mv3-Gtsd2pz89o0QCkwvpHvw/s987/RCO024_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="987" data-original-width="915" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIFu0FAqmcWoiw69QdDP1iqbmKnA_UPIQTCuLKCl13NTFsFFvNjPpzWXCBhxOMp1KdbTRMvk2nSELK_fGKkb_Yp2pTORiqzHN4kVuDCgP03h8OoaTofXGuaa2FRL6cHXwcsgYQrsGijTFpd4FqAr_39-6cGhWEGwpk9Mv3-Gtsd2pz89o0QCkwvpHvw/w371-h400/RCO024_1467392293.jpg" width="371" /></a></div><p>Dirty, squirty, purty--if you didn't know better, there are places where you'd almost think this was a Lockman joint. Also, is collecting glassware now part of the Junior Woodchucks' remit? Seems a bit out-of-character.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwz52vgT6EpeZUnD3ysexjqTAgSsOMSYQaePxRBQ7unuIYkVmdUAKGMUbvZiW0MenilZSOWSdPAg5vE0ToDWHabd9vCewAWWAxVXdP0tL9mII11QQZJZzKfejEhKEaTGJlvEOJKmH5g3lPixRwVxyiwNZMn1U8CYJIuc7UTnY8XCKzNyj9DsWRrYsZQ/s911/RCO025_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="911" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwz52vgT6EpeZUnD3ysexjqTAgSsOMSYQaePxRBQ7unuIYkVmdUAKGMUbvZiW0MenilZSOWSdPAg5vE0ToDWHabd9vCewAWWAxVXdP0tL9mII11QQZJZzKfejEhKEaTGJlvEOJKmH5g3lPixRwVxyiwNZMn1U8CYJIuc7UTnY8XCKzNyj9DsWRrYsZQ/w400-h141/RCO025_1467392293.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Lead-free! Whatever else Magica is, she's environmentally conscious! Apparently.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsmk155xo162sizamtfCDJXkC181HaCcs9TiFP2vDhZ6zOkgT2u5loNxraRqmwfXFQGdxTUIOUOrvF5V_bfbJDvhq7tRKgMzw4_86OGFVUS1QpRV3_sOdQxeeyZ4w33x2zlr2yl11O67ODOIjWqzodcllafJiBapD8_NJgcNQtgEwiM1zL5bHZZR4OA/s918/RCO026_w_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="918" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsmk155xo162sizamtfCDJXkC181HaCcs9TiFP2vDhZ6zOkgT2u5loNxraRqmwfXFQGdxTUIOUOrvF5V_bfbJDvhq7tRKgMzw4_86OGFVUS1QpRV3_sOdQxeeyZ4w33x2zlr2yl11O67ODOIjWqzodcllafJiBapD8_NJgcNQtgEwiM1zL5bHZZR4OA/w400-h285/RCO026_w_1467392293.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Somehow, there's just something about the image of the Woodchucks looking on in dismay as she dumps their bag out that really cracks me up. To what have you been reduced, Ms. De Spell? This is your most picayune villainy yet. </p><p>Note also that Barks appears to have forgotten about foof bombs here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fwfhCRS5v3EHRFpxpUKrb8YMpOQaY-oaOGK70OoJy1GyLJZA9t1-oAOUR4P1q5v4P-acZG1E6k2ZR-p_m-3P1y9BkFodE7qBqFjtXGLQtlkrQwZx3KCJUJFcUMnsJaOjQ3Nc2VD702IykPb5BlkQvd5aB1RGqqVeQDA516rBhShhZt9ncIuQMWzvKQ/s908/RCO027_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="908" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fwfhCRS5v3EHRFpxpUKrb8YMpOQaY-oaOGK70OoJy1GyLJZA9t1-oAOUR4P1q5v4P-acZG1E6k2ZR-p_m-3P1y9BkFodE7qBqFjtXGLQtlkrQwZx3KCJUJFcUMnsJaOjQ3Nc2VD702IykPb5BlkQvd5aB1RGqqVeQDA516rBhShhZt9ncIuQMWzvKQ/w400-h286/RCO027_1467392293.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>In fairness to Magica, though, this is pretty good devilry. I mean, crikey, if she can just trap people in impermeable bottles like it's nothing, it seems like she shouldn't even need her fancy new acid. I like "we've got influence at City Hall," which seems like a fairly empty threat.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijyRKgCZPY06s_KjepX580vIZJUEAvLTjq7H6arhE4g78zYFN3dDZ6H75yrdlVIhJg8-CRD4Os6hUNfCwMWghku0lxDVi8v2jhVIqyLQQqMHF1Zeo4q2FSMnGCzibR2_WSRu8UdtNxvr-0aICg0OdTObjQUb6-GLv5CERmjjODwO5UIbIrXDURtOQ-SQ/s980/RCO028_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="918" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijyRKgCZPY06s_KjepX580vIZJUEAvLTjq7H6arhE4g78zYFN3dDZ6H75yrdlVIhJg8-CRD4Os6hUNfCwMWghku0lxDVi8v2jhVIqyLQQqMHF1Zeo4q2FSMnGCzibR2_WSRu8UdtNxvr-0aICg0OdTObjQUb6-GLv5CERmjjODwO5UIbIrXDURtOQ-SQ/w375-h400/RCO028_1467392293.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><p>Anyway, most of the rest of the story is just people coming up to the bottle and being unhelpful about it, starting with these hippies. Or possibly beatniks? Or some unholy combination? Difficult to tell. Did Barks specify, or is this just Strobl's extrapolation? They look pretty similar in the Jippes version, for whatever that's worth.</p><p>I must say, I'm not sure how it makes sense that the outside people can't hear them, though their exasperated sarcastic remarks are, I suppose, amusing enough.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66e70525nItLt0ndlYhBScra29TJ1RGr-eJD5U6LGzJZzChe0jL8DxX8wcrIPW7o-aCkpNXxcSmki70v2BZb_OMryBMJzSH5ga2asQS1dx9eAPqCwNDrO-NEShALIBHlzZlOUtGU1xW37wqlVgqZ-9wKI7MHL81XN6FmksyNS8mDvF00jK4ChlJ9JUg/s987/RCO029_1467392293%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="987" data-original-width="908" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66e70525nItLt0ndlYhBScra29TJ1RGr-eJD5U6LGzJZzChe0jL8DxX8wcrIPW7o-aCkpNXxcSmki70v2BZb_OMryBMJzSH5ga2asQS1dx9eAPqCwNDrO-NEShALIBHlzZlOUtGU1xW37wqlVgqZ-9wKI7MHL81XN6FmksyNS8mDvF00jK4ChlJ9JUg/w368-h400/RCO029_1467392293%20copy.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><p>Sure, "some intellectuals." Why not? It's pretty funny, though I can't help but note the non-sequitur-y-ness of "remarkable what some people will do for attention."</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_BCTS-xKNCrf287SOVBZVSAI-2wbc1pngbk1hP-24-oiz3Gfl05n_88a47SpPhl02WVgytwEr1aRYJINS0lJxXgQpEgsYDi0NduKH5wh0f2GURRMljVZ8LEYJx8aiJDBP4-bD8nzjcHAn9z-xwLzp6M8-rs8O2XgCLp9yYivuPv3h2gZRSGjK2p0iA/s910/RCO029_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="910" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_BCTS-xKNCrf287SOVBZVSAI-2wbc1pngbk1hP-24-oiz3Gfl05n_88a47SpPhl02WVgytwEr1aRYJINS0lJxXgQpEgsYDi0NduKH5wh0f2GURRMljVZ8LEYJx8aiJDBP4-bD8nzjcHAn9z-xwLzp6M8-rs8O2XgCLp9yYivuPv3h2gZRSGjK2p0iA/w400-h144/RCO029_1467392293.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />First they didn't stop for the bottle kids, and I did not speak out because I was not a bottle kid.<p></p><p>Right, okay, arguably (more than arguably), Niemöller jokes are inappropriate in the current political climate. But it's sort of unavoidable here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuomMVGaMxZ4WPv6_x6kFnnLvof--MZvG759XyBSTc_JCGflixrlm0LvvtOSaDFRl9bZ1z5wzA0fo2mhB75Rv49hwFdjALfhL0XXuuJ9AzbxHA3-SCMgxxuXybscGSUU97SFZWJ0OaYIhLmR7JuksTaNCyDak8EPBuJoFLHY6oz_kODDHqgOoRYIzCDQ/s917/RCO031_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="917" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuomMVGaMxZ4WPv6_x6kFnnLvof--MZvG759XyBSTc_JCGflixrlm0LvvtOSaDFRl9bZ1z5wzA0fo2mhB75Rv49hwFdjALfhL0XXuuJ9AzbxHA3-SCMgxxuXybscGSUU97SFZWJ0OaYIhLmR7JuksTaNCyDak8EPBuJoFLHY6oz_kODDHqgOoRYIzCDQ/w400-h289/RCO031_1467392293.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>What the heck is a "squirrel reel?" The internet is unhelpful on this point. I mean, presumably it's like a hamster ball, but still.</p><p>I do kind of identify with HDL in this story, imagining how claustrophobic I'd feel stuck in a giant bottle like this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0xiloAtEaCEeUpc-GXw64w7-85HmO5XCE6omd6jNAYirHhG2Ga85luCP5i-4_K0bdA8paVyyTU8Ry3eyG46tr9f4Z2PtE0CNELqHVJFDaIDpcVeXU5xwJQnNz4gmkQyT3bD0prWrO03mKmSML-MRCXk6rcwrXxZMaIbLFF7YrDfkFmKuCOnmqND3lw/s993/RCO032_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="905" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0xiloAtEaCEeUpc-GXw64w7-85HmO5XCE6omd6jNAYirHhG2Ga85luCP5i-4_K0bdA8paVyyTU8Ry3eyG46tr9f4Z2PtE0CNELqHVJFDaIDpcVeXU5xwJQnNz4gmkQyT3bD0prWrO03mKmSML-MRCXk6rcwrXxZMaIbLFF7YrDfkFmKuCOnmqND3lw/w365-h400/RCO032_1467392293.jpg" width="365" /></a></div><p>...I thought people outside the bottle couldn't hear them. Oh, whatever. I like Magica whacking (or, possibly unfortunately, whanking) the bottle with a street sign.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWV3tHs3w9JUEh6uJv3KVk0rF5An68zKQMLnwu9Fw7BDI-kMIJ8ZD6OriY_zVGtPVlLeuyQxJH680pACrDt7qNFscPvXdbhIr-EUYd4PPj4xiny2y_iW0SOKzd6nB_UT9-u5kVUHEBT8BfRgnBSwt3vrQJhkCzUbg3SdR7Vo9CfZa3KXmnz-ogVRwLAQ/s914/RCO033_1467392293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="914" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWV3tHs3w9JUEh6uJv3KVk0rF5An68zKQMLnwu9Fw7BDI-kMIJ8ZD6OriY_zVGtPVlLeuyQxJH680pACrDt7qNFscPvXdbhIr-EUYd4PPj4xiny2y_iW0SOKzd6nB_UT9-u5kVUHEBT8BfRgnBSwt3vrQJhkCzUbg3SdR7Vo9CfZa3KXmnz-ogVRwLAQ/w400-h288/RCO033_1467392293.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, anyway. The end. Look how shocked the chief is. Very shocked, is possibly the answer. He's putting his hand on his cheek, after all, which, as we know, is the universal indicator of shockedness. Yowow.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-31279773855776490522022-12-30T20:04:00.001-05:002022-12-30T20:04:20.098-05:00"The Rare Coin"<p> Right! This isn't a Christmas story--no references to the holiday in the text or art; all it is is a winter story--but it did appear in a Dell Christmas Parade. Even though it's untitled, <a href="https://inducks.org/story.php?c=W+CP++++6-11">inducks</a> has chosen an extremely generic name for it. Good job, inducks! It's not an exciting story, but I do want to briefly comment on it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdnuoHF8pXh0PdThDWjhA6TXH5g7CeZifRGohH46PgPUFjjGcqPd9Fz9BQiyBVnmPOJnuADKIXBv9N7hvSgdnLUP129alebSGE2U3S3BBZYXE_NKHOD1rEiwRsapgUuf5iSoE4mSc5vUNdpFyZsx4nKxvoES9IbxlI-TuZW0TJVEPDibgerb7D2jhng/s827/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20088%20-%20Huey%20Dewey%20and%20Louie%20-%20Fighting%20Gladstone's%20Luck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="827" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdnuoHF8pXh0PdThDWjhA6TXH5g7CeZifRGohH46PgPUFjjGcqPd9Fz9BQiyBVnmPOJnuADKIXBv9N7hvSgdnLUP129alebSGE2U3S3BBZYXE_NKHOD1rEiwRsapgUuf5iSoE4mSc5vUNdpFyZsx4nKxvoES9IbxlI-TuZW0TJVEPDibgerb7D2jhng/w400-h289/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20088%20-%20Huey%20Dewey%20and%20Louie%20-%20Fighting%20Gladstone's%20Luck.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yeah, so set up the premise quickly, whatever. Let's have some ice skating fun. As much as I appreciate Tony Strobl, I have to say, his art here isn't among his best.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>ANYWAY: we have fallen, and we are wet and cold. But:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gvDuOzrU1JA1Kr54UK-mV0XUMobGpvI_2H7oc5KhbSIGpZa0uy4FTv-oIOgmbw8RQr_54yTsjdTJsY6aYkp9O3Q9Y1EmvDFsm2MN4AjzoomY9fgIPQBrA3NJwK4yte2AkF0v7Ff81YCqNym5hCgdBiDkTfrYJ4phOotbrha1xUpHj-ylYRXb9Z2DZA/s907/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20089%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="831" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gvDuOzrU1JA1Kr54UK-mV0XUMobGpvI_2H7oc5KhbSIGpZa0uy4FTv-oIOgmbw8RQr_54yTsjdTJsY6aYkp9O3Q9Y1EmvDFsm2MN4AjzoomY9fgIPQBrA3NJwK4yte2AkF0v7Ff81YCqNym5hCgdBiDkTfrYJ4phOotbrha1xUpHj-ylYRXb9Z2DZA/w366-h400/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20089%20copy.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><p>RIGHT. So I spent some time thinking about what exactly the writer <i>means</i> by asserting that Gladstone's failure to break through the ice is due to his "luck." Does this mean, I thought, that, like, the ice in different parts of the lake is of different thicknesses, distributed sort of at random, so that Gladstone is just "lucky" enough to avoid hitting the thin patches? But I quickly realized that I was thinking about this way harder than the writer ever did. If you asked them what exactly they meant, they'd almost certainly just say something like, well, clearly, he doesn't fall because he's lucky. Thinking about the mechanics of this luck would have been outside their scope.</p><p>But, of course, no one can stop <i>me</i> from thinking about it, and I think that this is an interesting misreading of how Gladstone's luck works. Yes, his luck often seems supernatural, but just the same, he's mortal. A physical being. A...goose? Some sort of goose-duck hybrid? Something like that. But the point is, physical forces act on him in predictable ways, the same as they do for other people. He doesn't baffle the laws of nature.</p><p>So if he falls out of an airplane, his fall may be broken by a large bird or a hot air balloon, but he <i>will</i> fall. He's not just going to magically levitate. He might <i>seem</i> to if he hits a sudden lucky updraft, but in that instance his luck has some sort of rationale behind it. This story seems pretty firmly in the "Gladstone can levitate" camp, and it just ain't RIGHT. Though someone can probably find something comparable in Barks to throw in my face. Alas.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ykgnTClv2gYU9THNvOLp8orHPdD6p7WGIfalZm6h-OqZrZeVPKd3EGsoYqF8-hvK_Rxp5UpPig28NIvM_aiSOzgwBoTtcxbTjRCUlpADYArS1ZmTkinWrtdARMUcXnNLeKtMGIcyyRUDwAPxsVmkm6dDrt7oijrW8gUTWSI7LysX3EFcs8N-NR-diQ/s471/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="471" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ykgnTClv2gYU9THNvOLp8orHPdD6p7WGIfalZm6h-OqZrZeVPKd3EGsoYqF8-hvK_Rxp5UpPig28NIvM_aiSOzgwBoTtcxbTjRCUlpADYArS1ZmTkinWrtdARMUcXnNLeKtMGIcyyRUDwAPxsVmkm6dDrt7oijrW8gUTWSI7LysX3EFcs8N-NR-diQ/w400-h256/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20090.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I'm not really going to go through the rest of the story; it's just HDL trying to get one over on Gladstone in fairly boring ways only to be foiled by his luck. But I do just want to point out a few panels to note the persistent vacant, narcotized expression on Gladstone's face.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCgX9LuXyNg5rKuMF8MGDjY_uXHHkNX299T784iPOjYfeTlQXfdRqJZAihRTN3jQLfqQ8eoKzTCZV-qRcgi7ioMIPwUyc_OU_x4KD4y82NY7t_7-r3owuu_cCbANSf6u9xYgBgjz9yEM6E8dBgbvpmJXTPk2Ex-jf_pryKQ8-xnVs7fNhdfmPdq9DJw/s372/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20092%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="372" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCgX9LuXyNg5rKuMF8MGDjY_uXHHkNX299T784iPOjYfeTlQXfdRqJZAihRTN3jQLfqQ8eoKzTCZV-qRcgi7ioMIPwUyc_OU_x4KD4y82NY7t_7-r3owuu_cCbANSf6u9xYgBgjz9yEM6E8dBgbvpmJXTPk2Ex-jf_pryKQ8-xnVs7fNhdfmPdq9DJw/w400-h325/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20092%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Sure, he often looks <i>smug</i> in Barks, but that seems somehow...different from this, intentionally or not. Obviously I don't think Strobl was trying to provide, like, a pointed critique of Gladstone or anything like that, but it's just so consistent. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvAD6QuZ6VCe1GZM4s65dYFhBSIE6Be3PFG3guzZIlJYbWIvUdzVvQEucOQGNiV_TbHBXFzeFBmCXHRK3I-5Hfcy7MviSwATOJK2ychrL-c_qq_e0TG7UnEmsr9wGrgzCBhwqB2SgkNs_bIoKo8oJMzVrUFg81uNM8voxjcZTWopjNUSYJXlWq8tCDw/s832/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20094%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="832" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvAD6QuZ6VCe1GZM4s65dYFhBSIE6Be3PFG3guzZIlJYbWIvUdzVvQEucOQGNiV_TbHBXFzeFBmCXHRK3I-5Hfcy7MviSwATOJK2ychrL-c_qq_e0TG7UnEmsr9wGrgzCBhwqB2SgkNs_bIoKo8oJMzVrUFg81uNM8voxjcZTWopjNUSYJXlWq8tCDw/w400-h141/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20094%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>If it were a deliberate character choice, it would be interesting, though. And that's it; that's all I've got about this. You wanna see the ending?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQzMm2CqYkAQdpkvonkdDhtQJCu9xYOhXWdyh0syylgbp9Zd6pDnIgCKi8jt3e0rn1Hrdb05u2rbfkeqFrrd2X9eOxF2jPCkK-o5LXdXKVEvgJTOQ8jIA5_dF_HWAat7F2HDwY-Ud6Gzlgg5YQNtjHSTEELwiwFL6UQLvIWxFIaGqwGWFSqyMAK_OAA/s822/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="822" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQzMm2CqYkAQdpkvonkdDhtQJCu9xYOhXWdyh0syylgbp9Zd6pDnIgCKi8jt3e0rn1Hrdb05u2rbfkeqFrrd2X9eOxF2jPCkK-o5LXdXKVEvgJTOQ8jIA5_dF_HWAat7F2HDwY-Ud6Gzlgg5YQNtjHSTEELwiwFL6UQLvIWxFIaGqwGWFSqyMAK_OAA/w400-h293/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20095.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Welp. That probably sums up the story fairly well, accurately. <i>Look</i> at Gladstone just blankly staring at that coin. The man is balanced on a razor's edge, I will tell you that.</p><p>And then the actual ending, whee. I should note that throughout the story they talk a lot about their desire to give Gladstone "the horselaugh," which sounds to me like a very non-idiomatic phrasing. Hence...yup. All right then.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-83005429507509443932022-12-25T21:16:00.007-05:002023-03-26T12:57:09.846-04:00"A Chip 'n' Dale Christmas"<p> And now, we come to...Chip 'n' Dale? What the HECK?!?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0Xr9DZrxY8Zk_7FEZaXFsT2THT4kh2JUNCJg14OViEQnpnlD0eIwg5kpXjwBvUdv4Q9IYnF0RRN13zSrON1JkVTtYMszrHUlrrKEX06Qd4ZLl77rqxbTrOg6EJyONZfPw9taqyzWl691WuCx1MQeEna9qTVJc9iDU5E0lYX9C36qD9J18tOJJJ-8Qw/s823/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20056%20-%20Chip%20'n'%20Dale%20-%20Carols.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="823" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0Xr9DZrxY8Zk_7FEZaXFsT2THT4kh2JUNCJg14OViEQnpnlD0eIwg5kpXjwBvUdv4Q9IYnF0RRN13zSrON1JkVTtYMszrHUlrrKEX06Qd4ZLl77rqxbTrOg6EJyONZfPw9taqyzWl691WuCx1MQeEna9qTVJc9iDU5E0lYX9C36qD9J18tOJJJ-8Qw/w400-h296/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20056%20-%20Chip%20'n'%20Dale%20-%20Carols.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Hey, great things come in humble, unassuming packages. Yes, that is some sort of Christmas metaphor. We can't all be wise men from the East come with rich gifts. Also, "great" might be an exaggeration in the current case. But...what the hey. I'm afraid this'll be a light entry, but what can I say? I'm MAKING MERRY, dammit!</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMZpdjTKKIh3vldrWVDW2P4Swo6Ip9o9lhwiPHCaNdXMFkoN06eEklKfEKhdZnCeuOpVYf0qDHMy--rz6Jfd9UFjusrvOQWUs3KQTk-AoQS86vqTYVXbfbbhPrRYucKOUXt_GobNv-5KV5lb8c8xpft69WPKvZFihGfGG9xKjVoegwp84Xm108SSYqw/s833/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20056%20-%20Chip%20'n'%20Dale%20-%20Carols%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="833" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMZpdjTKKIh3vldrWVDW2P4Swo6Ip9o9lhwiPHCaNdXMFkoN06eEklKfEKhdZnCeuOpVYf0qDHMy--rz6Jfd9UFjusrvOQWUs3KQTk-AoQS86vqTYVXbfbbhPrRYucKOUXt_GobNv-5KV5lb8c8xpft69WPKvZFihGfGG9xKjVoegwp84Xm108SSYqw/w400-h285/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20056%20-%20Chip%20'n'%20Dale%20-%20Carols%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I dunno; I feel like I should like Chip 'n' Dale more than I have (also, I always feel weird writing that "'n'" every time). They're all right, and it's interesting to see sentient creatures in the Disneyverse on this much smaller scale. The only real problem, I'd say, is that pidgin they speak in. Admittedly, it IS a pretty big problem.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAQVTrzcAbPO-YhhWnVmaZuULTRGFBWF9upTBBlTEbXtO-XumMjWSBRmOSNHPr_0MSple3RCF4aIf7cc-L6KW9iFJj8h-98o2JHguoznCqxf4fHPDReUrGjpbmCGHzXncbB8MhiAuudyK58pn3zLM3-0w-utfQiDGg3YNpm6Ktckxh6mgRlLGftlGFg/s822/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20057%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="822" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAQVTrzcAbPO-YhhWnVmaZuULTRGFBWF9upTBBlTEbXtO-XumMjWSBRmOSNHPr_0MSple3RCF4aIf7cc-L6KW9iFJj8h-98o2JHguoznCqxf4fHPDReUrGjpbmCGHzXncbB8MhiAuudyK58pn3zLM3-0w-utfQiDGg3YNpm6Ktckxh6mgRlLGftlGFg/w400-h295/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20057%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Somehow this feels more seasonal than a lot of Christmas stories--certainly all the others I've written about this year. I'm happy to just look at it and chill.I think I like Jack Bradbury's art, too. That sketchy style is appealing. Dig that tree there. It is POPPING.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTR8bpQv0pvI_NQWm92--Kg7LV75kH6phihAE5mDLD69l9iwuA5jJJmnvU2WbNbVVRv-IORj4YepCxq1mhVAdujLc6vVLt2M1Fy8_OSXCGhGBYvlPMXmFWkL0S3E2zeDzmLDnuZ9lGnBxwy4BaGdE9Q66l-1KI9YX1riMHEMDOdhwYoSx8ng2C7WVFzQ/s837/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="837" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTR8bpQv0pvI_NQWm92--Kg7LV75kH6phihAE5mDLD69l9iwuA5jJJmnvU2WbNbVVRv-IORj4YepCxq1mhVAdujLc6vVLt2M1Fy8_OSXCGhGBYvlPMXmFWkL0S3E2zeDzmLDnuZ9lGnBxwy4BaGdE9Q66l-1KI9YX1riMHEMDOdhwYoSx8ng2C7WVFzQ/w400-h289/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20057.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Why not? What else...I didn't have a television when I was a child, as I've probably noted, so Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers was a mystery to me. Obviously it has little to do with these versions of the characters. I <i>did</i> play the NES game a bunch, at a friend's house. I have hella solid memories of that. It's easy enough that it's one of the few NES games I can beat without save states or any kind of cheats, which is satisfying! It's fun!</p><p>Never got into the sequel, though. Don't know why. It was probably good too; just not quite the right time and place for me, I guess.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkdi3h6JXJ8IrVDp_wlQHsl0T70hqhG9EBP4CspM1zfnhNSCGxQg501cmqtz9b01D-Aogh0dzch4y1QF9VwtkPhsQzlDp4ywpLVHXvtiho7aAcIG29Tq91ESrI9VVVK3EAtuNqQ_n6CPb8u5lMxnMwUx32hGAtLC3X5Lf3H-AqG6QQrEksQ2O0dod6w/s818/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20058%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="818" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkdi3h6JXJ8IrVDp_wlQHsl0T70hqhG9EBP4CspM1zfnhNSCGxQg501cmqtz9b01D-Aogh0dzch4y1QF9VwtkPhsQzlDp4ywpLVHXvtiho7aAcIG29Tq91ESrI9VVVK3EAtuNqQ_n6CPb8u5lMxnMwUx32hGAtLC3X5Lf3H-AqG6QQrEksQ2O0dod6w/w400-h294/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20058%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Noel to you, Noel to me...Noel to even your Christmas tree. That timeless song. I'm a big fan of Donald's forbearing attitude here. Donald not complaining seems unusual. In a good way.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNxS6tF1kB7U3C3lAsceHy9sSb-UuZbZB0-aFETYQ5cyEBop8qwUgH1Qew7wctmQ-YZp5ZLE8l5mXPVh-6O0UnA4auOUHvZETeqAMK68c2nsc5sWHx5KfTIYtx6NfIlky-9lFtiYcNR723iUgtraJGA24X1LYU76T1pp3ZFPutZnz1bd-flfqzd-REg/s824/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20059%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="824" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNxS6tF1kB7U3C3lAsceHy9sSb-UuZbZB0-aFETYQ5cyEBop8qwUgH1Qew7wctmQ-YZp5ZLE8l5mXPVh-6O0UnA4auOUHvZETeqAMK68c2nsc5sWHx5KfTIYtx6NfIlky-9lFtiYcNR723iUgtraJGA24X1LYU76T1pp3ZFPutZnz1bd-flfqzd-REg/w400-h295/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20059%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Do they sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks? Is there some cartoon where we hear them sing? Maybe I'll check. If so, check this space later. By which I mean, now. Good lord.</p><p>UPDATE! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPEvVEhVIMA">There is!</a> They're sung by women; I don't love it, but it's much less annoying than Alvin & co.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJajKu6vnYTxgMVgM_eMNw-dkQGf1GvLtPTfdCcC2Z45qF2VOZc21kKF3B6nHBZnScKU9uj-jTps40mXTi1fzJ0Xz3l3wzerqJloaaETBwOiZrxq9Q4MXA5_C87LaAii-B_gD08ijYvEawTMj67OF-W2N16njjgG7PX-zr1hpP8louWEHEwJtqrJTPw/s834/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20060%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="834" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJajKu6vnYTxgMVgM_eMNw-dkQGf1GvLtPTfdCcC2Z45qF2VOZc21kKF3B6nHBZnScKU9uj-jTps40mXTi1fzJ0Xz3l3wzerqJloaaETBwOiZrxq9Q4MXA5_C87LaAii-B_gD08ijYvEawTMj67OF-W2N16njjgG7PX-zr1hpP8louWEHEwJtqrJTPw/w400-h288/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20060%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I feel like maybe staying inside the car would've been a better move than staggering out into the untracked wilderness? That's my feeling. Still, it's pretty dramatic! She could be in mortal danger here! Even if that IS more down to her dubious survival skills than anything else. I dunno; it just feels like, small as they are, there are more <i>stakes</i> here than in the average one of its like.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoP7XIBErIm85mGlsvVXPOMpmCY2kiYw-A1ofHhcyYHNGR0nyexI7z0j7fgJxqHDIz7MZYooD5X2wmI4_NYURXJr8Gye6UzW5A4Xm4RSyILbqjNP3CwvbRsNeTXeiB8mktiSTIbj9d5VNGOhyTFwDECOtcs7netQ5up81pg84m_x3OozhfJBZ3MPx5w/s824/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20060.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="824" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoP7XIBErIm85mGlsvVXPOMpmCY2kiYw-A1ofHhcyYHNGR0nyexI7z0j7fgJxqHDIz7MZYooD5X2wmI4_NYURXJr8Gye6UzW5A4Xm4RSyILbqjNP3CwvbRsNeTXeiB8mktiSTIbj9d5VNGOhyTFwDECOtcs7netQ5up81pg84m_x3OozhfJBZ3MPx5w/w400-h289/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20060.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>See? A moral dilemma. Sort of. Not really. But in its small way, I think this does remain fairly heartwarming. You do have to wonder, though: if Daisy <i>could</i> help she knows such an awful character, would it be acceptable to just leave her to her doom? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_GFVRNF0kkN6_iLVX9vGEeGmEUKWUiJv4P7AIaPBqs99cC-9wza_QYkZSdJ6TViMLAyCArw1VmGF8upCiTBDVybq6Kcf0yonGw1iK4bsPu2cwzkuQCxejULOwxutunXGBlGt0ZDeKj8fl9CeD9BJtaEqZP_YQ7IoDyH2M7Z-BkJFscCEeFO5Q-zpdw/s821/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20061%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="821" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_GFVRNF0kkN6_iLVX9vGEeGmEUKWUiJv4P7AIaPBqs99cC-9wza_QYkZSdJ6TViMLAyCArw1VmGF8upCiTBDVybq6Kcf0yonGw1iK4bsPu2cwzkuQCxejULOwxutunXGBlGt0ZDeKj8fl9CeD9BJtaEqZP_YQ7IoDyH2M7Z-BkJFscCEeFO5Q-zpdw/w400-h294/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20061%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>So I praised Bradbury's art, but one has to admit, it's sort of limited. That picture of Donald expressing his remorse while looking sort of depressed strikes me as incongruous. Ah well. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XHSpBC_7Lf-b4RQAj39ITjKOIWXhR2MF9FbxVBnGoL3txazSp0C05ZlgUJh1TWbZqEy52Xv_VHV-Oqmz6p8zIvQlfEKe6HAywwoz_aOfg4zCIsM5ZMreuZ8KyTgZUx9FVgFKOvUHMRz2UOxQJv2UKxWjP320ualUJ74CTNLEwBuKYSVHL5eEZSTT5A/s898/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20062%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="817" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XHSpBC_7Lf-b4RQAj39ITjKOIWXhR2MF9FbxVBnGoL3txazSp0C05ZlgUJh1TWbZqEy52Xv_VHV-Oqmz6p8zIvQlfEKe6HAywwoz_aOfg4zCIsM5ZMreuZ8KyTgZUx9FVgFKOvUHMRz2UOxQJv2UKxWjP320ualUJ74CTNLEwBuKYSVHL5eEZSTT5A/w364-h400/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20062%20copy.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><p>Is it just me or does...Dale, the one with the pink nose, look perpetually stoned with his eyes always half-lidded like that? Regardless: how generous! How just what you want to see for Christmas! Huzzah!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYP3tXuFNQ61sx6awRFcsQfLVY27elOW2FwfrAU__BMKH_ZScxvBEU7Di1wnD0zJ3YQPljNoWrFw5cAz-T4Wft8KPHh3mD2KgMr0Zgpv9NNc8VU3RLA4MrbRDd7ZkJym6A1jjha9k5kx61mZlEkFx_oSKb4l8yMgj1lmsWQJQHiRg30ivMBTH5L6Ex0Q/s891/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20063%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="832" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYP3tXuFNQ61sx6awRFcsQfLVY27elOW2FwfrAU__BMKH_ZScxvBEU7Di1wnD0zJ3YQPljNoWrFw5cAz-T4Wft8KPHh3mD2KgMr0Zgpv9NNc8VU3RLA4MrbRDd7ZkJym6A1jjha9k5kx61mZlEkFx_oSKb4l8yMgj1lmsWQJQHiRg30ivMBTH5L6Ex0Q/w374-h400/Walt%20Disney's%20Christmas%20Parade%20(CP06)%20-%20063%20copy.jpg" width="374" /></a></div><p>Aw. Not that I object over-much to Donald having to endure their singing, but this seems like it's making Chip 'n' Dale more dumb that they ought to be, just for the ending. They know how much they ignore him! Probably. Do they? I'm not actually that down with the ins and outs of Chip 'n' Dale.</p><p>Oh well! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-80075095992267277912022-12-19T23:11:00.008-05:002022-12-21T19:44:19.855-05:00 Can Chat GPT do my blogging for me?<p>Sitting in the Tallinn airport, waiting to go home for Christmas...let's have a little fun, shall we? Do some low-effort blogging. Feels festive.</p><p>As you may know, <a href="https://chat.openai.com/chat">Chat GPT</a> is the new hotness--an AI that will write you something for almost any prompt you enter (although, as Maciek realized, it's a bit of a goody two-shoes--it won't write stories about committing crimes or how it's cool to do drugs or things like that). There was an <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/12/openai-chatgpt-writing-high-school-english-essay/672412/">Atlantic essay</a> recently about how it's going to render high school English classes obsolete. Well, that's as may be (I'm not entirely convinced; if you spend a lot of time using it, you WILL run into some pretty hard limits), but for our purposes, we must ask the question: can it analyze Disney comics as well as a human can? Is my presence unnecessary here? Well, let's find out.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>I asked it to "write an analysis of "Only a Poor Old Man" by Carl Barks in the style of a sarcastic leftist with occasional pretensions of intellectualism." And here's what it gave me:</p><p><i>In "Only a Poor Old Man," Carl Barks tells the story of Scrooge McDuck, a wealthy businessman who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. These ghosts show Scrooge the error of his ways and, ultimately, inspire him to change his greedy and miserly ways.</i></p><p><i>At first glance, it might seem like this story is a heartwarming tale of redemption. But if we take a closer look, we can see that it's actually a thinly-veiled critique of capitalism.</i></p><p><i>First of all, it's no coincidence that Scrooge is a wealthy businessman. Throughout the story, he is portrayed as being obsessed with money, to the point where he even keeps it in a massive pile in his basement. This is a clear allegory for the greed and avarice that is so often associated with capitalism.</i></p><p><i>Furthermore, the ghosts that visit Scrooge are a clear commentary on the consequences of this greed. The first ghost, the Ghost of Christmas Past, shows Scrooge his childhood, and how his obsession with money has caused him to alienate himself from his family and loved ones. The second ghost, the Ghost of Christmas Present, shows Scrooge the plight of the poor and downtrodden, and how his actions have contributed to their suffering. The third ghost, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, shows Scrooge his own grave, and how his greed has ultimately led to his own downfall.</i></p><p><i>Overall, "Only a Poor Old Man" is a clever critique of capitalism, disguised as a holiday tale. While it might seem like a simple story on the surface, it actually contains a deep and thought-provoking message about the dangers of greed and the need for compassion and empathy. Whether you're a fan of capitalism or not, this story is definitely worth a read.</i></p><p>Now, you may be able to detect a pretty fundamental problem with this analysis. But even if we imagine that "Only a Poor Old Man" <i>is,</i> in fact, a version of <i>A Christmas Carol,</i> this is a pretty darned surface-level analysis, with no specifics. This is the sort of thing you generally get when you ask it to analyze a text. I'm certainly not saying that AI <i>won't</i> render humans obsolete, but it definitely has a ways to go. Note also that it pretty much ignored my tonal directives: I suppose the stuff about capitalism is meant to address the "leftist" part, but there's no sarcasm or pretensions of intellectualism that I can see.</p><p>OH WELL. Let's try again. "Write an analysis of "Back to the Klondike" by Carl Barks, focusing on the romantic aspects of the story."</p><p><i>In "Back to the Klondike," Carl Barks tells the story of Scrooge McDuck, who returns to the Klondike in search of gold. Along the way, he is accompanied by his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and their friend, Gladstone Gander.</i></p><p><i>One of the key romantic aspects of the story is the relationship between Scrooge and his old flame, Goldie O'Gilt. When Scrooge first arrives in the Klondike, he is shocked to find that Goldie is still there, and still as beautiful as ever. Despite the passage of time, the two of them still have feelings for each other, and their interactions are filled with tension and longing.</i></p><p><i>Another romantic aspect of the story is the growing relationship between Gladstone and Goldie. Although Gladstone is initially smitten with Goldie, she is not interested in him. However, as the story progresses, the two of them start to develop feelings for each other, and by the end of the story, they are a couple.</i></p><p><i>Overall, "Back to the Klondike" is a delightful tale of romance and adventure, with a touch of nostalgia thrown in. While the focus of the story is on Scrooge's search for gold, the romantic subplots add an extra layer of depth and emotion to the narrative. Whether you're a fan of Carl Barks or not, this story is definitely worth a read.</i></p><p>Unlike the previous, I <i>do</i> have to give this one credit for sort of figuring out what the story in question is, and even dredging up Goldie's first and last name. But I have to decredit it pretty severely for the bizarre business of Goldie and Gladstone having a romance, and once again, no specifics. Also note that the last sentence ("whether you're a fan of x or not") is the same as in the previous.</p><p>It's also worth noting that I helped the system out by giving it probably the best-known stories to work on. If I gave it something more obscure, it would be even more hopeless. Actually there's no need to keep that in the realm of the hypothetical; ChatGPT, write an analysis of "Have Gun, Will Dance" by Carl Barks.</p><p><i>"Have Gun, Will Dance" is a comic story written and drawn by Carl Barks, featuring Donald Duck as the main character. The story follows Donald as he becomes embroiled in a series of misadventures after winning a gun in a raffle.</i></p><p><i>The story begins with Donald excitedly winning a gun in a raffle. Despite not having any experience with firearms, he decides to keep the gun and becomes convinced that he is a natural-born sharpshooter.</i></p><p><i>As he goes about his daily life, Donald finds himself getting into all sorts of trouble as a result of his overconfidence and lack of experience with the gun. He accidentally shoots holes in his own boat, disrupts a theatrical performance, and causes a stampede at a cattle ranch, among other mishaps.</i></p><p><i>Despite the chaos he causes, Donald remains oblivious to the danger he poses to himself and others. It is only when he accidentally fires the gun at a group of angry rattlesnakes that he realizes the error of his ways and decides to get rid of the gun.</i></p><p><i>Overall, "Have Gun, Will Dance" is a humorous and entertaining story that showcases the comical consequences of Donald's reckless behavior and lack of common sense. It is a classic example of Carl Barks' ability to craft engaging and amusing stories featuring the lovable and hapless Donald Duck.</i></p><p>I mean, on the bright side, there are more specifics. On the dark side, there's zero analysis. Also, all those specifics are completely made up. Sigh. It looks like I'm gonna have to keep doing this manually for the foreseeable future.</p><p>Oh well. Hey, ChatGPT, how about a story where Gladstone Gander and Magica de Spell team up to save Christmas?</p><p><i>It was a cold, snowy Christmas Eve in Duckburg, and everyone was getting ready for the holidays. Gladstone Gander, the wealthy and arrogant duck, was lounging in his mansion, sipping on a cup of hot cocoa and feeling pleased with himself.</i></p><p><i>Meanwhile, Magica de Spell, the wicked sorceress, was plotting her next move. She had always been jealous of Scrooge McDuck's vast fortune, and she was determined to find a way to get her hands on it.</i></p><p><i>As she sat in her dark, gloomy castle, an idea suddenly came to her. She would team up with Gladstone Gander, who was known for his good luck, and together they would steal Christmas from the ducks of Duckburg.</i></p><p><i>Gladstone was initially hesitant when Magica approached him with her plan. He had always been a selfish duck, but he knew that stealing Christmas was a step too far. However, Magica was persuasive, and she convinced Gladstone that they could do it all while still keeping the holiday spirit alive.</i></p><p><i>So, on Christmas Eve, Gladstone and Magica set out on their mission. They snuck into Scrooge's mansion and stole all of the presents from under the tree. Then, they headed to the North Pole, where they planned to sell the presents to the highest bidder.</i></p><p><i>As they flew over the snowy landscape, Gladstone couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. He had always loved Christmas, and he knew that what he was doing was wrong. Just as they were about to land at the North Pole, Gladstone had a change of heart.</i></p><p><i>He turned to Magica and said, "I can't do this. I can't steal Christmas from the ducks of Duckburg. It's not right."</i></p><p><i>Magica was surprised, but she could see the determination in Gladstone's eyes. She knew that he was serious, and so she reluctantly agreed to turn back.</i></p><p><i>As they flew back to Duckburg, Gladstone and Magica came up with a plan to make things right. They would return the presents to Scrooge's mansion and then spread holiday cheer throughout the town.</i></p><p><i>The ducks of Duckburg were overjoyed when Gladstone and Magica returned the presents and helped to decorate the town for the holidays. Gladstone, who had always been known for his selfishness, was finally able to embrace the spirit of Christmas and share it with others.</i></p><p><i>And Magica, who had always been known for her wicked ways, was finally able to experience the joy of the holiday season. From that day on, Gladstone and Magica became the unlikely guardians of Christmas in Duckburg, and they worked together to spread joy and cheer to all of the ducks.</i></p><p>I could quibble, but hey, why bother, it's kinda heartwarming. I'll have another entry or two for the season, depending on how nog-sozzled I end up.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-60190656711546051972022-12-15T02:59:00.008-05:002023-03-26T12:46:51.707-04:00 "The Junior Woodchucks and the Rabbit's Foot"<p>I briefly considered doing this one in 2018 when I was binging on old Western stuff, but the schedule was already overstuffed and I wasn't able to fit it in. There you go: a fascinating look behind the scenes at Duck Comics Revue. Well, anyway, time to fill a much-needed gap, I suppose.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibl6M7x16kawbqjxYEC9mkymuGAPkpXOHcLfaDjK0lhjER5lYemTyHnbRu9NMV9Jy6TVl80dXO-mrp1Wqn6o9lIAbp7xl7-taeiFT46N1gVngwQvRkPoW05kMGjhf6RUU4K_cjENX2fuqysqNyi5EPVJZLxB23GThGykBWwF7GRq2LHjTOig68eT0Jsg/s926/WDCP005-091%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="926" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibl6M7x16kawbqjxYEC9mkymuGAPkpXOHcLfaDjK0lhjER5lYemTyHnbRu9NMV9Jy6TVl80dXO-mrp1Wqn6o9lIAbp7xl7-taeiFT46N1gVngwQvRkPoW05kMGjhf6RUU4K_cjENX2fuqysqNyi5EPVJZLxB23GThGykBWwF7GRq2LHjTOig68eT0Jsg/w400-h285/WDCP005-091%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Got some Al Hubbard art going on here. It's weird that Hubbard apparently isn't prominent enough to warrant a wikipedia page. The likes of Murry and Strobl are. I've probably mentioned this elsewhere, but it's interesting how <i>different</i> Hubbard's ducks are from the norm. Obviously there's individual variation among Western artists, and some are better than others, but they all more or less feel like they're working from the same style sheet. Hubbard seems somehow categorically different to me. Weird. His art isn't my favorite, but it IS sort of interesting for that reason.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7bazMy22P1IFGcE7V2UjDK_VtlRdm9l8n7162SLOLhIDk2KMqHmTXCKpkrH9b8D1kZQncVq1MI9IfZGdxJRJ59nj6xEFQ6xeXBvEjtnuIDk4PrDEEy1YMBQHGOPCUIHfeHE7wiTKxCMFWejc0kcSdPDzJQCTkWwSLmf1q-kAB5FTfki1QMff0x5dgA/s933/WDCP005-091.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="933" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7bazMy22P1IFGcE7V2UjDK_VtlRdm9l8n7162SLOLhIDk2KMqHmTXCKpkrH9b8D1kZQncVq1MI9IfZGdxJRJ59nj6xEFQ6xeXBvEjtnuIDk4PrDEEy1YMBQHGOPCUIHfeHE7wiTKxCMFWejc0kcSdPDzJQCTkWwSLmf1q-kAB5FTfki1QMff0x5dgA/s320/WDCP005-091.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>"At today's prices that wouldn't buy peanuts." What the hell do kids know about "today's prices?" Really, now. A child might say that, but only because they're parroting something they heard from an adult. So this isn't exactly unrealistic, but I don't think Hubbard (or whoever; if there's no writer specified, I always just assume it's the same as the artist) meant it to be read like that. So, anyway.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLeCNReigqNkoa4dre8pFP3iR3ST_sgH6jEYLxXmjG-1ufHDcgXX0KOSo8ui9-XQ4x8YlbAoPw1e4defr5_0grG-zzY2qntoxooeuMKP57ETyuTEYJxNisYjmUGq3plZDEUsaLMEEmoReFPggWpPncRdMampmhiTeP5zS3mSri-Ve6q2Q5RdAkMOVfw/s926/WDCP005-092%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="926" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLeCNReigqNkoa4dre8pFP3iR3ST_sgH6jEYLxXmjG-1ufHDcgXX0KOSo8ui9-XQ4x8YlbAoPw1e4defr5_0grG-zzY2qntoxooeuMKP57ETyuTEYJxNisYjmUGq3plZDEUsaLMEEmoReFPggWpPncRdMampmhiTeP5zS3mSri-Ve6q2Q5RdAkMOVfw/w400-h291/WDCP005-092%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Bertie and Egghead, those old fan faves. Mister Edgey, that other fan fave, is sure going to be surprised!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOP0u4ijMy1MfN8IJEzhlc5OaD1Z3QdeGg0rWDpSbT4s0gomxM6T5zhmO_9JQ5KHtx5g90EPd6Qm2efk2hZoqnvELKYaeRb_GGVvWEaHQ9DsTApPxRVCl1zToiwl1I3zBcD_f4LbYDyrgxJq7M7HrNo4f0VoySnESEbzLTvH8EUia3mXToZDbzwFxotA/s933/WDCP005-092.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="933" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOP0u4ijMy1MfN8IJEzhlc5OaD1Z3QdeGg0rWDpSbT4s0gomxM6T5zhmO_9JQ5KHtx5g90EPd6Qm2efk2hZoqnvELKYaeRb_GGVvWEaHQ9DsTApPxRVCl1zToiwl1I3zBcD_f4LbYDyrgxJq7M7HrNo4f0VoySnESEbzLTvH8EUia3mXToZDbzwFxotA/w400-h285/WDCP005-092.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Ha ha, Mister Edgey sucks. I like how the nephew is still confident about being paid even after this bit of slapstick.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwH61ACZRC1eG-2clU569h9WjHr-UQvAfNZIzDrw3HVZJ0w4kzqglUz7TG-wjf5HAkt7DCu5NY3qB1xYdiw_POiUE1fNjpymEphIbfu1oqCeokgA6JfLevSajBKGKSNPAl0zbIiAC-QGXFWwZtLQ51-64PPXDW0SckKo0cAZRO2fFVCqLunZ8eNVe0hg/s920/WDCP005-093%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="920" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwH61ACZRC1eG-2clU569h9WjHr-UQvAfNZIzDrw3HVZJ0w4kzqglUz7TG-wjf5HAkt7DCu5NY3qB1xYdiw_POiUE1fNjpymEphIbfu1oqCeokgA6JfLevSajBKGKSNPAl0zbIiAC-QGXFWwZtLQ51-64PPXDW0SckKo0cAZRO2fFVCqLunZ8eNVe0hg/w400-h145/WDCP005-093%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I mean...I'll grant you that <i>sometimes</i> snow can allow you to get some traction on ice. But sometimes it can also just conceal the ice, causing you to fall on your ass. I'm not sure, but I feel like Edgey is playing with fire here. Or ice, as the case may be. Also, for one-shot characters, I feel like Edgey's name is too close to "Egghead." Let's be serious.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnateckvu9yp_vPonAZk3EAiQsMfTVPUVOff50mmXil0RWLIKdVbuYxBLlj6n75GW0tkYzJ5pBSRVWjTNzHkXLjWmweWCETZMn0yI2w0ix_UuFMKX2evW55xcQkc9fVRgG6qnHQ4OK8eMqh1ocZNe2zAdPkBxZRAaOC0kZ9RwDNLGnalXFYK0cKugxw/s921/WDCP005-093.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="921" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnateckvu9yp_vPonAZk3EAiQsMfTVPUVOff50mmXil0RWLIKdVbuYxBLlj6n75GW0tkYzJ5pBSRVWjTNzHkXLjWmweWCETZMn0yI2w0ix_UuFMKX2evW55xcQkc9fVRgG6qnHQ4OK8eMqh1ocZNe2zAdPkBxZRAaOC0kZ9RwDNLGnalXFYK0cKugxw/w400-h285/WDCP005-093.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Here is Gladstone. In fairness, this seems like a pretty accurate depiction of Gladstone's luck. Sort of Shacktown-esque.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7M4aKQgvxl4tOlsgfakUZbexEHnxYa495KgEDIeXOHnAuX47hIpCR_SUZg-V1G2ThnRZDsv78IEsoBihAnvOGLPg3d_xt3xr78Ajb-9bdgBS7jLiooKLxAjqI_Su0drKSHlDwlFz6TIYPrvvb93baUd-Xhc3mHV7gdYlbBLWyE6OmPJfS3phjHiMf6A/s936/WDCP005-095%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="936" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7M4aKQgvxl4tOlsgfakUZbexEHnxYa495KgEDIeXOHnAuX47hIpCR_SUZg-V1G2ThnRZDsv78IEsoBihAnvOGLPg3d_xt3xr78Ajb-9bdgBS7jLiooKLxAjqI_Su0drKSHlDwlFz6TIYPrvvb93baUd-Xhc3mHV7gdYlbBLWyE6OmPJfS3phjHiMf6A/w400-h281/WDCP005-095%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>ooooor...maybe not.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoMzDvsRdEQCXttSgP70Pja4W0B5b5cdjxOyV8tqr8nKhKfKiY_9MAA00JLi3xfvRx4e187koRhGKd008MaedtlunlGuBpeNXNRd-MHHtEI-O5w8kZtm4yMZ825PkuwMav88r2RrrogGyay7EU3e08V_LrdI7v3gAPo6fsmlMWg_oe-JrvnU60Dg-UA/s1003/WDCP005-096%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoMzDvsRdEQCXttSgP70Pja4W0B5b5cdjxOyV8tqr8nKhKfKiY_9MAA00JLi3xfvRx4e187koRhGKd008MaedtlunlGuBpeNXNRd-MHHtEI-O5w8kZtm4yMZ825PkuwMav88r2RrrogGyay7EU3e08V_LrdI7v3gAPo6fsmlMWg_oe-JrvnU60Dg-UA/s320/WDCP005-096%20copy.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><p>Yup, so here our lucky gander is just a two-bit conman. </p><p>Now, let's think for a moment about the idea of "canon" in these stories: where does it come from? There's no handbook that lays down commandments about how characters should be portrayed. I think if we had to formulate a definition it would be something like, how Barks does it, basically, with the proviso that we can edit out those instances when he depicts characters in ways that seem to contradict his fundamental ideas about them, with a certain amount of wiggle room. It's loose but it works; it seems fine to me. Still, we do have to allow that there's no particular reason some random, anonymous writer in the fifties should feel constrained. They can do what they want. We can not like what they do, but there's nothing fundamental, objectively wrong about them taking characters in directions that seem inappropriate to us.</p><p>That said...this is pretty silly even without regard to anything anyone else has written. These people have presumably known Gladstone for all or most of his life, and they're still falling for his tricks (not that them falling for something this transparent even if they don't know him REALLY flies)? He's never tried this before? This would have to be a singular incident that would permanently change their feelings about him, and obviously that's not the case.</p><p>Then again, it does have to be allowed that there's actually no indication within this story that the writer is aware that Gladstone is meant to be related to the other ducks. No one refers to him as "cousin" or anything. So hell, maybe he's just supposed to be some random mountebank! Who can say?!? </p><p>Anyway, dumb as it may be, it's always interesting to see people depicting the characters in weird ways, so I guess it's okay.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5EQ2PKyyfY7sTGkgLfpPQGj6WIDVcoisgR32XElSlgPQGYOHVvW9Vm9hTEdjaLI1mcxu6gUyjNZ1Mm75B8L21fixWe3zvbwgmNzZCdo-rzJVTJ-Pydi-xip4WQAm2QQBdGgTYnv41WAb-p8KuInWF1V-Z8kK-weuTk1YgTuBiUkn_HiIB8L8qAdoRw/s933/WDCP005-094%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="933" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5EQ2PKyyfY7sTGkgLfpPQGj6WIDVcoisgR32XElSlgPQGYOHVvW9Vm9hTEdjaLI1mcxu6gUyjNZ1Mm75B8L21fixWe3zvbwgmNzZCdo-rzJVTJ-Pydi-xip4WQAm2QQBdGgTYnv41WAb-p8KuInWF1V-Z8kK-weuTk1YgTuBiUkn_HiIB8L8qAdoRw/w400-h290/WDCP005-094%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>There's a part almost exactly like this in Scarpa's <a href="http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2014/02/donald-of-woods.html">Donald of the Woods</a>, a story I love, so I guess I shouldn't complain, but for someone who doesn't like to work, Gladstone is going to have to do A LOT of acting if we wants to convince a jury that a car driving near him has caused massive psychological harm. And come on, man, even if he IS, surely that's a personal problem that no one else could reasonably held accountable for? At least in the Scarpa story, his foot was actually run over.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLltnw4M-DcgDyl8C85Lbg3o6ND40EF8iKRuCYyf8a2MD-qfXdyTko82v4WzhvRRW5BYp4dwDU04WV0NvWKu5Kw9hwa6EBwhquRqFZZNZMbaoiC-YULNQ7udAkIl4-VRJiE4D2A6DNII7_DL906W7TLOLlpWGnM8JzicWirvm_PmfZJOWne4ZNO8OVw/s928/WDCP005-097%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="928" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLltnw4M-DcgDyl8C85Lbg3o6ND40EF8iKRuCYyf8a2MD-qfXdyTko82v4WzhvRRW5BYp4dwDU04WV0NvWKu5Kw9hwa6EBwhquRqFZZNZMbaoiC-YULNQ7udAkIl4-VRJiE4D2A6DNII7_DL906W7TLOLlpWGnM8JzicWirvm_PmfZJOWne4ZNO8OVw/w400-h284/WDCP005-097%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I always find Sobbing Nephews to be an unappealing sight, but this version seems particularly yikes. Also note "that Gladstone;" it's subtle, but to me that suggests a more distant relationship, lending credence to my notion that they're not meant to be related here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIk03tVmj0retUb_75SILwsqvtCa1OQ_LsULtEVJ7UCosYJGakyOwHbQbwPZ4I67L6Nh8Vd-X3vREKNxXWPvN6InKhgSj6GGoow2k-HG0XvmkDA3Oque1ewGiJq8jMKeT5T3NiPs6pDm3FAweNe5Hxd5z-eGqhhYX17aDsQw0Oubxlx6XhI4owvQrr9Q/s928/WDCP005-098%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="928" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIk03tVmj0retUb_75SILwsqvtCa1OQ_LsULtEVJ7UCosYJGakyOwHbQbwPZ4I67L6Nh8Vd-X3vREKNxXWPvN6InKhgSj6GGoow2k-HG0XvmkDA3Oque1ewGiJq8jMKeT5T3NiPs6pDm3FAweNe5Hxd5z-eGqhhYX17aDsQw0Oubxlx6XhI4owvQrr9Q/w400-h144/WDCP005-098%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Heh, heh indeed (that missing 'H' is clearly just a printing error). As is so oft the case, our problem is solved in a rushed way, like a fast-talking snake oil salesman who gets your money and disappears before you can say wait, what? A customer is willing to pay four times that for his personal "lucky" rabbit's foot. This may raise questions. Please don't ask them. No answers will be forthcoming. That is final.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bbfaE2_pQg7-Q9wBKaYS0LnTB_G9ODhBdUwkSIsNwT7M6PETtLNn4X95C0qxpLC9IMabL4uF8WuV0VMvk3thWL9hxabcnqccCTBeHpAbUYHf9xQG693WsMNDEgFoj4qR-uOaj1ynRe1qdx9-GIM3at4y1Zh_ljLPmd4WreD674cFapVyxqr0gho5Qw/s931/WDCP005-098%20copy%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="931" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bbfaE2_pQg7-Q9wBKaYS0LnTB_G9ODhBdUwkSIsNwT7M6PETtLNn4X95C0qxpLC9IMabL4uF8WuV0VMvk3thWL9hxabcnqccCTBeHpAbUYHf9xQG693WsMNDEgFoj4qR-uOaj1ynRe1qdx9-GIM3at4y1Zh_ljLPmd4WreD674cFapVyxqr0gho5Qw/w400-h140/WDCP005-098%20copy%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh ARE they now? I have some Shacktonians who would like a word with you RIGHT HERE. Grump grumble. HDL are rather <i>unseemly</i> in their willingness to buy into this self-serving narrative, I must say.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1z2lkVsBjRzg-0W2UPWlNSOfAtXsnKroNWb0U9hRyASGlrFhD40F7te8fh3ZkNdVhJI6IVImxM5vfLt8LR3Cz5mbvL3uzC-J1qMG30oovui3rM2mUlz9RisnuwKNjJtHeJ1xUHkEPdSu3672TBFMpW1soUOh69hGS5jvl6wNggMxYNeML_9dKs75zwg/s934/WDCP005-098.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="934" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1z2lkVsBjRzg-0W2UPWlNSOfAtXsnKroNWb0U9hRyASGlrFhD40F7te8fh3ZkNdVhJI6IVImxM5vfLt8LR3Cz5mbvL3uzC-J1qMG30oovui3rM2mUlz9RisnuwKNjJtHeJ1xUHkEPdSu3672TBFMpW1soUOh69hGS5jvl6wNggMxYNeML_9dKs75zwg/w400-h288/WDCP005-098.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But, I mean, fair's fair. You can't expect economic realism from a story like this. It's meant to appeal to kids and, yeah, I think this would do that: just being able to bust into a toy store and take what you want. I think I'd likely have very fond memories of this if I'd read it at the appropriate age. The whole "let us know when we've used it up"--treating it like a bar tab--is kind of funny.</p><p>But we have a problem. Obviously, this blog entry immediately becomes one of the definitive scholarly works on this particular story. But the fact is, it opens with a lie: this story isn't called "The Junior Woodchucks and the Rabbit's Foot;" it doesn't HAVE a title. The one I've given it is just an approximation of the various foreign titles, none of which are very inspired. So how is anyone who wants further information on the story going to find this entry? Specifically, if someone is writing their own analysis, possibly as part of their doctoral research, what will they do? It's a real quandry. How about I include a bunch of keywords in an effort to allow interested parties to find it?</p><p>huey dewey and louie, junior woodchucks, troop two, destitute, today's prices, wouldn't buy peanuts, ten dollars, four dollars and eighty-two cents, huey standing on a box with a gavel, bertie and egghead, random dognose woodchucks, mister edgey, falls on his ass, likes ice to be hidden under snow, gladstone gander, swindler, conman, thief, should be arrested for defrauding his family, threatens to sue a guy for getting close to him, lucky rabbit's foot, personal lucky rabbit's foot, what does that even mean, twenty-five dollars, no discernible gritty social realism, cowboy hat, lariat, boxing gloves, archery set, roller skates</p><p>Look, what more do you want from me? I am but one man.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-27176281126179310622022-12-07T13:22:00.007-05:002022-12-09T13:10:23.664-05:00"Minnie's Christmas Tree"<p> And now, we bring you...another story! But this one's interesting, I promise! Well, kind of. Don't get your hopes <i>too</i> sky-high. But seriously, it is not totally devoid of interest. Feel free to use that as a pull-quote.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzb7U3BW48fcLkuw1fnwjw24vL40B1HNuPhd2KoGdRIhmuCzbjDnngHvj1PdNKyZRf2AdkJ_Nff6brMfpPJy3D-3HyU7pjyokalWNcKhM4eDTBLdqHYrfbIaTy6Nz6-yOXsLc6i-Bsu3n0mwnGwz80U_57-VhwPiUa4AdX_tNxSDgI8bLTtCP_Yzq50A/s1332/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_034%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="917" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzb7U3BW48fcLkuw1fnwjw24vL40B1HNuPhd2KoGdRIhmuCzbjDnngHvj1PdNKyZRf2AdkJ_Nff6brMfpPJy3D-3HyU7pjyokalWNcKhM4eDTBLdqHYrfbIaTy6Nz6-yOXsLc6i-Bsu3n0mwnGwz80U_57-VhwPiUa4AdX_tNxSDgI8bLTtCP_Yzq50A/w275-h400/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_034%20copy.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We open with this revolting display of condescending paternalism—and it's also super-gross to see Minnie just playing her part (“How clever!” “Oh, Mickey, you're wonderful!). Patriarchy degrades us all, as is often noted.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Okay, so maybe it starts off less-than-promising. But this isn't really necessarily a strike on the story: Mickey's misplaced confidence leads to trouble, and nobody would ever imagine otherwise. The problem I have—you may or may not—is that I don't particularly <i>like</i> this portrayal of Mickey, even if it's just there to set him up for a fall. You know, I like Donald as a character better than Mickey. That is no surprise. But would it be fair to say that there is a greater gulf between good and bad portrayals of Mickey than there is between same of Donald? Of course, there are outliers, but without actually having thought about it very deeply, I feel like this is generally true.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">All this aside, though, it's worth noting that this characterization of Mickey at the beginning proves irrelevant to the story's main conflict. You know he's going to have to try to find a tree through alternate means. That, you can guess. But there's no reason he has to act this way for the story to get where it wants to go. And I wouldn't even put this in the same category as the “naive storytelling” I talked about in the last entry, since this doesn't seem to really be a notably easier way to tell the story than anything else. I would <i>like</i> to think that the author was making an intentional criticism of patriarchal power structures...but that seems somehow unlikely. You rarely even see conscious subversion like that in Barks, let alone these other dudes. Alas, I'm afraid that the only thing happening here is the author blankly reflecting back the dominant societal norms of the time. The fact that in this particular case these norms don't work out isn't necessarily meant to be a condemnation of them per se. I think. Maybe it is! I'm no mind-reader! But whatever it is, it's hard to believe I've written so much about it.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-1IIdbVsObjG92rfr7cUmtLwC5xwcoi72fvDPvPLxgYc5DYrn0P4cE-Zbf70N8vISSRQgal0DdJEO_YGtfngj5-OTDKpM280DHjVoedhHH3P1WDP3T0RJFl_CqS7m6nL0-yx7rOV0zqZGetVBMYUGToUbvz3SFUyYVT7dDTU--USO3sF-jGyNYMCsA/s998/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_035%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="914" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-1IIdbVsObjG92rfr7cUmtLwC5xwcoi72fvDPvPLxgYc5DYrn0P4cE-Zbf70N8vISSRQgal0DdJEO_YGtfngj5-OTDKpM280DHjVoedhHH3P1WDP3T0RJFl_CqS7m6nL0-yx7rOV0zqZGetVBMYUGToUbvz3SFUyYVT7dDTU--USO3sF-jGyNYMCsA/s320/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_035%20copy.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The lot owner's disembodied head in the top left is a real hallmark of artistic quality. I do kind of like seeing Mickey get his here, but I don't find Minnie's behavior super-seemly either. Look, we all want big Christmas trees. I understand. But STILL, thematically, one of the kind of main things about Christmas is Jesus being born into super-humble circumstances, innit? Maybe you should treat this as a growth opportunity. Don't be contemptuous of small trees.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Also, can we go back to how weird-looking the lot owner is, even if his head isn't disembodied? That bottom right imagine of him holding the tree makes my brain hurt.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMBVQtQjP3jNuhKQ7MvlA8Y8cwZbvTBxq-KJaju_0u2Np0KHDezmFkXc-y4KjRNw_l-tB9K8FLdrP1u4eNa3x1RXeIF7xVSnd8FkbV0cIJnk2NxSypRM2l_qJXGaz47XMkrrBB801VM7KYy1QfCXUMW9jpWVCz3Vl7cO5Yw2Jv9170za7iTzQxRWtCg/s922/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_036%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="922" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMBVQtQjP3jNuhKQ7MvlA8Y8cwZbvTBxq-KJaju_0u2Np0KHDezmFkXc-y4KjRNw_l-tB9K8FLdrP1u4eNa3x1RXeIF7xVSnd8FkbV0cIJnk2NxSypRM2l_qJXGaz47XMkrrBB801VM7KYy1QfCXUMW9jpWVCz3Vl7cO5Yw2Jv9170za7iTzQxRWtCg/w400-h145/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_036%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Sigh. Yes, I suppose under the circumstances, it was inevitable that this would end in tears. Feminine tears, of course.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXztIvEePaympQA6z8Ghq5h8HgeQwRYhj53ZFMIIXHSCYKgHNd0pqo05dt957nHoe7AecoC90_3RAyj7Iu3aBI6pHFBDGo6e9r9BTfxHvyH4o2Raprt6EAE028dtQZvIKsu3OMw4QE0QO1C9x1SmGu2PRIL0krLcZgfMyTqFUIc0FpCWZHpUuNK3ntQ/s926/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_036.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="926" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXztIvEePaympQA6z8Ghq5h8HgeQwRYhj53ZFMIIXHSCYKgHNd0pqo05dt957nHoe7AecoC90_3RAyj7Iu3aBI6pHFBDGo6e9r9BTfxHvyH4o2Raprt6EAE028dtQZvIKsu3OMw4QE0QO1C9x1SmGu2PRIL0krLcZgfMyTqFUIc0FpCWZHpUuNK3ntQ/s320/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_036.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Huh. Mickey has a mountain cabin. Who else has a mountain cabin? Any guesses as to what we'll find there?</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50OJgcX3FnW0qPsISq4811a8Q_oT2EHXr9tNldqw8NJO0y97BYUdUMwx72t4x6HvhPi-4fQKZ0PhCZ-ZldUjEiw249tw7mxQyevRSjuHtQVqqt5fa-vpz5Lb-eNT-zJqz99pzHeSAOd0cE_u12V1ivPdSbEX45OVoDgxHss_XoN0OG0wMdzWuQ852lA/s919/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_037%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="919" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50OJgcX3FnW0qPsISq4811a8Q_oT2EHXr9tNldqw8NJO0y97BYUdUMwx72t4x6HvhPi-4fQKZ0PhCZ-ZldUjEiw249tw7mxQyevRSjuHtQVqqt5fa-vpz5Lb-eNT-zJqz99pzHeSAOd0cE_u12V1ivPdSbEX45OVoDgxHss_XoN0OG0wMdzWuQ852lA/s320/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_037%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The story is oddly insistent that Mickey's horse is Tanglefoot. I'm not really an expert on these old Mickey comic book stories: was Tanglefoot a regular there? I feel like not. But I could be wrong! And probably am! At any rate, inducks is not convinced, identifying this character only as <a href="https://inducks.org/character.php?c=A+horse+named+Tanglefoot+from+CP+3">“Tanglefoot from CP 3.”</a> We know him well.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWipZY_Fzt8rocWxxTKMNtQPI6Su7Gms3QEoibwo4i-OjAmTAbsodnqwDufojwOxo4TrcFi5op29fwE3NqdsJY8Tb34kwqFDMI6-DjnhHTTirN12YI5Is0PwzNi_haz81mgkUVSKOSz6T0WvPc_xVq5iRD-Y6gw8TuNLGVmhfPpWfLHq0XrPbBA_2zA/s998/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_038%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWipZY_Fzt8rocWxxTKMNtQPI6Su7Gms3QEoibwo4i-OjAmTAbsodnqwDufojwOxo4TrcFi5op29fwE3NqdsJY8Tb34kwqFDMI6-DjnhHTTirN12YI5Is0PwzNi_haz81mgkUVSKOSz6T0WvPc_xVq5iRD-Y6gw8TuNLGVmhfPpWfLHq0XrPbBA_2zA/s320/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_038%20copy.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The excitement: can you handle it?!?</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSU4sWafk29-l8wdCtXf4yTNJ5rudf44JAiEN144fKjJ3OD-_d9y4_aKTsTS4HkJ3x8pzi34br_dxkxueBxyD9i8_Kzn9t90Yb4lg6_ZPeVrX1t2w7h3gCkZ-BnR0_SmoE7Ymz3JI7-UnCdkzqcexOiFfMDySNqCXGthzcX_ml6WHxnqFkqWA_V_yb0g/s913/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_039%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="913" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSU4sWafk29-l8wdCtXf4yTNJ5rudf44JAiEN144fKjJ3OD-_d9y4_aKTsTS4HkJ3x8pzi34br_dxkxueBxyD9i8_Kzn9t90Yb4lg6_ZPeVrX1t2w7h3gCkZ-BnR0_SmoE7Ymz3JI7-UnCdkzqcexOiFfMDySNqCXGthzcX_ml6WHxnqFkqWA_V_yb0g/s320/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_039%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">BOOM. A mountain! A mountain with bears! Bear Mountain! Of course, that's a pretty generic-sounding name. We all love Barks, sure, but let's not go nuts. Still, it would be fun if that name exactly were used in this story (it isn't; I'm not holding out on you).</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">There's that recently-published IDW book of Bear Mountain stories. On the one hand, it would've been nice if I'd had that a few years back when Bear Mountain was the Christmas theme. On the other hand, I've looked through the book, and I have to say, most of the new-in-English stories there really aren't much cop (though I may well be able to salvage a post or two from them). Then again, neither are the old-in-English (?) stories, other than the original. Associating yourself with Barks doesn't necessarily lead to deathless works of genius? Who coulda knowed?</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Anyway, I will give this story here credit for doing bears <i>differently</i> than you'd expect. In stories of this type, you expect some sort of bear-aggression. It's pretty much a given. But that is not what you get in the present case! Here, the bears are just sleeping and being, I suppose, passively annoying. Kind of interesting visually, too. Really not what you'd have expected. Moderately well-done, anonymous writer.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnvGkFG74e6lVs4xQc8dxGMaVSVpjAGs1sPUA5ep32uBUHsDt9VnjO6nNpHQO-Vwm_N4juXso7MIZ4JMGIESE67U23b_qcQW-jqo4hgX3o_UqawPgUGhhalDEp0IIumiVZypdn5HUc-0_uozXbUYeFWgBcB-ep_n0LM-y5jToJ_b2aSl5BJPOpmMt7w/s1000/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_040%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="919" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnvGkFG74e6lVs4xQc8dxGMaVSVpjAGs1sPUA5ep32uBUHsDt9VnjO6nNpHQO-Vwm_N4juXso7MIZ4JMGIESE67U23b_qcQW-jqo4hgX3o_UqawPgUGhhalDEp0IIumiVZypdn5HUc-0_uozXbUYeFWgBcB-ep_n0LM-y5jToJ_b2aSl5BJPOpmMt7w/w368-h400/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_040%20copy.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A lot of the action is taken up by our heroes...moving bears. And it's a dilemma, because part of me feels like I'd be neglecting my duty if I didn't point out how ludicrous this is, and part of me thinks it would just be wasting your time to state the obvious. I mean, if you can make fun of something in a funny way, that's fine, even if you're shooting fish in a barrel, but I dunno, man. This one may have defeated me.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMHQPh2v7MF0bckbLroKCHi4EiLQrzzERWtlWh-JhHO4WDzD5_ZfjC3yKRvAefTlrONvCUmz41wpqCetjfDRcVNDr4wdONN5jEA961MBXXnpX-N8H_IXej59JlgA1eRIqLKF1ifAvZNniCJu2sLrCrZdyJyuYoWBWMaAvP7oyCBMFjLQ4j2XEwKxHwQ/s923/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_042%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="923" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMHQPh2v7MF0bckbLroKCHi4EiLQrzzERWtlWh-JhHO4WDzD5_ZfjC3yKRvAefTlrONvCUmz41wpqCetjfDRcVNDr4wdONN5jEA961MBXXnpX-N8H_IXej59JlgA1eRIqLKF1ifAvZNniCJu2sLrCrZdyJyuYoWBWMaAvP7oyCBMFjLQ4j2XEwKxHwQ/s320/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_042%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Seems vaguely like a horror motive in the making here. The bears DO seem a bit zombie-ish.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXPRofN-6u_6Yw6UusZVRPLOvyyk_BPiBu8GVOGxWwjLVPLZwy-HjJFokxDM1vhnBE76zSwRpXDwyQcqH5dP1zX5CBupAQwUuIin0tRWCBi99O1vBpZ16BufZVDTNNHLNQcycEtw3evW6btzAChGHlgD1NBowQWpIRAw7jX3I7K1mhpGSQZaMRdXBWw/s995/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_043%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="918" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXPRofN-6u_6Yw6UusZVRPLOvyyk_BPiBu8GVOGxWwjLVPLZwy-HjJFokxDM1vhnBE76zSwRpXDwyQcqH5dP1zX5CBupAQwUuIin0tRWCBi99O1vBpZ16BufZVDTNNHLNQcycEtw3evW6btzAChGHlgD1NBowQWpIRAw7jX3I7K1mhpGSQZaMRdXBWw/s320/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_043%20copy.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The zzz sounds indicate that the bears are meant to be asleep this whole time, but it's sort of hard to tell if the artist is always going for that or not. I'll level with you: it's all a bit weird-looking.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuU0vxiQVDbt5fVwrEJvZQmFK0-iKyDUl2yBetvlXCsc-mEqZAdd3zTzfIYw_Q1f4cY84cA0tQmyFrovSFNqwl79zgZnnxK7eujP2Acn5NTVXK6CDopu8OG5E48-Hg8L75b8sdd-JXZljh-2jDWLEU1BFS8ySLE_3RXWl3PXu9jl204tt607xnF-KSg/s918/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_045%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="918" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuU0vxiQVDbt5fVwrEJvZQmFK0-iKyDUl2yBetvlXCsc-mEqZAdd3zTzfIYw_Q1f4cY84cA0tQmyFrovSFNqwl79zgZnnxK7eujP2Acn5NTVXK6CDopu8OG5E48-Hg8L75b8sdd-JXZljh-2jDWLEU1BFS8ySLE_3RXWl3PXu9jl204tt607xnF-KSg/s320/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_045%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">...I thought the issue was that a little tree was UNACCEPTABLE. What did you even come here for? The writer seems to be distinguishing between the little-little of the tree lot and the still-comparatively-big-little of the mountain....but it's all rather awkward.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmeR7IMxl83Nd4_iUnyKfJIIWn3euBzogrchb0_2pvtbb7jfVW1FG45AOyQtUCEHYlDHrqLPQbX0bcx07_J2He81meFocwX9ksvZVjfvEll_4tf42LxXSfpCMaeaag9po0teA8HLaCOvNE194E0YjCS49IZN2Sjr1IlXmI7ZvESB4Z8j79ufwGEA6TA/s1000/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_046%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="918" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmeR7IMxl83Nd4_iUnyKfJIIWn3euBzogrchb0_2pvtbb7jfVW1FG45AOyQtUCEHYlDHrqLPQbX0bcx07_J2He81meFocwX9ksvZVjfvEll_4tf42LxXSfpCMaeaag9po0teA8HLaCOvNE194E0YjCS49IZN2Sjr1IlXmI7ZvESB4Z8j79ufwGEA6TA/w368-h400/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_046%20copy.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Well, from this impractical idea, we segue directly into this squirrel thing. These guys coulda been Chip and Dale, but nope, just generic squirrels. That diagonal balloon on the bottom left seems odd, given that there's no evidence that Mickey and Goofy are standing diagonally. Why just this one time, you weird artist? What gives? That artist, by the way, is Lee Hooper, a man who has never before appeared on the hallowed pages of this blog.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEpQzcEbRismYqGJmp47ZSQLH_ag6LpcHJ7QFgNoofghFvVpolYnAsmOnrastEipyyFSz4MxOOyQm7SZaxmtrkBL6H6Bt8qnBx7AgIwoD5EWR4MA2s32DKkbpHjaE30UwH2RNlVLhDdjcl9F3TzxfFkoxQGmJsQ9wv9vc0JFOeKvOxIwiaA6FHgVtHQ/s920/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_047%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="920" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEpQzcEbRismYqGJmp47ZSQLH_ag6LpcHJ7QFgNoofghFvVpolYnAsmOnrastEipyyFSz4MxOOyQm7SZaxmtrkBL6H6Bt8qnBx7AgIwoD5EWR4MA2s32DKkbpHjaE30UwH2RNlVLhDdjcl9F3TzxfFkoxQGmJsQ9wv9vc0JFOeKvOxIwiaA6FHgVtHQ/w400-h289/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_047%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The squirrel's tossing the axe to a beaver, Goofy. Make a note of it. The beaver just looks like another squirrel with a very slightly altered tale, causing needless confusion. I do like the axe-crunching panel, though. Very deranged-looking beast. The tree-search being preempted by a beaver is certainly the sort of ludicrous contrivance one expects from such stories.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCy70HaWTCXD3l1RW-SBR18u083J6tR2HmG-i2Ap4rml3sU4PVpV2j4Mmdde9DNYoy5vQFzar6TUUH-22DUmIeJT2NW4eme8J0VQjRthJ3_txTHWgaOb64MTAyo1zirR2ngBY9f2bm8u8lwlRM-YFGTrrZBTEVOM8dlon78-tLUUbobfgFqsbgryslfQ/s505/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_047.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="505" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCy70HaWTCXD3l1RW-SBR18u083J6tR2HmG-i2Ap4rml3sU4PVpV2j4Mmdde9DNYoy5vQFzar6TUUH-22DUmIeJT2NW4eme8J0VQjRthJ3_txTHWgaOb64MTAyo1zirR2ngBY9f2bm8u8lwlRM-YFGTrrZBTEVOM8dlon78-tLUUbobfgFqsbgryslfQ/w400-h265/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_047.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The bears get in one final jab. Seriously, I dig these sleeping bears. Bring them back for a sequel!</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7AmdyrdvzZlyqgr2hQmxC6wS6CpK0XXJSl61Ko08xLSPrbncaKkQGkVFLZRwKlh-RrC4HCLmXqYd-tfy85PrUmBDyDltkXxDO6Q2T6zH8Y8g4YHFBLe78i7cN63-SG1CPhE4noIfS5S3eEqwVvZkmVY367Jgai4rAUgs9KFPSwJDLjk71G7rlVNn2A/s918/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="918" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7AmdyrdvzZlyqgr2hQmxC6wS6CpK0XXJSl61Ko08xLSPrbncaKkQGkVFLZRwKlh-RrC4HCLmXqYd-tfy85PrUmBDyDltkXxDO6Q2T6zH8Y8g4YHFBLe78i7cN63-SG1CPhE4noIfS5S3eEqwVvZkmVY367Jgai4rAUgs9KFPSwJDLjk71G7rlVNn2A/w400-h289/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_048.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mickey ground down by the remorseless logic of capital. You love to see it. A story that could have been entirely avoided, but I don't not like this one enough that I'm willing to let that slide.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPdw0_sGEaB-E8eG0gfDe6axmHt2WtqPj9Lw_GQKSOCR44yqopodzZDtSPsDlkFXFqCUkafuKsgxKVcw4BMEpNqKXzwJsncnzEHoHqKNBzKyqBULa2410FPxPZXxMD2wVzN1gR5gh_Pan6eDCpDn3mLeoBuh2xXndPANsfPok0AOLTbfk553he5UFLw/s921/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_049%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="921" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPdw0_sGEaB-E8eG0gfDe6axmHt2WtqPj9Lw_GQKSOCR44yqopodzZDtSPsDlkFXFqCUkafuKsgxKVcw4BMEpNqKXzwJsncnzEHoHqKNBzKyqBULa2410FPxPZXxMD2wVzN1gR5gh_Pan6eDCpDn3mLeoBuh2xXndPANsfPok0AOLTbfk553he5UFLw/s320/WD_Xmas_Parade_3_Dell_049%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Pwned. What am I supposed to do with this ending, huh? Well, even Homer nods, I guess. Was Mickey down a coal mine between the first and second panels?</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Anyway, hopefully Mickey's learned some sort of lesson from this, but I wouldn't hold my breath.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-64485067176050941472022-12-01T02:27:00.007-05:002023-05-13T07:30:41.207-04:00"Postman's Puzzle"<p> Here's THIS. It's story that may not be the most notable, but that I've nonetheless somehow wanted to write about ever since I first read it. Is it good? Well...that remains to be seen, although you probably have some idea of how these things tend to go when I get coy at the start.</p><p>Don't have any particular plan in mind for Christmas stories this year. Just as the spirit (or possibly the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gl%C3%B6gg">glögg</a>) moves me. If you have any ideas for good stories to cover, feel free to suggest them in comments.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BKJ8T4isYWgg-uuo0Gmpx51N4181bSok_zHHquQWr49lIslL54v2YfmDKQD75nkMeB7iQCJIiE18EVwQRfbfbg1Ghh8v5qbOSodDbzVJuDH8rNLEGwrPIFv7ILq2Wn3I9xAHHUNK33qEnSqm84D618GWlF8maBulUL22058Mmqnbygl4M1QSBFMZLw/s910/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_65%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="910" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BKJ8T4isYWgg-uuo0Gmpx51N4181bSok_zHHquQWr49lIslL54v2YfmDKQD75nkMeB7iQCJIiE18EVwQRfbfbg1Ghh8v5qbOSodDbzVJuDH8rNLEGwrPIFv7ILq2Wn3I9xAHHUNK33qEnSqm84D618GWlF8maBulUL22058Mmqnbygl4M1QSBFMZLw/w400-h288/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_65%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>But IS this a Christmas story? Well, it was originally printed in Dell's 1952 Christmas Parade, and Gemstone later reprinted it in one of theirs. And the opening certainly suggests as much, though nothing else does aside from the presence of snow. It's not as far as I can determine, but it feels like it could easily be a remake of a non-Christmas story that just had a minimal amount of seasonal material shoved in there. Note also that title, which not only has nothing to do with Christmas but is barely relevant to the story itself. Tah.</p><p>Is picking mail up for the post office a swell way to earn extra money for Christmas? This sounds suspiciously like the gig economy avant la lettre. As much as I appreciate the post office, I say let them handle their own work.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeJh53zieAsmfBSZmbjRThiq0vFxqLwyGAbBtTMF_WSzJhTyye_p5lhnz-BcmZh3Ce5pHyJtNMLPL-oXO_EuMkHJGPLaevnO_ImlRnVVr97fXbp0VNDaBpyAmXlaRfXbmVr6eAVza2QvE5aMEur4Rq6h6TBTfltwybJiKz3XKpkMgWWtvcKyA-MvX0A/s459/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_65.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="459" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeJh53zieAsmfBSZmbjRThiq0vFxqLwyGAbBtTMF_WSzJhTyye_p5lhnz-BcmZh3Ce5pHyJtNMLPL-oXO_EuMkHJGPLaevnO_ImlRnVVr97fXbp0VNDaBpyAmXlaRfXbmVr6eAVza2QvE5aMEur4Rq6h6TBTfltwybJiKz3XKpkMgWWtvcKyA-MvX0A/w400-h286/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_65.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, watch out for these Honest John epigones, our fiendish villains. Wright actually isn't super-good at drawing these characters he (or whoever) invented; they are pretty ungainly-looking.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKN823sV-wSzXlyyvot2ANgDurz-mndVMHg5AJ8iLqKndKtw__TqvGyunzdfk5v6auIDiVxKLVcNdH6bb827nt3urHl0ijvZg2bopLCP3_ZQ449EhfJ7nsHhEJuhmjtuPTjW_tN-RqTtjivnF_iQp-vA9pkZB4xlwJ0-suDcZImPJsSb8_d7nBesrbQ/s913/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_67%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="913" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKN823sV-wSzXlyyvot2ANgDurz-mndVMHg5AJ8iLqKndKtw__TqvGyunzdfk5v6auIDiVxKLVcNdH6bb827nt3urHl0ijvZg2bopLCP3_ZQ449EhfJ7nsHhEJuhmjtuPTjW_tN-RqTtjivnF_iQp-vA9pkZB4xlwJ0-suDcZImPJsSb8_d7nBesrbQ/w400-h289/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_67%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Anyway, here's O'Hara, who apparently spends his time driving around and pointing guns at people he's decided for no clear reason are suspicious. So, points for realism, then. Is Rando Cop there suggesting that if they had money, further harassment would be warranted? What a world.</p><p>In all seriousness, this is the kind of naive storytelling you often see in these old Western jobbies taken to an extreme: the author has clearly decided what he (definitely “he,” let's face it) wants to happen, and as such he's just going to blow through stuff like this with nary a care in the world for whether it makes any kind of sense when you give it the slightest thought. This is reminiscent of stories I wrote when I was ten. Well, it's an aesthetic! I suppose.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMFSTwci8O8oipD2L9q8AsDdTbIqeJceS9Kj-pORh_e1-x3BU768lHxJ927CmDKnvPu2zeNfZySg6-bXQUlMBQvmhuBq9Bzg3YaYWixaqsgsZruxEnzPkAD5XfOP-_2krchosfupnCH4ucJaUq1AX72-NywMT26p1jL8y1eGw1zGMwsrrIObhW0GVSA/s914/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_68%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="914" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMFSTwci8O8oipD2L9q8AsDdTbIqeJceS9Kj-pORh_e1-x3BU768lHxJ927CmDKnvPu2zeNfZySg6-bXQUlMBQvmhuBq9Bzg3YaYWixaqsgsZruxEnzPkAD5XfOP-_2krchosfupnCH4ucJaUq1AX72-NywMT26p1jL8y1eGw1zGMwsrrIObhW0GVSA/w400-h288/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_68%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>A fifty thousand dollar bill! Of course, there's never been such a thing in the history of the US. There WAS a hundred thousand dollar bill, however:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJwSJ1qWc7x-w_RFANqwFUbMrOPctfP94FFRb7b2DOFu38zKvp5YTzu4umGj3Jp4INUqfGvWd_abhs9itFQ60EDb64_UVIJShG8DcvUnf0aEFAX7cNBSZuBeZbBwCE9FhZ5-EzILwyGh2ow49cAA5K2nHm_ahHDV1eUHci6pPbvY76d8PWaoGOMjNQA/s742/US100000dollarsbillobverse.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="742" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJwSJ1qWc7x-w_RFANqwFUbMrOPctfP94FFRb7b2DOFu38zKvp5YTzu4umGj3Jp4INUqfGvWd_abhs9itFQ60EDb64_UVIJShG8DcvUnf0aEFAX7cNBSZuBeZbBwCE9FhZ5-EzILwyGh2ow49cAA5K2nHm_ahHDV1eUHci6pPbvY76d8PWaoGOMjNQA/w400-h169/US100000dollarsbillobverse.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Problem is, it was only ever used for bank transactions. It wasn't legal for ordinary citizens to have, so the only possible value it could have for someone would be as part of a completely private collection. And even if not, GOOD LUCK trying to get any business in the world to accept it.</p><p>In absolute fairness, I should note that there was also a ten thousand dollar bill, which WAS in public circulation, however marginally, so our writer could have gone for that—though it still seems wildly impractical.</p><p>BUT ANYWAY, none of that is really relevant, since the writer was clearly just taking a stab at finding a sufficiently outrageous-sounding piece of money. Blah.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH_JV4XlPcYJoYet3rpXSErdfPdFReuG55ovUgDjxsVz59fCLp39CGWLdxPURyHF7BcXlHwMI5eAPvJg_FjFW_ZROgN0r-XWy7wrXaMy3p6Kjironj1InJ6KAzcbWkIrJj5f7CI6O0hh6E_Tvf-kF2hDcom4MZ0txCdLFhyiiqxU-Fq_-KLbwTuZCtw/s901/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_68.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="901" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH_JV4XlPcYJoYet3rpXSErdfPdFReuG55ovUgDjxsVz59fCLp39CGWLdxPURyHF7BcXlHwMI5eAPvJg_FjFW_ZROgN0r-XWy7wrXaMy3p6Kjironj1InJ6KAzcbWkIrJj5f7CI6O0hh6E_Tvf-kF2hDcom4MZ0txCdLFhyiiqxU-Fq_-KLbwTuZCtw/w400-h291/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_68.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Our heroes (heroes?) get really, really obsessed with getting this bill to the cops. So, like, if this is a legal amount of currency to carry around, what are the police supposed to do with it? How is someone going to prove they lost it? Do they have the serial number memorized? I mean...it's all just so vague. And what if they let it go? Is some random person just going to find it and spend it? How's someone going to do that? Stories like this make my brain itch with their lack of specificity or clear stakes.</p><p>Also, can we just zoom out for a moment and note that, based on the information available, Mickey and Goofy have no greater “right” to this bill than the foxes do? They're just being nosy. Argh! Gets on my nerves!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_gzNKVrxA9jN99jw0--MFsJhWNQ8oGRl5SewgrwX5pgwVQQuGFKDGUOp5GoxNuVQogzJxAwFuz2ddWAl6kQC571A-CTdr6LyJ6eRb2IGSftNJfP2XyMnEWI0BWGQ2F1ww_VqaNT4PFkEtKf8fN3mFusJY1X3D5scZcaujK9ViqfUhB-wKiFdzV3Vag/s902/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_70%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="902" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_gzNKVrxA9jN99jw0--MFsJhWNQ8oGRl5SewgrwX5pgwVQQuGFKDGUOp5GoxNuVQogzJxAwFuz2ddWAl6kQC571A-CTdr6LyJ6eRb2IGSftNJfP2XyMnEWI0BWGQ2F1ww_VqaNT4PFkEtKf8fN3mFusJY1X3D5scZcaujK9ViqfUhB-wKiFdzV3Vag/w400-h295/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_70%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Braining someone with a shovel as retaliation for a faceful of snow seems like about the most disproportionate response imaginable. I know it's just zany ol' slapstick, but jeez.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKmAekThzNQd8OLEGgYOv-FghEiWjTRpmKi9YRAVIPXtXeVTAgoJwuEc7O2NzfRlIxg9lHBc1Ky_LBv5c6lwJVK7_0IxH_Per7ynQblQQyNtMnI1Zs12bgjG39DUawFsihZ3lWdveG9oHdVv66DgZr2WakMBXcflQ56FqxYYAJG3Vs5QMtngqeH0HIQ/s902/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_71%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="902" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKmAekThzNQd8OLEGgYOv-FghEiWjTRpmKi9YRAVIPXtXeVTAgoJwuEc7O2NzfRlIxg9lHBc1Ky_LBv5c6lwJVK7_0IxH_Per7ynQblQQyNtMnI1Zs12bgjG39DUawFsihZ3lWdveG9oHdVv66DgZr2WakMBXcflQ56FqxYYAJG3Vs5QMtngqeH0HIQ/w400-h294/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_71%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>See, here's another perfect example of what I called “naive storytelling”—stuff just happening because it's the first/easiest way the writer thought of for something to happen: that sublimely idiotic image of the foxes crashing through a restaurant's plate-glass window.</p><p>Also, “drawn on a Chinese bank” is incomprehensible to me. Doesn't a check being “drawn on” a bank just mean the check comes from that bank—like, it has the bank's address and stuff and presumably in this case it would be at least partially written in Chinese? Here, we're presumably meant to think that it's a fraudulent check but...if—as the story clearly implies—we're meant to think that it being Chinese makes it <i>obviously</i> fraudulent, why would the foxes have used it? Why not just use a fake check from a more plausible-sounding bank? I mean I know I'm not meant to be thinking about this, I know it's just meant as short-hand for dishonesty, but I swear, I'm not <i>trying</i> to think about it. I see it and it trips me up! I can't just <i>not</i> think about things I read! Does that mean I'm not the ideal audience for disposable-by-design seventy-year-old comics? Maybe! But here we are!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJ_HcJ_ZS_A0bXrTUxL9kRsNL49_nNueUDMiXPJqlSXc6fMG_5q4foL8b_GRbLvD1i_sYJZ-J72Ieqh-6CLecAhhgnPOLQh5bSuOJDHOb1X_37m4glTPdEc2J7_ZO9zuhxasEdeVvK8GTw_lB5SSVZuYIMPIXIm-jV4gyvUmcAF3lrxi8qOvkuxBowQ/s911/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_72%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="911" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJ_HcJ_ZS_A0bXrTUxL9kRsNL49_nNueUDMiXPJqlSXc6fMG_5q4foL8b_GRbLvD1i_sYJZ-J72Ieqh-6CLecAhhgnPOLQh5bSuOJDHOb1X_37m4glTPdEc2J7_ZO9zuhxasEdeVvK8GTw_lB5SSVZuYIMPIXIm-jV4gyvUmcAF3lrxi8qOvkuxBowQ/w400-h286/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_72%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Welp, I don't think this is a turn any of us expected the story to take. Yup...our bill was just sucked up into that old Scotchman's bagpipes. Again, what's this “our?” You're getting awfully damn proprietary here. I'm fairly sure the bill would just lodge in the pipe and stay there, but the author seems to be conceiving them as being more like a vacuum cleaner, just sucking everything down all willy nilly. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFo2w0mUNBVfS2HUFHkhHMkceVLoRl-gzZq2ZwxiTKRkOmTv2Uk1vfyVZQ6gEvlcA4KYghKRNFGin3iMxx4Mw4mT0vyfjtXlz_w6KXz4fq2h8NymqA8nLt6sqFTIBnbyJSTukd_ynRekJGiH6XBXpycSZGvjKjmb4GLG0ZVqkV8yrDJFZHMNhr59-Jvw/s910/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_73%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="910" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFo2w0mUNBVfS2HUFHkhHMkceVLoRl-gzZq2ZwxiTKRkOmTv2Uk1vfyVZQ6gEvlcA4KYghKRNFGin3iMxx4Mw4mT0vyfjtXlz_w6KXz4fq2h8NymqA8nLt6sqFTIBnbyJSTukd_ynRekJGiH6XBXpycSZGvjKjmb4GLG0ZVqkV8yrDJFZHMNhr59-Jvw/w400-h288/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_73%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>It seems like conceivably you could just <i>tell</i> him why you want to look, as opposed to acting like the world's biggest weirdo. I would think. But the point is, “we're in a desperate spot.” WHY? Why is this situation so desperate? This story would work better if Mickey's psychology at any point resembled that of a normal human. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgmwNOEEolLB17d_hIu62RKSBTscufWnMpCd1efDwAGtHjiJD0un6BXutg43JQHemvpWWTf-bFrqXvznhqKWwEjuCsz61dHywevM8dNRA-LPqP_OyRV7LdI8DRqV8TNnm_d0ksmr43AdQmn6iLBfo90AxwuL2-wEV-ymx7DRfNvRo30AGZvdBLOJ2NA/s908/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_72.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="908" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgmwNOEEolLB17d_hIu62RKSBTscufWnMpCd1efDwAGtHjiJD0un6BXutg43JQHemvpWWTf-bFrqXvznhqKWwEjuCsz61dHywevM8dNRA-LPqP_OyRV7LdI8DRqV8TNnm_d0ksmr43AdQmn6iLBfo90AxwuL2-wEV-ymx7DRfNvRo30AGZvdBLOJ2NA/w400-h144/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_72.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, that about sums it up: heh, heh. Heh, heh indeed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsL4FPBTgNWPjYasGZQ9rG1beGLc87YKBslpC1D4dnyNqsZ4vhTG1DDOAsL1p0ey0OhPkPfD91iVZAoGIqpk71vhceBknW1ClaJC5wVo7TmaOwgcALyJXMaAgcopHKlJKGwD6lvo-VmRrWPO-3QQgjroEub_TGvSyCrUSAt107qAjMA5JskrNm4L-Kg/s417/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_74%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="417" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsL4FPBTgNWPjYasGZQ9rG1beGLc87YKBslpC1D4dnyNqsZ4vhTG1DDOAsL1p0ey0OhPkPfD91iVZAoGIqpk71vhceBknW1ClaJC5wVo7TmaOwgcALyJXMaAgcopHKlJKGwD6lvo-VmRrWPO-3QQgjroEub_TGvSyCrUSAt107qAjMA5JskrNm4L-Kg/w400-h315/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_74%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Still, whatever else you can say, you do have to give the story credit for one thing: this is the smuggest fox imaginable. <i>Goddamn</i> is that one smug fox.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94KG-olOkZzkToJnf2IKiKCGJsE4XYoUU5LuyWwPr-3diHb1-sK8TS70wPMsytYiDMxCljvmaAdBYuLCLnxg9u3yhTBB_HJBVp1zDWSNZRno8g9aQOG6wwxf-cbk0HqTxIVdHLA7EnGXht8VPV5HXKbn6wzuKkOp6RP2a_O_E1zwwZj_hm1EL-IqKCQ/s913/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_74.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="913" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94KG-olOkZzkToJnf2IKiKCGJsE4XYoUU5LuyWwPr-3diHb1-sK8TS70wPMsytYiDMxCljvmaAdBYuLCLnxg9u3yhTBB_HJBVp1zDWSNZRno8g9aQOG6wwxf-cbk0HqTxIVdHLA7EnGXht8VPV5HXKbn6wzuKkOp6RP2a_O_E1zwwZj_hm1EL-IqKCQ/w400-h144/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_74.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yes, great action setpiece. Zoom! Though my feeling is, you'll be substantially more done for if the engines <i>do</i> start. Also, can I point out that they don't actually have the bill on them? Okay, conceivably the foxes don't know that, but in what sense does Mickey think they'll be “done for?” Do they believe, based on no evidence, that the foxes will just murder them in cold blood? Or is it just their poorly-motivated quest for the bill that's done for?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4V1uv0ZqoMxKeIF7aPJE4NUSbY_-R-lV2V7uhW32je3WYcDtAEWNEGUzPIcL2dn2CAsBWA8mHd0v_T20rttNt-_FZVjY0XWRhlxvm5Ba7H0XHvQZNTaUH-gaUkVdsOGXfJDfefT6C-k7V-LZQQ3hRTMmfrUmQPfyEY-LhCzTXqIrk0BQQVfzcswazWw/s917/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_75%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="917" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4V1uv0ZqoMxKeIF7aPJE4NUSbY_-R-lV2V7uhW32je3WYcDtAEWNEGUzPIcL2dn2CAsBWA8mHd0v_T20rttNt-_FZVjY0XWRhlxvm5Ba7H0XHvQZNTaUH-gaUkVdsOGXfJDfefT6C-k7V-LZQQ3hRTMmfrUmQPfyEY-LhCzTXqIrk0BQQVfzcswazWw/w400-h141/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_75%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Again with this meaningless business of “drawing checks” on foreign banks! I feel like this would be a much more widespread problem if it were that easy. Are they just creating their own checks with crayons and construction paper? That's a fun arts and crafts project for the kids.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5u58fjHqsD-AldDY4-zpUKVM60U9AnrHA01TsbuK6Xl5s_-yza607KUWG6qgpFpG5QB5B-OQSrCCtTdeRYkDetV12kndoOZDjILxMCKpgcX3ry30xsbM5UAUehU-HHtv8V6MUAAnnkOJdMOcZAtTOXwlanzhxn9sdU4ZvEUKTuGz5yiVZPawFhg6ug/s913/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_75.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="913" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5u58fjHqsD-AldDY4-zpUKVM60U9AnrHA01TsbuK6Xl5s_-yza607KUWG6qgpFpG5QB5B-OQSrCCtTdeRYkDetV12kndoOZDjILxMCKpgcX3ry30xsbM5UAUehU-HHtv8V6MUAAnnkOJdMOcZAtTOXwlanzhxn9sdU4ZvEUKTuGz5yiVZPawFhg6ug/w400-h145/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_75.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, Mickey and Goofy somehow got into the hold as opposed to the much more likely scenario of being blasted off the wing. Actually, I have no idea: would you get dislodged immediately as the plane accelerated, and thus maybe only suffer some bumps and bruises, or would it be more fatal? Would you be sucked into an engine? I know little about planes, but enough to be skeptical about this. It's another of those damn things: it was the easiest way to write the story, and so it is written thus.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO85TcuMeZ5NiCpLGMa2dOlAl7xCS-hh29pEK-B5tozGdS2G96n_n5fDMiOrlpR_-4-LtjjcPrbj6OfE_OSP-JUUlIEfLsWNumEktIQVO_lrswf4cxvw9qJMZ2xLry0Hoj0PiTD4dlt9zagrbcfb8CaVSeIjm1XTzfGGuzV8T06uV2UhRt8XVWDvk_Bw/s914/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_76%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="914" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO85TcuMeZ5NiCpLGMa2dOlAl7xCS-hh29pEK-B5tozGdS2G96n_n5fDMiOrlpR_-4-LtjjcPrbj6OfE_OSP-JUUlIEfLsWNumEktIQVO_lrswf4cxvw9qJMZ2xLry0Hoj0PiTD4dlt9zagrbcfb8CaVSeIjm1XTzfGGuzV8T06uV2UhRt8XVWDvk_Bw/w400-h285/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_76%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh. Yeah. Sure. An old Scotchman with a pair of bagpipes (I'm pretty sure “Scotsman” is more accepted, but that, of course, is the least of our problems here). Sure, of course this random civilian knows exactly where we need to go. Anything else would require narrative effort. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4gXWFyKV4FinQSxcc70UsP5nJWTmQpyERa-Vpya5PHRSXOWJJ3kHkFycokVlbSBbnu0FljCsCKFakOi99QypGg_QwPeSqMjlk0tRjjEBoLmIBXOcBmaceQcqkIelvN_z21kcQeDecvvZmLXGm6A_TC__lhozPr4kK9D_LAUsdBS4xrEoat7xmjt-7A/s427/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_76.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="427" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4gXWFyKV4FinQSxcc70UsP5nJWTmQpyERa-Vpya5PHRSXOWJJ3kHkFycokVlbSBbnu0FljCsCKFakOi99QypGg_QwPeSqMjlk0tRjjEBoLmIBXOcBmaceQcqkIelvN_z21kcQeDecvvZmLXGm6A_TC__lhozPr4kK9D_LAUsdBS4xrEoat7xmjt-7A/w400-h306/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_76.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>My only response to Goofy here is a series of contemptuous "duh" noises. It's all he deserves.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5xWI-eqxob1u_U2PP-KcwKaDjSUFTrIcpePnIft_T9wo8Rcg-IBOwqgW2L1KDeeiAOrJEF7MHQY_mPS3emIOaEJ-RCvFbtezfunto9w2kYNHoB1n-v1loSXIDzWOyJ2MHpO7L12gg2ZHyBh34ZzMgOmV55kXYjZmBZ-zKhJ0bXHSctfmvurSCmifjw/s926/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_77%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="926" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5xWI-eqxob1u_U2PP-KcwKaDjSUFTrIcpePnIft_T9wo8Rcg-IBOwqgW2L1KDeeiAOrJEF7MHQY_mPS3emIOaEJ-RCvFbtezfunto9w2kYNHoB1n-v1loSXIDzWOyJ2MHpO7L12gg2ZHyBh34ZzMgOmV55kXYjZmBZ-zKhJ0bXHSctfmvurSCmifjw/w400-h284/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_77%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I will admit: “Clan MacClan” is kind of funny. Fair play. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRo0tzZ5QKpWkKg4pYzzlVM1k1gQ90bAeeb_RLCjdSuOCWqK1NMINnQPNFZLjb4em6Oi_q77fT8VXJgduKyo2E4FGeLtpVaqA98joEgDVAMdRZop8Vbj-iunqZ-dePi9WValjsexaCHrHg51zSgr-j6MtICgtPT5nJyazhAgVUsyM9Fn6gKMDyOwOpqA/s916/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_77.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="916" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRo0tzZ5QKpWkKg4pYzzlVM1k1gQ90bAeeb_RLCjdSuOCWqK1NMINnQPNFZLjb4em6Oi_q77fT8VXJgduKyo2E4FGeLtpVaqA98joEgDVAMdRZop8Vbj-iunqZ-dePi9WValjsexaCHrHg51zSgr-j6MtICgtPT5nJyazhAgVUsyM9Fn6gKMDyOwOpqA/w400-h288/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_77.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...but the idea of this pattern serving as unquestioned proof that, in defiance of all logic, one is necessarily a member of that clan? Extremely dumb. So the clan's just like a country club or something? Seriously. This part is the worst. BAD writer. NO BISCUIT.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeK_2GIcWLGPRc7uGATwkcVqeH2Fr-TJfcUzKyFSAfzEsR7ppsODCKfelnQ0pvKkWjzVSxNo7zBoURPfUXdZAECIwfMQ_4YRGRpx94KxI9gXgDjeomgIB7JyH1sKYajiwZGsnIlK2R6VseMkQQTZRK1ghmOMwbL9l3UM38iEr1v0uA27lmyASUcSTULQ/s917/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_78%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="917" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeK_2GIcWLGPRc7uGATwkcVqeH2Fr-TJfcUzKyFSAfzEsR7ppsODCKfelnQ0pvKkWjzVSxNo7zBoURPfUXdZAECIwfMQ_4YRGRpx94KxI9gXgDjeomgIB7JyH1sKYajiwZGsnIlK2R6VseMkQQTZRK1ghmOMwbL9l3UM38iEr1v0uA27lmyASUcSTULQ/s320/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_78%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>It's actually <i>extremely</i> easy to impersonate a member of this clan, given their total credulousness and the wide availability of the relevant pattern.</p><p>The goldfish is okay; that's the kind of silliness that I can accept. I am more concerned with fundamental narrative issues.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDJmeG85OaiYD4fMo5vRceZAzGy5o-9wHL2vTaQZQvawn1yd16_BZRRZ9PoEQ5O2sG1jbxyJnPBGFz-PP1jJOOWME-MtO3flV1iavevFpeV9iY8in112w6cy8cv_MiWhOwZ_CkSusBBGUEu1XPl9IaLr5BjCO_laQjxloRrkUlzr7oAuclNT4blOZkQ/s913/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_78.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="913" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDJmeG85OaiYD4fMo5vRceZAzGy5o-9wHL2vTaQZQvawn1yd16_BZRRZ9PoEQ5O2sG1jbxyJnPBGFz-PP1jJOOWME-MtO3flV1iavevFpeV9iY8in112w6cy8cv_MiWhOwZ_CkSusBBGUEu1XPl9IaLr5BjCO_laQjxloRrkUlzr7oAuclNT4blOZkQ/w400-h288/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_78.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I mean, okay, you apparently couldn't just bloody well <i>tell</i> him what you wanted <i>before</i> going to all the trouble for visiting Scotland, for inscrutable reasons that I'm fairly sure even <i>you</i> don't understand. But if you've come all this way, fercrissake, you <i>really</i> couldn't just use words, as opposed to assaulting his instrument? Seems like it would be the polite, and also sane, thing to do. What do I know?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SnQZCe3WUdhXbYCJXaeVYpOExaX1-wxouceWwbTaMLmXMCVqx4vLOmxItkNqzJR31Emg6yLDCMGtPhxALWYlM5JOvxENkk6vSaG8t7lctsSC7hJK6qptVUmFLicHavBOR-CB3Npjw19LZu9PTtBlsfIiBvAmqXuXRW9K5F3DK8XSqVu2hpVnEgA1IQ/s988/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_79%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="919" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SnQZCe3WUdhXbYCJXaeVYpOExaX1-wxouceWwbTaMLmXMCVqx4vLOmxItkNqzJR31Emg6yLDCMGtPhxALWYlM5JOvxENkk6vSaG8t7lctsSC7hJK6qptVUmFLicHavBOR-CB3Npjw19LZu9PTtBlsfIiBvAmqXuXRW9K5F3DK8XSqVu2hpVnEgA1IQ/w373-h400/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_79%20copy.jpg" width="373" /></a></div><p>I swear, I don't even feel capable of commenting on this bit. Just one damn thing after another. Well, okay, I will comment on “will you please call the police?” Call them about WHAT? WHAT crime is supposed to have been committed here that the bill serves as evidence of? ODS BODKINS.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNlG-KNDcd6mTr8A8tQsnjnX-IG963YgOStM4XvwDPJBSEJz6GOfXmO-h7i6ARsOCCXhgfbAgr2ygMGVvHXVQ9Z5D--68WEE2cnLRL1JtQ421dFEzTomAd6gH7v6goSwLylcF20ltbJiAc6s-t3WyGkegfxYFxKjdARSTobVxuxBi_0-7PykPoKSzcQ/s914/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_80%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="914" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNlG-KNDcd6mTr8A8tQsnjnX-IG963YgOStM4XvwDPJBSEJz6GOfXmO-h7i6ARsOCCXhgfbAgr2ygMGVvHXVQ9Z5D--68WEE2cnLRL1JtQ421dFEzTomAd6gH7v6goSwLylcF20ltbJiAc6s-t3WyGkegfxYFxKjdARSTobVxuxBi_0-7PykPoKSzcQ/w400-h144/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_80%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>WUT. Sure, sure, fine. Actually, come to think of it, no NOT fine. Get the hell out of here, O'Hara. This convoluted flailing around offends my sensibilities.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKV9nBLqK0zzx1HKD7T_kXv5yFkyws6WazE5iTkEtX0ZIn6-D0tPbVqqwR59bKfqQq6G3qadyCkQwQiLOBPfUoEM2567-HwX-ajBKgu-CIpqbTKa-I-HFE0NQ-I7lt-feN1XzGrSjEW19d5dtNSJ5AMes6FcO1mClMHex7ISg4grCZcow57XtGRzKW_g/s919/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_80%20copy%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="919" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKV9nBLqK0zzx1HKD7T_kXv5yFkyws6WazE5iTkEtX0ZIn6-D0tPbVqqwR59bKfqQq6G3qadyCkQwQiLOBPfUoEM2567-HwX-ajBKgu-CIpqbTKa-I-HFE0NQ-I7lt-feN1XzGrSjEW19d5dtNSJ5AMes6FcO1mClMHex7ISg4grCZcow57XtGRzKW_g/w400-h143/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_80%20copy%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Counterfeit? So this entire story could have been avoided? Dammit. But in that case, isn't the <i>real</i> question what the random be-top-hatted dude at the beginning was doing with it? I mean, of course rich guys carry around bills of impractically massive denominations. This is known. But a fake one? Whether the writer was making this story up as he went along or know where he was going from the beginning and just didn't care about tying together all the plot threads...we may never know. It is what it is, alas.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEV2GUUqF-OBKjso8sYOBBoQrDGXuRzm7HsWsba2DlvbE1nEZeWJlnor9BXLO_rb2fN_TQgMwBlkmrjsQeLa28Tv7obhT8ZJCgRi0BJd8JaoNJ0TBBr9joNjj1L_yomlpZa3g1EbMiZc6jq7hPjw4r0HAJXNnKM-NRY0LSaR_FE3UbPwUNSRmIBLkljg/s914/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_80.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="914" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEV2GUUqF-OBKjso8sYOBBoQrDGXuRzm7HsWsba2DlvbE1nEZeWJlnor9BXLO_rb2fN_TQgMwBlkmrjsQeLa28Tv7obhT8ZJCgRi0BJd8JaoNJ0TBBr9joNjj1L_yomlpZa3g1EbMiZc6jq7hPjw4r0HAJXNnKM-NRY0LSaR_FE3UbPwUNSRmIBLkljg/w400-h290/WD_Xmas_Parade_2_Gemstone_80.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Ha ha, Scottish people, amirite? Do you think the candy store would even accept a UK coin? Again, the least of our worries. I keep saying that.</p><p>But I guess our worries are over, because the story is. Man, I realize this entry isn't even slightly festive. My apologies for that! The next one will be better, conceivably.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-42789915420190420002022-10-31T07:36:00.004-04:002022-11-01T06:37:39.552-04:00"The Wax Museum"<p>Boo! Why no entries for a number of months that I can't bear to contemplate? Well, no real excuses; the summer was pretty rough, and since then I've been fairly busy with my fellowship in Tallinn. Anyway, I haven't been <i>completely </i>inactive with my blogs; on <a href="https://inchoatia.blogspot.com/">my main one</a>, I'm almost finished blogging every Freddy the Pig book. Whaddaya want from me?!? Blood?! Well, it IS Halloween, so maybe that's not unreasonable. Wax museums are scary, right? I've never been to one, but probably they are. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxTV1L0q0AqWGjto2I_hnL_mLTedETHhczoWA7DSjpiKYAROjyRUuiwnvAMG3PyObRu3Z2ebFwIq4obl2fX5R1iUwXBgJrPD52NImTxn9DhvlMJuV39fE2Ge-eC0YSZBmWKha7whsMyoBaYz8tou15LTGJ0pQUUiJN4vAh6tGQm3oHd6ZuMftEz12SA/s844/Wdc&s231-03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="844" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxTV1L0q0AqWGjto2I_hnL_mLTedETHhczoWA7DSjpiKYAROjyRUuiwnvAMG3PyObRu3Z2ebFwIq4obl2fX5R1iUwXBgJrPD52NImTxn9DhvlMJuV39fE2Ge-eC0YSZBmWKha7whsMyoBaYz8tou15LTGJ0pQUUiJN4vAh6tGQm3oHd6ZuMftEz12SA/w400-h350/Wdc&s231-03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>These are all dramatically different reasons to fire someone, aren't they? The first is for doing something specific, the second is for the sake of a pun, and the third because—presumably—they hired him as a barber without having given him any kind of tryout or anything. It feels like it's not wholly coherent, somehow—that it doesn't really provide a picture of what fundamental thing about Donald causes these serial sackings. Then again, maybe that's the point—he contains multitudes. I enjoy the first one in particular—seems like a remarkably forbearing bakery that lets him get away with the first two dough-mixer naps. I want to work there; I'd only do it ONCE! I might get my name on an employee of the month plaque.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Okay, gotta go off on a little tangent here. <a href="https://inducks.org/story.php?c=W+WDC+231-01">Inducks</a> labels the hardcover Fantagraphics as having “dialogue altered.” What does that mean? We must find out. So I compared the two, and it didn't take long; it's right on the first page:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-loCpkmSQkV6v-3lXRK61KwYCAKJdtcYsMxgvk3rbh2K6qENHM-67S-BhutHNbAYSiJvdFTjHaW84RDy3dHqVeOQBPg_ra_BCWhWKvUO_YpXEzXE4dFp47rNd8bjnMI2mTwHri2IinqTrUSK34BfQ_O9OdcQ_J6M6ZWYoHavpdve6MDm4ghX4eofFg/s479/RCO047_1663838634.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="479" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-loCpkmSQkV6v-3lXRK61KwYCAKJdtcYsMxgvk3rbh2K6qENHM-67S-BhutHNbAYSiJvdFTjHaW84RDy3dHqVeOQBPg_ra_BCWhWKvUO_YpXEzXE4dFp47rNd8bjnMI2mTwHri2IinqTrUSK34BfQ_O9OdcQ_J6M6ZWYoHavpdve6MDm4ghX4eofFg/w400-h291/RCO047_1663838634.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Mmm. You know, I'm not one to look at these things and start hollering about censorship or free speech, which is always disingenuous, irrelevant, and unhelpful. But fair's fair: this is not an impressive feat of work on Fantagraphics' part. It completely throws off the rhythm of this opening montage. There needs to be <i>something</i> else in that panel. Otherwise it just looks like a setup that's had the punchline shorn off, as indeed it is. And as casual racism goes, “from an Indian war chief?” is fairly anodyne. The funny thing is that in <i>this same book</i> we also have the <i>extremely</i> offensive <a href="http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2015/05/black-wednesday.html">“Black Wednesday,”</a> published unedited. </p><p>Okay okay, I'm just playing dumb if I pretend I don't get the rationale: that story would be impossible to scrub of racism, so ya gotta just bite the bullet and print it. But for this one, where all you have to do is excise one little bit of dialogue, at the very low cost of making the opening of the story marginally worse? Not a high price. They would think. And they might be right, but man, wasn't this project meant to present <i>all</i> of Barks' work, warts and all, in the same way the Gottfredson books did? Does any of this matter, or not? Come on.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhporCpcX361b6wmeSaoob3Odyo4Yasmfp6yCCCNFVg9iGWjnf1YctuftdsG2FYCoj0rGHktXe98xbIGf0qAA1NvB8uTVvVeP_oOBfTWzKhqxGPXtDEbzCiFcrrZ7jjklQzkhvEDTOVrm8cUvBFrljNTkFZCW9TvnstEtYi7qmXtq0HcrqzREOLCkSA/s845/Wdc&s231-03%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="845" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhporCpcX361b6wmeSaoob3Odyo4Yasmfp6yCCCNFVg9iGWjnf1YctuftdsG2FYCoj0rGHktXe98xbIGf0qAA1NvB8uTVvVeP_oOBfTWzKhqxGPXtDEbzCiFcrrZ7jjklQzkhvEDTOVrm8cUvBFrljNTkFZCW9TvnstEtYi7qmXtq0HcrqzREOLCkSA/w400-h145/Wdc&s231-03%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, I suppose maybe the violin job would have been sort of “scientific,” if he actually had to build violins. But you would definitely not just hire someone off the street for that. Still, that's the good thing about wandering around Duckburg: if you do it long enough, you're sure to pass a wax museum or something, and they're sure to need guards. That's just the way the city works, and if you don't believe it, note that this is a remake of an earlier story in which night watchmen were ALSO being sought after. It happens! In the real world, jobs that don't come via spam subject lines rarely describe themselves as “<i><u>easy</u></i>,” but that is neither here nor there. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHk4MM_UEmP2Yca9vd4rkk2IBdPjX8a476m9TlYEENn8qrPOPIkEIgBpHQNbTdAxPL3vo7Dbek6Bo3aDWsK6dagU-b_lGaB2-SJg-M-2CSX8n7MRhaeOgB4lBZTIPpbmQpUEThV3TpweOfvgLFSxwGxZWgPUNz6ocvUDXm4hX3rjeXLNzeHU8Zy7rSw/s927/Wdc&s231-04%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="850" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHk4MM_UEmP2Yca9vd4rkk2IBdPjX8a476m9TlYEENn8qrPOPIkEIgBpHQNbTdAxPL3vo7Dbek6Bo3aDWsK6dagU-b_lGaB2-SJg-M-2CSX8n7MRhaeOgB4lBZTIPpbmQpUEThV3TpweOfvgLFSxwGxZWgPUNz6ocvUDXm4hX3rjeXLNzeHU8Zy7rSw/w366-h400/Wdc&s231-04%20copy.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><p>Sick burn. If they hadn't insulted him, maybe he'd've gotten some sleep and we would've been deprived of this story. Reminds me of <a href="http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-voluntary-castaway.html">this</a>, though this story came first. Probably. Also, does he always fling his hat off in a random direction when he gets home, or is that another result of his rage?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMx9tRxuZqPgfgyEmxhpmN5r5_PCaqScayL8Oz2fWwzBIgUdPtJRulpwKhoo2WLMNjWCplwtkjkI7VeTz1Caf9XMkgj-oaWu58MhQN4tzxS_8LcqWTCzcjhUHxfEpH59d6WRtk27H0AhNV1lWAaQ1cI5vThLkfek0tqOYitr5XhF62rPemLwHzQlVCQ/s845/WDC&S231-05%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="845" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMx9tRxuZqPgfgyEmxhpmN5r5_PCaqScayL8Oz2fWwzBIgUdPtJRulpwKhoo2WLMNjWCplwtkjkI7VeTz1Caf9XMkgj-oaWu58MhQN4tzxS_8LcqWTCzcjhUHxfEpH59d6WRtk27H0AhNV1lWAaQ1cI5vThLkfek0tqOYitr5XhF62rPemLwHzQlVCQ/w400-h294/WDC&S231-05%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>If you look up “pumpkin bowling” on the internet, you'll get results. Of course you will! You can watch videos of people doing it. Nonetheless, it's not something most people think about much, and it definitely seems odd to just be doing it at home like it's nothin' (this wasn't published as a Halloween story, so it's not that). Though actually, if we take all this stuff together, we see that Donald has quite a varied array of, I guess, leisuretime equipment: if he's not bowling with pumpkins, he's training as a gymnast, and if not that, he's brushing up on his tap-dancing. A real renaissance man.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZt6uIYWmwix4x26Rcy-8S6vxIM5smNgbEd_lf8cDZLvVUl8TRMMBZt4MAofuo-e4BoM8saqZP_qAvD1_DTvWRvrxELOaMJHJS7R7rvAnwNiXfVFKfYamJFjfeJuwrHZWsskM8hmF7u2ysBB415BOksZ-90WZOsHe3VeiZGX3oiQfGZWpu3Y5TZKqTDQ/s848/WDC&S231-05.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="848" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZt6uIYWmwix4x26Rcy-8S6vxIM5smNgbEd_lf8cDZLvVUl8TRMMBZt4MAofuo-e4BoM8saqZP_qAvD1_DTvWRvrxELOaMJHJS7R7rvAnwNiXfVFKfYamJFjfeJuwrHZWsskM8hmF7u2ysBB415BOksZ-90WZOsHe3VeiZGX3oiQfGZWpu3Y5TZKqTDQ/w400-h290/WDC&S231-05.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>THUD. I do kind of admire Donald's devotion to routine. When it's time to sleep, he is going to SLEEP. Don't mess with him. If asking someone to stay awake is “messing with” them.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYT9E2mb6CmGMwtNbhR6ft9kz2UQ0kE0arc2oNW4MkAMWsoVYwvM7Xof5Vsb1wdzE_FgRAZCyE0-jppV91IkEYSoHJdD-xGbCWPzrX_fQTROon4gXNmVZztM4OALFm-RRfjTHFnAo922bzVdNEJrryvRLjQuMZa7CmutrPfMHyVA9YpQRoZHiFIdSlA/s927/WDC&S231-06%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="845" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYT9E2mb6CmGMwtNbhR6ft9kz2UQ0kE0arc2oNW4MkAMWsoVYwvM7Xof5Vsb1wdzE_FgRAZCyE0-jppV91IkEYSoHJdD-xGbCWPzrX_fQTROon4gXNmVZztM4OALFm-RRfjTHFnAo922bzVdNEJrryvRLjQuMZa7CmutrPfMHyVA9YpQRoZHiFIdSlA/w365-h400/WDC&S231-06%20copy.JPG" width="365" /></a></div><p>So you <i>could</i> read this as “dang, look at his devotion to being asleep: it's so great that even a terrifying tableau of Dracula menacing a dude isn't enough to keep him awake!” But I don't know about that: in spite of HDL's assumption that Donald's going to be kept awake out of sheer terror, there's no indication that he IS scared of anything that's going on. Some people don't find Dracula scary! What can I say? I kind of think we're <i>meant</i> to see it as just being down to the intensity of his interest in sleeping, but that remains unproven.</p><p>Note also that one of the Fabled Folk is “Alice.” ...in Wonderland? Is she a fabled folk? Seems an odd choice for that wing of the museum.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3UlQCD50bb3kxPHSPWTFjyNRni3bFWJuO3oZENa_-NSo3cx_KVAv7iezGwemO2-xLA5BQ-gY0W93pYLCDagMrUHUVd38w-Udl8VB5fP2-_OD43djUcDQLLubAhjtUwRM8DTyRF6-JQ_c7ppcg3ZNnD-N3cyQPj3tLbrNNhHoU5TetiZlf-CbnWvuUw/s924/WDC&S231-07.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3UlQCD50bb3kxPHSPWTFjyNRni3bFWJuO3oZENa_-NSo3cx_KVAv7iezGwemO2-xLA5BQ-gY0W93pYLCDagMrUHUVd38w-Udl8VB5fP2-_OD43djUcDQLLubAhjtUwRM8DTyRF6-JQ_c7ppcg3ZNnD-N3cyQPj3tLbrNNhHoU5TetiZlf-CbnWvuUw/w365-h400/WDC&S231-07.JPG" width="365" /></a></div><p>Gotta love the way he takes everything in stride. He seems at least a little concerned about who shot the arrow, but the idea that it was Robin Hood completely satisfies him. The question of how could a dummy have shot an arrow is of lesser importance? Let's take a nap in this fiery pit of eternal perdition before we drive ourselves nuts thinking about it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWuEpXjlJRIFu9Zx6hAxMP6D2jQE5WFiYS6ElPkjyWEGzZermg-YrVXxKLBkIAveyLXt-B8Z4U8XpG3O5jhvEHSmfCo8g05qroSGWA7x2WTMA3w8YgU9gSyJCN7125zYUMdoEXj26LrvQagHwm8xN0cH2JYdX4pp1Q93eSyodQimwjtat6aDD-LqV7w/s851/WDC&S231-08%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="851" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWuEpXjlJRIFu9Zx6hAxMP6D2jQE5WFiYS6ElPkjyWEGzZermg-YrVXxKLBkIAveyLXt-B8Z4U8XpG3O5jhvEHSmfCo8g05qroSGWA7x2WTMA3w8YgU9gSyJCN7125zYUMdoEXj26LrvQagHwm8xN0cH2JYdX4pp1Q93eSyodQimwjtat6aDD-LqV7w/w400-h288/WDC&S231-08%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Is Donald just concerned about keeping his “easy job?” Maybe, but even if he gets to sleep through his every shift, the process of being woken up and dragged in by his nephews doesn't seem that easy, or pleasant. Or does he feel a more general sense of responsibility? Is he heroic in a possibly-Quixotic sense? I think these things get mixed up and are ultimately not entirely resolved within the story.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7W607j_mSmQYJcATZ-6Ct8CwW9oGO_kbi5uzOBnDTae1CllP9KiJpxN_rkEFt0jrHGOAmPXREhFLWLdll9C8B3Z_Q43r1b4ZHO9tKRSmrM4BpybFnlVXVYQ3ZFL3QWX98bFt63K-hGYkOQDmrE13w70kSNV7lgJsMLxSUhNYe_rr5exgvQ1UByuNjqQ/s461/WDC&S231-09%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="461" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7W607j_mSmQYJcATZ-6Ct8CwW9oGO_kbi5uzOBnDTae1CllP9KiJpxN_rkEFt0jrHGOAmPXREhFLWLdll9C8B3Z_Q43r1b4ZHO9tKRSmrM4BpybFnlVXVYQ3ZFL3QWX98bFt63K-hGYkOQDmrE13w70kSNV7lgJsMLxSUhNYe_rr5exgvQ1UByuNjqQ/w400-h266/WDC&S231-09%20copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oxygen poisoning IS a thing, of course, but was “don't get oxygen poisoning” a popular fifties thing to say? Who KNOWS what they were getting up to in the fifties? I admire that that guy had enough commitment to his jester/baroque musician costume that he lugged a giant flippin' double bass along.</p><p>Also, note the rare non-dog-nosed humans.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSk3sjoDb8jXj8Mz1bMi5eRKN6X9B91N3EQnvQJ4BXu907aEkoGQP-ptvgkw5Xwz4sirDyMZJmRzj46v3AOWNn2d05GNVmG-n7T8QLaF7aXi2-OBH71PzxxKw6almrVPMsB8LOJ5EgvQx705wfrGVJjg4XwodSjGyuphUYXoIZlZsIF3VmSBYypE_kXQ/s847/WDC&S231-09.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="847" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSk3sjoDb8jXj8Mz1bMi5eRKN6X9B91N3EQnvQJ4BXu907aEkoGQP-ptvgkw5Xwz4sirDyMZJmRzj46v3AOWNn2d05GNVmG-n7T8QLaF7aXi2-OBH71PzxxKw6almrVPMsB8LOJ5EgvQx705wfrGVJjg4XwodSjGyuphUYXoIZlZsIF3VmSBYypE_kXQ/w400-h291/WDC&S231-09.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>I just like this. It's funny. Whatever motivates him, Donald's single-minded commitment to dealing with the situation is great. Also note that he's significantly more active than he is in the story of which this is a remake--in that one he saves the day, but only by shooting his gun in his sleep because he's dreaming about fighting bandits.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLaBmXMK_vNPtIvw07neOKZFHTDbU7EKl524cL_ASV7p4gVZg4FuLeQmmtrqGce3IW5nSDunsVcjftJkQA3S7byE2rjJ-RvywxFYgSEp0Uo9MHpyjEqFmzpVmHEgQj73QiZTpM_FvFQTHVCvDhGGPTcVMu2hnIVg2S54g_hyko2KpQf_9HNsauuwP2Q/s924/WDC&S231-11%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLaBmXMK_vNPtIvw07neOKZFHTDbU7EKl524cL_ASV7p4gVZg4FuLeQmmtrqGce3IW5nSDunsVcjftJkQA3S7byE2rjJ-RvywxFYgSEp0Uo9MHpyjEqFmzpVmHEgQj73QiZTpM_FvFQTHVCvDhGGPTcVMu2hnIVg2S54g_hyko2KpQf_9HNsauuwP2Q/w365-h400/WDC&S231-11%20copy.JPG" width="365" /></a></div><p>Also, “I don't know how they move on their own power, but I haven't time to find out now” is one for the ages. We don't worry about the madness; we just embrace it. And admire his notable lasso skills.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-hVt03MIaKFCZFoVvRHopKd1cY3xEQX-S_4N7On3-ACwmODma7b-C9qI1ZajcnizVYNKgVk7m-22ZzYuhQkrayAT4dlVHmJ9Yau7KQDuHlsZahArOSxP3m5tG-NF4DavsypVsJk87xqmnzV_xh2fVMzEiZ9s4CXNVACjbTAmygiGwfFMRjoCX4PCng/s849/WDC&S231-12.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="849" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-hVt03MIaKFCZFoVvRHopKd1cY3xEQX-S_4N7On3-ACwmODma7b-C9qI1ZajcnizVYNKgVk7m-22ZzYuhQkrayAT4dlVHmJ9Yau7KQDuHlsZahArOSxP3m5tG-NF4DavsypVsJk87xqmnzV_xh2fVMzEiZ9s4CXNVACjbTAmygiGwfFMRjoCX4PCng/w400-h291/WDC&S231-12.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>And, well, so it ends, a little anti-climactically, as is the norm. Sweet gig, though I kind of suspect that if you looked through the whole of Barks, you'd find that this isn't even the biggest riot ever caused <i>by Donald.</i> Though admittedly, he rarely gets rewarded for them.</p><p>Will there be other blog entries in the future, where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives? Check back; find out.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5423579092779163824.post-32869070312479540852022-07-01T20:01:00.007-04:002023-07-05T18:19:33.763-04:00 "Trapped in the Shadow Dimension"<p>Look, I have no excuses to make as to why I don't post for long intervals and then sort of abandon plans I had--or so it seemed--been setting up for series of posts. Had a lot on my mind lately. Well...that's only a partial excuse. But it's true! Did you know I have a teaching fellowship in Estonia for the 2022-23 academic year? 'Cause I do. That tends to distract from things. BE THAT AS IT MAY, let's get into it.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>You know, I just realized that currently we're actually doing pretty darned okay in the US, as far as Disney comics are concerned (and as far as very little else, but that is another story). Four or five of these Disney Masters collections come out a year, and that combined with the odd Disney by Glenat book and the Barks books for the traditionalists--we really are getting more material than we ever did when it was mostly plain ol' comic books, and the hardcover format provides the opportunity to print more long-form material that the US comic book format isn't very good for--nice. And even if we can quibble over calling some of the artists featured here "masters," there's still a certain baseline of quality. Sure, it's a bit embarrassing that they keep accidentally publishing--due to some computer glitch, I assume--these damn Paul Murry books, but those are easily ignored. Apart from that, keep 'em coming!</p><p>(Also, can we have a Vicar book or two? I'm mainly asking because I really want to read more Princess Oona stories, but even beyond that, he probably deserves <i>some</i> recognition.)</p><p>Anyway! Casty! We all like him! Probably! Surprisingly, I've never written about him before, but I realized as I was reading this that there were thing I wanted to say about it, so let us turn our attention to the title story of the latest DM volume, which is does a <i>very</i> good job of mimicking Scarpa mimicking Gottfredson. I am impressed. Granted, there are perhaps a few slightly questionable elements (I'm in an indulgent mood, so I'm not going to say "bad"), but even those contribute a certain je ne sais quoi. Put simply, I very much do not fail to not disrecommend it. I hope I'm making myself clear.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22sfgxZzKHITPknqM5ZKlU_UJJE5kWEgqO5fKi0N7iHumnh0xIlwAbcp58ZmuqR6BfotbyUMbgRPyjBaO0e2XCO_4rWil1YsAHUlYrLdECh-DJjU8gbtkp3-Ae-ektvQUnU4yKyb_GtP911yGgyXJu6d_1zqM2gt07miXkJQ3hUGmAjDt5Uhk6Msy9A/s1369/RCO006_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="973" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22sfgxZzKHITPknqM5ZKlU_UJJE5kWEgqO5fKi0N7iHumnh0xIlwAbcp58ZmuqR6BfotbyUMbgRPyjBaO0e2XCO_4rWil1YsAHUlYrLdECh-DJjU8gbtkp3-Ae-ektvQUnU4yKyb_GtP911yGgyXJu6d_1zqM2gt07miXkJQ3hUGmAjDt5Uhk6Msy9A/w284-h400/RCO006_1653444160.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><p>Well, we open with this, which is just to help us refamiliarize ourselves with Atomo. This makes sense for US readers, but it's interesting that--as far as I can tell--this is included in every printing of the story. I guess that's some indication of the character's relative popularity. It might have been better to not include it (and not include Atomo in the title page), just to create a fun surprise. I do like the images from actual Scarpa stories, though.</p><p>As I think about it, I realize that those six original Scarpa stories are the only ones I've read featuring Atomo, and this makes it very explicit that in this story's chronology, those are the ONLY Atomo stories. But there were a fair few others written since then, by Scarpa and others. What's their ontological status? Are we assuming they're non-canon? Isn't it just staring into the mouth of madness to imagine that there's a Scarpa "canon?" Wak!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sf_Ri8eil-5Qr3ADzCQYirZCw-AyZZ0rSP6ShZ50qvaf9NhLYhUPu58wKs0CnLzo3d1hVPweGEk-50rt__vDgYCvim3tZG8giUMaBlU7sl10LSimGwlzChjjMTmPqALVc2GHDDfwOTMOWCmYWWV4GDK2534n8Drii7fvTMKj0IUNTpJ8T7Vpy11WyQ/s971/RCO007_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="971" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sf_Ri8eil-5Qr3ADzCQYirZCw-AyZZ0rSP6ShZ50qvaf9NhLYhUPu58wKs0CnLzo3d1hVPweGEk-50rt__vDgYCvim3tZG8giUMaBlU7sl10LSimGwlzChjjMTmPqALVc2GHDDfwOTMOWCmYWWV4GDK2534n8Drii7fvTMKj0IUNTpJ8T7Vpy11WyQ/s320/RCO007_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Look at this opening. I've gotta say it: Casty is a better artist than Scarpa ever was. That's not necessarily to say he's a better <i>story-teller</i> (though let's just admit it: he probably is), but in terms of sheer visual artistry--dangit. Also, doesn't the angling of the text combined with the color scheme make it sorta look like the cover of a black box NES game if you squint? Well, it does to me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5O9dVFYQRIaUvIxmxQYW1iW0UVM216Nxvvv22yQ8ePDzcm7Jf_Zr1QpLr_PzDcmwxwU6XIIOkA6yiDDj16kXgJiF7_cq2gMb-vVh_lu35YRaQKcRzJmZLcsXmHTcgp9ZFtMDqcrofTK6o7AQR0UKFeYy1iI_K2gTWAGnFI0SHFPuwDMGZsfH5YFQxw/s975/RCO008_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="975" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5O9dVFYQRIaUvIxmxQYW1iW0UVM216Nxvvv22yQ8ePDzcm7Jf_Zr1QpLr_PzDcmwxwU6XIIOkA6yiDDj16kXgJiF7_cq2gMb-vVh_lu35YRaQKcRzJmZLcsXmHTcgp9ZFtMDqcrofTK6o7AQR0UKFeYy1iI_K2gTWAGnFI0SHFPuwDMGZsfH5YFQxw/w400-h371/RCO008_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Natural disasters! Economic crashes! Counterfeiting? That third one seems slightly off. This blog would like to go on the record as being extremely in favor of counterfeiting designer goods. Watches, jewelry, shoes, handbags, go for it. Just as good as the "real" thing and a lot cheaper. Who gives a shit if the Gucci logo is slightly off-set, or however experts identify forgeries? That don't matter none. You shouldn't mess with counterfeit electronics, though, as that can be dangerous and even if not you're much more likely to get something that just doesn't work right (so avoid the fake "Smartyphone"), but as far as that other stuff...go for it.</p><p>Although, come to think of it--why am I wasting so much time on this?--a knock-off smartphone probably isn't going to be trying to actually convince people that it's a real iphone or whatever; it's just gonna be a Chinese thing attempting to have an iphone feel. That's definitely not illegal; I suppose it might be mildly unethical to be, in theory, misleading people, but not a big deal and now I am DONE talking about fake goods.</p><p>Anyway, the point is, there's a Mysterious Philanthropist. Ooo! Who is this guy?!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4IrrcpNDyvwojaTPAjeXzCx0d4qX21dGiWInc8Za4gVJVxxAcO9c8dt2QlzLQG_UaydxBFHgrqRagS34nG9Q71V6ll-JPSi8vBCd1lG_HLMrGG0ubH8Yp8__PYHmiLFDyL_SUXHV7Xnofs68TbSVgx-ZwhoU9KF_DtT3KuQ-Y7bEXYUCtUWVjwmaYw/s974/RCO009_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="974" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4IrrcpNDyvwojaTPAjeXzCx0d4qX21dGiWInc8Za4gVJVxxAcO9c8dt2QlzLQG_UaydxBFHgrqRagS34nG9Q71V6ll-JPSi8vBCd1lG_HLMrGG0ubH8Yp8__PYHmiLFDyL_SUXHV7Xnofs68TbSVgx-ZwhoU9KF_DtT3KuQ-Y7bEXYUCtUWVjwmaYw/w400-h373/RCO009_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Granted, you might need two guesses for this one, but no more than that. Fairly sinister. Is that mask meant to evoke the <i>Watchmen</i> smiley face, or is it just me?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWMXLd3XIRe1nThHl0imh00SEqU_ZvoyyRNqbods-0hYSxbVb7VOCgr2-A7w_PbH7q8rTH-Brq1Kw7ptR-sTteZt3wXgRSf1Y82qHzBjFd8O-wR08Kj7MZgCQJW_XaQnC0xjIy65CP3PYD4x5Bt9sy21EPYtAApQerNNWzdHmCDVOGCQn8GXYdc_YMQ/s1364/RCO011_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWMXLd3XIRe1nThHl0imh00SEqU_ZvoyyRNqbods-0hYSxbVb7VOCgr2-A7w_PbH7q8rTH-Brq1Kw7ptR-sTteZt3wXgRSf1Y82qHzBjFd8O-wR08Kj7MZgCQJW_XaQnC0xjIy65CP3PYD4x5Bt9sy21EPYtAApQerNNWzdHmCDVOGCQn8GXYdc_YMQ/w284-h400/RCO011_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><p>Check out this page. It may not contribute a lot to the story per se, but really good for the atmosphere--making things seem vaguely sinister even if they're not...really? OR ARE THEY?!? FOOLED YOU!!! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_E0L9h-ClqZtM1UKjopVxjpgalnzOED75BN-LPV8TLnxDq1nrPsDef4nyAFqqgTz8iIYK2LMS2Tc6XmXytuvimHF9I_lNy6rJGo8_PWnTXFtBv1TbwhFcaVwhETBETPhk2VHtfjDsBapNysid4UtKYKafD0GMsLAxxE6GDAHbWR1sfkx-Lft_l5A0A/s972/RCO012_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="972" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_E0L9h-ClqZtM1UKjopVxjpgalnzOED75BN-LPV8TLnxDq1nrPsDef4nyAFqqgTz8iIYK2LMS2Tc6XmXytuvimHF9I_lNy6rJGo8_PWnTXFtBv1TbwhFcaVwhETBETPhk2VHtfjDsBapNysid4UtKYKafD0GMsLAxxE6GDAHbWR1sfkx-Lft_l5A0A/w400-h185/RCO012_1653444160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>You know, I'm not really into ACAB, as a slogan. I'm not going to deny that I've said it on occasion, but catharsis aside, I think it's overly reductive and probably counterproductive: sure, a lot of 'em are, but the problem is less individuals and more a system that shapes people and forces them to play bastardly roles. Is it weird that I just all of a sudden opened a paragraph in an article about a dang Disney comic like that? Definitely. But this is the world we live in.</p><p>STILL, regardless of fine theoretical points, I have to say, these days I am not super into stories where the police are portrayed as a benevolent force, which is most of them where they're portrayed at all. For reasons that are probably obvious. It's not anyone's fault, and this story in particular isn't overly egregious (it's just bad luck that it was released so close on the heels of the Uvalde murders, but it's always <i>something</i> in this country), but just the same...and while the "Bill Badcop/"Gunther Goodcop" thing is sort of funny, <a href="https://www.theonion.com/good-cop-bad-cop-both-racist-1819567266">this</a> is my general attitude to the whole thing (written eighteen years ago!). And please do not come back with "sure, real-world cops ain't great, but this is Mouseton. It's a fantasy world. Things are different." As if our fiction could ever somehow be unrelated to our reality. </p><p>Anyway, it's not like I can't transcend my prejudices enough to appreciate the stories. But it <i>does</i> cause a li'l internal "ugh" every time. What can I say?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVccazlsG51DSyOmiMJNbnsux_JethRWGoCTfWn_6jsax1TxCdyDXFo08jXrwcAMGTsc3FzSwivgxeLpGi89yAwpG0p27ZczAGEZDELc-e2KdIVBUKKmfLr0Y1PK_TXur5FMwF3g_bMwD-rZiP01vtJqNZV92ZmbLf9scjhJNn_sbttDN9WXCxiaBojA/s970/RCO016_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="970" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVccazlsG51DSyOmiMJNbnsux_JethRWGoCTfWn_6jsax1TxCdyDXFo08jXrwcAMGTsc3FzSwivgxeLpGi89yAwpG0p27ZczAGEZDELc-e2KdIVBUKKmfLr0Y1PK_TXur5FMwF3g_bMwD-rZiP01vtJqNZV92ZmbLf9scjhJNn_sbttDN9WXCxiaBojA/w400-h376/RCO016_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>As we later learn, the note really <i>is</i> from Einmug, and it's really <i>not</i> meant to be threatening. So why is written like that? Well, if you wanted to, you could say, oh, well, he's not a native Anglophone so he just didn't realize how that sounded. His English is not wholly idiomatic. But come on, man, fan theories like that just aren't satisfying when there's zero textual evidence to back them up. Clearly, this is a VERY Scarpa thing: a piece of foreshadowing put in to make the story seem like it's building to something only to have it turn totally anticlimactic and/or nonsensical in light of what happens next. Ahem.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fExZAHeThyWOV7RakQORMRHncIWF6EAH8Qs6e83DjO6-pHWqkKDI2n5dH5rHLmZY1Nd-uiGHRFDDY7-05aTuu5PJujA7D_kIno2hDhdu9jdhJE4riHrFOHRwwdsBcgxgZXPrPpaO6s6mIONPRSpyzXtbd_e1V1keyP4w4bxsfENRtFb3nxLTkyhriA/s975/RCO019_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="975" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fExZAHeThyWOV7RakQORMRHncIWF6EAH8Qs6e83DjO6-pHWqkKDI2n5dH5rHLmZY1Nd-uiGHRFDDY7-05aTuu5PJujA7D_kIno2hDhdu9jdhJE4riHrFOHRwwdsBcgxgZXPrPpaO6s6mIONPRSpyzXtbd_e1V1keyP4w4bxsfENRtFb3nxLTkyhriA/w400-h371/RCO019_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Mesons: is there <i>anything</i> they can't do? This ability/contrivance of Atomo's made plenty of appearances in Scarpa, but Casty here takes it to surreal, almost psychedelic extremes with this idea that--I guess--he can just use them to recreate any ol' scene from the past with any ol' range for any ol' length of time. I believe I've asserted before that Atomo is the most powerful character in the whole Disneyverse, and I stand by that.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XFR6NfOh_f5UKvbiyY9OU3PMuKpCZPBlEZoJ_f7w0USaY3tJtHz6p70HQDSOIkII5ZIcUR1uVN0_4iyGSZEX26lGHPaQmsIsc7A51HNLu4f-9JVgS-1hI_oSSV-5cjlq66A59XUuP_9qBP3slKegT1Hn2qIKWKokiHOKk9Fa9W5obdjWfVFpoNs_pw/s972/RCO021_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="972" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XFR6NfOh_f5UKvbiyY9OU3PMuKpCZPBlEZoJ_f7w0USaY3tJtHz6p70HQDSOIkII5ZIcUR1uVN0_4iyGSZEX26lGHPaQmsIsc7A51HNLu4f-9JVgS-1hI_oSSV-5cjlq66A59XUuP_9qBP3slKegT1Hn2qIKWKokiHOKk9Fa9W5obdjWfVFpoNs_pw/w400-h373/RCO021_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>...I'm not sure what this picture is for, except that I cut it and I want to put it here. Lookit that house. That's some atmospheric stuff.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_BZFng6GxUwcXNya_XicGefo70CHVLcJUmBdaiN3TuUWB3WzXNTISsxAL2CTVTwtn8wM3cSmvNOpd3jIFNh4W8bmd6AHlv9Tbflp_kTS-rjJ_endo7LTF7919Z5NeDUXGDPk8CQUk8k0d6PpA8jzpph0C9WU0gMVOcO7wMCG5FohnLz4iUD6MGW55A/s1359/RCO026_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1359" data-original-width="975" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_BZFng6GxUwcXNya_XicGefo70CHVLcJUmBdaiN3TuUWB3WzXNTISsxAL2CTVTwtn8wM3cSmvNOpd3jIFNh4W8bmd6AHlv9Tbflp_kTS-rjJ_endo7LTF7919Z5NeDUXGDPk8CQUk8k0d6PpA8jzpph0C9WU0gMVOcO7wMCG5FohnLz4iUD6MGW55A/w288-h400/RCO026_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><p>Right. So what sort of accent do we think of Pete as having? Something implying low class/lack of education/criminality, but what specifically? I'm not enough of an expert on these things to say. If there IS even an answer. BUT, I've just realized here--maybe I should've earlier--that it's extremely fun imagining Trudy with a thick New Jersey accent. I don't suppose this is reflective of the Italian (although the accent itself is influenced by Italian, so an interesting loop there), but I still like it a lot, and I'm kinda warming to her as a character in general. Lotta fun.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowFGQBoFnKlZHyqZz42rs1hbD49WjnvpbKML3D79s1xoNeJh3XFwk_0GMCnKTClS7T8VVXdPl5NecxG4OJkoFe7Ckiq8FdMZPj_1VacIuVdvfdg-z0rs0x8lv4qZkl3CHnCEcl7CYmnGFRdwGJewOhlsvqCCOmfu6gPACgjFIIxjpjFP_JoT8iQx3Lw/s537/RCO031_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="537" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowFGQBoFnKlZHyqZz42rs1hbD49WjnvpbKML3D79s1xoNeJh3XFwk_0GMCnKTClS7T8VVXdPl5NecxG4OJkoFe7Ckiq8FdMZPj_1VacIuVdvfdg-z0rs0x8lv4qZkl3CHnCEcl7CYmnGFRdwGJewOhlsvqCCOmfu6gPACgjFIIxjpjFP_JoT8iQx3Lw/w400-h334/RCO031_1653444160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And seriously, how about this picture of Pete? That's just great...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSrL6EzY0L0gM9dqjr-x1EpVzct8A0Ef_uNyLh3zRiTs_uCkofxOEFNTBin76qQZmEmGtztz7zbAEYjdGA9Iwrvme5dZZQ1U0cXDWZlsEYty58qTGrat4MSHI3Wi3MGCDVosN5TCeJ-YXU11e0_fiHmI58wwvr4kX4QeA_DnrycTIZXAMo-9WVXiEfg/s971/RCO032_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="971" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSrL6EzY0L0gM9dqjr-x1EpVzct8A0Ef_uNyLh3zRiTs_uCkofxOEFNTBin76qQZmEmGtztz7zbAEYjdGA9Iwrvme5dZZQ1U0cXDWZlsEYty58qTGrat4MSHI3Wi3MGCDVosN5TCeJ-YXU11e0_fiHmI58wwvr4kX4QeA_DnrycTIZXAMo-9WVXiEfg/w400-h375/RCO032_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...and even greater when the camera pans out and shows us the casually surreal setting. Why are all the fake Blots flat like that? Who can say?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0CVqyG24U6VrMm2A3QDRWEQUSui_afQ5W5eqNerpytHarBru18dZsxG-biF2TTyuMibYR97Uyyrk5ODxK0BqNZC0SSvPRrOZyXIYvWDwS593qlOIb1s8MdmtgiWMFE-wY4lgjpRh_t246kyv4CpsXrVLtnC3QUqlB76TjXX35gv91ivuiZ2YB_6Gtw/s939/RCO033_w_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="939" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0CVqyG24U6VrMm2A3QDRWEQUSui_afQ5W5eqNerpytHarBru18dZsxG-biF2TTyuMibYR97Uyyrk5ODxK0BqNZC0SSvPRrOZyXIYvWDwS593qlOIb1s8MdmtgiWMFE-wY4lgjpRh_t246kyv4CpsXrVLtnC3QUqlB76TjXX35gv91ivuiZ2YB_6Gtw/w400-h376/RCO033_w_1653444160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But we definitely never get an explanation of why one is in Mickey's closet. Do we? This is the sort of story where there's so much there that you want to second-guess yourself and think, wait a minute. Maybe there is and I missed it. Hard to see what, though. This incident doesn't influence Mickey's behavior in any way, nor does it look like it's meant to.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfGmpUrC8Dr-MIpEqqi0UEb_cG8titdAufQgGU0IWBYoTePom2Md7CQIVV7zmz2phA-PPKpRnubcTiSpN0-hVV5DMAUwKbgDYqc8Ytzlufloj2kI5vd9-WyUEeYNNaGUNkl78OYiUSh8_fxOUBsQPWpG4373vvjabKjfj_WXY7O-Vu0hgCZCTdEONhg/s1316/RCO036_w_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="941" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfGmpUrC8Dr-MIpEqqi0UEb_cG8titdAufQgGU0IWBYoTePom2Md7CQIVV7zmz2phA-PPKpRnubcTiSpN0-hVV5DMAUwKbgDYqc8Ytzlufloj2kI5vd9-WyUEeYNNaGUNkl78OYiUSh8_fxOUBsQPWpG4373vvjabKjfj_WXY7O-Vu0hgCZCTdEONhg/w286-h400/RCO036_w_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p>This part is great. Really, it is. There's just something about this interview that's so...I mean, it's "off," obviously that's intended, but the sort of bland, corporate PR filtered through a Pete-centric lens--it's something!</p><p>Of course, I am also required to point out the obvious here: the idea is that if you read it BACKWARDS, he's actually saying that Pete sucks! OMG! And yet, the only way he could make that work is if he knew in advance what Pete was going to ask next. Or if the whole thing was trickily edited, but there's no indication of that. Hmm.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXP7MXkySGXtZcyxCK1j5dcJXW1HBCSfYrCi0RSBAR3Ww6Gb9MFlnHfpvpZtK08t4N5KRzw1KPpdar0rqcJ7qTQtsMeANLiUVBmIRY5l-P0947SLqE8h0OTLJM3hpXGAhf-aaZPDVZh_KylntnwHSyoU1tR3oHBMn0LzD-4FfCWIpSorYC9xj5YBv1g/s1358/RCO042_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1358" data-original-width="972" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXP7MXkySGXtZcyxCK1j5dcJXW1HBCSfYrCi0RSBAR3Ww6Gb9MFlnHfpvpZtK08t4N5KRzw1KPpdar0rqcJ7qTQtsMeANLiUVBmIRY5l-P0947SLqE8h0OTLJM3hpXGAhf-aaZPDVZh_KylntnwHSyoU1tR3oHBMn0LzD-4FfCWIpSorYC9xj5YBv1g/w286-h400/RCO042_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p></p><p>Credit where it's due: this is one hell of a cliffhanger. Not sure Scarpa ever did one this good.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9HIf81LZYiuSLRevPtegN2IRGP94CJXyXgRaOqx0BVnYI-XgGsdmrIF3ZuoP9zY6xncgZqVGWKUfia16X8m899f-wRoC5PWWbF0oLs3c-VJePD1jKIOQF0HLhpXhzxxWo55k1-hjkw8COL3Ay4ZqzLD4_K_BNHgNilF2KVWfBheqzwcsBPZaFCODhQ/s967/RCO050_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="967" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9HIf81LZYiuSLRevPtegN2IRGP94CJXyXgRaOqx0BVnYI-XgGsdmrIF3ZuoP9zY6xncgZqVGWKUfia16X8m899f-wRoC5PWWbF0oLs3c-VJePD1jKIOQF0HLhpXhzxxWo55k1-hjkw8COL3Ay4ZqzLD4_K_BNHgNilF2KVWfBheqzwcsBPZaFCODhQ/w400-h186/RCO050_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But can we go back to these Phantom Blot automatons for a moment? And can we very politely ask: What? Why? Huh? Seriously, what is the purpose of these dudes looking like the Blot other than the fact that this is a Mickey Mouse story? It's not like the Blot had super-strength or anything, and even if he did, why would you need to model these guys after him? You can make them as strong as you want anyway! I feel like the most logical in-story explanation would be that Pete's trying to fuck with the Blot--that this is some sort of dis--but how would the real Blot even know that all this is going on? I suppose it's probably just his whimsical fancy, but...I don't know how satisfying that is.</p><p>Okay, now we need to get to the Villain Speech where Pete explains his diabolical plans. Got a few things to say about it, but let's start with this:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDrS2oJZJ7E7nx72r9dEiepcIP9p_UTJTgXePu8WHHSrrobZWWTNtpgaCKCCnrYxiV7AGJDDpfH9DR4U18YE_fVgc5fjskanis7QBS66XxpOqq68BE7Ka9m9h4xBma8-iBVwRkFBHAeVBLxnTWBlbNjnuLRycQuRlblCgR6KbTC1OcWm0jUau5Tru6A/s972/RCO057_1653444160%20copy%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="972" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDrS2oJZJ7E7nx72r9dEiepcIP9p_UTJTgXePu8WHHSrrobZWWTNtpgaCKCCnrYxiV7AGJDDpfH9DR4U18YE_fVgc5fjskanis7QBS66XxpOqq68BE7Ka9m9h4xBma8-iBVwRkFBHAeVBLxnTWBlbNjnuLRycQuRlblCgR6KbTC1OcWm0jUau5Tru6A/w400-h371/RCO057_1653444160%20copy%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Gotta say, man. Whenever people say "lifting massive numbers of people out of poverty is a bad idea because, um, reasons," it's time to start counting the spoons. That is my feeling. Even if it's "true" in some sense, it's still kinda dickish. It makes you sound like you delight in handwaving away the very idea of helping people. And, not to belabor the point, but:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNh0DWR693H5BDqnBhCapgJ48qIgH7HjzcGD_baeGViFXSdraWethS4KRm3_qrm_ydhbN5feazpZNMOF03cs4Q7owkxJ07RWSOBddUwYNOHC34Um1Tos0H5jSUgK5CrC5JKK4n_W6vJJ8CFbTqSHCR1xJJQjkUV9prj28vDS2V9eCCgdXSB4rl9xlAQ/s462/RCO079_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="413" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNh0DWR693H5BDqnBhCapgJ48qIgH7HjzcGD_baeGViFXSdraWethS4KRm3_qrm_ydhbN5feazpZNMOF03cs4Q7owkxJ07RWSOBddUwYNOHC34Um1Tos0H5jSUgK5CrC5JKK4n_W6vJJ8CFbTqSHCR1xJJQjkUV9prj28vDS2V9eCCgdXSB4rl9xlAQ/w358-h400/RCO079_1653444160.jpg" width="358" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Hurrah! The poor people won't actually get any money! The world is saved! Um...framing this as triumphant thing seems like a pretty fuct move, I have to tell you. I'm afraid Casty may have inherited a little of Scarpa's "never think about the implications of what I'm writing" rhetorical style.</p><p>Another thing:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT41HtA_CAtjWQeJVPqre1Z5EQQJ4a7CPPOptID7WKKcGkmksbEqABG5zW7wqFGBbEoAAZP7ToLpo08uB_blz6Of6RSwdeS7BtgQ2fA7kPtSfg5l-uzjljxzBzhl302t8n2wm9srQWjk0CGmabS2LoXXcnX1ABXG_W5eT_PLZgg1LFhCwgfH9cWkmV5w/s971/RCO057_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="971" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT41HtA_CAtjWQeJVPqre1Z5EQQJ4a7CPPOptID7WKKcGkmksbEqABG5zW7wqFGBbEoAAZP7ToLpo08uB_blz6Of6RSwdeS7BtgQ2fA7kPtSfg5l-uzjljxzBzhl302t8n2wm9srQWjk0CGmabS2LoXXcnX1ABXG_W5eT_PLZgg1LFhCwgfH9cWkmV5w/w400-h185/RCO057_1653444160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This is very romantic and all, but there's no getting around it: this was the PERFECT place for a cryptocurrency joke, and yet I SEE NONE. What the heck?!?</p><p><br /></p><p>So...right, here's the whole thing, just for reference:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMw4hQzKdRJMSJTj7NGMXYqo0mZXGNOD2QgQFjftrBWYQYN6ht0cXgUd_IU1P1XcfF8nwbes0iNvHLk90F-i1L2vHlaIUI5UAJZukGy_0QpklNNIL48SMrWquLbOd_GL6S8IDynqs3VhrB5Kra6TXjW0K2KrAGgLOc1eDGPQoz0xKxz-2of1EYtZDMg/s1370/RCO057_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="972" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMw4hQzKdRJMSJTj7NGMXYqo0mZXGNOD2QgQFjftrBWYQYN6ht0cXgUd_IU1P1XcfF8nwbes0iNvHLk90F-i1L2vHlaIUI5UAJZukGy_0QpklNNIL48SMrWquLbOd_GL6S8IDynqs3VhrB5Kra6TXjW0K2KrAGgLOc1eDGPQoz0xKxz-2of1EYtZDMg/w284-h400/RCO057_1653444160.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGWMcPJwhkC8TKZnp1Ao-VPKuZt9jyvfNgl6SpF5paym1PqKuJPGiJchSkR8E1mLvl9l1FWmgbnKLohwehF0sFAQCnQK_Gtp3PUiwcPO13Ab9UUbcmkESYcNh0tZJqPXdZNk9WgBu9PXaGxIhtS-J-zThdMQA2EI19CGuFGUX2Ds1P1nEUL-J_QAEag/s1360/RCO058_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="970" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGWMcPJwhkC8TKZnp1Ao-VPKuZt9jyvfNgl6SpF5paym1PqKuJPGiJchSkR8E1mLvl9l1FWmgbnKLohwehF0sFAQCnQK_Gtp3PUiwcPO13Ab9UUbcmkESYcNh0tZJqPXdZNk9WgBu9PXaGxIhtS-J-zThdMQA2EI19CGuFGUX2Ds1P1nEUL-J_QAEag/w285-h400/RCO058_1653444160.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXRHy1DnJB1TYX9_v9OWoA15CSB0HznpuQ4oqsEH4prbcV1PNmI0zD_vne6J4Az5CIdGPW8P1vB-6D4Hna8cCG7wzykCmAjPijNtgCuKEEao2MF6QxwVOPFw53mAAepBAOUhg-9XnlMUGHgGZ1jKY4qs2N0A1hw5fIJIlP79glfCrrX0pp5V8yUYbHw/s1361/RCO059_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="976" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXRHy1DnJB1TYX9_v9OWoA15CSB0HznpuQ4oqsEH4prbcV1PNmI0zD_vne6J4Az5CIdGPW8P1vB-6D4Hna8cCG7wzykCmAjPijNtgCuKEEao2MF6QxwVOPFw53mAAepBAOUhg-9XnlMUGHgGZ1jKY4qs2N0A1hw5fIJIlP79glfCrrX0pp5V8yUYbHw/w286-h400/RCO059_1653444160.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p>That's it; that's the plan. And there is nothing more Scarpan in this story than this, in that it's unnecessarily complicated, and you look at it and think, well...okay. I guess maybe that could work? Kind of? But I can't help but feel that there's something missing here that I'm not quite grasping. This may be slightly less slippery than "The Lentils of Babylon," but it's the same general thing.</p><p>Okay, first question: what is the purpose of all the entire first part of this plan? I mean, "crash the world economy and force people to use your private currency" is something, but what about that means you have to make everyone love you first? Maybe they incidentally will if you keep giving them money, but it seems wholly irrelevant to your main thrust, and even if they <i>do,</i> they're immediately going to stop when you start blackmailing them, so...what? The idea of Pete conquering the world by becoming well-loved could be interesting, but that's not what we get here, even though I sort of get the impression that the story thinks that that's what it <i>is</i> doing. But it ain't. What is doing is...a lot less interesting, unfortunately. Not bad, but a bit pedestrian.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuz56U4_E2Tb7NV9ZxsGnYpiZ7w9G9bJWWNTBWzGIkCZr1LhYYFFH_X0RaqFLkpiE54Dd0pwN7rWdLfYSJWwD64NVET6iWN-uxZ69HFE8uSBDuPcij3BtvZTztKJ80q6k1grLT9jbTomBRVALF5tIBsowdWPH3OlFKQt7QopAgPV935KxlisCAWjcRkg/s972/RCO055_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="972" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuz56U4_E2Tb7NV9ZxsGnYpiZ7w9G9bJWWNTBWzGIkCZr1LhYYFFH_X0RaqFLkpiE54Dd0pwN7rWdLfYSJWwD64NVET6iWN-uxZ69HFE8uSBDuPcij3BtvZTztKJ80q6k1grLT9jbTomBRVALF5tIBsowdWPH3OlFKQt7QopAgPV935KxlisCAWjcRkg/w400-h375/RCO055_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well okay, the <i>other</i> aspect of this is this dude whom Pete enlisted. He's a former PR professional, so he's helping Pete design this seemingly pointless plan--but wait, he's actually a <i>good</i> guy. The idea is that he doesn't understand that Pete's plan is evil. Even though he himself designed it. And also, even though Pete is <i>right the hell here</i> explaining <i>exactly</i> what it is <i>right to his face.</i> I don't even know what to say about this, man. I don't think the story is holding him up as the single stupidest character to ever appear in the Disneyverse, but the evidence speaks for itself. You were doing so well, Casty. Couldn't you have pulled up just a bit?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiH9gzUOzr0rpWQ1kfx23kJ3pUHdCGjKANPEYPigSpE-G3pz_kxdFcLj3fEEJsEp_qhmeBTXnHHBxB8d5Vb9oQpmn4aOE-GRrK6LYt4Zbw0k_FOcgcGMHAPqgHwv5HWb-xmk047n95DT3fA5Mw9v8b-MVPmAjgr1TjS4iqNKm5tuMEmeWBQkc1BfRKxQ/s501/RCO059_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="501" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiH9gzUOzr0rpWQ1kfx23kJ3pUHdCGjKANPEYPigSpE-G3pz_kxdFcLj3fEEJsEp_qhmeBTXnHHBxB8d5Vb9oQpmn4aOE-GRrK6LYt4Zbw0k_FOcgcGMHAPqgHwv5HWb-xmk047n95DT3fA5Mw9v8b-MVPmAjgr1TjS4iqNKm5tuMEmeWBQkc1BfRKxQ/w400-h349/RCO059_1653444160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yes, he told you'd be benevolent...<i>and then he explained how evil he was going to be right the fuck to your face!</i> Jeez, man. Don't rub it in.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGAC7P2xljKJ-oVC3ptaSIrkphEoqlBotuTkjD3psbAtXFs3aqQnk7VanhQdm6GqiY4BlohY9Z6d72D-jJDBdcYHqheMO5A-cn1DXJgLGG0MyAZbHmYym7OvOfH-HFT5ii6fLB3ligWHa0WulWm_2Hd0PnRyC0KdU3E6qi7WuzUpbYuSeIfqZo2vonw/s978/RCO073_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="978" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGAC7P2xljKJ-oVC3ptaSIrkphEoqlBotuTkjD3psbAtXFs3aqQnk7VanhQdm6GqiY4BlohY9Z6d72D-jJDBdcYHqheMO5A-cn1DXJgLGG0MyAZbHmYym7OvOfH-HFT5ii6fLB3ligWHa0WulWm_2Hd0PnRyC0KdU3E6qi7WuzUpbYuSeIfqZo2vonw/w400-h371/RCO073_1653444160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, I suppose in the end you've gotta accept this nonsense if you want to get along. And to be clear, the resemblance to Scarpa <i>is</i> charming, even if sometimes exasperating. And in any case it <i>does</i> mean we get a classic Scarpa-style fight!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqYuP0kJS1jYlwZovIOhL4-bFrvVreMhX93XnfcwsBCH0fYEXDwa2-fFwC5RVl7cPwDI2ed2e3LLp6n5z_gOT45-nMmCrUi0MHe_7zak-_mrwz0serKszlzqouo-Gog0SL3RVNChuR1X__L9Msu-cPpvNA_nNXvdvjr7GXRSri2GJgipICSQXK4ksQw/s982/RCO075_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="982" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqYuP0kJS1jYlwZovIOhL4-bFrvVreMhX93XnfcwsBCH0fYEXDwa2-fFwC5RVl7cPwDI2ed2e3LLp6n5z_gOT45-nMmCrUi0MHe_7zak-_mrwz0serKszlzqouo-Gog0SL3RVNChuR1X__L9Msu-cPpvNA_nNXvdvjr7GXRSri2GJgipICSQXK4ksQw/w400-h370/RCO075_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Yeah! It's pretty fun, even if doesn't ever quite reach the level of its clear inspirations.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28uWt0e4szikkYejaFlOVrBM-gTnS59hlKnIIdGAvlN5pdDmepkDDvRiCzmY0XrVJoMzmVZApdm8zuWboDczkMVrg-ZBw18dCJ9LLgxZr8fPuWv5FMtve7Mgjeidka97KuI3xzatixvJDyfsi50LK4zWKHl8ibeuixV1bmdsHegayMbn5Izrfzjyj5Q/s972/RCO078_1653444160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="972" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28uWt0e4szikkYejaFlOVrBM-gTnS59hlKnIIdGAvlN5pdDmepkDDvRiCzmY0XrVJoMzmVZApdm8zuWboDczkMVrg-ZBw18dCJ9LLgxZr8fPuWv5FMtve7Mgjeidka97KuI3xzatixvJDyfsi50LK4zWKHl8ibeuixV1bmdsHegayMbn5Izrfzjyj5Q/w400-h184/RCO078_1653444160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh yeah, this part. You know...I don't actually think we're so lacking for enormous problems that there would've been any need to fabricate new ones. Just saying. And actually, I think this story really missed a trick here. Because "Pete solved the same problems that he created" lets us all off the hook. None of this has anything to do with us; it's just mean ol' Pete being mean ol' Pete. It's kind of weird: this panel certainly didn't HAVE to be in the story; it's only purpose seems to be to assure us that we're not to blame for anything, which is a message that indeed might resonate in America today, but still seems a bit...off.</p><p>Imagine if he HADN'T engineered these things: yes, his solutions are illusory, but he wouldn't have been able to demagogue the way he did if we hadn't inflicted these environmental and economic disasters on ourselves, and as long as we're doing dick-all to really solve them, Pete-like figures are inevitably going to continue to take advantage. My version is better; I order you to admit it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEith6KDd92HJMJZTjp2JfS8FdYZP1ajYRHn_tUd7IcGJx_4yVi1nxIVuMNti6y-dXxr75NH-OhY-pRa7EhSjoC9DtWNV8-zh4MAaa7a6ruK255SLSW2GnR5JDHROwifUbA5NTkbY-QFJkDReTx4kYNgHMwLIYZG0ZU_P0pJHc33lE3A981oaCfex6JmyQ/s984/RCO083_1653444160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="984" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEith6KDd92HJMJZTjp2JfS8FdYZP1ajYRHn_tUd7IcGJx_4yVi1nxIVuMNti6y-dXxr75NH-OhY-pRa7EhSjoC9DtWNV8-zh4MAaa7a6ruK255SLSW2GnR5JDHROwifUbA5NTkbY-QFJkDReTx4kYNgHMwLIYZG0ZU_P0pJHc33lE3A981oaCfex6JmyQ/w400-h188/RCO083_1653444160%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>...seriously, that last panel <i>has</i> to be an intentional <i>Watchmen</i> reference. But while I do like this visual to end the story, the perfect banality of the dialogue feels a bit deflating--though as we've seen many times, Barks wasn't great at endings either, so whateryagonnado?</p><p>Anyway! I feel like I've probably been overly critical on this story, but so it ever is. I really liked it a lot, and only partially in that indulgent "this is goofy, but it reminds me of Scarpa which is kinda fun" way. I certainly hope for more Disney Masters Casty books.</p>GeoX, one of the GeoX boys.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14658452994152399308noreply@blogger.com25