! Joe Carioca & Moe

[PAULO BARRETO]

Greetings, earthlings... :-)

        DAVID:

        (screwball crossover)

        Joe Carioca *is* popular in Brazil, has his own title, but
no Brazilian comic fan can assure he is a star greater than Mickey or
Donald.  Actually, Joe had some better time in the 70's with sincere,
interesting plots and outstanding art by Cannini (one of the few
recognized Brazilian Disney artists).  The "legend" says U.S. WDP
considered those stories were doing a distorted interpretation of Disney
standards (or sort of that) and since then Joe has suffered some
ridiculous changes intended to make him more Disney-ish and less
typically Brazilian (indeed, he's not more than an American character,
but that's another issue).

        Yes, Moe is also somehow popular here, also having his
fortnightly title (that *must* be for competition against Chico Bento,
another comic peasant!).  So Brazilian studios managed to bring Moe to a
Rio de Janeiro tour, the theme of the late '93 series (you've found that
cover, David) with episodes published alternately in both titles.  In
that series they also quitted Joe's classic suit and hat once and for
all (that was allegedly "old-fashioned") and released that terrible
"rapper" outfit.  How I miss 70's "Joe in the Foreign Legion"...<G>

        _____m__(0/\0)__m_____  NaCl d'PP de Paulo Barreto