CARL BARKS : Walt Disney Comics & Stories # 268 - Lower Half Page 2
Artist: Carl Barks (All)
13 Comments - 1,877 Views - 7 Likes
Additional Images:
Panel 4
The published page from 1962.
panel 3
Panel 2
Artwork Details
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DescriptionWalt Disney Comics & Stories # 268 – Lower Half Page 2 from ”Christmas Cheers” 1962 ( Publ. Jan. 1963 )Imagine my surprise when I years ago was told that this impressing half page from Walt Disney Comics & stories # 268 ( 1962 ) had survived..? Finding a Carl Barks – and even an officially unknown – original published page, which has been with it`s first owner since 1967 is VERY unusual.. Because only about 3 % of Carl Barks original comic book pages is known to have survived, I was simply amazed to find out about the existence of this one.. More than 50 years ago, the first owner – ”J.B.”got the page for some editorial work he did back in 1967 and kept it as a souvenir trophy...! ( Because of the unknown existence this half page was not mentioned in Matti Eronen`s book from 1994 ; ”Survived artwork by Carl Barks” ). Fact is, that this lower half page, from page 2 from the story ”Christmas Cheers” is the oldest published example , with Scrooge McDuck existing. Well - some would probably say that the ”One-Pager” : ”Moneydance” was drawn a little earlier. Yes, true – but the ”Money Dance” page was first to be published several years later – in WDC 297..! Also the WDC # 268 page is the only survived example from a published Christmas story drawn by Carl Barks. ( Barks drew a total of 27 Christmas stories from 1945 to 1964. ) ( The original artwork from the ”Silent Night” story from 1945 also exists – but that story was actually abandoned by Western and was not published before 1981. ) On this page, Scrooge McDuck is shown inside his famous ”Money Bin” in some extremely good full postures on practically all 4 panels..! This page definitely represent the quintessential personality of Scrooge McDuck. Who could ever ask for more..? The WDC # 268 half page leads the reader directly into the mindset of ”the old miser”. ..And here he is ; The original Scrooge McDuck by the great master, Carl Barks. Thinking, grumbling, and arguing with no disturbing interaction from other characters. Yes !! Carl Barks most important comic figure certainly are in the main focus on all of these 4 outstanding panels. Cursing Christmas and with only interests to bring more richness and wealth to his all ready booming fortune, Carl Barks here reveals the very true personality of his most famous comic character, Scrooge McDuck. As the first owner – ”J.B.”, pointed out to me : ”Soren - I don`t think you will be able to find an original page where Scrooge reference his namesake more closely, by directly pointing to December 25th on the calendar and saying : ”Christmas – Bah! Bah! Bah..!” ( panel 4 ) On the second ( and maybe best ) panel Scrooge is hugging a big pile of money. The expression in his eyes is really magnificient here..! There is even a nice panel showing his characteristic ”Scroogian” anger..! ( panel 3 ). Panel 1 is kind of epic..! It takes us directly back to the remembrance of the very first appearence of Scrooge McDuck in DDFC # 178 from 1947 : ”Christmas on Bear Mountain” where Scrooge say`s : ”Here I sit in this big lonely dumb, waiting for Christmas to pass ! Bah ! That silly season when everybody loves everybody else ! A curse on it !” 15 years later, in the WDC # 268 Uncle Scrooge is still cursing the season ( this time from the top of his Money Bin ) and once again he pronounce : ”Christmas ! Bah ! The season when everybody has their hopes up and their hands out ! Maybe I should stick my hand out, too !” It is well known that Carl Barks himself was never a great fan of the Christian holiday – and he once wrote in a ”Dickensianlike” letter ; ”Christmas, is humbug and should be washed off the calendar”. According to the 4th panel of the page it seems that Carl put a lot of himself in Scrooge`s anger to this jolly season once again.. Although Barks was never a great fan of this season holiday he usually obliged when Western Publishing every year asked him to draw a Christmas story for the readers. As the first owner ”J.B.” nailed it : The real quality of this page is that Barks line drawings are superior art.. And let me supply by saying : ”THANK YOU VERY MUCH” for finally letting me buy this half page and to become the second owner of it..! ..Still, and opposite to Scrooge McDuck I do love the time of Christmas..! A funny little detail is that I am able to see my own date of birth shown very clearly on the calendar hanging on Scrooge´s wall ; December 9th..! And as the detailed craftman Carl was, he naturally used the exact 1962 December calendar on the wall in Scrooge`s office.. For me this original page is as good as it can ever get. I simply couldn`t have asked for more..! Social/Sharing |
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Comments on this Artwork
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Monty B 
Member Since 2006
Posted on 9/16/2018
Outstanding page!!! I love all the panels, but 2 and 4 are really spectacular!!! Major congrats Søren, this is definitely something I would like to see in person... :-)))
Dennis Books
Member Since 2006
Posted on 9/16/2018
Christmas ! Bah ,,, however i would be satisfied with something simple for MY DEC, 9TH birthday present --- say --- this half page !
Rob Pistella
Member Since 2005
Forum Moderator
Posted on 9/16/2018
A spectacular example from the master. I know how hard you work to unearth these important gems, no luck involved. Bravo!! Another piece of Barks history saved. And how perfect too? Certainly Scrooge was autobiographical!
Alex P. Goofmann
Member Since 2012
Posted on 9/17/2018
wonderful & rare artwork, special congrats :-)
William B.
Member Since 2004
Posted on 9/17/2018
This is a wonderful art page... you are an amazing Barks hunter!
Matti Eronen
Member Since 2017
Posted on 9/17/2018
This is outstanding museum quality art! Perfect in many ways: artwork itself, its composition, wording, how it links into the history of Scrooge, and Barks himself as well. How it survived and you dug it out is another great story. I am very happy it is now in your collection!
Jeff Gorrell
Member Since 2017
Posted on 9/17/2018
What a beautiful piece! It is a classic sequence of panels and art--each panel in itself tells a story. A great addition to your great collection. Congratulations on getting it.
Davide G.
Member Since 2009
Posted on 11/3/2019
Awesome Scrooge images by the master! Congrats on this museum piece and on having finally (and surprisingly) found the upper half of the page!
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