Maps and birthdates / Donald as teenager/ Some hier (WDC 155) / Barks quote

[Daniel van Eijmeren]

SIGVALD GROSFJELD, 08-06-2003:

> In a recent mail Olaf Solstrand has told us about a map in I-1791. 
> (on panel 2 on page 239 in DD-Pocket #117 "Strandhogg") in where 
> Duckburg IMO is wrongly placed in Florida on the US Eastern Coast. 
> As this map obviously is drawn before Don Rosa's map in Lo$ part 10, 
> I can se the possibility that someone could use it in order to 
> discredit the value of DR's map. So to prevent any unnecessary 
> turbulence here on DCML caused by this Italian map I can tell you 
> that Don Rosa's map is based upon a map drawn by Carl Barks himself 
> in 1952 

There's more than one truth. Especially in Disney comics. Some people 
think that Duckburg is in Europe, other people think it's elsewhere.
Maybe alien-readers will think that Duckburg is on their planet, 
instead of on our beloved one. Who knows. In fact, I would be very
surprised if there would be any turbulence here, about a highly 
different older/newer map of Duckburg being discovered somewhere.

> in panel 1 on page 8 of WDC 155 "Some Heir over the Rainbow" 
> – a source that predates I-1791 with almost 40 years.

The map in panel 7.8 and 8.1 of Barks' story doesn't give much details 
on geography and names, at least not readible. Checking the Carl Barks 
Library, the only text I could read is "Ye Golde Buried on High Dune" 
(I'm not certain about the last word) and, in the text on the left of 
the map, I can read "California" in the fourth line. The map only gives 
a rough indication. No scale is given. It's hardly a map for us readers, 
it's mostly a picture of water on the left, and of land on the right.

However, I'm a bad map-reader. People driving cars rather depend on 
Flipism than on my position-finding. :-)

> This shows how confused many people are about Donald's birth – even 
> Dutch creators.

No wonder. That's because there are no birthdates given. This leaves 
everyone to his/her own interpretation.

> So here is the AFAIK correct Donaldistic facts about the birth and 
> origin of Donald Duck:
> 1) The Donald Duck who appear as an adult in Barks-stories from 1943 
> on was BORN – most probably in Duckburg – around 1920 as one of a pair 
> of twins.

I can't remember any Barks-information on Donald and a sister being 
twins. The same for being born in Duckburg. I believe Barks has also 
mentioned Burbank as a town where Donald is living.

> The other twin being his twin-sister Della Duck whom he likely used to
> nick-name "Dumbella" in their young years. No exact date has ever been 
> given for their birth.

And no exact year has been given.

In 1982, in an interview by Wim van Helden, attended by Daan Jippes, Carl 
Barks has told that he found Donald's age difficult to determine, but that
he would look at Donald as being a teenager. (!)
This surprised both Van Helden and Jippes. Van Helden thought of Donald 
as being in his half-twenties. Jippes said that he found Donald an adult.
Barks then said that for himself, Donald is more a boy of 15 or 16 years 
old, who's suddenly confronted by having to carry responsibilities for
which he's not ready yet. He has a house, he has to raise the nephews and 
he has to work, but he completely misses the experience to know how that 
all should be done.
Jippes concludes that most people look at Donald and the nephews as a 
one-parent family, with Donald as 25 or 30 years old educator. And that 
according to Barks, Donald is more a like brother for the nephews. Maybe 
that's the reason why they can be so annoying sometimes..., he (Jippes)
wonders.
Barks answers that they were not half as annoying as in the cartoons, 
in the 1930s.

Source of interview, only available in Dutch unfortunately:
http://www.seriesam.com/barks/deta_text_s_wvh_interview_1982.html

> Don Rosa's "The Duck who never was" has to be regarded as one of DRs
> fiction stories –

Maybe. Maybe not. As far as I remember (I can't find the comic), this 
story purposely leaves the reader wondering if the adventure was a 
dream or reality. I believe that the parts about Donald's birthday 
itself, are meant to be real.

> as it shows Scrooge celebrating Donald's 60th birthday while Don
> Rosa other places has shown that Scrooge died while Donald was at 
> most 47 years old (1967-1920 = 47).

Only on one place, as far as I know. On an inked fan-drawing, I think. 
Or do you count every reproduction of that one drawing as a new, 
different place? :-) In the story "The Duck who never was", the age 
of 60 years is not taken seriously, as a result of a clever joke.

Anyway, there's not just one truth in Disney comics. There can 
be endless discussions about continuity, or the lack thereof, but 
there will never be one answer or one solution. And that's the 
only continuity fact within Disney comics. Fortunately, I'd say.

BTW. About the hier-story in WDC 155. I've always found the last page 
a bit strange. The nephews are rewarded, just for having "FAITH in an 
old man and his hopes". Huh? Is the lesson of the story that every old 
man with a map deserves to get money from kids with blind faith? And 
this leads business-man Scrooge to call the nephews his sole hiers, 
in this story? What about the possibility that the nephews where just 
*lucky*, this time?

CAREY FURLONG, 06-06-2003:

> "What puny marks men make on the face of the land."

I still have no idea. Without checking, my guess would be "Want to buy 
an island" (WDC 235). The scene where Donald discovers strange spots
on "his" island. Otherwise, I admit that I need a hint.

It *is* a Barks quote, right?

I found out that it's far easier to mention a quote, than to guess one. :-)

--- Daniël