Miscellaneous notes, part 1

Daniel van Eijmeren dve at kabelfoon.nl
Tue Apr 3 18:26:10 CEST 2001


While searching for apostrophes in The Carl Barks Library, I've made
some "miscellaneous" notes, containing some questions:

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OS 29, 1943 September - The Hard Loser
Page 1, 2 and 3 contain a dialogue reference to "Grandpa", from whom
Donald borrows his "old buggy horse". 

- - - - - - -

WDC 35, 1943 August - the limber w guest ranch
Could this be the first time that the nephews use their knowlegde of
natural phenomena, like they would regularly do in later stories?

In panel 4.7 they know that they're going further away from the ranch
instead of getting closer to it: "When we left the ranch, the sun was
on our right shoulder!" / "It is three hours higher now, and hitting
the back of our necks!" / "We're goin' AWAY from the ranch!" I think 
this almost sounds like their later "Junior Woodchuck" knowlegde.

- - - - - - -

WDC 35, 1943 - the limber w guest ranch (again)
In panel 7.1, Donald seems to long for alcoholic drinks: "Lemonade,
limeade, ginger beer, root ale, malted soda... coca pop!..." 

- - - - - - -

WDC 38, 1943 - Good Neighbors
In panel 7.6, Donald says to his nephews: "Get me one of those 
firecrackers you're savin' for the fourth - the biggest one you have!"
Could the saving of firecrackers be a reference to World War II?

BTW. Is the "fourth" a reference to the American "4th of July"? 

- - - - - - -

WDC 43, 1944 - Three Dirty Little Ducks
Does this story contain the first appearance of Bolivar in a Barks story?

Could this story be the first one in which Donald and the nephews have
an *adult-kid* rivalry? In this story the nephews intentionally annoy 
"parent" Donald by not following his order to go bathing.

In earlier stories like "The Hard Loser" (OS 29), "Snow Fun" (WDC 40),
and "The Duck in the Iron Pants" (WDC 41), there's also rivalry between
Donald and the nephews, but in these stories Donald acts more like a 
"fourth nephew" than an adult. Even more because Donald is the *cause*
of the rivalry in these stories. (The nephews only react to the tricks
Donald has played on them.)

- - - - - - -


Best wishes,

--- Daniel



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