On the ninetieth birthday of Disney character Donald Duck | EUROtoday

Am heutigen Sonntag wird Donald Duck neunzig. Groß verändert hat er sich in dieser Zeit nicht, und dass neunzigjährige Geburtstagskinder sich noch einmal gänzlich neu erfinden, ist eher nicht zu erwarten. Allerdings darf bei einer Comic-Ikone wie Donald Duck die Frage ­gestattet sein, ob er im hohen Alter eine gewisse Reife entwickelt hat.

Erstmals war er am 9. Juni 1934 auf einem Hausboot als Nebendarsteller zu sehen. Zwar noch mit spitzerem Schnabel als heute, doch die übrigen Merkmale – gelbe Beine, blanker Bürzel, Matrosenmütze und -jacke mit Fliege, markantes Gesicht – haben die Zeiten überdauert. Und eine seiner charakteristischsten Verhaltensweisen, der jähe Wutausbruch, prägt die Figur bereits seit ihrem zweiten Filmauftritt.

Historisch weitaus mehr beeinflusst haben den Pu­blikumsliebling Donald Duck und dessen Entenhausener Umfeld aber zweifellos die Comiczeichner Carl Barks und Don Rosa. Für deutsche Leser spielt das Entenuniversum allerdings vor allem in den LTBs, den „Lustigen Taschenbüchern“. Die meisten Geschichten und Zeichnungen darin stammen aus den Federn italienischer Texter und Zeichner. Unter ihnen sticht in jüngster Zeit Enrico Faccini heraus. Sein Humor greift häufig auf einer subtilen, scheinbar kindlichen Ebene. Er arbeitet gern mit banalen Alltagsgeschichten, in die er absurde Szenen einbaut. Durch die einfachen, gleichwohl ausgefallenen Gesten, Mimiken und Verhaltensweisen seiner Protagonisten wirken die kurzen Geschichten äußerst unterhaltsam.

Under Faccini, Donald Duck has truly matured. His attribute dangerous luck has not become outrageous good luck à la Gustave Gans. But his cousin additionally comes off surprisingly properly now: Donald Duck seems to be fun-loving, charming and surprisingly artistic. Faccini lets him take care of issues extra efficiently with out letting him lose his attribute clumsiness.

In the story “Artist duo Donald and Dussel”, for instance, revealed in German in 2014 in “Duck Edition” No. 43, Faccini creates a playful Donald Duck. He works together with his cousin Dussel for his or her uncle Scrooge's newspaper, who commissions them to go to an artwork exhibition as critics. Instead of doing analysis for a newspaper article, nevertheless, the 2 want to play soccer. Faccini attracts the 2 with massive eyes and awkwardly bent duck toes. When taking part in ball, nevertheless, their posture turns into enthusiastic they usually stretch out for the ball.

Given the context, Donald Duck's playful nature appears absurd and touching on the similar time. The story may be very interesting to youngsters due to the potential for identification: Donald Duck reacts impulsively and uninhibitedly to his environment. Without caring what others suppose, he laughs freely with Dussel. The distinction to earlier portrayals is that issues end up properly for them ultimately. Donald Duck is rewarded for his playful nature and doesn’t should flee to the ends of the earth from Uncle Scrooge's boundless anger – as in lots of older tales. This makes them completely satisfied.

However, nobody wants to fret that Donald Duck has develop into boring. The lazy, choleric and cowardly character nonetheless tends to overestimate himself and has fruitless concepts that finish in disasters. In this respect, he has retained his likeable weaknesses, which make him a human duck.

His previous and new sides are proven collectively within the story “Donald's Vacation,” written by Frédéric Brémaud and drawn by Federico Bertolucci within the model of a Nineteen Fifties cartoon. It was revealed in German in 2021 within the “Egmont Comic Collection.” In it, Donald Duck goes into the forest to get away from the noise of town. There, nevertheless, he unexpectedly encounters different issues corresponding to a storm or noisy birds, which he initially offers with with uncharacteristically endurance. Nevertheless, he antagonizes the forest inhabitants as a result of he acts blasé. In the top, the flood wave of a dam burst, which he himself brought about, forces him to resign himself to turning his again on the forest.

Overall, nevertheless, it’s noticeable that Donald Duck now survives difficult conditions surprisingly usually: by sudden coincidences, favorable circumstances or useful associates and family members corresponding to his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. Donald Duck has develop into unusually artistic and unintentionally develops options that give the tales refreshing twists. Could he have received the favor of the woman luck in his previous age? No, that will contradict the followers' expectations of the character. It is extra like this: He pursues his concepts with enthusiasm and unwavering self-confidence. He is continually looking for his calling – be it as a designer, salesman or radio announcer. His overestimation of himself might then assist him to manage rapidly with setbacks.

In his previous age, Donald Duck has truly develop into somewhat extra mature. He has gained life expertise. And his concepts are not (all the time) doomed to failure.