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Best comic you have never read: The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck

elkataselkatas Registered User regular
edited April 2009 in Graphic Violence
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The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck is Will Eisner Award winning storyline written and illustrated by Don Rosa. It chronicles story of Scrooge McDuck, last member of McDuck clan. Starting from year 1867, it shows journey of duck who wanted to be the world's richest, and who fought more than fifty years to achieve it. Story ends in the year 1947, when Scrooge first entered into world of comics.

The book is fascinating reading for several reasons. First and most importantly, it is well written and successfully gives Scrooge McDuck believable background, and makes him "human", instead of being just a penny-pinching duck with whole lotta money. It is also historically accurate, with Scrooge following trends that actually happened during those times. He owns steamboat just to see them pushed away by trains, he joins ranks of cattle baron Murdo MacKenzie, meets Roosevelt, almost manages to get hold of US's largest copper source thanks legal loophole, digs gold unsuccesfully in South Africa, and so on. Book is also goldmine for those who love Carl Barks' original Scrooge stories. Don Rosa was a big fan of his works, and many parts of the stories have been based on things that Rosa picked up from Barks' works.

The storyline has been collected into single, 256 pages long paperback in the US. It is currently out of print, but Gladstone does new print runs quite often. Those who worry about the book's page count, it is worth mentioning that there is no compression at all. Every panel matters, and story goes forward with rapid pace. Gladstone has also published companion piece for the book called The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck Companion, which collects later written sidestories into single book. Most of these stories are pretty good, and also work well as a standalone stories.

Scrooge McDuck's Timeline (contains spoilers)
1867: Scrooge was born in Glasgow, Scotland, to Fergus McDuck and Downy O'Drake. He would have two younger sisters, namely Matilda McDuck and Hortense McDuck.
1877: Scrooge becomes a shoe polisher, but his first customer fools him and pays him with an American dime. He keeps the dime he cannot spend as his symbol of success.
1880: Scrooge emigrates to the United States. He first meets his uncle, Mississippi riverboater Angus "Pothole" McDuck, and the Beagle Boys, a family of outlaws that remain his enemies for the rest of his life.
1882: His uncle retires and leaves his riverboat, named Dilly Dollar, to Scrooge. The Beagle Boys destroy the riverboat in an act of revenge. Scrooge decides to try his luck in the American West and later in the year gets hired as a cowboy by cattle baron Murdo MacKenzie (an actual historical figure, one of the many that Scrooge met).
1883: Scrooge becomes a miner searching for silver and copper.
1885: Scrooge's father calls his son back to Scotland on an important family matter. Just a week before he leaves he meets and befriends the millionaire Howard Rockerduck, who had become rich in the California gold rush of 1849. He also meets Howard's seven-year-old spoiled son John Rockerduck, who will grow up to become one of Scrooge's main rivals.
1886–1889: Scrooge searches for gold in South Africa. During his first year there he saves the life of a duck about his age named Flintheart Glomgold, though Scrooge learns his name more than half a century later. A little later they become bitter enemies, and remain as such for the rest of their lives. Glomgold later became the second richest duck in the world.
1889–1893: Scrooge returns to the United States to search for gold. He meets many famous historical figures but his search fails.
1893–1896: Scrooge goes to Australia to search for gold but his search again fails.
1896–1899: Scrooge searches for gold in the Klondike. During his years there he meets the saloon owner, singer and occasional thief "Glittering" Goldie O'Gilt. He carries a love/hate relationship with her for the rest of his life. His search for gold succeeds.
1897: Scrooge's mother Downy O'Drake dies, aged 57, in Dismal Downs.
1899–1902: Scrooge becomes a millionaire and buys a bank. He starts building a small financial empire; by 1902 he has become a billionaire.
1902: Scrooge returns to Scotland to get his sisters Matilda McDuck and Hortense McDuck to come to America with him. Also in 1902, Scrooge's father Fergus McDuck dies, aged 67, in Dismal Downs. Scrooge's mother and one of his two uncles, Angus "Pothole" McDuck (deceased in 1901, aged 72[citation needed]), had already died by this point. Scrooge, Matilda and Hortense are the last of the McDuck clan. Scrooge settles in the small village of Duckburg, Calisota, USA, which he chose as his home base.
1909–1930: While his sisters remain in Duckburg and run his empire, Scrooge travels the world expanding his empire in every continent.
1930: Scrooge becomes the richest duck in the world, but a fight with his family leaves him with no contact with them for the next seventeen years. Note that during this year he met his ten-year-old nephew Donald Fauntleroy Duck and his nephew's twin sister Della Thelma Duck for the first time.
1942: Scrooge feels depressed and tired and decides to retire.
1947: Scrooge meets his nephew Donald Duck again and his grandnephews, Della's children, Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck. He decides to become active again and soon a circle of activities whirl around him as he attracts the attention of relatives, old and new enemies and friends.
1967: After a life of adventure, Scrooge McDuck died at the age of 100 years old

Hypnotically inclined.
elkatas on

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    ServoServo Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    i have often heard good things about this and have always sort of meant to read it one day, but have never really been able to find it.

    Servo on
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    BucketmanBucketman Call me SkraggRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    If Scrooge died then why was he in Duck Tales?

    Bucketman on
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    ManonvonSuperockManonvonSuperock Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Same here, have always meant to read it, just not enough to exhaust any effort into doing so. If I were say, in my library and noticed it, I'd probably pick it up.

    ManonvonSuperock on
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    KyouguKyougu Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Does this have gizmoduck?

    Kyougu on
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    elkataselkatas Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Bucketman wrote: »
    If Scrooge died then why was he in Duck Tales?

    Basically Don Rosa is continuity wanker, and in his world, only Carl Bark's original Scrooge stories exist. He places his own stories always in the 50's, and nearly always ignores all characters created by other writers. Mind, he has done sequels to few Barks stories that also appeared in modified form in Duck Tales. For example, he made sequel for to the Squared Eggs. Here is the funeral pic:

    dk_cbco_19hj_001.gif

    Scrooge dies year after Barks retires from Disney. And here is how Scrooge changes through the story:

    image19asq.jpg

    In 1898, he gets his first million.

    elkatas on
    Hypnotically inclined.
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    TethTeth __BANNED USERS regular
    edited April 2009
    the fuck really?

    Teth on
    #1
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    revcomrevcom Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    which issues are launchpad mcquack centric stories? those are really the only ones worth reading.

    as soon as I'm done with the tailspin omnibus you can borrow that.

    revcom on
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    artmacartmac Registered User new member
    edited April 2009
    I own that comic, it's been a while since I've red it but I remember it was very good and had some really nice artwork.

    artmac on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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    ServoServo Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2009
    i looked for this last week, but all my shop had was the companion edition, which i guess is later stuff. b-sides, if you will.

    Servo on
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    kdrudykdrudy Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    This is truly a great book. If you have any love of Ducktales or Scrooge McDuck comics at all, this is great because it gives you everything of how Scrooge made his millions and basically leaves you at the point that he's going to go off and adventure with the nephews.

    kdrudy on
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    XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Curse me kilts, I want this!

    Xaquin on
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    AlgertmanAlgertman Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    It truly is a wonderful book.

    Algertman on
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    animaleanimale Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I had Don Rosa sign me a copy in Baltimore last year. Love the stuff. <3

    Err meant Don Rosa not Barks.

    animale on
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    delphinusdelphinus Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    i remember someone on this forum posted a scan from a scrooge book that made me look at disney books completely differently.

    scrooge is being bullied in a saloon and they pull out of a letter sent to him by his family.
    he looses it and wrecks everyones shit.

    i was like....damn...
    thats one cold sumbisch!

    delphinus on
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    kdrudykdrudy Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    delphinus wrote: »
    i remember someone on this forum posted a scan from a scrooge book that made me look at disney books completely differently.

    scrooge is being bullied in a saloon and they pull out of a letter sent to him by his family.
    he looses it and wrecks everyones shit.

    i was like....damn...
    thats one cold sumbisch!

    That is in this book, and yea it's an awesome scene. They just push him way way to far and he shows them why you don't mess with Scrooge McDuck.

    kdrudy on
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    RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Munch wrote: »
    Bloods End wrote: »
    Well Scrooge is one of, if not the, the best things ever.

    Scrooge McDuck: Metal as fuck.
    Scrooge13.jpg

    Scrooge14.jpg

    Scrooge15.jpg

    Scrooge16.jpg

    Thanks be to Munch and his photobucket

    Ringo on
    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
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    Hello WaterfaceHello Waterface Sweet Little Rock 'n' Roller In the timbers of FennarioRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I still have a huge old treasury edition of Carl Barks's best works on Scrooge. It includes many of his original sketches and layouts... really a cool read! This particular book would be pretty fun, as well.

    Hello Waterface on
    Welcome to Miami Beach, ladies and gentlemen. Everything is cheaper than it looks.

    Please take my advice.
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    Golden YakGolden Yak Burnished Bovine The sunny beaches of CanadaRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Yeah, the life and times stories were great. I have the Klondike and South Africa ones... it's great when you find out the real name of the SA villain at the very end of the book.

    Golden Yak on
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    elkataselkatas Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I still have a huge old treasury edition of Carl Barks's best works on Scrooge.

    Was this part of the series that tried to print all Barks works? I have heard that publisher was in financial problems and whole project was cancelled on the middle-way.

    elkatas on
    Hypnotically inclined.
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    Rob AnybodyRob Anybody Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Oh yes yes yes. I've read it, and the first time in serialised form, no less. (Donald Duck and family always was, and kinda still is, huge amongst norwegian kids. I still have a cardboard box full of the bigger pocket books). This right here was my first glimmer of comics as narrative art, and it's stuck. It's beautiful, and very well constructed. (The next step in my "serious" comics readership a few years later was The Dark Knight Returns, read without parental permission, because swastika boobies and face-stabs).

    Rob Anybody on
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    GaskGask Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I can still remember watching ducktales during preschool almost 20 years ago. Loved it.

    Gask on
    :arrow: http://l052.mybrute.com/ Can you face the bear?:winky:
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    dcleedclee Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I always wondered where that scan came from. I might have to check this out.

    dclee on
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    Rhan9Rhan9 Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Fuck yeah I've read all of these stories. Hell, I own them all, and they're some of my all time favorite Disney stories. Shit be epic.

    Then again, I really like pretty much everything Don Rosa has made.

    Rhan9 on
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    SlagmireSlagmire Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    My god... just looking this up on eBay and Amazon and this mother ain't cheap, even in paperback form. Were they thinking of putting a third edition out anytime soon?

    Slagmire on
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    BusterKBusterK Negativity is Boring Cynicism is Cowardice Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I have this
    It is wonderful
    When I bought my idea was strictly from DuckTales
    But the actual comics are so far beyond anything from those shows
    People swear, cheat, get drunk and kill each other
    And the overarching story is amazing
    There are two things I wish Disney would make more than anything else
    A Rikki-Tiki-Tavi movie and a movie based on this book
    Nothing like DucKTales
    But with real maturity and resonance

    BusterK on
    Visit http://www.cruzflores.com for all your Cruz Flores needs. Also listen to the podcast I do with Penguin Incarnate http://wgsgshow.podomatic.com
    Amazon Wishlist: http://www.amazon.com/BusterK/wishlist/3JPEKJGX9G54I/ref=cm_wl_search_bin_1
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    RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    It could still have the DuckTales theme song though, right?

    DuckTalkes! WoooOOO!

    Ringo on
    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
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    elkataselkatas Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Ringo wrote: »
    It could still have the DuckTales theme song though, right?

    DuckTalkes! WoooOOO!

    Yeah, it would be just perfect background music for this panel:
    scroogedishonest.jpg

    Scrooge burns african village down, and local medicine man hexes zombie to follow him.

    elkatas on
    Hypnotically inclined.
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    ManonvonSuperockManonvonSuperock Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    aWooOOO

    ManonvonSuperock on
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    HenryVapeHenryVape Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Life and times of scrooge mcduck was, and still is one of my favourite comics. Its something i would recomend annyone to read. The compendium is also fantastic and dont require to much "Mcduck knowledge" Although having read Life and times and some barks stories do add alot to it. It also contain two of my absolute favourite comic stories( The dream of a lifetime and the prisoner of white agony creek)
    I really think its a shame he seems to be pretty much unknown outside parts of Europe, because all the stories hes made have been fantastic and should be read by annyone whos ever believed that disney comics are only for kids.


    Attackofthehideous.jpg
    Just love this splashpage

    HenryVape on
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    Ceterum autem censeo, Carthaginem esse delendam
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    VirralVirral Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    It seems wrong to be able to understand what Donald is saying. Watching the cartoons I never developed the knack for it so to see him speaking plain english is kind of weird.

    Virral on
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