Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun!

Showing posts with label Duckburg Christmas. Show all posts

Friday, December 30, 2011

A Duckburg Christmas, Day 30

The boys also phone Daisy and told her Donald was in bed with Holly.

Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #112 (January 1950), pencils and inks by Walt Kelly

Thursday, December 29, 2011

A Duckburg Christmas, Day 29

YOU CAN'T TELL ME THEY DIDN'T DO THAT ON PURPOSE!!!

Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #76 (January 1947), pencils and inks by Walt Kelly

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

A Duckburg Christmas, Day 28

And now, the Duckburg Amateur Arts Society production of 'The Sweet Hereafter.'

Walt Disney's Christmas Parade v.1 #1 (November 1949), pencils by Walt Kelly, inks by Carl Buettner

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

A Duckburg Christmas, Day 27

'Ha! Look at those Occupy Duckburg protestors! Well, they'll scramble when I turn the cold water hoses on them!'

Uncle Scrooge #16 (December 1956-February 1957), pencils and inks by Carl Barks

Monday, December 26, 2011

A Duckburg Christmas, Day 26

As a cover enhancement for the 100th issue, Disney printed this comic on slices of actual Christmas turkey.

Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #100 (January 1949), pencils and inks by Walt Kelly

Sunday, December 25, 2011

A Duckburg Christmas, Day 25

Wow, seating is getting REALLY tight on the Duckburg Subway.

Four Color #367 [Walt Disney's Donald Duck] (January 1952), pencils and inks by Carl Barks

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Same Story, Different Cover: Some folks drive the bears out of the wilderness

L: Four Color #178 (December 1947), pencils and inks by Dan Gormley
R: Walt Disney's Donald Duck Adventures #9 (February 1991), pencils and inks by Rick Hoover
(Click picture to bruin-size)

Of course, since Disney comic book stories are frequently reprinted every few years (especially the great ones like this), that's not the only two covers you'll find Carl Barks's classic "Christmas on Bear Mountain" behind. Here's a few others:

Also, for some reason, reprinted in CRIME SUSPENSTORIES #10.

Also, for some reason, reprinted in CRIME SUSPENSTORIES #10.

Note the Walt Disney's Comics and Stories reprint in the lower left-hand corner, featuring a grimacing Uncle Scrooge. Why, that's adapted directly from Carl Barks's art from the story itself!

Okay, Mister Grumpypants...no spats for you this Christmas..

Okay, Mister Grumpypants...no spats for you this Christmas..

Why the focus on Uncle Scrooge in a Donald Duck story? For a very simple and historically important debut: it's the first appearance of Scrooge McDuck in this very story, not quite evolved into his final form (he's a bit of a grumpy, misogynist trickster in "Christmas on Bear Mountain.") This story is actually such a vital and lynchpin moment in Duck history that it's commemorated on stamps published in the Commonwealth of Dominica...

'Hi kids! Lick our backs for the delicious taste of duck!'

'Hi kids! Lick our backs for the delicious taste of duck!'

...and Guyana!:

The main economic activities in Guyana are agriculture (production of rice and Demerara sugar), bauxite mining, gold mining, timber, shrimp fishing and minerals. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labour and a deficient infrastructure. In 2008, the economy witnessed a 3% increase in growth amid the global economic crisis and is expected to grow further in 2009. Until recently, the government was juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. Low prices for key mining and agricultural commodities combined with troubles in the bauxite and sugar industries had threatened the government's tenuous fiscal position and dimmed prospects for the future. However, the Guyanese economy has rebounded slightly and exhibited moderate economic growth since 1999, thanks to an expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of international organizations. The sugar industry, which accounts for 28% of all export earnings, is largely run by the company Guysuco, which employs more people than any other industry. Many industries have a large foreign investment. For example, the mineral industry is heavily invested in by the American company Reynolds Metals and the British-Australian Rio Tinto's Rio Tinto Alcan subsidiary; the Korean/Malaysian Barama Company has a large stake in the logging industry.

It's such a vital point in Scrooge's ficto-history that acclaimed duck storyteller Don Rosa sets the final chapter of his Life & Times Of Scrooge McDuck saga immediately following "Christmas on Bear Mountain," beginning the transformation of the early Barks Scrooge into the high-adventure character he later became. Rosa's attention to detail is so precise that even the scene setting in the panels below are the same for Barks (top) and Rosa (bottom)!

Lamp by Duckchasers of Beverly Hill.

Keeping in the Christmas spirit, here's a poster by Don Rosa celebrating the many Christmastime adventures of Scrooge McDuck!

Not pictured: How Scrooge stole Christmas.

Not pictured: How Scrooge stole Christmas.

So if you're in an irritable and cranky mood, or just feeling sad and sorry for yourself...

Finally Donald got that brain transplant with the Fonz he'd wanted!

Finally Donald got that brain transplant with the Fonz he'd wanted!

...then snap outta it! (in my Cher voice). Just go and read yourself a Carl Barks or Don Rosa Uncle Scrooge or Donald Duck Christmas adventure. Like watching one of those heartwarming christmas commercials like the guy coming home to Folger's coffee or the Santa Claus who can speak German or the Santa skiing on the electric razor, it'll cheer your heart and bring a little bit of Christmas special to you that'll last all the way through tomorrow's delicious roast duck dinner.

Merry Christmas from Duckburg, everyone!

A Duckburg Christmas, Day 24

'Okay, enough dancing and celebrating, you kids! Let's get these wrapped up and mailed out to people other than you!'

The Carl Barks Library of 1940s Donald Duck Christmas Giveaways in Color one-shot (November 1992), cover artist unknown (but to my admittedly inexpert eyes it looks like a panel from Carl Barks's "Three Good Little Ducks" in Firestone Christmas Giveaway 1947, with new figures (by Don Rosa? The eyes seem to look like his) added over the art. "Cover design by Bruce Hamilton" is the only credit given.