A Guidebook to the Carl Barks Universe

Additional credits: Based on a non-Barks cover for Donald Duck One Shot 308, illustrating «in "Dangerous Disguise"».
The drawings of the bull and Donald are drawn by Barks. The background has been added by the editors of The Carl Barks Library, reproducing the background of the non-Barks cover, with slight modifications to accommodate Barks's figures.

Sources

ARC BL 3 six cups [remake]

Barrier: ---
CBL: 03-000; 03C-704
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1984, December
Issue: The Carl Barks Library - Set III
Pages: 1
Based on: CU 5 six cups [cover layout]

Additional credits: Reconstruction of disappeared/unidentified "six cups".
Barks has added background details such as vegetation, and the money bin.

Backstage: In mid-1984, Another Rainbow approached Barks with the idea of finishing six cups [cover layout] for the slipcase of The Carl Barks Library - Set III.

Sources

ARC BL 4 heavy storm and flying ship

Barrier: ---
CBL: 04-000; 04A-154
Type: cover, illustrating «and the Flying Dutchman» reprint
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1985, November
Issue: The Carl Barks Library - Set IV
Pages: 1
Painting version: Afoul of the Flying Dutchman

Sources

ARC CBL 5B fighting dirty

Barrier: ---
CBL: 05A-008
Type: story
Art: Ulrich Schröder
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: [none or unknown]
Publication date: 1989, April
Issue: The Carl Barks Library - Set V
Pages: 0 1/2
Based on: king scrooge the first [shooting script] [segment]

Additional credits: Based on the violent final confrontation between Khan Khan and Scrooge, as Barks described it in king scrooge the first [shooting script]. This alternate confrontation was changed into a helicopter gag in King Scrooge the First.

Surviving material: king scrooge the first [shooting script]

Other views:

picture: monochrome

Sources

CU 3 "rocket chair" [inked]

Barrier: MBAC-202
CBL: 06B-334
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: Gyro Gearloose
Submission: 1961, September 28
Publication date: 1990, May
Issue: The Carl Barks Library - Set VI
Pages: 1
Intended issue: Gyro Gearloose One Shot
Intended publication date: ...
Based on: "rocket chair" [pencil drawing]

Description: Art-only cover for a Gyro Gearloose One Shot, listed as "rocket chair". It shows Gyro Gearloose rising in a jet-propelled chair. It's difficult to say in which issue this cover would have appeared. (Any idea on this would be very welcome.)

Surviving material:

Original art?: [details unknown]
"rocket chair" [pencil drawing]: [details unknown]

Status: Published in The Carl Barks Library - Set VI.

Sources

ARC BL 7 running fireman

Barrier: ---
CBL: 07-000; 07C-720; 07C-721 (new art only)
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1988, March
Issue: The Carl Barks Library - Set VII
Pages: 1

Additional credits: Adapted from panel 4.2 of absent-minded fireman. After this panel had been chosen as the most ideally suitable to create a slipcase cover design for The Carl Barks Library - Set IV, Barks first thought to raise Donald's figure above the horizon to better suggest the duck's running speed; then he came up with the firetruck gag. Barks visualized the firetruck in new art, which has been added to the cover.

Sources

ARC BL 8 photo in disneyland

Barrier: ---
CBL: 08-000; 08C-734; 08C-735
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [Carl Barks]
Hero: [none]
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1983, August
Issue: The Carl Barks Library - Set VIII
Pages: 1

Landmark: First original cover created by Carl Barks since 1969.

Changes: Because of erroneous dimension measurements originally supplied to Barks, it was drawn at an incorrect widtht-to-height ratio for the slipcase of "The Carl Barks Library - Set VIII". To correct this ratio, a staff artist moved the coin in to reduce the width of the cover, and up in order to keep it in Scrooge's line of sight. Barks originally drew Scrooge "cranking" his neck to look over the nephews' heads at the coin, but because of the new coin placement this became unnescessary, and Scrooge's neck was shortened for the slipcase version.

Surviving material:

Original, unchanged version.: published in The Carl Barks Library - Set VIII (page 08C-734).

Sources

ARC BL 9 kids at bat [remake]

Barrier: ---
CBL: 09-000; 09A-153
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1985, June
Issue: The Carl Barks Library - Set IX
Pages: 1
Based on: CU 4 kids at bat [layout #2]

Additional credits: Reconstruction of disappeared/unidentified "kids at bat".

Changes: Donald wears a baseball-glove on his left hand. In the pencil version, he has bare hands.

Surviving material:

CR CU 4 kids at bat [layout #1]
CU 4 kids at bat [layout #2]

Sources

cutting tart with harp

Inducks: ...
Barrier: ---
CBL: 09B-496
Type: cover
Art: Volker Reiche
Pencil: Carl Barks
Script: [Carl Barks]
Hero: [none or unknown]
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1985, June
Issue: The Carl Barks Library - Set IX
Pages: 1
Based on: CRI 10 cutting tart with harp [cover design]

Additional credits: Inscription reads, "Idee + Skizze von Carl Barks, getuscht von V. Reiche", meaning "Idea & sketch by Carl Barks, inked by V. Reiche".

Surviving material:

CRI 10 cutting tart with harp [cover design]

Backstage: In 1982, Stephen Eberhart sent Volker Reiche a photocopy of the sketch, and Reiche responded with this inked rendition.

Questions: Has this cover been published in Europe?

Sources

CR WDC 260 scout knot in hose [alternate version]

Barrier: ---
CBL: 10-000
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: [none or unknown]
Publication date: 1990, August
Issue: The Carl Barks Library - Set X
Pages: 1
Intended issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 260, Vol. 22, No. 8
Intended publication date: 1962, May

Additional credits: Alternate version of W WDC 260-00 scout knot in hose. Donald's has straight legs, in comparison with his bended legs in the published version. The ground below him is empty, whereas the published version shows a small puddle below the head of the hose.

Questions: What's the story behind this alternate cover? Why has it been rejected? Has Barks ever commented on it?

Sources

maharajah donald [cover]

Inducks: ...
Barrier: ---
CBL: ---
Type: cover, illustrating "Maharajah Donald" reprint
Art: [unknown]
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: [none]
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1994, June
Issue: The Carl Barks Library of Donald Duck Adventures in Color No. 6
Pages: 1
Based on: CRI 14 maharajah donald [cover design]

Changes: The inked art has differences in the background and foreground. Barks' design contains more trees in the background; on the foreground there are differences in the treasure.

Surviving material:

CRI 14 maharajah donald [cover design]

Questions: As the cover could also be a redrawn mix of «in "Maharajah Donald"» panels (1.1 and 11.4), the similarity between Barks' rough design and the inked art could be coincidence. Can someone verify or refute the connection between them?

Sources

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ARC LICGY 6 head scratching machine

Barrier: ---
CBL: ---
Type: cover
Art: William Van Horn
Script: [Carl Barks?]
Hero: [Gyro Gearloose?]
Submission: [none or unknown]
Publication date: 1993, June
Issue: The Carl Barks Library of Gyro Gearloose Comics and Fillers in Color No. 6.
Pages: 1
Intended issue: [Gyro Gearloose One Shot ?]
Intended publication date: [none or unknown]

Additional credits: Previously unpublished cover idea pencil. Maybe it was made in the late 1950s or early 1960s, and intended to be used as Gyro Gearloose One Shot.

Walt Disney Comics & Stories 355, Vol. 30, No. 7 contains an earlier inked version by an unknown artist.

Surviving material: