Carl Barks and the Disney Comic Book: Unmasking the Myth of Modernity (Great Comics Artists Series)
From 1942 to 1966, Carl Barks wrote and drew comic books featuring Donald Duck and other Disney characters that aficionados consider not just the best funny-animal comics but some of the best comics of any kind. Andrae argues that Barks' work has a depth and complexity found nowhere else in the Disney canon, for Barks used Donald and his family to subvert social hierarchies and critique society, though never at the expense of a rollicking story. Andrae ties the story lines to postwar cultural forces, showing how they illustrate changing ideas of masculinity and childrearing as well as reflecting Barks' distaste for urbanization, consumerism, mass media, and other aspects of modernity. He also traces the development of Scrooge McDuck, showing how Barks transformed Donald's miserly uncle from supporting player into a sympathetic figure who supported his own comic book. Particularly valuable is Andrae's lengthy examination of Barks' earlier career in Disney animation, which shows how characters and situations Barks developed for the films resurfaced in the later comics.Gordon FlaggCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.