Barks about Magica the witch

[Daniel van Eijmeren]

KRITON KYRIMIS to DON ROSA, 30-08-2003:

>> witches are ugly old crones.

> Auntie Hazel, why are you putting those bat wings in the cauldron? 
> I thought you were making parsnip pudding!

Stop the press! Stop the press! (And stop Auntie Hazel!) :-)

I've just discovered that Donald Ault's book "Carl Barks Conversations" 
(buy it! buy it! buy it! spam! spam! spam!) contains an interview in 
which Barks discusses Magica as a witch, on page 113.

"Scrooge was created more by chance, in contrast to Magica DeSpell, 
about whom I had more of an idea that here was a new regular figure 
to be used. Magica was introduced much more intentionally, as a 
wicked witch who was always after Scrooge's first-earned dime [US 36]. 
I thought at the time: Disney's always had witches who were ugly and 
repulsive--why shouldn't I draw one that's not ugly, but outright sexy?
That's why she's Italian and, of course, very popular with readers in 
Italy."

Interview with Carl and Garé Barks
Klaus Stryz / 1980

In this interview, Barks doesn't only refer to Magica as a sexy witch. 
He even compares her with other Disney witches. 

Of course, there are also other conclusions that can be drawn from 
this quote:

- only Italian witches are sexy
- Disney witches (at least those precluding Magica) are no Italians.

I don't think these two last conclusions don't add anything substantial 
to this discussion, though. :-)

--- Daniël