Fethry stories in 1970s

9475609@arran.sms.edinburgh.ac.uk 9475609 at arran.sms.edinburgh.ac.uk
Tue Nov 8 03:00:01 CET 1994


      HARRY:  I tried to send you a letter the other day which you 
haven't responded to, so I'm going to HAVE to post here again.  You once 
mentioned that I could come visit if I was ever in Holland.  I have a 
vacation here starting on Dec. 17 and going for three weeks.  If I 
wanted to come for maybe two days at some point during that time, could 
it work out?  Please answer me as soon as you can -- it's urgent, as I'm 
planning the trip now.

      And now:

      HA!  I KNEW there were some Fethry stories published by Western!  
And either those same ones were reprinted somewhere around DD 180, or 
else there were even MORE that appeared, because I KNEW who Fethry was 
as a kid (and due to his beatnik-style dialogue, tired of him quickly).  
I know I did.
      One other Fethry story published by Whitman is in fact a Madam Mim 
story (it's the old rule, "you find everyone in the Black Forest").  
It's called "Ducky Date" and, I believe, appeared around WDC&S 304.  I'm 
not sure if that's the exact issue, but you can find out by looking at 
the book "CB and the Art of the Comic Book" (Barrier 1981).  The issue's 
cover is by CB and shows DD tangled in a yoyo string while HDL have 
complete control of their own yoyos.  Whatever issue that is, it's got 
that Fethry appearance in it.  And like the DD 106 appearance, his hair 
is thicker.  I'm willing to bet that this is how Fethry FIRST looked -- 
after all, that French comic noted that he first appeared in 1965, 
didn't it?  Characters evolve -- Rockerduck didn't start out with his 
thick, wavy black sideburns for instance.  In Barks' "Boat Buster" he 
has normal hair, and I'm willing to bet that that's how the Italians 
drew him at that point, too.
      "Ducky Date" is drawn by Strobl.  Mim is lonely and wants someone 
to drive crazy.  DD and Fethry go stag to a disco, or something, and Mim 
knows about this (I forget how).  Disguised as a beautiful girl duck, 
Mim first dances with Fethry, then woos Donald and tricks him into 
giving her a ride home.  On the way home, a sudden 'poof' and Mim is her 
old self again.  Mim doesn't seem interested in Donald, by the way -- 
her only goal here seems to be to create chaos.

      I KNOW that there were other Fethry stories published in the late 
1970s.  Unfortunately, I've long since traded nearly every one of my 
1970s Whitman comics for Dells (I did that about five years ago).  Maybe 
I shouldn't have, even though I like Dells more, Fethry or no Fethry.

      David Gerstein
      <9475609 at arran.sms.ed.ac.uk>




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