Comments on Fredrik's commnets on Wilmer's comments on Don's!

[Gilbert Milburn]

Oh, boy!..

     This list/digest is really starting to heating-up!   In
response to: Don, Wilmer and Fredrik...

(Last time) Don Rosa said:
> In the meantime, folks can help me not be paranoid.

Wilmer Rivers <rivers at seismo.CSS.GOV>:
> Well, I can **try**, but probably at least some paranoia on your
> part is justifiable.  Maybe the balance is misinterpretation (to
> give Barks the benefit of the doubt).

     I suppose that all ANY of us can do!... well, I'll **try** as
well and maybe WE should also wait and see what happens!! (UNLESS,
Geir Hasnes knows anything the rest of *us* MIGHT NOT!) 

Don> You recall how Barks snubbed me in Atlanta.

Wilmer> Boorish behavior on his part, even if he doesn't like your
Wilmer> work.  Still, maybe he's just a crank in general, so
Wilmer> perhaps you shouldn't take his rudeness as being directed
Wilmer> exclusively at you.  If it seems to be directed 
Wilmer> **primarily** at you, this is probably because he does see
Wilmer> you as something of a rival.  If this is true, and if he
Wilmer> does snub his perceived "rivals" in this manner, then it is
Wilmer> Barks who is paranoid.

     I AGREE with Wilmer!.. and might I add there is a great deal
of logic to what you've said here!

Wilmer> Maybe he doesn't have it in for you in particular, but just
Wilmer> for anyone who might siphon off some of the glory and/or
Wilmer> cash which would otherwise come his way. 

Fredrik Ekman <d91fe at ide.ide.hk-r.se>
> Firstly, I'm quite sure that Barks is, and has been for a long 
> time, aware of his great popularity "over here". He is, after 
> all, an honorary member of the Swedish donaldist association 
> NAFS(k) and has received their club-fanzine and birthday 
> greetings for several years.

     Yes, this TRUE -- nevertheless I have asked Don (years ago on
the phone) and MANY other more knowledgeable collectors then
myself, about this same subject! And the general consensus/believe
was that Barks had grown tired of $crooge and all the `fuss'
created by this character. Because he was SO BURNT-OUT, he had
become something of a recluse and didn't really care about his
GREAT popularity!!  

Don> You saw how he's decided to write a new story and have Van 
Don> Horn draw it. Now, a few weeks after a large article appeared
Don> in CBG which told, in part, of my popularity in Scandinavia,
Don> his agent has contacted Egmont and told them that Barks wants
Don> to visit Scandinavia for a tour (and wants to be paid, etc.).
Don> This on top of the things he's said about me to foreign 
Don> magazines.

     Hey Don, if you wish to fight-fire-with-fire start writing
stories for other artists (say: Dan Jippes) to draw while you are
STILL writing/drawing your own stories... in this way, you would
have TWICE as many stories as anyone else out there!!!

Fredrik> [...] and although he [Barks] didn't say anything straight
Fredrik> out, it was quite clear that he wasn't very fond of the
Fredrik> "Disney" style. So far as I can remember that is the only
Fredrik> time that I have read about Barks commenting on someone
Fredrik> else's work (except for second-hand references from Don).
Fredrik> Unfortunately, I have given away the comics in question,
Fredrik> so I can't look up the details. For whatever it's worth

     That's too bad!.. maybe some other member of disney-comics 
<@Minsk.DoCS.UU.SE> has it or could find it (How about it Per?)!

Don> I guess it's time to remove the "D.U.C.K." dedication from my 
Don> stories and covers, eh?

Wilmer> Probably not, since the fact that these are duck stories,
Wilmer> rather than stories featuring your original characters, is
Wilmer> in fact a dedication to Barks' work.  Of course, there's
Wilmer> always a fine line between homage and rip-off, and maybe
Wilmer> Barks sees your work as being on the wrong side of that
Wilmer> line.  (Again, this would be paranoia on his part rather
Wilmer> than yours.)  The "D.U.C.K." dedication shows what your
Wilmer> intentions are, and I think it's proper to make them clear
Wilmer> in that manner. 

     You have some good suggestion (for Don) gentlemen, I was also
like to say that I too am confused by ALL this *recent* Barks
activity after sooo many decades of INactivity!!  All can offer you
Don, is my *support* and my HOPE for the BEST!!!  Good Luck...


Your Friend,

Gil Milburn <gilbert at unix.campbellsvil.edu>