Happy Birthday Donald Duck!

Donald Duck.

I love Donald Duck. I have never been a very big Mickey Mouse fan, in fact I would almost say I hate Mickey Mouse, but I love Donald Duck.

Donald Duck was the everyman. A little hot-headed, always having things go wrong… struggling to make it through the day. That is why I loved Donald Duck. Even when I was younger I found it much easier to like a character with real personality and faults.

Donald by Don Rosa

75 years ago today a Disney short was released by the name of The Wise Little Hen. This short marked the first appearance of Donald Duck. Donald would have a long career at Disney, and would at times surpass Disney’s Mickey Mouse in popularity. Donald, according to the Disney Comics Worldwide site, has appeared in over 150 cartoons. That is a pretty impressive number in my opinion.

These days Donald and his family live on in comics. Living off of a rich and well built family and history created for him by the great Duck artist Carl Barks in the town of Duckburg and kept going by the equally as great Don Rosa and others.

In the United States Donald is not as popular as he once was, but in Eurpoe he continues to thrive. Each year Tons of new comics are released and the Duck’s adventures continue. While here his fate is up in the air for the time being. With financial problems sending Gemstone publishing the way of the DODO the future of Disney comics is up in the air… With a little luck another company with enough love and respect for the characters will pick up the liscence and do right by them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISTER DUCK

TOMD – Artist Donald

Yet another Donald Duck in my collection. This one was given to me by my wife for our anniversary last year. As you can see it shows the modern Donald painting a picture of his early self.

This piece was bought from the Disney Online store and has since sold out. This is probably my favorite item of all my items on my desk.

TOMD – Tiki Donald Duck

I like Ducks.

That much is pretty obvious I think.

Last year for my birthday my wonderful wife gave me a couple ducks. This is one of them.

Donald Duck carved as a tiki statue. Donald was originally intended to be a garden statue, but I think he looks much more at home on my desk.

Since I received him I have thought about getting some wood and carving some other ducks to keep him company… maybe a Daffy and a Howard… Even a Scrooge McDuck if I get energetic. So far I have not gotten around to it though.