Longest gap between two appearances?

[That Duckfan]

I was just looking at the INDUCKS entry for Herbert's mother. She's appeared only twice: once in 1944 and once in 2016. This 72-year gap between appearances has to be one of the longest in Disney comics history. Are there any more examples of characters returning more than 50 years after their initial appearance?

[caballero]

There are several Gottfredson characters that were brought back after a long period of time (and many of them were brought back by none other than David Gerstein). Some of them:

71 year gap: Wienie the dachshund (1930 & 2001)
64 year gap: Kat Nipp (1938 & 2002)
64 year gap: Pop Weezil (1933 & 1997)
62 year gap: Butch (1934 & 1996)
54 year gap: Professor Ecks & Triplex (1932 & 1986) - Professor Doublex already made a return in 1972

I wonder, which is the most significant Disney comic character that ever returned after a 50+ year gap?

EDIT: And I just remembered a gap bigger than your 72 year gap! Max Hare last appeared in a comic in 1945 (U MMA 16B58) before his 2022 return (H 2021-360). That's a 77 year gap! 

[That Duckfan]

I had a look at all the stories that were published before 1937, and a few interesting things popped up. Gaps of more than 70 years are rare. Two characters I found that had not been used for 75 years include the Fly King from the Bucky Bug newspaper strips, and the Mayor Scott's wife from The Crazy Crime Wave.

Minnie's dog Tiny is oldest recurring characters that hasn't appeared for the longest time, but that's stretching the idea of recurring! He appeared in one more gag in a British annual published in 1931.

The longest gap between two appearances of the same character I could find was Barnacle Bill the sailor, who last appeared in a British annual in 1933 before his reappearance in the Italian Kat Nipp sequel in 2022. That makes for a total gap of 89 years!

A (dis)honorable second place goes to Simon Skunk, one of the villains of the Tortoise/Hare universe. He was last seen on the Sunday page of February 2, 1935, before appearing in the remake on June 16, 2022. A gap of 87 years, 4 months, and 14 days.

[caballero]

Wow. That 89 year gap is huge! Another bigger than 50 year gap: Gremlin Gus (1944 & 2006)

[schizo]

Morty and Ferdie's mother (Mrs Fieldmouse) disappeared after 1935 and didn't return until 2000.

[cacou]

I confirm Duckfan's finding

The list is (according to Inducks at least)

89 years
Barnacle Bill 2022,1931,1933,1931

88
Simon Skunk 2022-23,1934

79
Ticket inspector 2016,1937

78
Mimi from ZS 4202 2020,1942

77
Max Hare 2022-23,1936-39,1945,1936-37,1934-35

76
Homer 1935,2011,1932,1932
Little Zeke 2022-23,1946
Little Zeke's father 2022,1946
Little Zeke's mother 2022-23,1946

75
Cuthbert Coot 2020,1945
Fly King 2007,1932
Mayor Scott's wife 2008,1933
Tribu' di Pondo 2012,1937

73
Nanki Poo 2014,1941

72
Herbert's mother 2016,1944

71
Dog judge from ZM 017 2013,1942,1939
Wienie the dachshund 2001,1930

70
Hortense the ostrich 2014,1938-41,1943-44,1939-40,1943
Madeline Mouse 2011,2011,1941

>=50 years

Annie from SC@2006,1956,@50
Ant king@2012,1996,2002,2005,2008,2010,2013,2020,2022-23,1944,1946,@50
Aunt Matilda@1998,1937,@61
Aunt Minerva@2009,1945,1939,@64
Balabù@2013,2016,1960,@53
Bank watchman from YM 036@2020,1938,1992,@54
Barrington Bee@2013,1993,1943,@50
Bent-Tail@2000,1950,@50
Bent-Tail Junior@2000,1950,@50
Black Mask Burglar@2004,1949,@55
Bobo the elephant@1998,1937,1934,1939,1940,@58
Brave Damesbond@1966-69,2019,2021-22,@50
Brer Dove@2016,2020,1950,@66
Signor Bunz@1959,2014,@55
Butch@1996-05,2007-11,2015,2011,1933-34,1930-31,@62
Calvin the new recruit@2021-22,1970,@51
Camper from W VP 1-01@2004,2006,1950,@54
Captain Bugabee@1998,2002-03,2005,2007,2010,2013,2016,2020-21,1946-47,2007,@51
Colonel Bassett@2005,2020,1949,1936,@56
Colonel Rolf Rolfe@2002,1933,@69
Control Seven@1996,2021,1943,@53
Dagmar the police dog@2001,1948,@53
Denise Van Duck@2020,1951,1953,@67
Dimmy@2021,1968,@53
Don Jollio@1998,2017,1934,@64
Donald's goat@2014,1938,1940,1963,1940,1945,@51
Dr. Heza Dhilly@2014,1953,@61
Dutch from YM 026@1987,1935,@52
Professor Ecks@1997-98,2001-02,2005,2008,2011,2023,1986,1994,1999,2020,2018,2023,1990,1993,1993,2023,1932,1990-91,1994,@54
Fifinellas@2006,1943,2008,@63
Gremlin Gus@2006,1943-44,2008,2011,2010,2012,@62
Gremlins@2006,1943-44,2005,2008,2015,2012,@61
Gu the abominable snowman@2021,1956,@65
Hairy Harry@2004,1954,@50
Herb doctor@2012,1943,2007,@64
Il Gatto@2008,1938-39,1993,@54
Itsy-Betsy@2021,1969,@52
J. Fladder Welkinring@2008,1951,@57
Cousin Bertie@2002,2005,1949,1943,1940,@53
Junior's lady sweet@2012,1947,2007,@60
Kat Nipp@2002,2005,2011,2016,1931,2015,2022,1931-35,1931,1938,@64
King Gilhooley@2007,1953,@54
King Hogarty@2022,1953,@69
Laggy@2019,1950,2007,@57
Lord Money@1962,1965,1967,2020,@53
Mac MacCorker@2002,2005,1992,1938,1938,@54
Mac the sailor@2003,1949,1937-40,@54
Mago Basilisco@1939,1943,1966,2017-18,2021,@51
Marcus Mouse@1998,1934-37,1930-31,1934,@61
MI's niece Minuette@2021,1963,@58
Mickey the dog@2008,1958,@50
Mio Miao@2000,1931,1993,1937,@56
Mister Centipede@2012,1944,@68
Mister Dog@2019-21,1946,1948,1953-56,1959,1961-62,@57
Mister Tumblebug@2012,1944,@68
Moe Moose@2022,1956,1961,@61
Mr. Bug@1943,1952,2007,1932-33,@55
Mrs. Bug@2015,1943,1952,2007,1932-33,@55
Mrs. Churchmouse@2003,1932,1934,1937,@66
Mrs. Fieldmouse@2000,2002-03,2006-08,1932,@68
Nataniele Ragnatele@1959,2015,2018,2020,@56
O'Bully@2021,1961,@60
O'Gally@2021,1961,@60
Peter Pig@1994,2004,2014,2017,2019,2022,1938-39,1993,2008,2010,1935,2019,1934,@54
Pig journalist from W WDC 131-02@2007-08,2010,1951,@56
Pilot Jamface@1943,2012,@69
Police chief@2007,2009,2015,1944-45,@62
Police Sergeant from YM 031@2005,1949,1936,@56
Pop Weezil@1997,2000,1931,1932-33,@64
Professor Argus McFiendy@2004,2010,2020,2022,1948,@56
Professor Claude Schlung@2009,1947,@62
Professor Orville Flung@2009,1947,@62
Professor Sleezy@2004,1947,@57
Red Ant the miner@1945,2007,@62
RKD's mother@2020,1970,2023,@50
Rockhead Rooster@2016,2018,2020,2021,1959,@57
Rockjaw Bumrisk@2005-06,2020,1952,@53
Sleepless Dragon@2021,2023,1955,@66
Slyviper@2022,1963,@59
Small boy from YF@2021,1959-60,1962,@59
Spike the bee@2016,2000,1948,@52
Squire Cawker@2018-20,2022-23,1952,1933,@66
Terry the pup@2001,1934,1938-39,1943-44,1932-33,1938-39,1946,@55
Tom Turtle@2022,1956,@66
Trigger Hawkes@2000,2004-05,1936,@64
Professor Triplex@1997-98,2001-03,2005,2008,2011,1986,2020,2018,2023,1993,1993,2023,1932,@54
Uncle Gudger@1955,1961,2012,2019,1954,@51
Uncle Ophal Dizzy@1998,2004,1937,@61
Wasp army@2010,1949,@61
Whizzix@2010,2021,1952,@58
Widgets@2006,1943,2008,2015,@63
Wise Little Hen@2014,2017,2019,1952,1936,1934,@62
Wise Little Hen's children@2014,2019,1952,1934,@62
Wispy Willie@2021,2022,1953,@68
Yellow Beak@1957,2023,1962,2017,1942,1947,1949,1952,,@55