DCML digest issue 50

[Olaf Solstrand]

Mademoiselle Katie Sullivan:
> I didn't see him as a necessary character when Donald already 
> existed to fill that sort of a role.  Granted, Donald didn't 
> have a pilot's license, but that was about it.

He didn't? I don't know if Barks has used it, but I've several times seen 
Donald flying an airplane. And I also remember him saying several times that he 
HAS a pilot's license... and bragging that he used to fly everywhere for his 
uncle Scrooge McDuck.


Monsieur Don Rosa:
> The Beagle Boys -- they are lovable and goofy, and only want $crooge's
> money. They don't hate $crooge, he is no threat to their "personal
> identity". They might even have a soft spot for him. They would never try
> to hurt (or kill!) him. If I ever show them with such a notion, it would only
> be to set up a gag or... I was careless.

Again, my terrible memory keeps me from remembering whether BARKS has used this 
factor or not, but the Beagle Boys have on several occations left Scrooge 
somewhere to die. To start with a really bad example, as that's a story written 
by the very person I'm talking to now, Life of Scrooge part 12. There, The 
Beagle Boys lock up Scrooge in a room in an abondoned building with no food or 
heat. In the same series part 2, another set of Beagles lock up Scrooge with a 
steam engine minutes away from exploding. (Then again, you most likely were 
careless?)
The best example I can think of from Barks, is "Only a poor old man", where The 
Beagle Boys try hard to destroy a dam (sorry, I really don't have my dictionary 
around) when Scrooge is standing on it. Also, I think Daniel mentioned "The 
Doom Diamond" as an example of something similar, but I've unfortunately never 
read it.

> Magica -- same thing. $crooge is no threat to her. All she wants is his #1
> Dime. She should not wish any evil to befall $crooge (aside from losing his
> Dime to her) because, if he lost his fortune, that might even have a
> negative effect on the spell she plans to use on the Dime.

Would it? I mean... Scrooge has touched it a million times, and he was very 
rich WHEN touching it. So... Does the coin lose a little of its "magic" every 
time it's touched by e.g. Donald (who's not very wealthy), or does the 
coin "remember" everybody that has ever touched it and draw its magical value 
from their *current* wealth?

If I interpret this definition correctly, Don: When Magica melts a coin, that 
coin browses through its files of everybody that has ever touched it, and sends 
magical signals out into the world to figure out what their CURRENT wealth is 
(instead of just remembering what their wealth was when they touched it)... and 
then the magical value of the coin is defined by the average of that or 
something? And if the "magical value" passes a certain amount - either with the 
coin on its own or added with other coins - it makes an amulet which gives the 
bearer the Midas touch? *phew*

Hmm... this made me wonder why that amulet Magica made from Croesus' first coin 
never worked. After all, regardless of Croesus - what she wanted in the first 
place was a coin that Scrooge had touched. And he most certainly had touched 
the coin of Croesus. So... Why didn't it work just as good as the coin she 
would have asked for in the first place?


> The only thing that's needed is a villain who wants nothing that $crooge
> has and is actually a really nice fella who would never steal a cent from
> anyone who can't afford it and wouldn't harm a fly. Who would that be?

Hmm... Robin Hood? :-)


> There you go! That's the guy! And the story I'm working on *right now* is
> "The Black Knight GLORPS Again!".

If I may ask... does that mean that you've finished that other story you were 
working on (the one taking place in the old castle)? And that the story is 
approved by Egmont so that we may get to see it in 8-10 months?

By the way, what was the final title for that... "A letter from home"?




Best,
Olaf the Blue