Uncle Zak McWak

Nuno J. Silva nunojsilva at ist.utl.pt
Mon Mar 12 17:55:54 CET 2012


On 2012-03-12, Nuno J. Silva wrote:

> On 2012-03-11, Simone Cavazzuti wrote:
>
>> In WDD 119-02 (Voyage to Azatlan), a new member of Duck Family is
>> introduced: Uncle Zak McWak.
>
> I don't remember the plot, but I think I remember the first page (scan
> at http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=W+DD++119-02&search=) -- also, I
> wonder whether what I have is the Portuguese or the Brazilian edition of
> said story.

It's the first story in the portuguese (as in Portugal) Disney Especial
no. 173 (Viagens (travel)), and it was published under the title "Viagem
a Azatlan" (just like the brazilian scan from outducks, the title looks
exactly the same, they just removed the "pirates" theme icon).

His name also remains "Isac Quaquac", as in the brazilian edition.

[...]
>> I never read the story, so I need some information:
>>
>> - Why is this character mentioned?

He is only mentioned in the first three pages, and is used to start the
plot: it starts with HDL arriving home and saying that he's "the
greatest uncle in the world", and then Donald realizes they're not
talking about him, but Isac (Zak), of whom there's a photo hanging from
the wall.

HDL explain who's Zak (he was inspired to invent bug spray for apple
bugs when he was under an apple tree and a bugged apple fell from the
tree -- so both the portuguese and english names are (I presume) a play
on Isaac [Newton]).

Donald then gets mad and tries sitting under a tree at the park, but
gets only a pine cone, what hurts him a bit. He then decides to get
inspiration from the library instead, where he finds Moby and ends up
going with him on a treasure hunt. 

Zak is not mentioned anymore -- the closest the plot gets to Zak is
when, in the very last scene, HDL praise Donald in the same way they
praised Zak in the beginning (but this time around a table, while they
enjoy the "treasure" in a way Donald had suggested).

>> - Is he seen by real or only in picture?

He appears twice (three times): the portrait, which appears twice, on
the first page, and again when one of the nephews mentions the falling
apple story (a picture is shown to illustrate that story).

>> - Is he still alive or dead?

The nephews mention that "He [Zak] *is* famous..." "... and rich", so it
seems he's supposed to be alive at the time this story happens!

>> - What is his relation to Duck Family?

When Donald is mad, he leaves the house and before he gets to the park,
he's seen saying "Imagine that... praise an uncle they seldom see!", so
although Zak seems to have been made just to start this plot, and that
he's not a close relative, he's not a distant one, either (I mean, he's
the kind of relative you see once in a while, not the relative that's so
distant you barely know about him, except maybe that he got famous).

>> - Can anybody provide a good scan of him?

The first appearance, as a portrait:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15200957/isac1.jpg

And the last, when the apple falls:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15200957/isac2.jpg

If you want to have a look at the two first pages:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15200957/pages1-2.jpg

Sorry for the blur (yeah, it's what happens when you're in a rush!), if
you need the second one unblurred, I'll be happy to scan again!

(I'm going to keep the images there for some days/weeks, but if you need
to rely on the web addresses for something, please upload the scans
somewhere else, as the files may be gone in the future.)

-- 
Nuno J. Silva (aka njsg)
gopher://sdf-eu.org/1/users/njsg


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