Donald Duck

The classic, critical and humorous study of cultural imperialism and children's literature; how the Disney fantasy world reproduces the "American Dream" fantasy world, and the disastrous effect of Disney comics and other "mass" cultural merchandise on the development of the so-called "Third" World. In 1973 this work was banned and burned in Chile, and later the English edition was banned for more than a year by the US government. In comic book format with cartoon examples, introduction by David KUNZLE on the Disney world, a bibliography of left writings on cultural imperialism and the comics, and an appendix by John Shelton LAWRENCE on the book's US censorship and the legal-political issues involved in the right to criticize Disney

First published in 1971 in Chile, where the entire third printing was dumped into the ocean by the Chilean Navy and bonfires were held to destroy earlier editions, How to Read Donald Duck reveals the capitalist ideology at work in our most beloved cartoons. Focusing on the hapless mice and ducks of Disney--curiously parentless, marginalized, always short of cash--Ariel Dorfman and Armand Mattelart dissect the narratives of dependency and social aspiration that define the Disney corpus. Disney recognized the challenge, and when the book was translated and imported into the U.S. in 1975, managed to have all 4,000 copies impounded. Ultimately, 1,500 copies of the book were allowed into the country, the rest of the shipment was blocked, and until now no American publisher has dared re-release the book, which sold over a million copies worldwide and has been translated into seventeen languages. A devastating indictment of a media giant, a document of twentieth-century political upheaval, and a reminder of the dark undercurrent of pop culture, How to Read Donald Duck is once again available, together with a new introduction by Ariel Dorfman.

This book examines the scope and nature of Donald Duck and his family's popularity in Germany, in contrast to the diminished role they play in America. This is achieved through examination of the respective fan communities, business practices, and universality of the characters. This work locates and understands the aspects of translation and adaptation that inform the spread of culture that have as yet been underexplored in the context of comic books. It represents a large-scale attempt to incorporate adaptation and translation studies into comics studies, through a lens of fan studies (used to examine both the American and German fan communities, as well as the work of Don Rosa). This work builds on the efforts of other scholars, including Janet Wasko and Illaria Meloni, while expanding the historical understanding of what might be the world’s best-selling comics. Peter Cullen Bryan is Lecturer at Pennsylvania State University, USA. His areas of study include American Studies, Intercultural Communications, and 21st Century American culture, emphasizing comic art and fan communities. His research has appeared in the Journal of Fandom Studies, The Journal of American Culture, and Popular Culture Studies Journal. He serves on the boards of the Mid-Atlantic Popular Culture Association and the Popular Culture Association, as well as Secretary for the Intercultural Communication section of the International Communication Association.

This volume kicks off with "Trick or Treat -- a comic-book version of the classic Disney animated short, with nine pages restored -- and includes Barks's favorite, "Omelet," where Donald Duck becomes...a chicken farmer?!

"A mighty ship vanishes at sea, and Donald sails off to rescue it. But from what? Then, it's a miracle from the sky! When a whirlwind whisks up Scrooge's money and rains it back down, Donald is an instant millionaire--but so is everyone else! And when globetrotting Donald and the boys wind up on the Riviera, it's spy vs. spy vs. spy! Plus: introducing the villainous Beagle Boys and the virtuous Junior Woodchucks!"--Page 4 of cover.

Examines the development of the Donald Duck comics using 10 comic strips which have appeared in newspapers and comic books over the years.

"Celebrate 85 years of Donald Duck!"--Back cover.