Question

[Lars Jensen]

Irene Postma wrote:

> Right now I'm in discussion with someone and I don't want to tell
nonsense.
> There is a Dutch book written by Jaap van Ginneken about cartoon
characters
> (Asterix, Rintintin and Donald Duck were mentioned in a TV-interview
this
> morning). He was comparing the nature and problems of these characters
to
> the psychological problems hidden in the lives of their creators.
>
> Would he have to look at Walt Disney for Donald Duck, as he claims?
Wouldn't
> Carl Barks be much more logical?

I would say it depends on which Donald we're talking about. Comparing
Barks' Donald Duck to Barks himself seems only natural to me. You might
also compare Taliaferro'and Karp's Donald to *their* lives, although
that seems a little more dubious to me. And the Donald currently seen in
(for instance) Danish produced comics, is only related to the lives of
the writers in a very limited way. We're all working with the Barks
version of Donald, and even those who are extrapolating from that
source, are still extrapolating from somebody else's take on the
character, rather than their own.
The cartoon Donald was influenced by Walt, yes, but also by a truckload
of storymen, directors and animators, all of whom brought something to
the Duck. So there's not much correlation there between creator and
character. It would be a better idea to compare Walt to Mickey Mouse.

So to sum up: Comparing Barks' Donald to himself is fine. Comparing
anybody else to Donald: Not much point.

In my opinion, of course.

> Sorry to appear on your interesting list, but I really want to know.

No need to apologize. Being able to ask questions like this is one of
the reasons for *being* on DCML (IMO). And besides, it was an
interesting posting.

Lars Jensen