Popularity

[Sue and Gary Leach]

In the discussions of the storytelling merits of Don Rosa over other Disney
creators, such as William Van Horn and Marco Rota, the topic of popularity
as a gauge of quality was ventured, but not pursued.

Popularity, of course, is no gauge of quality. TV ratings battles here in
the States make that glaringly obvious. Painfully so, at times. Book
bestseller lists have always been rife with crap, and junk food is eagerly
consumed in staggering quantities.

As a rule of thumb, quality tells only after popularity has faded. I believe
Don Rosa's work will acquit itself well in this respect, but it is nice that
he's enjoying some popularity now (though sadly not here in the States).
Does his work deserve it? No question in my mind that it does, and I know
that goes for a lot of other folks on this mailing list. But not everyone,
by any means. We will, each of us, appreciate what we will, and that is
something else popularity cannot gauge.

Gary