UNCLE SCROOGE #29
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: IDW Publishing
This collection takes three foreign Uncle Scrooge comics, translates them, and gives them their first American publication. There are the normal problems that come with translated comics, such as inappropriately sized speech bubbles, but that really isn’t a criticism, as a reader you should expect that. However, some things gave me suspicions about the accuracy of the translations.
Take the first story. Would an Italian comic book, set on a farm, written in 1976 really be boasting about organic produce? I guess I am a purist when it comes to old books, but I read them to look at the cultural differences of the time. To see what fads were leaching into comic books. To get a feeling of the period. When old comics are whitewashed with modern bandwagons, it takes away from them. (This also seems like an appropriate place to interject and lodge my complaints that these all appear to be recolored. Come on! There is charm in the old art work! Don’t take that away from us!)
The second story, originally published in Denmark in 1965, is both the oldest, and in my opinion, the best. One noticeable character missing, though? Uncle Scrooge. And the rest of the gang, for that matter, only makes a brief cameo. The story follows Gyro Gearloose pitted against the Beagle Boys. Though it follows the usual traditions and arcs found in the Donald Duck universe, it is a fairly unique story given those parameters.
The last story, originally published just three years ago in Sweden, is the weakest of the batch. Uncle Scrooge seems like a caricature of his old self. And, I mean, he started out as a CARTOON for crying out loud, so to say that, it’s really saying something. Maybe it was just bad writing/translation in the dialogue, but some of the greedy things he said were just so over the top, even for him!
If you are a fan Donald Duck Disney universe, it will be worth if for you to pick up this comic. Sure, it’s not as charming as Duck Tales, but I can practically guarantee you will find stories you’ve never read before.
Artist: Various
Publisher: IDW Publishing
This collection takes three foreign Uncle Scrooge comics, translates them, and gives them their first American publication. There are the normal problems that come with translated comics, such as inappropriately sized speech bubbles, but that really isn’t a criticism, as a reader you should expect that. However, some things gave me suspicions about the accuracy of the translations.
Take the first story. Would an Italian comic book, set on a farm, written in 1976 really be boasting about organic produce? I guess I am a purist when it comes to old books, but I read them to look at the cultural differences of the time. To see what fads were leaching into comic books. To get a feeling of the period. When old comics are whitewashed with modern bandwagons, it takes away from them. (This also seems like an appropriate place to interject and lodge my complaints that these all appear to be recolored. Come on! There is charm in the old art work! Don’t take that away from us!)
The second story, originally published in Denmark in 1965, is both the oldest, and in my opinion, the best. One noticeable character missing, though? Uncle Scrooge. And the rest of the gang, for that matter, only makes a brief cameo. The story follows Gyro Gearloose pitted against the Beagle Boys. Though it follows the usual traditions and arcs found in the Donald Duck universe, it is a fairly unique story given those parameters.
The last story, originally published just three years ago in Sweden, is the weakest of the batch. Uncle Scrooge seems like a caricature of his old self. And, I mean, he started out as a CARTOON for crying out loud, so to say that, it’s really saying something. Maybe it was just bad writing/translation in the dialogue, but some of the greedy things he said were just so over the top, even for him!
If you are a fan Donald Duck Disney universe, it will be worth if for you to pick up this comic. Sure, it’s not as charming as Duck Tales, but I can practically guarantee you will find stories you’ve never read before.
A Look Inside
