Floyd Gottfredson Library

[Olivier (M&D)]

Thank you very much, Jonathan, for a most interesting personal experience 
and viewpoint.

As I said clearly, I would naturally prefer to have a reprint the original 
strips, with a several forewords, as on the DVDs-- and indeed, as I should 
have recalled sooner, as is the case in Gemstone's own (splendid) "Disney 
Treasures" book, which features a page by David Gerstein on this subject: "A 
Closer Look at 'The Money Mint' and 'Race to the South Seas'". As a matter 
of fact, David used two panels from "In Search of  Jungle Treasure" to make 
a point on Gottfredson's undermining of  the stereotype (p 34):
"Old-time Disney comics invoke ethnic and regional stereotypes-- even as 
they mock Western culture for its faith in those stereotypes. In this 
example from 'In Search of  Jungle Treasure' (1937-- not included in this 
volume),  Goofy bears the brunt of  the joke for his presumption that rural 
Africans should be uneducated."
(Goofy is stunned: "Fur Gawsh sakes! Imagine them natives understandin' a 
foreign language like that! I thought they was *ignorant*!")
Like the DVDs, this note by David made me hope for the best.

I am quite aware that the decision is easier to make in our shoes than in 
that of  the people actually in charge, and Gemstone certainly is not to 
blame.

David & Gary, if it's not too indiscrete: what was the Company's reaction to 
David's note?
Did they read submissions for more such essays that could introduce comic 
strips?

Like Francesco, I don't think I will boycott this, because I know Gemstone 
will do the best job of  printing it and, as I said in my previous message, 
we surely are a minority compared to the millions who will buy the books and 
not be aware of  anything missing.

On the other hand, I have never bought a compressed audio-only download-only 
release of  any film score, because I want uncompressed audio; in this 
specialized, niche market, the opinion of  many like me did make a 
difference, and one small publisher increased the bitrate, then decided to 
switch from download-only to download and physical CD releases.
Here, though, I doubt we can make a difference.

The only hope, then, would be a special (official) "Forbidden Disney" 
collection, but that would be even riskier a move on Disney's part.

It's a terrible thing, really.
Even a redrawn reprint would be better, with sample panels and explanations. 
I think it would be a huge step, that might lead later by the complete and 
unadulterated anthology we want.



Olivier