DDA 25

[David A Gerstein]

	Dear Folks,

	Just got a package from Mark Semich containing two copies of
my second published dialogue job, "The Hoard at the Rainbow's End."

	First off, the text is pretty close to the version I turned in.
By far the biggest change is that Mu Shi Duk became Mushi Duk -- I
think that could be mispronounced as "mushy" and I'm not sure why it
was done.  My favorite Chinese recipe is moo shi duck, and my name for
the Empress was a pun on that.

	The last two panels on page 17 were altered to explain how the
rest of Onamatapang's residents escaped being buried in lava.
Ooooops... I meant to explain that!!  This is a change I welcome 100%!
(Good dialogue too)

	In two scenes I had the angry Don refer to the kids as
"infants" and "microbes" which was changed to simply "boys".  I have
no idea why this was done.  Scrooge's use of the comment "feh" was
changed to "phooey", "oh, so?" became "oh, yeah?" and Donald's use 
of "avast" became "ahoy" (the last two were Disney's requests, I had
thought John was going to override them... were the other things 
Disney's doing as well?)

	Disney objected to the nude Donald diving underwater for the
treasure, so Gladstone's artists put an undershirt on him.  Did you do
this, Gary?  You're an art director, right?  This was expertly done
(even if I don't think Disney has to fear voyeurs gaping at the
topless Duck)!

	The entire coloring job, and for the most part the lettering,
was superb, a magnificent batch of work.  Gary, please thank the gang
at Gladstone -- and yourself -- for doing a fine job here.


	* * * * *	

	Now I'm interested in knowing what folks thought of my writing
here.  I personally consider it an improvement over "Bugged by
Humbuggery" (which was actually done a whole year earlier) .... what
do you folks think?  Any criticism is more than welcome.

	I think the next dialog to appear from me is way off in
June... it will be "DD and the Secret of Mars" in the 60th Anniversary
special.

	* * * * *

	Today I discovered that a friend of mine here in college was a
rabid Disney comic fan, particularly when it came to the Ducks.  She
has NEVER seen a Disney comic here, but has been to Europe many times,
during which she bought them left and right.  She has always thought
that having the Disney characters in comics was an entirely European
thing.

	Now she'll start buying Gladstones since I told her about
them.  How many fans are out there who would like Gladstone's comics,
but just aren't aware of them?  Can *anything* be done about it?

	Your friend,

	David Gerstein

	"SO!  Will Patrolio de Balonio de Donald Ducko *pay* for his
Christmas dinner, or will he wash dishes in *my* kitchen?"
	<David.A.Gerstein at williams.edu>


	P. S.  Okay, so I like duck on the dinner table as well as in
32-page comics!  FLAME ME!