Unca Apostrophe

[Daniel van Eijmeren]

Recently there was a discussion about whether one should spell
"Barks'" or "Barks's". The apostrophe itself reminded me of the
temporary usage of the apostrophe after the word "unca" in Disney comics.

In Barks' Codfish Cove serum story (WDC 114, March 1950), the
apostrophe that had appeared after "Unca" whenever the nephews
spoke to or about Donald was dropped. In 1983 notes for the
Carl Barks Library Barks recalled that: "I dropped the apostrophe
because I was beginning to feel it was redundant. The word Unca
had become part of the language." 

The Carl Barks Library notes: "Western Publishing's editors observed
this, or at least there must have been some communication on the subject,
because non-Barks duck stories drawn at the same time also dropped the
apostrophe." 

Floyd Gottfredson is mentioned as an exception, because he never used
anything but "Unca" - without the apostrophe - from the early 1930s when
he had Mickey Mouse's nephews use the form.

(The above information is taken from set 8, page 118.)

I don't know if it's common knowlegde (or interesting), but while browsing
through The Carl Barks Library I noticed that the serum story wasn't the
very first Barks WDC-story without the apostrophe. 

I've made a list of these stories, based on The Carl Barks Library reprints.
Despite extensive checking, I do not know for sure if it's complete
or free from errors/typo's. On later date I will check all stories over
again and send an update on any additions and errors I'll find. If you find
errors or additions, you're welcome to send them.

"UNCA" refers to Unca without apostrophe (Unca).
"APOSTROPHE" refers to Unca with apostrophe (Unca').
The numbers refer to the panels ("page.panel").

1942 October:
 OS 9 - Carl Barks - Finds Pirate Gold! - APOSTROPHE
  (1.4, 1.6, 2.3, 12.4)
 OS 9 - Jack Hannah - Finds Pirate Gold! - UNCA
  (3.1, 3.3, 3.6, 6.4, 63.1)

1943 April:
 WDC 31 - victory garden - UNCA
  (1.2, 2.5, 2.6, 3.3, 4.2, 5.2, 8.2, 8.6, 9.5, 10.1, 10.3, 10.6)

1943 May:
 WDC 32 - the rabbit's foot - UNCA
  (1.1, 1.6, 2.2, 2.6, 3.1, 3.6, 4.1, 4.6,
   6.3, 7.1, 7.3, 8.1, 8.4, 9.4, 10.1, 10.6)

1943 June:
 WDC 33 - lifeguard daze - UNCA
  (1.3, 1.5, 2.3, 3.6, 4.1, 4.2, 5.4, 5.6, 6.6, 7.2, 7.3, 9.4, 10.3, 10.7)

1943 July:
 WDC 34 - good deeds - UNCA
  (1.1, 2.1, 4.1, 4.6, 5.2, 5.5, 5.6, 6.1, 6.4, 7.5, 10.2, 10.7)

1943 August:
 WDC 35 - the limber w guest ranch - UNCA & APOSTROPHE
  (Unca: 1.2, 2.5, 3.4, 4.6, 5.1, 5.4, 6.3,
         7.1, 7.3, 7.5, 7.6, 8.6, 9.1, 10.1, 10.5)
  (Apostrophe: 5.2)

1943 September:
 WDC 36 - The Mighty Trapper - UNCA
  (1.3, 1.4, 2.5, 6.3, 6.5, 9.4, 9.5, 10.1, 10.5)

 OS 29 - The Mummy's Ring - UNCA
  (1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 5.6, 7.2, 7.4, 9.1, 9.6, 10.1,
   10.3, 11.5, 13.3, 13.6, 14.3, 16.3, 17.5, 18.1, 19.2, 20.5, 28.1, 28.2)

 OS 29 - The Hard Loser - UNCA
  (1.1, 2.3, 2.5, 4.6, 6.3, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 9.1, 9.3, 10.6)

 OS 29 - Too Many Pets - UNCA
  (1.4, 2.4, 3.1, 6.1, 9.2, 10.1, 10.3, 11.1, 12.2,
   13.1, 14.1, 14.5, 15.6,  16.2, 16.5, 16.6, 18.1, 26.7)

 OS 29 - illustrations (not by Barks) - UNCA

1943 October:
 No Barks publications?

1943 November:
 WDC 38 - Good Neighbors - UNCA
  (2.3, 3.5, 4.4, 6.2, 7.3, 7.6, 8.2, 9.2, 9.5, 9.6, 10.1)

1943 December:
 WDC 39 - Salesman Donald - APOSTROPHE(!)
  (2.4, 2.6, 3.1, 3.4, 4.2, 5.5, 6.6, 8.3, 8.4, 10.3)

1944 January:
 WDC 40 - Snow Fun - APOSTROPHE(!)
  (1.1, 2.4, 2.6, 3.5, 4.6, 5.2, 5.5, 6.4, 7.5, 8.6, 9.1, 10.5)

1944 February:
 WDC 41 - The Duck in the Iron Pants - UNCA
  (1.2, 3.2, 3.4, 4.2, 4.6, 5.4, 5.6)
 
1944 March:
 WDC 42 - Kite Weather - UNCA
  (2.8, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 6.3)

1944 April:
 WDC 43 - Three Dirty Little Ducks - UNCA
  (2.2, 2.6, 4.7, 8.7, 8.8, 9.3, 10.5)

1944 May:
 WDC 44 - The Mad Chemist - UNCA
  (1.7, 2.2, 2.4, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 4.4, 4.7, 5.7,
   6.3, 6.7, 7.2, 7.8, 8.3, 10.2, 10.4, 10.7, 10.10)

1944 June:
 WDC 45 - Rival Boatmen - UNCA
  (1.2, 9.1, 9.3, 9.6, 9.7, 10.6, 10.7)

1944 July:
 WDC 46 - Camera Crazy - UNCA
  (1.1, 1.4, 1.7, 2.5, 2.6, 2.8, 3.8, 5.4, 6.4, 9.7, 9.8) 

1944 August:
 WDC 47 - farragut the falcon - APOSTROPHE & UNCA
  (Apostrophe: 1.1, 1.5, 1.7, 2.2, 2.8, 3.1, 6.7, 7.6, 8.5, 10.5)
  (Unca: 5.7)
  
1944 September:
 WDC 48 - the purloined putty - APOSTROPHE
  (1.3, 1.6, 3.2, 5.3, 7.1, 7.3, 7.6, 9.4)


1950 March:
 WDC 114 - serum to codfish cove - UNCA
  (1.4, 2.1, 3.1, 3.5, 3.8, 6.8, 7.2, 8.5, 8.8, 9.1, 9.2, 9.5, 9.7)

 OS 275 - In Ancient Persia - UNCA
  (2.5, 13.6, 14.5, 15.6, 17.5, 17.8, 18.4,
   18.8, 19.5, 20.6, 24.1, 24.4, 24.5, 24.9)

I'm curious how Barks' usage of the apostrophe matches with the other
artists at the time. Gottfredson is mentioned as an exception, but 
(as far as I know) he only/mostly worked for the newspaper.

For example, in "Finds Pirate Gold!" (OS 9), Barks uses the apostrophe
while Jack Hannah doesn't. Barks' next story, his first ten-pager (WDC 31),
does not contain the apostrophe. 

Does WDC 114 (and other then-current issues) still contain some stories
with an apostrophe? Or do the apostrophes in all stories disappear at once?


Best wishes,

--- Daniel

"A penny SAVED is a penny EARNED!"
(Which story? I intend this one to be *very* difficult.) :-)