Following historical precedent, editor Bob Foster formatted Disney’s first issue of its Flagship title to lead with a Donald Duck story, followed by various other stars, such as Brer Rabbit (who, by Disney’s decree must now speak perfect English without accent or drawl, an insult to Southerners and the reason why Gladstone eventually stopped doing any Brer Rabbit stories), Li’l Bad Wolf and Grandma Duck, all European imports. The Donald story, “Home is the Hero,” was drawn by Victor Arriagaga Rios, who -- if you take the first three letters of his first name and the first letter of the second and third -- is the famous Vicar! Daan Jippes’ did the cover illustrating the story. (It is our opinion that Daan’s talent is the best there is in two distinct arenas: creating “Floyd Gottfredson art” that’s almost impossible to tell apart from that by the master Mouseman himself or creating new “Carl Barks art” that’s almost impossible to tell from that by the Old Duck Man. But he also draws in a third style, his own, which we feel is simply funky, without much personality. And this cover is an example. We’re sure many fans will disagree. But judge for yourself. In the early days of Gladstone, Series I, Jippes did some of the finest covers our company ever published, so you can see why we’re flummoxed.)
Foster’s Letters to the Editor page (Comments and Queries) didn’t have any new letters yet to answer, so Gladstone’s editor must have passed along some from our last days of Series I. Responding to Daniel Rosenberg of Santa Barbara, California, BobFoster reveals previously unknown facts about former publisher BruceHamilton’s cousin, GladstoneH.HamiltonIII, who put up the money for our company. Read both letters and you can leap to your own conclusions.
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