Duckburg's 12 landmarks

Don Rosa donrosa at iglou.com
Wed Jun 26 15:45:52 CEST 2002


Thanks to everyone for the lists of Duckburg landmarks! But this is gonna be
a hard feature to put together, I can see. There are only 2, maybe 3, actual
legitimate landmarks in Duckburg that I can see... features of the city that
have been used in more than a single story. All other features, even those
used by Barks, were clearly intended as being created only for that single
story. We might have favorite stories and there might be classic stories,
and it will influence us as to which of these single-use landmarks we decide
is "important" enough to put into the list... but for the average reader it
will mean little. If a comics buff sees an entry illustrating "Notre Duck"
or "Old Demontooth", he's gonna say "aha!", but the other 99.999999999% of
the readership will just think "huh?".
1) The only real landmark in Duckburg is the Money Bin on Killmotor Hill.
2) The famous Cornelius Coot statue is perhaps a second one... it's been
used by a number of writers/artists. Apparently there are several statues
left from the money duel with the Maharajah -- most artists show a normal
sized one, and I always show one that's about 20 or 30 stories tall. There
were one or two taller ones in 1952, but let's say they were dismantled as
"hazards to aerial navigation". Anyway, we have that statue as a landmark.
3) Gyro's workshop, since it's not his home (or not simply his home) could
be a landmark, even though I don't think all Duckburgians would think of it
as such... some might think of it as an eyesore owned by that nutball
inventor. But it still is a physical Duckburg feature that figures into MANY
stories, and is not as boring as "Donald's house" or "Daisy's house" which I
see no reason to illustrate.
4) The Junior Woodchucks of the World world headquarters -- Barks never used
this, and the fact that I've shown it several times is not relevant... but
the JW are a *major* element in Duckburg and they *must* have a
headquarters! So I think this is certainly a Duckburg landmark that must
exist even if we never see much of it. It's only logical.
5) In several (I won't try to hunt them down) Barks stories, and many other
Euro stories I'm unfamiliar with (unless I'm mistaken) is the Duckburg
"Millionaire's Club". Right? This is landmark that figures into launching
various stories, so it seems important.
6) The Duckburg Museum -- we can assume that the museum shown in various
Barks stories is all the same one, another landmark important in launching
adventures. And my love of history and archiving knowledge compels me to
want to include this in the list.
That's only six! Now we get to the list of "favorite story" landmarks which
may mean something to certain individuals but nothing to the readers in
general... but I have no choice! They are all that's left!
Notre Duck is a landmark from a somewhat unmemorable Barks story that
featured fabulous art! It's a story that stands out in Barks' later career
due to the art. It's a one-story element. Has it ever appeared in another
Euro story? I hope so, as it would make an obvious choice if it did.
Old Demontooth was the mountain in a Barks 10-pager from my youth. I've
shown it in the background in a few stories. Has it appeared in other
stories? I would doubt it, but I hope so!
Shacktown -- obviously a landmark (in the negative sense) from a *famous*
story. But it's a *single* story from over a half-century ago. Has it been
used or mentioned ever again? Are the reprints every 10-15 years enough to
justify it?
This margarine factory where Donald works (so I'm told) in many Euro
stories... if people tell me this is true, I must admit that it would be a
possible choice, even though it's hardly a "landmark", just an average
factory... and regardless of the fact that my American mind finds "a
margarine factory" not the slightest bit funny as a place for Donald to
work.
Pinnacle rock... I've placed that in the background of a story ("Cash Flow")
15 years ago (!), but I doubt that even someone who considers himself a
Barks fan would know the thing. Same seems to also apply to Barks' singular
uses of a racetrack or a sports arena or the "7 Route Interchange" or a
lighthouse or an ancient galleon in a park. But... I *need* more landmarks!
There is only one Fort Duckburg that I know of, and I have only used one
(though someone said that I should clarify that there are "two"?). It first
stood on Killmule/motor Hill and then, when $crooge built his Bin (according
to one of my own tales) he dismantled it and put it into storage and it was
later rebuilt in the Black Forest. I have always loved this Barks-created
landmark and have given it great importance in Duckburg history in my own
stories... however, it's not IN Duckburg.... it's out in the Black Forest!
But.... it would make such a great drawing in this series! Can I assume the
Forest and anything in it is considered a Duckburg feature? I think I
should!
That same problem applies to Grandma Duck's farm... it's outside of town.
And it is hardly a "landmark" (and it would be impossible to draw... it
would come out more like "Grandma's barn" which would be an even more
ridiculous "landmark").
$crooge's zoo and estate -- also outside of town? I think so!
This Mad Duke of Duckburg's Castle... a single story device and problematic
in figuring out how and why someone would build an entire medieval style
castle in Duckburg (which for *me* is on the west coast of the USA). So, I
will ignore this landmark -- if they wanted this included, they shoulda
picked somebody else to draw these pictures.
Underground Duckburg -- this is one of my own creations which I've used
several times and I will likely use again... it has lots of possibilities,
and is the Beagle Boys' hideout (in my stories)... but it's a *secret*
place! A secret landmark that nobody can see?! Plus it's something that's
strictly in *my* stories, so I don't wish to force it into this list.
The Duckburg Spaceport -- yeah, right. That's one of those few
late-in-his-career Barks stories that I choose to regard as "imaginary
tales". No, thanks. No spaceports in my Duckburg.

So... what does my shaky list look like?...
1) The Money Bin
2) Cornelius Coot's statue
3) Gyro's workshop
4) JW World HQ
5) the Millionaire's Club
6) Duckburg Museum
7) Fort Duckburg
8) Notre Duck?
9) Shacktown?
10) a margarine factory?
11) Old Demontooth?
12) $crooge's zoo/estate?

Or which of those should I replace with...
A) 7 Route Interchange
B) Underground Duckburg
C) Pizarro's galleon in park
D) a racetrack
E) a sports arena
F) ??????





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