Mickey's nephews

[Baar Baar Jinx]

Is it generally thought that Morty and Ferdie live with Mickey? Reading the FantaGraphics Gottfredson books, it seems that that was the original intention. However, unlike in the Duck family, where Donald is unambiguously HD&L's legal guardian and where the nephews are a constant presence in almost every story starring him, Morty and Ferdie are often absent in Mickey stories, and more modern tales have them clearly be visitors to Mickey's home, while actually living with their mother. How do most publishers/editors handle it?

[RobbK1]

I read Gottfredson's strips and stories starting at the beginning of The 1950s, and had inherited all the 1940s' Disney Comics. I always assumed (and internalised that decision) that Morty and Ferdie never lived permanently with Mickey, but visited him often, and might stay for long periods (sometimes weeks at a time (perhaps during summer and Christmas vacations). They had their own room (which was Mickey's guest room-but they were, by far, the guests who were there most often. So, they could store toys and games, and even some clothing of theirs there.

I had the same situation in my young life, when my family would visit my mother's family in Chicago, or my father's family in The Netherlands during the long vacations. I had my own toys, comics and even some clothing stored in the guest room (which was mostly mine (and my siblings') at my Aunts' and Uncles' houses.

I assumed that Ferdie just stayed home with his parents, later, when only Morty came to visit Mickey.

[Orora]

Morty and Ferdie's mother - Mrs Fieldmouse - is still alive and well, no?

[Fritz]

Oct 7, 2016 17:11:56 GMT Orora said:

Morty and Ferdie's mother - Mrs Fieldmouse - is still alive and well, no?

I remember her appearing in at least one of the "Riverside Rovers" episodes that Gemstone published.

coa.inducks.org/subseries.php?c=Riverside+Rovers

coa.inducks.org/character.php?c1=date&c=Mrs.%20Fieldmouse&view=4

A look there confirms it. D 99290 (MM 261) and D 2000-038 (MM 282), as well as a few more that never made it to the States.

[Baar Baar Jinx]

Oct 7, 2016 20:42:53 GMT Fritz said:

Oct 7, 2016 17:11:56 GMT Orora said:

Morty and Ferdie's mother - Mrs Fieldmouse - is still alive and well, no?

I remember her appearing in at least one of the "Riverside Rovers" episodes that Gemstone published.

coa.inducks.org/subseries.php?c=Riverside+Rovers

coa.inducks.org/character.php?c1=date&c=Mrs.%20Fieldmouse&view=4

A look there confirms it. D 99290 (MM 261) and D 2000-038 (MM 282), as well as a few more that never made it to the States.

But I'd argue this is a more recent attempt at retconning the nephews' status vis-à-vis Mickey. To my knowledge, beyond an initial appearance (where she looked very different and where it was questionable whether she was even supposed to be Mickey's sister), "Mrs. Fieldmouse" was never mentioned again in the whole body of Gottfredson's work , nor in the multitude of comic book stories put out by Western. It certainly looks like Gottfredson intended the nephews to be in Mickey's permanent care.  It also is notable that unlike HD&L, Morty and Ferdie are primarily comic book characters, rarely appearing in the cartoons, where the number and names of Mickey's nephews was hugely inconsistent.  Where did the last name "Fieldmouse" for Morty and Ferdie actually originate? Did Gottfredson ever use it?

[Matilda]

This probably doesn't add much to the discussion that you don't already know, but I definitely thought from what I read in the comics in the 60's that Morty and Ferdie did not live with Mickey permanently. (I didn't read Gottfredson until adulthood.) I assumed they just had longish visits with him from time to time. Like Rob, I knew some kids did stay for vacations with a relative, so it seemed natural to me.

Similarly, I assumed that April, May and June did not live with Daisy. In fact, I'd say I *knew* that to be true: in one drawn-by-Barks one-pager ("Small Fryers") Daisy writes in the first panel that AMJ "came to visit me the other day." The fact that I never saw either Morty and Ferdie's parents or AMJ's parents did not keep me from believing they existed offstage.

[RobbK1]

Oct 7, 2016 23:52:27 GMT Baar Baar Jinx said:

Oct 7, 2016 20:42:53 GMT Fritz said:

I remember her appearing in at least one of the "Riverside Rovers" episodes that Gemstone published.

coa.inducks.org/subseries.php?c=Riverside+Rovers

coa.inducks.org/character.php?c1=date&c=Mrs.%20Fieldmouse&view=4

A look there confirms it. D 99290 (MM 261) and D 2000-038 (MM 282), as well as a few more that never made it to the States.

But I'd argue this is a more recent attempt at retconning the nephews' status vis-à-vis Mickey. To my knowledge, beyond an initial appearance (where she looked very different and where it was questionable whether she was even supposed to be Mickey's sister), "Mrs. Fieldmouse" was never mentioned again in the whole body of Gottfredson's work , nor in the multitude of comic book stories put out by Western. It certainly looks like Gottfredson intended the nephews to be in Mickey's permanent care.  It also is notable that unlike HD&L, Morty and Ferdie are primarily comic book characters, rarely appearing in the cartoons, where the number and names of Mickey's nephews was hugely inconsistent.  Where did the last name "Fieldmouse" for Morty and Ferdie actually originate? Did Gottfredson ever use it?

Mickey calls Mrs. Fieldmouse "Mrs. Fieldmouse".  Clearly, she was NOT his sister.  She returned at the end of that first story, in The Sunday strips of spring 1932, to pick them up.  So, they weren't intended to stay with him permanently.  They returned for another visit to Mickey in spring 1935, with Mickey explaining to Donald that he was their uncle, and they were to stay with him while their mother was away.  The only thing that makes sense is that Mrs. Fieldmouse was Mickey's brother's wife, and he and she had a very cold and formal relationship, or, more likely, they were just friends, and he wasn't their blood kin, but only called "uncle" as a close family friend sometimes is.  In all Morty's and Ferdie's later visits, and Morty's visits without Ferdie, it seemed that they were only staying with Mickey periodically for temporary stays (probably to give their mother a rest -or to watch them when she went away on trips).

[Pan Maciej]

In most stories I read It was clear they are droping for a visit.

In Polish translation of "It's a Wonderwul Chrismas Story" (Which GeoX reviewied last year - duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2015/12/its-wonderful-christmas-story.html ) it said that (spoilers) alternete universe without Mickey Mouse Morty and Friedy where put to orphanage as "MICKEY'S SISTER" coudn't take care of them (the orphanage was change to day care I see in the American version)

[drakeborough]

Which doesn't seem to make sense, since in the normal universe in which Mickey exists she can take care of them. It would make sense if the story gave an in-universe explanation for that, such as that Mickey's non-existance somehow caused an economic crisis which in turn affected her sister, or something like that. I haven't read the story yet, so I don't know if there's an explanation.

[Baar Baar Jinx]

Jan 9, 2017 0:01:54 GMT Pan Maciej said:

In most stories I read It was clear they are droping for a visit.

In Polish translation of "It's a Wonderwul Chrismas Story" (Which GeoX reviewied last year - duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2015/12/its-wonderful-christmas-story.html ) it said that (spoilers) alternete universe without Mickey Mouse Morty and Friedy where put to orphanage as "MICKEY'S SISTER" coudn't take care of them (the orphanage was change to day care I see in the American version)

What did the original Italian version say?

[drakeborough]

I don't have access to the story so I can't answer, but I see it was first printed in France (1998) and the Italian version was published four years later. Not sure if the Italian version used the original dialogue or a translation of the French dialogue.

[Hector]

In a story, Minnie convinced Mickey to send the nephews to a dorm school. I don't think that would make
much sense if they only lived temporarily with Mickey.
I think most creators just treat those kids as non existent, since, as opposed to Donald's nephews, they
don't contribute much to the plot. Just consider there is a universe where Mickey has two nephews and
another one (which is where most stories take place) where he doesn't.
By the way, isn't it strange that there is no kid character in Disney comics with two parents of known
whereabouts?

[RobbK1]

Jan 18, 2017 0:20:21 GMT Hector said:

In a story, Minnie convinced Mickey to send the nephews to a dorm school. I don't think that would make
much sense if they only lived temporarily with Mickey.
I think most creators just treat those kids as non existent, since, as opposed to Donald's nephews, they
don't contribute much to the plot. Just consider there is a universe where Mickey has two nephews and
another one (which is where most stories take place) where he doesn't.
By the way, isn't it strange that there is no kid character in Disney comics with two parents of known
whereabouts?

That's the same situation with Bolivar/Bornworthy/Bernie living at Donald's house.  Or, was he very old in the stories he appeared, and then died.  And then The Ducks had NO dog, and only once in a while, General Snozzie as a visitor, and short tryouts with others (Smugsquat Scottie), and once in a while, a cat (Tabby).  The cat could be explained that he wanders away for long periods (is a lot less home than away-as many cats do).

Or, maybe Morty and Ferdie lived with Mickey just for a couple years during hard times for their parents (drug addiction, drunkenness, mental illness stay in institution, prison) with Morty staying longer than Ferdie (Ferdie and his uncle didn't get along).  Maybe Mickey picked Morty as his favourite, and Ferdie hated him for that?

[drakeborough]

Jan 9, 2017 18:12:59 GMT Baar Baar Jinx said:

Jan 9, 2017 0:01:54 GMT Pan Maciej said:

In most stories I read It was clear they are droping for a visit.

In Polish translation of "It's a Wonderwul Chrismas Story" (Which GeoX reviewied last year - duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2015/12/its-wonderful-christmas-story.html ) it said that (spoilers) alternete universe without Mickey Mouse Morty and Friedy where put to orphanage as "MICKEY'S SISTER" coudn't take care of them (the orphanage was change to day care I see in the American version)

What did the original Italian version say?

Jan 9, 2017 18:43:04 GMT drakeborough said:

I don't have access to the story so I can't answer, but I see it was first printed in France (1998) and the Italian version was published four years later. Not sure if the Italian version used the original dialogue or a translation of the French dialogue.

I got a copy of the Italian version (with translation credited to Luca Boschi, as the story originally appeared in France), and the caption box of the one-panel scene with Mickey's nephews in the alternate universe simply says "Tip e Tap vivono all'orfanotrofio...", which means "Mortie and Ferdie live in the orphanage...", with no mention of Mickey's sister. In the context of this story, however, it seems Mickey is their legal guardian, as earlier in the story he says "Mortie and Ferdie are on a holiday, but when they return the expenses will grow again! Sob!"

[Scrooge MacDuck]

Oct 8, 2016 2:44:33 GMT RobbK1 said:

Oct 7, 2016 23:52:27 GMT Baar Baar Jinx said:

But I'd argue this is a more recent attempt at retconning the nephews' status vis-à-vis Mickey. To my knowledge, beyond an initial appearance (where she looked very different and where it was questionable whether she was even supposed to be Mickey's sister), "Mrs. Fieldmouse" was never mentioned again in the whole body of Gottfredson's work , nor in the multitude of comic book stories put out by Western. It certainly looks like Gottfredson intended the nephews to be in Mickey's permanent care.  It also is notable that unlike HD&L, Morty and Ferdie are primarily comic book characters, rarely appearing in the cartoons, where the number and names of Mickey's nephews was hugely inconsistent.  Where did the last name "Fieldmouse" for Morty and Ferdie actually originate? Did Gottfredson ever use it?

Mickey calls Mrs. Fieldmouse "Mrs. Fieldmouse".  Clearly, she was NOT his sister. 

Yeah… but with the recent retcon that she is his sister (and she couldn't be his sister-in-law — why would her name be Fieldmouse then?), I like to believe that Mickey didn't really approve of his sister's marriage (not vehemently, just "Amelia, I just don't think this will work out, but this is your life so what can I do?"), and thus emphatically calls her 'Mrs Fieldmouse' as a mocking in-joke. I know it's not what Gottfredson intended at all, but it's my headcanon and I'm stickin' to it.