Disney-comics digest #850.

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

DAVID:

Still no word on the license renewal?  How long is Disney going to wait?  
Or does Gladstone have to file something first?  Am I correct in assuming 
that Gladstone still wants the license, by the way?

DON:

OK, here is the paragraph from WDG #3:

"While we awaited Disney's go-ahead, we designed final cover graphics 
that worked wth our established cover format, yet recreated the "feel" of 
Superman #1.  But it was a long-time Disney fan, who didn't get the joke, 
who tipped us off that we might be on the wrong track.  If an old Disney 
fan didn't realize we were doing a take-off on the first issue of 
_Superman_, would the casual buyer? And, if not, what effect could that 
have on sales?

"Ultimately, the decision was made to "pass" on an unsure joke and 
present a more dynamic cover.

> Strangely enough,
> the Disney people only said to change DD's awkward pose, but approved the

They did mention that: "We liked [the cover design].  Granted, it was 
a somewhat cumbersome pose for Donald, but we reasoned the fans would get 
a real charge out of the joke."

> But John and I later decided
> that only old-time comics fans would catch the gag, and WE decided to do an
> entirely different cover. I mean, that would have been a GREAT gag cover,

OK, then let me say I would disagree here.  (I agree the gag was good, 
but the decision to drop the cover is disagreeable.)  Gladstone is a 
company which, in one week, will premiere WDC&S #601, its flagship title. 
It has been revamped to a new format aimed specifically for the 
collector's market - for Disney comics fans in America, this is mostly 
old-time readers or readers who would _get_ the jooke.  Gladstone has don 
nothing but cater to these fans.  Why change now in mid-stride?

> worst cover ever on an American Disney comic book (except, of course, that
> 3D Disney comic of a few years back). 

That's the only place I've ever read your Nostrildamus story, though.  I 
like 3-D comics.  Sure, I'd rather have the original stories in full 
glorious color, but it was an interesting format. (I have WVH's Mexican 
Jumping Bean 10-pager in full-color form, so it was interesting to see 
it 3-D'ed.)  But this would be a BIG digression...

>         Also too, you are wrong to say that the DD pose is the same as from
> the other Disney Disney comic that used that "Super Snooper Strikes Again".

Oops, you're right.  I just pulled Donald Duck Adventures #34 and looked 
at the cver.  It is a completely different post.  The only similarities 
are Donald's up-stretched arm, leg position (roughly - in one the foot 
points down, the other it points up), and his eyes looking upwards as he 
flies through the air.

My memory failed me. Sorry

>         Plus also too, this is the 4th time that same story of mine has been
> printed in America. Once in the Disney Disney issue, once in their DONALD
> AND $CROOGE "Don Rosa" $9 album, once in the hard-to-find 3-issue "Don Rosa"
> DONALD AND $CROOGE set sold only at Walmarts, and now once more. But you did
> NOT see the "first printing" of the story -- it was a reprint when you first
> saw it, remember. All this stuff appears in Europe first.

Oh, I understand.  When I refer to "first printings", I tend to refer to 
American first printing. What can I say?  I am America-centric.  I have 
that Disney issue.  I missed the Donald and $crooge album unfortunately. 
(I didn't have the money when it first came out.  Now that I have the 
money, it is out of print and not available through Diamond's Star System 
ordering.)  Walmart doesn't count, in my eyes.

Hope that clears some things up.

-Augie