Most of the main characters in the comics have "official" love interests. Donald has Daisy, Mickey has Minnie... you can say Scrooge's is Goldie.
Some of the "official" love interests are not very well-known, or are quite restricted.
For example, Fethry's more-or-less "official" love interest is Glória, a hippie girl who has only appeared in Brazilian-made stories. (seldom translated)
Goofy's more-or-less "official" love interest was Glory Bee (coincidentally called "Gloria" in most translations), a dognose girl who has mostly appeared in USA-made newspaper comic strips and some very rare comic books.
She kinda disappeared since the 1970s... but because she was the most used love interest, a lot of headcanons have her as Max Goof's mother.
Gyro's more-or-less "official" love interest is Matilda, a toucan (or something) girl who originally only appeared in a USA-made story, but was used a dozen times in Brazil-made stories.
Although, sometimes, I prefer another love interest to them because I feel they have better chemistry, or something!
The funny thing is, Margherita is not even a sentient robot like Little Helper. She only does what she is programmed for and follows orders.
Fethry: "I'd like us to go out in a nightclub! Please tell me you blissfully accept!"
Margherita: "I blissfully accept!"
... Fethry: "Everyone has eyes on you! I hope you won't get too much of an attitude!" Margherita: "I do not know how to answer this question!" Fethry: "... I love your sense of humor!"
It creates a lot of silly, awkward and very cute moments. Fethry remains completely oblivious to the fact that she is a robot, despite Donald's attempts to explain.
How about you? Are there some one-time/minor love interests that you prefer for the main characters?
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Yeah, HDL being babies despite them clearly being at least 3-5 years old when first introduced at Donald's... and Della not being there, only leaving a note! Or, is it some sort of retcon? Yeah, because that original adoption took place quite early in the 20th century, a space program story would feel quite anachronistic.
After all, we are still influenced by Don Rosa's canon, still taking efforts to set the timeline in the late 40s-early 50s.
I doubt that story would ever be translated in French, English or Italian, since it would bring too much attention to the "parent-less" plight of HDL. I mean, even the "Donald Junior" Italian stories show Donald being adopted by Grandma Duck, with no trace of his parents in sight.
I've read somewhere that Carl Barks himself said in a convention interview that Della left the children with Donald because she simply couldn't stand the responsability anymore. And apparently, she had them while a bit too young!
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Usually, you can just go on Inducks and find one of the magazines/books where it's been published and go find it...
But unfortunately, some stories have been published only very few times, and sometimes ONLY ONCE.
Which is kind of a shame!
For example, there is this character called Juanella Van Damm, a rich spoiled bad-tempered lady duck who was a love interest to Donald in a Scarpa story (Donald and the charming billionaire), until she turns hateful towards him.
(and yes, the color artists originally couldn't decide whether she had white or red hair)
Her story is more or less a classic by Scarpa, and she has her own page on both Picsou Wiki and Paperpedia.
She made two new appearances in comics. But those comics have been published only ONCE. And never translated outside their original country!!
Juanella in Rififi no Jet Set, only appearing in Brazilian magazine Margarida #172.
Juanella also reappeared in Donald and the computer challenge, where Juanella appears as his "true love" when decided by a computer! Only appearing in a special Italian magazine about computers!!
I think it's a bit of a shame, since she has potential to be an interesting character... especially considering the fact that she used to be Daisy's classmate, and she hated her because she cheated by copying on others!
What are some of rare stories you are interested in finding but are near-impossible to find?
--- Gaucelm de Villaret gaucelm@gmail.com --- gaucelm.blogspot.fr twitter.com/GothHelm --- facebook.com/gaucelm
Oh! And Goofy also has a twin brother, Pappo (Goofy is called "Pippo" in Italian), who only appeared in one Romano Scarpa story, The Quest For Tarzan. He was lost in the jungle and became a Tarzan-like wild man.
--- Gaucelm de Villaret gaucelm@gmail.com --- gaucelm.blogspot.fr twitter.com/GothHelm --- facebook.com/gaucelm
Reminds me I should open a thread about artists who trace other people's drawings. (several French artists would trace Claude Marin, but some Italians would trace Cavazzano or De Vita)
--- Gaucelm de Villaret gaucelm@gmail.com --- gaucelm.blogspot.fr twitter.com/GothHelm --- facebook.com/gaucelm
The old excuse, I think, is because Donald is more flawed; he makes a more likeable/deep protagonist.
Mickey is kinda forced to be a positive role model with little flaws.
Heck, an 1990 Italian story "Mickey Mouse in: I Married A Witch" was never reprinted and caused some controversy because in it, Mickey leaves Minnie (who first left him as she was sick of him always chasing criminals), meets a young witch called Samantha, falls in love with her and they get married!
Mickey doesn't seem to be allowed to be as fickle as Donald (who also has Queen Reginella as a "main" love interest!). Just compare the "Mickey love interest" and "Donald love interest" categories on the French wiki!
Of course, Mickey can work very well for stories that call for a "classic hero" while Donald is more of a "classic anti-hero". Mickey wouldn't work in a parody of "Orlando Furioso" while Donald can.
Having Mickey show some weakness of character is not a bad idea at times... In "Rumbling Roommates", I liked it that he gets growingly more frustrated with having to live with Goofy in his house, and they end up agressively fighting at the end!
I remember the story A Most Persuasive Duck where Donald manages to steal Magica's wand and he hypnotizes her with it; under his command, she says that he can ask ANYTHING from the wand and that the spell would only be broken with cold water. So Donald turns Magica into an eagle and orders her to fly to the Gobi Desert, and decides to use the magic wand to hypnotize everyone into being his slaves. (a funny moment where a policeman is about to give a fine to Donald... Donald orders with the wand "You are going to EAT IT!!" and the cop, becoming blank-minded, eats the fine, with a really goofy face afterwards, his mouth full of munched paper)
So, I am like "If your wand can do ANYTHING, why haven't you used it for that yet? Why haven't you gotten the Number One Dime yet?"
That's a problem when creating magic-using characters. It seems they can only use/remember their magic if it's convenient to the story.
Yeah, even in her very first story, Magica hardly seems to have any magic. She takes the plane to go back to Italy!!
--- Gaucelm de Villaret gaucelm@gmail.com --- gaucelm.blogspot.fr twitter.com/GothHelm --- facebook.com/gaucelm