DDA 25

[Tryg Helseth]

On Sat, 22 Jan 1994 17:46:02 -0500, David A Gerstein wrote:

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

Maybe they missed your pun and tried a feeble one of their own.  Then 
again, maybe they like their Chinese food cooked until it becomes mushy.

>	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.

Barks had stories where Don used those words on the boys; it seemed 
condecending to me then, and I can see where they would be considered 
objectionable in today's PC world.

>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?)

Perhaps "feh" was dropped because it was unfamiliar.  As for the others,
maybe Don Rosa's premise is true that censors have to change things just
to justify their jobs...  :)

>	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)!

It seems like nude ducks have been treated rather inconsistently by Disney.
The issue seems to be that they are nude--it doesn't matter if they are 
wearing a top or a bottom as long as something is covered.  (Hats don't 
count, though...)

>	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.

Where exactly is "here?"  It seems like different regions of the US get
more or less exposure to Disney Comics.  They have always been available 
in the Twin City area though you do have to look for them.  It seems 
strange to me that someone could grow up in the US and never see a Disney
Comic.  On the other hand, news groups like R.A.D are teaming with "Themies"
whose only interest/experience of Disney is theme parks.
>
>	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?
 
>	P. S.  Okay, so I like duck on the dinner table as well as in
>32-page comics!  FLAME ME!

That's OK as long as those ducks on your dinner table are gweducs [gooey 
ducks]... :)

Tryg Helseth  <trygve at maroon.tc.umn.edu>   Minneapolis, MN, USA
          or  <tryg.helseth at tstation.mn.org>

"I wish they all could be Calisota Ducks!" -The Beach Drakes