Bucky Bug

[Dan Shane]

DON MARKSTEIN WRITES:

> And yes, the stories, at least the ones that originated in 
> English, are aimed at very young readers, a perfectly 
> legitimate demographic. In fact, it was while reading a stack 
> of 1940s WDC&S aloud to a stepdaughter in that range (circa 
> 1980)  that I became a fan of the series. I started reading 
> them for the Barks (who goes over great with ALL ages), but 
> continued with Li'l Bad Wolf, which she liked well enough 
> (tho I was already a big fan, fascinated by what I call his 
> existential dilemma), and Bucky -- and it was when I read 
> Bucky, whom I'd never paid much attention to before, that the 
> whole room lit up. The moment I started reading the first 
> one, I knew I had a winner. 

	*** SNIP ***

> But by an odd coincidence, I happen to have scheduled some 
> Bucky Bug work later today. His 75th anniversary is coming up 
> (tho he did appear in a Silly Symphony nine months after his 
> print debut, he's the very first Disney character to start in 
> comics), and David Gerstein managed to talk the PTB at 
> Gemstone into commemorating the fact with a new story.
> 

AND I RESPOND:

I'm tickled to hear that Bucky is making a reappearance soon, Don.  I share
your enthusiasm for variety in the Disney comics, including Bucky and Li'l
Bad Wolf.  

My family had very little money when I was young, and even at a dime comics
were rare purchases and highly treasured.  Until I was 12 (and began earning
my own cash) I owned precisely 4 Disney issues handed down from my older
brothers.  Li'l Wolf and Bucky Bug stories were there among the Ducks and
Mickey tales (Barks and Murry, respectively), and I held every one dear.  

As I got older the Ducks held my interest more strongly, but I always
remembered how special the other characters were when my tiny collection was
just getting started.  Today there are too many mass entertainment venues,
so "Hey Kids! Comics!" can probably never again be the special rallying call
it was when I was small.  But I hope *all* the Disney comic characters have
many years ahead of them.


Dan