A Guidebook to the Carl Barks Universe

You've quoted (WDC 263-01) from a Barks letter written to me. I knew he was ultra-organized when it came to keeping records about his work, but didn't realize that he kept copies of his letters to me. Was it a photocopy or a carbon copy? Probably a carbon, back in those days.
The reason I'm so interested is that one of the letters he wrote me has long since gone the way of all good things. I would sure like to find a copy of it. It was where he was telling me that he been working on development of a new character to act as an additional foil for Scrooge: the Sorceress. If you have any idea of how I could get my paws on a copy of that letter please let me know.

Cross-references: «Ten-cent Valentine» contains a cross-reference.

Questions: Does someone know if and where a copy of this lost letter has been published?

Sources

W US 36-02 Duckburg's Day of Peril

Barrier: MBAC-146
CBL: 04C-541
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Gyro Gearloose
Submission: 1961, May 3
Publication date: 1962, December-February
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 36
Pages: 4

Surviving material: The Midas Touch / Duckburg's Day of Peril / Safe [penciled title lettering]

Sources

W US 36-04 Money Bag Goat

Barrier: MBAC-146
CBL: 04C-545
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, May 3
Publication date: 1962, December-February
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 36
Pages: 6

Sources

W US 37-00 patches on money bags

Barrier: MBAC-146
CBL: 04C-551
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, March 27
Publication date: 1962, March-May
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 37
Pages: 1

Sources

W US 37-01 The Windy Story

Barrier: MBAC-146
CBL: 04C-582
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1957, October 31
Publication date: 1962, March-May
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 37
Pages: 1

Sources

W US 37-02 Cave of Ali Baba

Barrier: MBAC-146
CBL: 04C-553
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, July 7
Publication date: 1962, March-May
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 37
Pages: 16

Sources

W US 37-04 The Great Pop Up

Barrier: MBAC-146
CBL: 04C-569
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Gyro Gearloose
Submission: 1961, August 22
Publication date: 1962, March-May
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 37
Pages: 4

Sources

W US 37-05 Deep Down Doings

Barrier: MBAC-146
CBL: 04C-573
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, July 13
Publication date: 1962, March-May
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 37
Pages: 9

Sources

W US 38-01 Monkey Business

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-602
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, November 1
Publication date: 1962, June-August
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 38
Pages: 1

Sources

W US 38-02 The Unsafe Safe

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-583
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, October 11
Publication date: 1962, June-August
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 38
Pages: 19
Animated adaption: The Unbreakable Bin

Surviving material: The Midas Touch / Duckburg's Day of Peril / Safe [penciled title lettering]

Backstage: Remembering his early 1960s visits to Carl and Garé, Joseph Cowles recalls a time when Barks had him experiment with inking a few panels of an Uncle Scrooge story. Detailed information

Other views:

picture as supplied by Joseph Cowles: width=815 height=604; ±630kB

Sources

W US 38-04 Madcap Inventors

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-603
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Gyro Gearloose
Submission: 1961, November 3
Publication date: 1962, June-August
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 38
Pages: 3 3/4
Filled out with: circulation statement

Layout: Doesn't end with a full page.

Sources

W US 38-05 Much Luck McDuck

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-607
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, October 16
Publication date: 1962, June-August
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 38
Pages: 7

Sources

W US 38-06 Collection Day

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-614
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, November 1
Publication date: 1962, June-August
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 38
Pages: 0 1/2
Filled out with: [unknown material]

Layout: Doesn't end with a full page.

Questions: What material fills out the comic book page?

Sources

W US 38-07 Seeing Is Believing

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-615
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, November 1
Publication date: 1962, June-August
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 38
Pages: 1

Sources

W US 38-08 Playmates

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-616
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, November 1
Publication date: 1962, June-August
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 38
Pages: 1

Sources

W US 39-00 dollar-sign smoke signal

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-617
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, November 1
Publication date: 1962, September-November
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 39
Pages: 1

Additional credits: A surviving cover preliminary contains a penciled date of 1955.

Surviving material:

dollar smoke signal [cover preliminary]

Sources

W US 39-01 Getting the Bird

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-514
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, January 15
Publication date: 1962, September-November
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 39
Pages: 1

Sources

W US 39-02 A Spicy Tale

My rare wild nutmegs from the upper Amazon!
I've got to have them!
-- Uncle Scrooge

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-619
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, January 15
Publication date: 1962, September-November
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 39
Pages: 18

Changes: In panel 18.8, the lettering of the word "fibber" and the spacing before and after it indicate that it replaced an original text written by Barks. It's unclear if this change was made before or after the story's submission. Possibly, Scrooge's comment originally contained a reference to his nutmeg tea addiction.

Status: If changed, no original version is known to exist.

Backstage:

In a January 17, 1962 letter to Malcom Willits, Barks wrote that the story "takes a gentle poke at the Peace Corps - but gentle. I'm running out of nations which aren't fighting or rioting or committing aggression. So this story's locale was the Jivaro Indian country, which I've used to death, along with their head-shrinking gimmick."
In a May 29, 1973 interview by Donald Ault, Barks told about the story's gimmick of Scrooge being addicted to nutmeg tea.

Detailed information

Research: In 1985 or so it was the rage to brand any comic that mentioned drugs in any fashion as a "drug" issue. Apparently, this seemed more like a ploy among speculators as an excuse to charge more for that particular issue. "A Spicy Tale" was a drug issue because Scrooge was addicted to nutmeg. The Overstreet Price Guide lists several Barks comics as drug issues, like W WDC 112-02 rip van winkle and W OS 328-02 in Old California!.

Congruences:

CM 11 jivaro witch doctor: witch doctor
W US 32-02 That Small Feeling: witch doctor
W US 52-01 The Great Wig Mystery: witch doctor

Correspondence:

January 17, 1962 letter from Carl Barks to Malcolm Willits

Interviews:

May 29, 1973 interview by Donald Ault

Sources

W US 39-04 Finny Fun

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-637
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Gyro Gearloose
Submission: 1962, January 15
Publication date: 1962, September-November
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 39
Pages: 4

Sources

W US 39-05 Tricky Experiment

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-641
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, February 5
Publication date: 1962, September-November
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 39
Pages: 8

Sources

W US 39-06 Art Appreciation

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-614
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1961, November 1
Publication date: 1962, September-November
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 39
Pages: 0 1/2
Filled out with: [unknown material]

Layout: Doesn't end with a full page.

Questions: What material fills out the comic book page?

Sources

W US 39-07 Nest Egg Collector

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-540
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, January 15
Publication date: 1962, September-November
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 39
Pages: 1

Sources

W US 40-00 santa scrooge and sack of money

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-618
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, May 21
Publication date: 1963, January
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 40
Pages: 1

Layout:

Logo in upper right.

Sources

W US 40-02 Oddball Odyssey

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-657
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, April 12
Publication date: 1963, January
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 40
Pages: 19

Layout: Published without panel borders of any kind.

Western established a rule affecting shape and position of dialogue balloons, panel arrangement, etc. (See US 41-02 for more information.

Surviving material: CX US 40 Oddball Odyssey [surviving cut material]

CBL-notes: For all panels, originally missing frames are added. In this story, Barks adapted to the square-format layout the editor shortly decided to use.

Backstage: In a January 17, 1962 letter to Malcom Willits, Barks wrote about "A Spicy Tale" (US 39-02), adding some plans for what became "Oddball Oddyssey": "Next story I will try to use the Sorceress Magica de Spell again. She's strictly non-political in any language!"

Correspondence:

Sources

W US 40-04 Posthasty Postman

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-677
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Gyro Gearloose
Submission: 1962, April 18
Publication date: 1963, January
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 40
Pages: 4

Layout: Published with strips of colours as panel borders.

Western established a rule affecting shape and position of dialogue balloons, panel arrangement, etc. (See US 41-02 for more information.

CBL-notes: For all panels, thick black frames are added. This instead of the coloured ones in the original. In this story, Barks adapted to the square-format layout the editor shortly decided to use.

Sources

CX US 40 Oddball Odyssey [surviving cut material]

Barrier: ---
CBL: ---
Type: story segment
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: [none or unknown]
Publication date: [none or unknown]
Issue: [none or unknown]
Pages: 1
Intended issue: Uncle Scrooge 40
Intended publication date: 1963, January

Additional credits: Alternate version of page 2. The balloons were not done correctly, so the page was rejected. According to the source of this information, Matti Eronen's Carl Barks' Surviving Comic Book Art, there are no big differences with the published version.

See Oddball Odyssey, for more information.

Surviving material: Reportedly, the original art has survived.

Sources

W US 41-02 The Status Seeker

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-685
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, May 16
Publication date: 1963, March
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 41
Pages: 20
Animated adaption: The Status Seekers

Backstage: Barks: ". . . There's been come changes in the drawing size and lettering style of all Whitman comics. It's got me and all the other artists mad and confused. Perhaps by the middle of the month I'll have some shining examples of the new format to show you. Right now I'm writing a 20 page Scrooge. Believe me, you're smart if you've decided to seek your fortune in other fields than cartooning . . . ." (27 April 1962 letter to Joseph Cowles) Detailed information

Cross-references: When Scrooge tries to hide the Candy-striped Ruby by putting it in a batch of peppermint candy, 176-761 says: "You remember one time Scrooge almost fooled us by making gold nuggets look like corn!" (17.6) This is a cross-reference to what happened a few years earlier, in «All at Sea».

Sources

W US 41-04 Snow Duster

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-705
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Gyro Gearloose
Submission: 1962, March 19
Publication date: 1963, March
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 41
Pages: 4

Sources

W US 42-01 dueling field

Barrier: MBAC-147
CBL: 04C-681
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, September 24
Publication date: 1963, May
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 42
Pages: 1

Sources

W US 42-02 the Case of the Sticky Money

Barrier: MBAC-148
CBL: 04C-709
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, September 17
Publication date: 1963, May
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 42
Pages: 20

Appearances: No. C 96388002 J (greenback number, 5.6); No. E 12278464 B, No. D 27913149 B, No. J 86556958 A (greenback numbers, 6.6); Plushwood Oaks (location, 8.5); J 86556958 A, C 09276978 A, F 05533417 A (changed greenback numbers, 9.5).

Updates: Panel 5.6 was used for an advertisement in Uncle Scrooge No. 45, 1963.

Sources

W US 42-05 genie of the lamp

Barrier: MBAC-148
CBL: 04C-682
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, September 24
Publication date: 1963, May
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 42
Pages: 1

Sources

W US 42-07 coin glued to sidewalk

Barrier: MBAC-148
CBL: 04C-747
Type: gag
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, September 24
Publication date: 1963, May
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 42
Pages: 1

Sources

W US 43-00 money bowl

Barrier: MBAC-148
CBL: 04C-683
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, November 5
Publication date: 1963, July
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 43
Pages: 1

Layout:

Logo in upper right.

Sources

W US 43-01 For Old Dime's Sake

Barrier: MBAC-148
CBL: 04C-729
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, July 16
Publication date: 1963, July
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 43
Pages: 18

Research: The title "For Old Dime's Sake" is based on the phrasing "for old times' sake". The meaning of "for old times' sake" is hard to define, but means roughly -- "because of past pleasurable experiences." For example, if you were to ask a favor of someone you had once known well, but had not contacted them for many years, you might ask them to grant the favor in memory of the good times of the past -- "for old times' sake."

Sources

W US 44-00 money nest

Barrier: MBAC-148
CBL: 05A-019
Type: cover
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1963, January 17
Publication date: 1963, August
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 44
Pages: 1

Layout:

Logo in upper right.

Updates: The cover idea for this art-only cover was already used in Italy and Denmark, before the submission and USA publication of Barks' version.

Sources

W US 44-01 Crown of the Mayas

Barrier: MBAC-148
CBL: 05A-021
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, December 10
Publication date: 1963, August
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 44
Pages: 21

Sources

W US 44-04 The Invisible Intruder

Barrier: MBAC-148
CBL: 05A-043
Type: story
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [unknown]
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1962, December 26
Publication date: 1963, August
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 44
Pages: 6

Landmark: First (and last) Barks story with the appearance of Scrooge as kid.

Sources

W US 45-00 golden geese nest

Barrier: MBAC-148
CBL: 05A-020
Type: cover, illustrating «Isle of Golden Geese»
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: Uncle Scrooge
Submission: 1963, March 6
Publication date: 1963, October
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 45
Pages: 1

Layout:

Logo in upper right.

Sources

W US 45-99 Bargain Offer!

Barrier: ---
CBL: ---
Type: advertisement
Art: [Carl Barks]
Script: [unknown]
Submission: [none or unknown]
Publication date: 1963, October
Issue: Uncle Scrooge 45
Pages: 1

Additional credits: Published on inside front cover. Details unknown. Drawing of Scrooge is taken/copied from the Case of the Sticky Money (panel 5.6).

Questions: Do you know more about the history and making of this advertisement?

Sources