Donald's first appearance

[Daniel van Eijmeren]

TIMO RONKAINEN to ..., 25-11-2003:

> Mickey Mouse Annual doesn't have the very same Donald Duck as we 
> know him. English 1932 appearance is more of like coincidence: 
> a duck-character just having the same name. I think this was 
> discussed here some time ago.

"Little Wise Hen" doesn't contain the very same Donald Duck as we know 
him, either.

Instead of coincidence, I'm thinking of character development. And in 
Donald's case, his name apparently came first, while his appearance was 
still a rough sketch. It's a duck. A large duck? A small duck? With or 
without clothes? And what kind of clothes? That was decided later, but 
it started with a duck named Donald Duck.

(Or, was it the other way around? People designing a human-like duck in 
a sailor suit, and *then* being reminded of a good sounding name they've 
used a few years before, in 1932?)

Just some thoughts. I know little about those early years.

--- Daniël