The Italian Duck universe

[Daniel van Eijmeren]

SIGVALD GROSFJELD, 17-08-2003:

> *changes of what I would like to call constants in Barks' universe 
> like the look of he Money Bin, the look of Scrooge's secretary, the
> fact that $crooge normally doesn't have a butler, etc. 

No, you are referring to the ROSA UNIVERSE, once again...

In Barks's universe, these points are no constant "facts" at all:
- Scrooge has many different money bins, like the egg shaped one in 
  the super-strong forbidium money bin story (DISBP 1) and the 
  money bin at a Duckburg street. (The Golden River, US 22.)
- Scrooge has different secretaries and clerks
- Scrooge has a mansion and a butler

> However monumental tales about the life and history of characters 
> in the Duck universe should IMHO be based on the original Duck
> universe – not its nice twin.

Know what you say. The Rosa universe should also be ignored then!
It's not original. It's a retrospective universe, with exceptions 
to the "original" universe. These exceptions are even a proof that 
the "original" universe was not intended to be structured in 
retrospective at all. So, why force them together into one jar?

And... even Barks *himself* adjusted his Ducks to what other Disney 
artists did, at the time when he was *creating* the "Barks universe".

What I find surprising is that Rosa-fans generally tend to credit 
Barks for Rosa's efforts. It's unfair and unreasonable. As if Rosa's 
creations need some kind of "Barks approval" label being forced on 
them, in order to make them worthwhile. This is the reason why some 
people look at Rosa as being an inferior version of Barks, instead 
of being a good artist in his own right. It's almost impossible to 
like "Rosa the artist", because the image of "Rosa the heir" always 
pops up instead...

In other words, mixing up Barks and Rosa is a way for Rosa-fans to 
shoot themselves in the foot, and to get involved in a *lot* of 
quarrel and misunderstandings.

And why?

Carl Barks = Carl Barks
Don Rosa = Don Rosa
Romana Scarpa = Romano Scarpa

I've never heard of Disney artists named Carl Rosa, Don Barks, Romano 
Rosa, or Carl Scarpa. So, why should we pretend that they do exist? 

(Please Sigvald, I don't want to go through this again. Do you?)

Can't we just all agree that different artists have different styles 
and opinions? And that it's not up to you - or me - to tell which 
style and opinion is superior or inferior? Or do you like to *hurt* 
people by suggesting that your opinion is superior? That's what 
you're doing when you write that way, because you're attacking their 
enthusiasm for interpreting comics in their own way and taste. And 
when people feel attacked they can get very defensive and angry. 
This results in flaming, and a bad atmosphere. End result is a 
downward spiral in which NOBODY - including you - is enjoying this 
mailing list and their comics anymore.

So, be more tolerant and positive towards others. 
It's also for your own good.

A world in which people even hurt each other's fantasies and dreams, 
is no better than hell. Let's keep that pain and suffering out of our 
little idyllic DCML-garden. Okay?

--- Daniël