A few months back some very polite replies were given to me by David and Gary as 
to the "reasons" they cannot translate Paperinika into such a name as "Duck 
Huntress," despite it's clever connotation, due to the apparent allusion to 
Batman's protege' "The Huntress", even though, in many ways, Paperinik & 
Paperinika (especially as they were originally presented, prior to PKNA) are very 
much in the venue of Batman and Batgirl/Batwoman) and even the Huntress.  

I appreciate the pleasant manner in which I was told the reasoning previously 
(concerning using elements that allude to another publisher's creations and story 
content), but, in review, I think that reasoning really rings hollow.  I'm 
persuaded the real reason has more to do with fan credit or whatever the legal 
ramifications they are called.  Not that I care about credit, but I've seen so 
much commentary from comicbook creators and editors in the past (for Marvel & DC 
comics), mentioning how they "legally" cannot use ideas from fans for various and 
sundry reasons having to do with royalties and credit, etc.

The reason I say the original replies ring hollow is due to the OBVIOUS allusions 
to other works of art and literature that are CONSTANTLY and even BLATANTLY used 
in comics, INCLUDING Disney comics.  And to be even MORE specific to the topic of 
Super-Heroes, the past example of SPIDER-MOUSE was no mere allusion, but a obvious 
recap of Spider-Man (Peter Parker)'s career (being bitten by a spider, given 
spider-like enhanced abilities, becoming a hero, and even mutating into a spider-
like creature) in Parody form.  And, more recently, there's been two stories 
featuring BLOTMAN, using and obvious logo that emmulates BATMAN's title and 
then "Blotman Returns" which is an obvious allusion to the recent film "Batman 
Returns", not to leave out the use of the reverse universe where Blotman is the 
opposite of the Phantom Blot (such as DC comics Batman of Earth-1 [Good-guy 
version] vs. Owlman of Earth-2 [Bad-guy version], which is also conceptualized 
elsewhere, like in Star Trek's "Mirror Universe", etc.).  Sure they 
say, "Plagerism is the most sincere form of flattery," but plagerism is NOT what I 
was suggesting... at least not in the truest sense of the word. Using ideas from 
OTHER sources, even from within the same industry, is a very common 
process/practice, and Disney comics, IMHO, HAVEN'T crossed the line into obvious 
plagerism, ....just parody.  As another famous saying goes, "There's really 
nothing new under the Sun," just better or more clever ways of presenting it.

I guess what I'm saying is, I don't really buy the claim that the reasons given 
are true... unless, of course, David and Gary thought, for some reason, I was 
insinuating that Paperinika should copy The Huntress in nearly every detail 
except, possibly, species, which is weird, since none of the Disney allusionary 
stories, even Spider-Mouse, were out-and-out rip-offs of previous works.  They 
were only "allusions" or "suggestions" of other bodies of work brought into a 
Disney-esque format turned "parody."  Why would Daisy need to be Donald's daughter 
or protege just because she used a name like "Duck Huntress"??? The only inference 
I was suggesting was that, SIMPLY put, just as Batman has a feminine version 
called Batgirl and Huntress, or Superman has Supergirl or Power Girl, or Spider-
Man has Spidergirl/Spider-Woman, "Duck Huntress" seemed like a funny (and 
ironic) "take" or "play" (parody) on the whole concept.  Just as the DUCKBURG 
SUPERHEROES CLUB is a parody of the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA or "00-Duck" is a 
parody of "007" and so forth.  Shoot... "Darkwing Duck, the Terror that Flaps in 
the Night" (LOL!) was one of my favorite parodies of "Batman, the Dark Knight."

If the REAL reason Gemstone or any creative personnel translating Paperinika 
doesn't want to use the moniker "DUCK HUNTRESS" is that they DON'T want to be 
bogged by presumed LEGAL resons involving "fan credit" then THAT's a different 
issue, and not the one claimed previously.  I don't care about any credit for the 
name, or if Gemstone has a BETTER name, ...then GREAT... Please use the BETTER 
name!

Of course, if it can be understood, concerning the dropping of several Disney 
titles recently, that this would include far less Disney stories being translated
from foreign material for publication in the USA (and no less or maybe even more 
re-re-reprints of American Disney stories), then the likelihood of seeing 
Paperinika (Super Daisy), the Red Bat (Super Fethry), the Green Bat (Super 
Carioca), or the Purple Butterfly or any of the other Disney costumed heroes used 
outside the USA and not-yet-published here.  I doubt Paperinika's origin, etc. is 
high on the priority list of translations to come.

Thanks,

Rich 
xephyr@cwnet.com


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