Could "talking parrot" (OS356) be a Barks-gag?

Daniel van Eijmeren dve at kabelfoon.nl
Sat Nov 25 05:08:08 CET 2000


On page 199 of Michael Barrier's book "Carl Barks and the Art of the
Comic Book", an unknown Barks gag is listed.

It's a one-page (Donald Duck?) gag (idea?) for "Donald Duck" Four
Color No. 356, submitted on March 8, 1951.

(In his book, Michael Barrier lists this entry as both "one-page gag"
and "one-page DD gag idea". I guess he means the latter?)

According to Barrier, Barks has said that the gag on the inside back
cover "possibly is the one." 

In the Inducks database, this one page Donald Duck gag is described
as "talking parrot". The story code is "W OS 356-05"; the writer is
unknown; and the art is by Frank McSavage. 

This gag, which has resemblances with the Uncle Scrooge parrot gag
of US 61, can be seen at:
"http://www.seriesam.com/barks/dc_os0356-05u.jpg" (Size is about 300Kb)

What do you think of the possibility that this may be a Carl Barks
gag? For example, are there noticeable differences with the other
two gags in the issue, which were also drawn by Frank McSavage?

Below are some points of which I think that they may have some
resemblances with Barks' style. Please note that I've never compared
Barks' work with the work of his 1942-1966 colleagues, so I don't
have any idea if these points really make a difference at all.

* Though the dialogue ("Say: "Polly wants a cracker!"") in the first
  six panels keeps the same, there's an interesting detailed usage
  of bold lettering which illustrates Donald getting more and more
  desperate in his attempts to make the parrot talk.

* Donald's comment "Oh, go fall in a lake, you blankety-blank,
  stupid BONEHEAD!"

* The backlight in panel 4. (Donald and the parrot being shown as
  silhouettes, because of the light coming through the window.)

I'm very curious for your comments. 

Many thanks to Kjell for scanning the gag. 


Best wishes,

--- Daniel




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