Credits

[Chris Hilbig]

   The whole credit or last there of issue starts back with the Mickey 
Mouse comic strip 1940's. (My source is MM in Color from Another 
Rainbow Pub.) According to Floyd Gottfredson, Walt Disney proposed to 
King Features Syndicate the idea of allowing creators to sign their 
names to the strips. King Features were absolutely opposed to this  
arguing that one of the biggest selling points of Disney syndicated 
products was the name "Walt Disney" and the illusion of fans that Walt 
did all that work himself. :P  In addition an unknown name would dilute 
the sales value of those products. Besides that, Walt himself became 
just as much as a celebrity as Mickey Mouse.

   With the lack of information and communication, marketing wise it  
made sense to use the Walt Disney's signature and to not credit the 
actual creators. Back then we didn't have INDUCKS or people with the 
curiosity to go behind the scenes and report what they find to 
information hungry fans.

   This leads me to believe that Disney and publishers have carried this 
on as a tradition/policy every since. Young children aside,  I think 
it's good that Egmont and other publishers give due credit to creators 
today. How editors plan to do so certainly depends a pond to targeted 
age group. I think that it's great in this day and age that kids can 
still be kids and can still believe in Santa Clause or even Uncle 
Donald Duck

Chris Hilbig