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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello everyone!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> I very much hope that the
[Gottfredson] Library is in color</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> instead of black and
white. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>With the focus on the alterations, and my own
admiration of the E.C. Archives' coloring, I had not even considered this
angle.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Firstly, Gemstone has a great staff of
colorists, so there is nothing to worry about if it's
colored.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Secondly, I'm not sure; it's true that the original
art is better appreciated in b&w; but then, you could argue that
zip-a-things (what's the name exactly? zip-a-tone? I don't remember) were used
to add shades of gray, which is coloring too.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Or maybe an altered color Library
first, then an unaltered b&w Library just for us.
:D</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> It seems to me though that while
these strips contained awful stereotypes</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> and racism, that "many* forms of
entertainment (other strips, cartoons, movies)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> at this contained similar awful
things. So perhaps the saddest part of this</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> is that these Gottfredson strips
were the norm instead of the exception... :( </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It is, and others were certainly much worse and
some truly racist.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have been reading a few things related to this
subject lately.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>First, I re-read David's note in the "Disney
Treasures" book, which I mentionned previously. It was an excellent
introduction.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Two nights ago, I read again "The Sacred Jewel"
(1934), which is set in Stumbool (geography buffs will remember that's in
Umbrellastan); many of the Turks/Arabs are actually African stereotypes,
essentially in a graphic manner; actually, the locals are in Oriental garb, but
the they are all "black" characters.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The dialogue, however, is an interesting mix:
convoluted sentences convey a stereotypical obsequiousness, which sometimes is
but fork-tongued, as the following sentence is actually not-so friendly; on top
of this, the whole is phrased in mangled pseudo-Elizabethan English ("wouldst",
"thou", "hast", ...), which makes for very odd dialogue (and adds to the
artificiality and superficiality of the polite phrasings, or just a touch
of recurring humor).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The thing is, even though the names and
architecture hint at a region, it is only for the sake of exoticism, and you
could hardly say it aims to point at a specific place with a very specific
intention in mind, especially with this Arabo-Africano-Elizabethan mix. You can
always discuss those stereotypes, and the use of a name that is very close
to that of an actual city, but the latter is not a target.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Here are a few samples of dialogue from the
story...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>- (October 20, 1934)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(Emissary 1) "A thousand pardons, noble
Captain, we are as dust at thy feet but it seemeth strange that a vessel should
try to deliver a box across the sea by remaining at the warf!"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(Emissary 2) "Of course, the
magnificent Captain can explain this, even unto such stupid fools as
we!"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>- (October 22, 1934)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(Emissaries 1 & 2, in unison) "We
have conferred and reached to a decision! Doubt, we have none, of the honorable
Captain's story and our faith in his noble character never falters!
But--!!"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(continues) "-- He lies like a
snake!"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>- (November 12, 1934)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(innkeeper) "Somet'ing we canst do for
help our extreme noble visitors-- No?"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(same) "Ah! Those extreme noble
gentlemen! Indeed, they wilt become over-happy to receive thy party! First left
door on gallery-- just enter, and thou wilt be welcomed!"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> Does anyone wonder what will be
censored in the future? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Outside of comics, TV shows are often in the
line of fire, leading to explanations and changes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"24", for instance, was criticized for depicting
Arabo-Americans as terrorists only.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> I think it would be very naive to
think that stories produced today</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> will not have items in them that
50 or 100 years down the line</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> will be considered
unacceptable. So if I live into my 90s,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> perhaps I will see Disney comics
produced in the 1980's that will</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> be edited due to
content!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Let's resume this discussion in fifty
years!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(We already have a message waiting for us in
2016.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> The two monthly titles now have 64
pages each</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> (for a total of 128) and cost
together about 16 dollars.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> The soon to be
released Walt Disney Treasures TPB</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> costs 17 dollars and has 160
pages. So how about</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> having a monthly TPB of say 192
pages (3 prestige title pages</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> combined) for say about 20
dollars?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The logic is economically sound and appealing, but
the idea of no longer having WDC&S and US is distressing, though you
could still call that TPB "WDC&S".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> That is all for now even though I
have many more thoughts.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> I will save some of these for
another issue of the ML as I do not</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>>>> want drive ML members *too* crazy
with my views and ideas! :)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>With few people actually writing, it's nice to have
some relatively long messages.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Have a nice week!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Olivier</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>