Donald's uncle Ludwig

Lars Jensen lpj at forfatter.dk
Wed Apr 7 00:09:57 CEST 2004


I wrote:

> In the context of Don Rosa's Duck Universe, however, you're right: It
> is a very logical (and very good) idea to have Ludwig be married to
> Scrooge's sister.

Matthew Williams responded:

> I don't like the idea of [Matilda] and Ludwig marrying, even though it
> follows some degree of logic.  Although this marriage works on a
> family tree, acknowledging the marriage forces me to take two huge
> leaps:
>
> 1. Ludwig is a married duck.
> 2. Ludwig is romantically involved with [Matilda].
>
> I love Ludwig, and I love [Matilda], but don't you think their life
> together would be miserable?

And then Daniel J. Neyer wrote:

> [Ludwig Von Drake] stated in one of his cartoon appearances ("Kids is
> Kids") that he was a bachelor.

Note that I wrote: "In the context of Don Rosa's Duck Universe". In more
than one case, if you put Don's ideas next to "accepted" Duck lore,
there will be puzzling situations. Scrooge has been used in comics since
1947 -- and suddenly, in 2004, his sister Hortense (never before seen in
current continuity) is shown to be alive and well. Why haven't we seen
her in earlier stories? In American and Danish material Donald Duck
mostly hasn't been used with José Carioca and Panchito Pistoles since
the mid-1940s -- and suddenly the three are supposed to be best friends?
Huey, Dewey and Louie have been appearing with other Junior Woodchucks
since the early 1950s -- and suddenly we're told they are directly
related to the founder of the 'Chucks? Why hasn't anybody ever commented
on this in previous Duck stories?

The answer is, of course, that these "facts" didn't exist before Don
Rosa made them up. Several of Don's ideas are not so much "explanations"
of past riddles, as retcons. Hortense *didn't* exist in current-day
continuity before 2004; she does now. Donald, José and Panchito
*weren't* best of friends before Don's "Three Caballeros" story; they
are now. And HDL didn't *use* to be related to the JW founder; they are
now.

I'm not going to try to speak on Don's behalf, but it seems to me like
he's not as much trying to make every "fact" ever presented everywhere
fit into a consistent "reality", as much as create a "reality" that will
hopefully let a lot of established "facts" fit in. Most Barks stories
fit in; Ludwig's remark from "Kids is Kids" about being a bachelor does
not.

The question is, of course, what you the reader prefer: A
hopefully-consistant Rosa "reality" where "Kids is Kids" (and presumably
lots of other material) are ignored? Or a not-very-defined "reality"
where all "facts" are equally valid? Or perhaps some intermediate phase?
(For instance: All facts are valid, except that the creator of the
concept is always right. Which, amongst other things, means that Ludwig
is a bachelor.)

Anyway, if you dislike the idea of retcons, or Don's ideas in general,
then simply disregard his stories. Egmont produces thousands of pages
each year that never once mention Hortense, Ludwig, José, Panchito or
the nephews' possible relationship to the founder of the Woodchucks.
Regard Don's ideas as exclusive to his stories alone.

Oh, and I think anybody who lived with Ludwig would have to put up with
a lot.

Lars





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