Don and the young Donald

[Mattias Hallin]

"I'll have no trouble dealing with how to draw a young Donald as
I've already shown him at the end of part 11. As I did with $crooge, I
decided that all Ducks look like HD&L until their teen years, at which
time, among other things, their EYES grow to join their beaks." ...said Don;
and I don't argue with that, of course. However, I have a few comments to the
main subject - Donald's youth, and a Don Rosa story about it...

Don, isn't there a possibility that your perspective on Donald's youth would be
in conflict with that of Disney? I mean - they are celebrating his 60th
birthday, based on the June 6th 1934 date - at which time you'd have him be
fourteen or thereabouts (I certainly, as you well know, agree with your idea
that Donald is born around 1920). I mean, as a FICTIONAL CHARACTER, from as
lit. hist. point of view, Donald Duck the media phenomenon is about 60 years
old, and June 6th being the day he was first presented to the public that day
serves as well as any as a focal point for this kind of celebration; but do you
think Disney is able to appreciate or even allow what to them must seem a
"conflicting message"? I don't know, but they're not exactly reputable for
supporting subtle, nuanced or (shudder) COMPLEX ideas about "their" characters.

Another thing: you said in a reply to me a few weeks ago, that to you Donald
and Mickey don't even exist in the same UNIVERSE, not to mention township. And
of course you are as entitled to your opinions and feelings on this matter, but
mightn't you make things harder on yourself than necessary this way? I DON'T
mean that you ever have to even mention Mickey Mouse (well, at least not USE
him) in anything you do, but perhaps you might acknowledge that they do exist
on the same continent at the same time? I mean, not only are they both classic
Disney-created characters, and not only does Gottfredson regularly use them
together, but even Barks mentions Mickey, at LEAST once: in the "What is Mickey
Mouse's social security number" question - but I've already said that before. I
don't know - myself I don't particularly care for Mickey as a character, but
find him a bit dull (Blasphemy! Blasphemy! Stone him!!!), so I don't argue on
his behalf for this reason, but rather because I think that even though I cede
to Barks every priority as a source to the Duck Universe, I also think that
when a conflict between Barks and the other great Disney Artists isn't
necessary, then there is no reason why one shouldn't accept facts from the
strips of' f'rinstance, Taliaferro and Gottfredson. That's how i feel, anyway.
If you can't agree - don't! but I'd like to know what you think on the subject
in a little more detail...

All my Quackiest!

Mattias