The good artist

David Eoll deoll at mediaone.net
Wed Aug 30 05:34:59 CEST 2000


My introduction to Carl Barks' work was the Gold Key and Whitman comics
from the 70s when I was a child.  I've just recently discovered this
mailing list, and I was tickled to see so many people who originally
knew Carl as the anonymous "good Disney artist."  I thought to myself,
"Hey, me too."  I have this in common with so many other Duck fans
around the world.  We could recognize the special gift of this man,
despite the attempt of the Disney corporation to hide him behind the
Disney monolith.

I knew that there was one Disney artist whose drawings were more
detailed and beatiful, whose characters were more expressive and
'real', whose stories were richer and more compelling.  When new
issues would arrive in the stores, they usually came in packs of
three.  I would rip open the bags (after paying of course) and thumb
through them looking for stories by "the good artist."

I finally found out the name of the man, Carl Barks, a few years ago.
No more than five.  I'm happy that he was able to finally emerge from
the haze of corporate anonymity and receive the recognition he
deserved.  Luckily, I still have those comics from my childhood, and I
have recently brought them out of boxes and rediscovered the joy of
losing myself in a Carl Barks story.  The difference is now I know who
to thank.

Several months ago, when it was announced that his health was failing,
I had an opportunity to send a message to the man who provided me with
so many hours of reading enjoyment as a child and as an adult.  I hope
that my message and those of others let him know how much people cared
about him and valued his contribution as one of the Great American
Storytellers.  I would like to reiterate some of my words here and
say, Thank you, Carl Barks, for a lifetime of reading pleasure.

-- 
Regards,
David Eoll






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