Magica the sorceress/witch

[Daniel van Eijmeren]

OLIVIER to me, 29-08-2003:

>> In Barks's "Ten-cent Valentine" (WDC 258), Scrooge calls Magica both a
>> sorceress *and* a witch. The witch-reference can be found in panel 9.8:
>> "Drop your WEAPONS, you witch!"
>> So, looking at this story, it's discussable if Magica De Spell is a
>> sorceress or a witch.

> Well, "witch" here is used in a pejorative way more than by reference to
> what she actually is. You can call a woman a "hag", a "crone", or a 
> "witch", regardless of her actually being one; "sorceress" is just too 
> long for such a use. So I don't think it's conclusive here.

Yes, that's why I said it's discussable. 

I have checked another Barks story, "Oddball Odyssey" (US 40). This story
seems to have the same pattern as in "Ten-cent Valentine" (WDC 258):

- Magica calls herself a sorceress.
- The Ducks call Magica both a sorceress *and* a witch.

I don't know what is mentioned in other Barks stories, though. And maybe I 
didn't look minutely enough.

> Now, I must very humbly say I'm a bit confused as to the nuances between
> witch, sorcerer(ess), magician, wizard, ...

I'm also a bit confused about that. Maybe the borders between the words 
have become vague, as often happens with words that have meanings that 
look alike.

> From the dictionary (Cambridge)--
> witch: a woman who is believed to have magical powers and who uses them 
> to harm or help other people. [...]
> sorcery: a type of magic in which spirits, esp evil ones, are used to 
> make things happen

I can't remember a Barks instance in which spirits are used to make things 
happen. Does such a Barks story exist?

As far as I know, a witch also is person who lives close to nature, knowing 
much about nature's possibilities to make potions, or just a good cup of 
healthy tea, etc. (Something which made/makes people superstitious, thinking 
of magical powers instead of nature's powers.)

Maybe this Cambridge dictionary version only contains short definitions, 
like a pocket dictionary?

>> "Did another missile blow up on the launching pad?"

> Isn't that from the Valentine Magica story? Or maybe simply here first
> appearance?

Yes, it's from "Ten-cent Valentine". It's not from her first appearance.
(It might be her first appearance in Walt Disney Comics and Stories, 
though. I don't know for sure, at the moment.)

> In any case, that's Donald's line after being foof bombed. I believe 
> the panel shows him staggering, seeing stars.

It's Scrooge, instead of Donald.

--- Daniël