John D. Rockerduck

[Daniel van Eijmeren]

GILLES MAURICE, 07-03-2001:

> I'm working on Scrooge's doubles, from all creators. [...] The first,
> well known, is John D. Rockerduck, created by our dear Uncle Carl in
> 1961, and continued by many italian creators...

Rockerduck made his one and only Barks appearance in "Boat Buster"
(WDC 255). 

Why was Rockerduck continued by Italian artists, instead of (for example)
the more developed Flintheart Glomgold? When did "Boat Buster" appear in
Italy and when did the first non-Barks Rockerduck appear?

Was Rockerduck invented to be used in Italy or did Italy decide for
themselves to use Rockerduck again?

The Inducks people have noticed that in the early 1960s some Western covers
appeared in Europe at almost the moment as in the USA, but inked by
European artists instead. I don't know the details about this, but it made
me wonder if it's possible that Rockerduck could have been created on
request of the Italian editor. (But then again, why didn't they use 
Flintheart Glomgold instead? Was Flintheart still unknown/unpublished in
Italy at that time?)

Has Barks ever commented on his creation of Rockerduck?

BTW. Examples of "simultaneous" European/USA covers should be the
covers of US 44 and WDC 261. I don't know about others.


Best wishes,

--- Daniel

"Yoo, hoo! Hoo! Hoo! I'm a cheating teen from Abilene!"
(Which one?) :-)