A Guidebook to the Carl Barks Universe

Backstage: In an October 14, 1969 letter to Winston Ljungdahl, Barks said that he has always considered this story "technically well done. It had a rhythm that could almost have been set to music".
In his 1983 notes for "The Carl Barks Library", Barks wrote: "I'm sure the lesson I preached in this story of easy riches will get me in a cell in a Siberian gulag someday".

Correspondence:

October 14, 1969 letter from Carl Barks to Winston Ljungdahl
1983 notes for The Carl Barks Library

Sources

W WDC 127-02 april fools' wallets

Barrier: MBAC-173
CBL: 08B-279
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1950, September 28
Publication date: 1951, April
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 127, Vol. 11, No. 7
Pages: 10

Research: A copy of Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" is shown, as part of the city dump (2.1). Hitler was a dictator in Germany and a number of other European countries, during World War II

Sources

W WDC 128-02 sir potskettle rehearsal

Barrier: MBAC-173
CBL: 08B-293
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1950, November 30
Publication date: 1951, May
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 128, Vol. 11, No. 8
Pages: 10

Sources

W WDC 129-02 swimming pool in back yard

Barrier: MBAC-173
CBL: 08B-303
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1950, December 7
Publication date: 1951, June
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 129, Vol. 11, No. 9
Pages: 10

Sources

W WDC 130-00 boat and eggbeaters

Barrier: MBAC-173
CBL: 08B-291
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Submission: 1951, February 22
Publication date: 1951, July
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 130, Vol. 11, No. 10
Pages: 1

Sources

W WDC 130-02 rare coin catalog

Barrier: MBAC-173
CBL: 08B-313
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1950, December 28
Publication date: 1951, July
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 130, Vol. 11, No. 10
Pages: 10

Sources

W WDC 131-00 skyrocket tied to leg

Barrier: MBAC-173
CBL: 08B-325
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Submission: 1951, March 1
Publication date: 1951, August
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 131, Vol. 11, No. 11
Pages: 1

Sources

W WDC 131-02 unluckiest golfer of the day

Barrier: MBAC-173
CBL: 08B-327
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, January 11
Publication date: 1951, August
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 131, Vol. 11, No. 11
Pages: 10

Congruences:

QMS 1938-015: golf contest
W WDC 96-02 hole-in-one caddies: golf contest

Sources

W WDC 132-00 do not pick flowers

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 06B-460; 08B-326
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: 1951, March ?
Publication date: 1951, September
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 132, Vol. 11, No. 12
Pages: 1

Sources

W WDC 132-02 merit badges try out

String is better! But us Woodchucks are taught to get along without department stores!
-- Huey

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-337
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, January 25
Publication date: 1951, September
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 132, Vol. 11, No. 12
Pages: 10

Sources

W WDC 132-04 attic fixed into guest room

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 06B-539
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: Grandma Duck
Submission: 1951, March 29
Publication date: 1951, September
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 132, Vol. 11, No. 12
Pages: 10

Layout:

Half page splash panel.
Contains freeform shaped panels.

Landmark: Barks's first and last Grandma Duck story in Walt Disney Comics and Stories.
Barks's first (and last?) use of Cinderella-characters Gus and Jaq.

Sources

W WDC 133-00 candy and nails

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-326
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Submission: 1951, May 5
Publication date: 1951, October
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 133, Vol. 12, No. 1
Pages: 1

Congruences:

W OS 356-00 rich look in the mirror: Original art taken out of the trash can at Poughkeepsie by one of the printers.
W OS 367-00 santa donald rides a toy train: Original art taken out of the trash can at Poughkeepsie by one of the printers.
W WDC 135-00 pilgrim donald and turkey nephews: Original art taken out of the trash can at Poughkeepsie by one of the printers.

Updates: Original art still exists. Together with a few other duck covers, it was taken out of the trash can at Poughkeepsie by one of the printers.

Sources

W WDC 133-02 a perfect place to play hookey

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-347
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, April 12
Publication date: 1951, October
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 133, Vol. 12, No. 1
Pages: 10

Sources

W WDC 134-00 jack-o-lantern face in pie

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-360
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: 1951, May 10
Publication date: 1951, November
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 134, Vol. 12, No. 2
Pages: 1

Sources

W WDC 134-02 spring gun canon

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-361
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, May 5
Publication date: 1951, November
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 134, Vol. 12, No. 2
Pages: 10

Landmark: First appearance of the Beagle Boys / Beagle Boys Inc. / Beagle Boys, Inc..
Scrooge refers to his safe as "money bin".

Research: Panel 4.3 mentions the Boer War. There were actually a few Boer Wars: wars in Southern Africa between the Boers (colonists of Dutch descent) and the English colonial power. Maybe the Boer War was in 1902. In one Dutch translation "de Boerenoorlog van 1902" is mentioned. The Dutch probably added "1902" because they (rightfully) thought that a Dutch child wouldn't know when the Boer War was...

Questions: Maybe the barrel from Queen Victoria's Royal Artillery (also shown on page 4) gives a clue which Boer War is meant?

Sources

W WDC 135-00 pilgrim donald and turkey nephews

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-359
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: 1951, May 10
Publication date: 1951, December
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 135, Vol. 12, No. 3
Pages: 1

Congruences:

W OS 356-00 rich look in the mirror: Original art taken out of the trash can at Poughkeepsie by one of the printers.
W OS 367-00 santa donald rides a toy train: Original art taken out of the trash can at Poughkeepsie by one of the printers.
W WDC 133-00 candy and nails: Original art taken out of the trash can at Poughkeepsie by one of the printers.

Updates: Original art still exists. Together with a few other duck covers, it was taken out of the trash can at Poughkeepsie by one of the printers.

Sources

W WDC 135-02 uncle scrooge's new money bin

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-371
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, May 31
Publication date: 1951, December
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 135, Vol. 12, No. 3
Pages: 10

Landmark: First appearance of the Money bin.

Appearances: 176-82 (5.8); 176-84 (5.8).

Sources

W WDC 136-00 water pistols punch bowl

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-360
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Submission: 1951, August 2
Publication date: 1952, January
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 136, Vol. 12, No. 4
Pages: 1

Sources

W WDC 136-02 three turkey raffles

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-381
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, June 7
Publication date: 1952, January
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 136, Vol. 12, No. 4
Pages: 10

Sources

W WDC 137-00 nephews have bed cover

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-393
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: Not listed (possibly either 1951, May 10; or 1951, September 27)
Publication date: 1952, February
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 137, Vol. 12, No. 5
Pages: 1

Additional credits: Although this cover is not on Barks's list, it may have been accepted on either May 10, 1951, or September 27, 1951; Barks's list shows dublicate entries for the front cover of Walt Disney Comics & Stories 140, Vol. 12, No. 8.

Sources

W WDC 137-02 the screaming cowboy

Oh, bury me thar
with my battered git-tar
a-screamin' my heart out fer yew!
-- Donald Duck

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-395
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, June 21
Publication date: 1952, February
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 137, Vol. 12, No. 5
Pages: 10

Description: Donald has been writing songs for three weeks until he succeeds by selling one of them, "The Screaming Cowboy". He celebrates it by taking the nephews to a ritzy winter resort in Avalance Valley. In the resort, he discovers a juke box with a record of the song.

Appearances: Soso Mountains (1.3); "The Screaming Cowboy" (song, 1.4); Avalance Valley (1.6); Junior Woodchuck (6.2); The Snow Hermit (8.4).

Trivia: The nephews' Junior Woodchucks rank is identified as "ten star generals" (6.2).

Research:

There has probably been no time in post-World War II history that the cowboy has enjoyed more media popularity than during the early 1950s. In this story songwriter Donald has obviously capitalized on the craze with "The Screaming Cowboy".
In the late 1920s or early 1930s (certainly no later than the mid 1930s), there was a country and western novelty record which contained a parody of both the typical and popular "sad" and "happy" cowboy songs of the period.
According to panels 2.5 and 7.3, the song was recorded with a "jug band". Listen to a mp3-excerpt of The Leasebreakers playing "Jug Band Duet" to hear an example of jug band music.

Detailed information

Updates: Goofy has been another "screaming cowboy" in "Goofy the Kid-- The moaning cowboy!", a story by Bill Walsh & Floyd Gottfredson (August 12 - August 24, 1946). Two lines from his songs are: "Daown in Taixas..." (August 20) and "...on thuh range..." (August 23).
In another story by Bill Walsh & Floyd Gottfredson, Mickey writes a song with dire consequences -- people literally go mad about it: "Bull-a-griddle- Fid-a-griddle-DEE!" (July 28 - August 9, 1947).

Sources

W WDC 138-00 flowers, candy and snow shovel

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-394
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: Not listed (possibly either 1951, May 10; or 1951, September 27)
Publication date: 1952, March
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 138, Vol. 12, No. 6
Pages: 1

Sources

W WDC 138-02 cornelius coot statues

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-405
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, July 12
Publication date: 1952, March
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 138, Vol. 12, No. 6
Pages: 10

Landmark: First appearance of a Cornelius Coot statue.

Backstage: In 1983 notes written for "The Carl Barks Library", Barks commented: "I used cartoonist's license to carry this statue-building contest to the ridiculous limits of nonsense. How will the world ever get along without Maharajah's?"

One reader found the town so real that she took umbrage at its endorsement of the money contest and wrote Western Publishing a complaint. "I don't blame that woman," Barks has said in an interview with Donald Ault and Thomas Andrae on 4 August 1975, "for writing a letter saying that she thought it was a gross misuse of money to build these enormous statues all crusted with diamonds when there were so many things that could have been done with that money, like building hospitals and schools and better jails."
"I wrote back to the office telling them that the woman missed the point entirely. The money that had been spent on those statues had bought labor and materials and had all gone into circulation, much better than if it had continued lying in the Maharadjah's money bin or Uncle Scrooge's money bin. It had created a tremendous amount of work, for jewelers and goldsmiths and concrete men and hydraulics experts. Everybody had a job out of that, so the money hadn't been wasted at all."

Correspondence:

written complaint from a woman to the editor
(lost?) letter from Carl Barks to the editor
1983 notes for The Carl Barks Library

Interviews:

August 4, 1975 interview by Donald Ault and Thomas Andrae

Sources

W WDC 139-00 apple sauce

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-394
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Submission: 1951, May 10
Publication date: 1952, April
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 139, Vol. 12, No. 7
Pages: 1

Sources

W WDC 139-02 racing pigeon vengeance

Yes! I got your message! And I returned it to you in that vase!
-- Daisy Duck

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-415
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, July 26
Publication date: 1952, April
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 139, Vol. 12, No. 7
Pages: 10

Sources

W WDC 140-00 swinging many clubs at one golf ball

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-427
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: 1951, May 10; and/or 1951, September 27
Publication date: 1952, May
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 140, Vol. 12, No. 8
Pages: 1

Additional credits: The artwork for this cover is entered under both of the above dates on Barks's list, and its contents is described in both instances. It is possible that the earlier entry is for the idea, and the later entry for the artwork, or that one of the entries is for another cover entirely.

See also additional credits under entries for WDC 137-00, WDC 137-00, and WDC 142-00.

Changes: Barks' original concept for this cover had Donald literally "seeing red". An editor at Western must have disliked this idea, however, and had a staff artist blacken in the Duck's pupils.

Reconstructions: In The Carl Barks Library - Set VIII, Barks's original intention is reconstructed.

Backstage: Barks has commented that on this cover, Scrooge was added as an afterthought because of the incredibly escalating popularity of the character at the time (the first issue of Uncle Scrooge appeared on the stands just a few months earlier, in March of 1952).

Sources

W WDC 140-02 gladstone's mystery

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-429
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, August 23
Publication date: 1952, May
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 140, Vol. 12, No. 8
Pages: 10

Landmark: First appearance of Gyro Gearloose.

Sources

W WDC 141-00 concertina and garden hose

Anders And 53-03

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-428
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: 1951, September 27
Publication date: 1952, June
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 141, Vol. 12, No. 9
Pages: 1

Changes: Apparently, this cover was changed by the editor. Water spurting against Donald's beak may have been removed; the solid black of his coat may have been removed; and his bowtie may have been added. If so, a reason could be that this was done to make Donald more recognizable as cover character.

David Gerstein in a May 14, 2001 e-mail: "I think we're really seeing two different inking jobs! Not only is the water on Donald's beak removed, but the drops forming the splashes are differently placed on the two covers, and the tree has different marks on its trunk from one version of the cover to the other.
While almost every other detail about the covers is the same, the texture of various lines differs, again suggesting that there are two legitimate Barks inks of this cover, but if so... why? And how?"

Status: The bowtie-less, solid black coat version has been published as front cover for the Danish comic "Anders And & Co." No. 3, 1953.

Updates: Larger scan of the art as on "Anders And & Co." No. 3 of 1953. (Circa 225Kb.)

Questions: How come that a different version was used in Europe? What was the relation between Western Publishing and Europe at that time?

Sources | image: © [Walt Disney Productions]

W WDC 141-02 think boxes

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-439
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1951, October 18
Publication date: 1952, June
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 141, Vol. 12, No. 9
Pages: 10

Sources

W WDC 142-00 popcorn and pigeons

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-428; 08B-495
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: Not listed.
Publication date: 1952, July
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 142, Vol. 12, No. 10
Pages: 1

Changes: Barks originally drew a background for this cover, but it was deleted by Western.

Status: Complete version appeared in Sweden, in Kalle Anka & C:o 4/1953; in Italy, on the back cover of "Topolino (Libretto)" 117, 1955; and in The Carl Barks Library - Set VIII.

Sources

W WDC 142-02 summer vacation on houseboat

Barrier: MBAC-174
CBL: 08B-449
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1952, January 10
Publication date: 1952, July
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 142, Vol. 12, No. 10
Pages: 10

Research: As part of Donald's grumbling, a swastika can be seen. (9.8)

Congruences:

... Be Leery of Lake Eerie [pencil script]: Reference to Lake Erie (as "Lake Eerie")

Sources

W WDC 143-00 phony shark fin

Barrier: MBAC-175
CBL: 08B-462
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: 1952, January 3
Publication date: 1952, August
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 143, Vol. 12, No. 11
Pages: 1

Sources

W WDC 143-01 a fortune in gems

Barrier: MBAC-175
CBL: 08B-463
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1952, January 10
Publication date: 1952, August
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 143, Vol. 12, No. 11
Pages: 10

Backstage: In an October 14, 1969 letter to Winston Ljungdahl, Barks wrote that this story "was inspired by the desert which is just over a range of hills from San Jacinto. I've sweated through heat waves and wind storms generated by that desert so many years it is no longer fun."

Correspondence:

October 14, 1969 letter from Carl Barks to Winston Ljungdahl

Sources

W WDC 144-00 caught on pole-vault

Barrier: MBAC-175
CBL: 08B-461
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: 1952, January 3
Publication date: 1952, September
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 144, Vol. 12, No. 12
Pages: 1

Additional credits: Similar to the fourth (last) panel of Al Taliaferro's September 13, 1938 Donald Duck daily strip.

Sources

W WDC 144-01 spending money

Barrier: MBAC-175
CBL: 08B-473
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1952, February 21
Publication date: 1952, September
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 144, Vol. 12, No. 12
Pages: 10
Intended issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 145, Vol. 13, No. 1
Intended publication date: 1952, October

Backstage: In his 1969 list of work for Western, Barks wrote about this story: "Slated for #145 W.D.C. but used in #144." The ten-pager originally intended for "Walt Disney's Comics and Stories" No. 144, listed as "golden apples", is lost.

Sources

CZ WDC 144 "golden apples"

Barrier: MBAC-199
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: "Donald Duck"
Submission: 1952, January 10
Publication date: [none or unknown]
Issue: [none or unknown]
Pages: 10
Intended issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 144, Vol. 12, No. 12
Intended publication date: 1952, September

Changes: The second unpublished Barks-story is one he lists as "Golden Apples", a ten-pager submitted Januari 3, 1952, planned for WDC 144. Detailed information

Status: The story is lost.

Interviews:

1974 interview by Michael Barrier
1976 and/or 1983 interview

Notes: As published, Barrier's book refers to "Atlanta" instead of the correct "Atalanta" in Barrier's manuscript.

Sources

W WDC 145-00 jumping rope with frankfurters

Barrier: MBAC-175
CBL: 08B-462
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: 1952, January 3
Publication date: 1952, October
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 145, Vol. 13, No. 1
Pages: 1

Sources

W WDC 145-01 hypnotized bill collector

Bing! You're hypnotized!
-- Donald Duck

Barrier: MBAC-175
CBL: 08B-483
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1952, March 6
Publication date: 1952, October
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 145, Vol. 13, No. 1
Pages: 10

Appearances: Rockjaw Bumrisk (5.4, 6.6).

Backstage: In 1983 notes for The Carl Barks Library, Barks wrote "this is the sort of story that only Donald can portray convincingly. Mickey could never be 'hypnotized' by such a simple gadget and Goofy could be hypnotized too easily. A good example of Donald's versatility as an 'actor'."

Correspondence:

1983 notes for The Carl Barks Library

Sources

W WDC 146-00 rolling in dry towel

Barrier: MBAC-175
CBL: 08C-498
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Submission: 1952, January 3
Publication date: 1952, November
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 146, Vol. 13, No. 2
Pages: 1

Sources

W WDC 146-01 a town called omelet

Barrier: MBAC-175
CBL: 08C-499
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1952, May 15
Publication date: 1952, November
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 146, Vol. 13, No. 2
Pages: 10

Sources

W WDC 147-00 cookies and buildo set

Barrier: MBAC-175
CBL: 08C-498
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: [none]
Submission: 1952, July 31
Publication date: 1952, December
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 147, Vol. 13, No. 3
Pages: 1

Sources

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W WDC 147-01 thanksgiving dinner for poor folks

Barrier: MBAC-176
CBL: 08C-509
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Donald Duck
Submission: 1952, May 29
Publication date: 1952, December
Issue: Walt Disney Comics & Stories 147, Vol. 13, No. 3
Pages: 10

Landmark: "Walt Disney's Comics and Stories" No.147 was the first issue in which the indicia were printed on the first page of the Donald Duck story, rather than on the inside front cover.

Changes: The bottom three rows of panels on the first page of this story appear to have been trimmed to accomodate the 2 inches of indicia. In most later issues, Barks himself left the necessary space open when drawing his stories.

Status: Original version is lost.

Sources

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