Donald Duck

Donald Duck is an animated cartoon and comic-book character best known for his cartoons from Walt Disney Productions. Donald is a white anthropomorphic duck with yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He usually wears a sailor shirt and cap — but no pants (except when he goes swimming). Some people believe that Finland banned him because he has no trousers, but this is an urban legend, explained here.

Donald in comics

:Main article: Donald Duck in comics

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While Donald's cartoons enjoy vast popularity in the United States and around the world, his weekly and monthly comic books enjoy their greatest popularity in many European countries, most in Norway and Finland, but many other countries are right behind - most notably Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Most of them are produced and published by the Italian branch of the Walt Disney Company in Italy and by Egmont in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden.

Related Topics:
United States - European - Norway - Finland - Denmark - Germany - Italy - Netherlands - Sweden - Walt Disney Company - Egmont

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According to the Inducks, which is a database about Disney comics worldwide, American, Italian and Danish stories have been reprinted in the following countries. In most of them, publications continue: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, China (Hong Kong), Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark (Faroe Islands), Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Latvia., Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, USA, former Yugoslavia.

Related Topics:
Australia - Austria - Belgium - Brazil - Bulgaria - China - Hong Kong - Colombia - Czech Republic - Denmark - Faroe Islands - Egypt - Estonia - Finland - France - Germany - Greece - Guyana - Hungary - Iceland - India - Indonesia - Israel - Italy - Latvia - Lithuania - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Portugal - Romania - Russia - Saudi Arabia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden - Thailand - Turkey - United Kingdom - USA - Yugoslavia

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Early development

Though a 1931 Disney publication called Mickey Mouse Annual mentioned a character named Donald Duck, the character's first appearance in comic-strip format was a newspaper cartoon that was based on the short The Wise Little Hen and published in 1934. For the next few years, Donald made a few more appearances in Disney-themed strips, and by 1936, he had grown to be one of the most popular characters in the Silly Symphonies comic strip. Ted Osborne was the primary writer of these strips, with Al Taliaferro as his artist. Osborne and Taliaferro also introduced several members of Donald's supporting cast, including his nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

Related Topics:
1931 - Mickey Mouse Annual - Comic-strip - 1934 - 1936 - Silly Symphonies - Ted Osborne - Al Taliaferro - Huey, Dewey, and Louie

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In 1937, an Italian publisher named Mondadori created the first Donald Duck story intended specifically for comic books. The eighteen-page story, written by Federico Pedrocchi, is the first to feature Donald as an adventurer rather than simply a comedic character. Fleetway in England also began publishing comic-book stories featuring the duck.

Related Topics:
1937 - Mondadori - Comic book - Federico Pedrocchi - Fleetway - England

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Developments under Taliaferro

A daily Donald Duck comic strip drawn by Taliaferro and written by Bob Karp began running in the United States on 2 February 1938; the Sunday strip began the following year. Taliaferro and Karp created an even larger cast of characters for Donald's world. He got a new St. Bernard named Bolivar, and his family grew to include cousin Gus Goose and grandmother Elvira Coot. Donald's new rival girlfriends were Donna and Daisy Duck. Taliaferro also gave Donald his very own automobile, a 1934 Belchfire Runabout, in a 1938 story.

Related Topics:
Bob Karp - United States - 2 February - 1938 - St. Bernard - Bolivar - His family - Gus Goose - Elvira Coot - Donna - Daisy Duck - 1934 - Belchfire Runabout

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Developments under Barks

In 1942, Western Publishing began creating original comic-book stories about Donald and other Disney characters. Bob Karp worked on the earliest of these, a story called "Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold". The new publisher meant new illustrators, however: Carl Barks and Jack Hannah. Barks would later repeat the treasure-hunting theme in many more stories.

Related Topics:
1942 - Western Publishing - Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold - Carl Barks - Jack Hannah - Treasure-hunting

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Barks soon took over the major development of the comic-book version of the duck as both writer and illustrator. Under his pen, the comic version of Donald diverged even further from his animated counterpart, becoming more adventurous, less temperamental, and more eloquent. Black Pete was the only other major character from the Mickey Mouse comic strip to feature prominently in Barks' new Donald Duck universe.

Related Topics:
Black Pete - Donald Duck universe

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Barks placed Donald in the city of Duckburg, which Barks populated with a host of supporting players, including Gladstone Gander (1948), Gyro Gearloose, and Uncle Scrooge McDuck (1947). Many of Taliaferro's characters made the move to Barks' world as well, including Huey, Dewey, and Louie. Barks placed Donald in both domestic and adventure scenarios, and Uncle Scrooge became one of his favorite characters to pair up with Donald. Scrooge's popularity grew, and by 1952, the character had a comic book of his own. At this point, Barks concentrated his major efforts on the Scrooge stories, and Donald's appearances became more focused on comedy or he was recast as Scrooge's reluctant helper, following his rich uncle around the globe.

Related Topics:
Duckburg - Gladstone Gander - 1948 - Gyro Gearloose - Scrooge McDuck - 1947 - 1952

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Further developments

Dozens of writers continued to utilize Donald in their stories around the world. Italian publisher Mondadori created many of the stories that were published throughout Europe. They also introduced numerous new characters who are today well known in Europe. One example is Donald Duck's alter-ego, a superhero called Paperinik in Italian.

Related Topics:
Superhero - Paperinik - Italian

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