From Dime to Dime (Re: "New" Barks story)

[Daniel van Eijmeren]

HARRY FLUKS to DAN ROSENBERG, 20-06-2003:

> Geoffrey Blum is currently writing stories based on ideas by Barks 
> (for Egmont in Denmark). The ideas range from very rough ideas to 
> complete story outlines, that Barks wrote in letters to various 
> people.
> I think "From Dime to Dime" is one of these stories.

This story inspired by Carl Barks (D/D 2001-004) has recently been 
published in Europe. In The Netherlands, for example.

Geoffrey Blum based the story on an idea taken from an April 1991 letter 
from Carl Barks to Don Rosa.

A transcription of this letter has been published in Geoffrey Blum's 
article "Raiders of the Lost Barks". (Gladstone album "Uncle $crooge 
Adventures - Isle of Golden Geese" No. 42, 1998.)

Here's the part on which Blum based his story:

<SPOILER>

- - - - - - -

[...]

  I agree with you that the Number One Dime should not be treated as a 
*good luck charm*. It contradicts the way Uncle Scrooge *really* made his 
fortune, but woe is me! I blatantly violated that rule in at least one 
story, U.S. #46, "Lost Beneath the Sea." I not only had Scrooge calling 
the old dime a "boodle-bringer," I demonstrated such powers at points in 
the story.
   It doesn't preclude your writing a story that debunks the luck charm
misconception. One way might be that the dime gets stolen by the Beagle
Boys, who figure that it is a good luck charm that will attract all sorts
of undeserved wealth to their wallets. Needless to say, no matter how well
they plan their bank heists, all the dime will attract is swarms of cops.
Meanwhile Uncle Scrooge is having a terrible time. His stack of money
shrinks a few inches every day. In desperation he even buys lottery tickets
that never seem to win. It looks very much as if the old dime was the gizmo
that made him the richest duck in the world. His luck is gone kaput.
   Then he changes suddenly. He says, "Luck! I didn't make my fortune by
being lucky. I made it in the old-fashioned way! By hard work." So he goes
back to the hills with a pick and shovel and lots of sweat on his brow and
before long he has a flock of new gold mines and oil wells and is richer
than ever.
   Walking along the street one day he is wondering how the Beagle Boys are
making out with his old dime. He soon learns. The B-Boys, passing in a
paddy wagon on the way to jail, bean him with the dime.
   Now Scrooge places the dime in the position it is fitted for -- a
memento of the way he got his start. He relaxes in his money contented. His
overloaded money bin needs no more money. He personally needs no more
money. He has got it made.
   The doorbell rings. It is Don and the kids bringing news that one of the
ten-cent lottery tickets that Uncle Scrooge thought worthless months ago
has been declared a belated winner. Scrooge will have to make room for ten
million dollars -- all in dimes.
   That sounds like one way of debunking the dime, but who knows whether
the story hasn't been used by some of the many duck writers in Italy,
Holland, or even the USA. Western Pub. put out a series [of] Beagle Boy
comics in the 60s. Anyway, if any of the situations look usable, you are
welcome to them. I'm only glad I no longer have to write stories.

So long.
Carl

- - - - - - -

</SPOILER>


--- Daniël