Sci-Fi and Jack Benny & Wrongly-Directed Anger

[Rob Klein]

Hi everyone!  Wow!  We've been getting some real "humdingers" for comments
lately!  I prefer "Get me off this List!!! - Hurry!!!", "Can you guys be
for real?" or  "What are you guys talking about???" to the guy blaming us
for making the U.S.A. the World's Policeman!!!  See what happens when we
get too esoteric?

Regarding Merlin Haas' question regarding Barks listening to Jack Benny. 
He told me a few times that he DID hear "The Jack benny Program" - and he
liked the stingy gags.  But, all those gags were re-worked gags and jokes
that had been in Vaudeville acts, and most of them had older antecedents in
carnival comedian's spiels and traveling actors' shows and the like.  Barks
had heard most of those jokes in person, or seen them in print in early
newspaper comic strips or in magazines, such as "Judge" and the like. 

Regarding People who are serious Disney Comic fans and also Science Fiction
fans:  I believe there is a large correlation in those 2 pursuits.  I am a
great fan of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and a few
others.  Most of the serious Donaldists and Barks fans I know (from many
countries in Northern and Western Europe and North America) are also sci-fi
fans.  I would guess many of the Rosa fans are as well.  I like serious
sci-fi tales, but would also welcome reading those with humour blended in
well.

When I attended university in Los Angeles (1965 - 1972), I used to visit
Malcom Willits and Leonard Brown, at their shop The Collectors' Book Store
every Saturday.  I went there to buy U.S. Disney comics, but mainly to meet
and listen to the many collectors and authors who wandered in.  Malcom and
Leonard were big fans of Barks, Gottfredsson, old-time comic strips, old
films and Science Fiction.  Many of their friends liked all of those as
well.  Malcom introduced me to Carl Barks (not at the store) - but I also
got to meet Ray Bradbury and many lesser-known writers at there shop.  They
used to talk about eachothers' stories and any good stories they'd read. 
Ray even talked about stories he was working on at the time.  Most of the
sci-fi writers I met there were also big comic fans and classic film fans
(not necessarily Disney - but they all appreciated Barks and Gottfredsson).
 Should we have a poll on this?

Rob Klein