Post by Hector on Jan 18, 2017 20:42:41 GMT
Even though i haven't read all of Carl Barkses stories (i have come close though), even though i'm hesitant to declare a pre Scrooge
era story as the best piece of that creator's work, i don't recall any other Barkses story having moved me as much as this one.
The story begins with Donald and the nephews in one of the so many temporary businesses they have started over the history of
Disney comics. This time, they collect seaweed, close to an island, west of India. Donald soon realizes that, if they want their business
to survive, they have to try something dangerous; getting weed from a reef. The plan is to enter the lake in the middle of the sea by
crossing the rocks during the flow. By some convienient plot coincidence, the same night is the night a creepy event is scheduled to
happen. Once per 50 years, a random child on the island is kidnapped by a mysterious man in an iron outfit, never to be seen again.
This has happened 7 times over the last 400 years and the residents are preparing themselves, locking their children till the freaky night
goes by. Donald does not seem worried by the locals' superstitions and procceeds to his plan (which, surprisingly seems to succeed).
Well, you were mistaken mr Duck!
Next morning, one of the nephews (Dewey for the record, even though it could be one of the other two and the story wouldn't change;
those three ducklings are practically the same person, lol) is missing. To make matters worse, the unknown kidnapper has sabotaged
their ship, hoping that they would sink before reporting anything to the police.
Donald and the two remaining nephews search at random in the beginning, until Dewey's voice is heard from a hole in a rock. Now they
know that whoever or whatever kidnapped the poor child lives in a cave underwater. Alas, a great battle begins between the trio and
the ghost of the grotto. A battle that includes many interesting elements: tactical movements AND miscalculations from both sides, strokes
of luck and a giant octopus that acts as motive for some spectacular panels.
The revelation of the ghost's identity is shocking (WARNING: GARGANTUAN SIZED SPOILER ALERT). 400 years ago, a ship carrying spoils
of war from an english victory against Spaniards was crushed on this reef, opening the grotto in the proccess. The captain stayed there,
guarding the treasure, believing that his superior, Sir Francis Drake, would come back (obviously, that captain had got insane, even though
that is not mentioned in the story). Towards the end of his days, the captain kidnapped a kid and brainwashed it, implanting his madness
into the innocent creature's soul. When that kid turned into an aged lunatic as well, he repeated the proccess by kidnapping a new kid
and so on. This way, seven poor children wasted their whole lives for such a stupid purpose.
I don't know if you can conceive the tragicness of those seven people's fate. Because it was a Disney story, Barks could not make it very
dramatic, but i think that story could as well turn into a non Disney related movie. It would be interesting if someone decided to do it.
Well, in the end, the old man that kidnapped Dewey and tried to kill the rest of the feathery family does not go to jail (i don't know about
you, but i think he wouldn't deserve such an ending, after what he'd gone through for 50 years). Him getting the treasure and enjoying a
comfortable life for the rest of his days was some fair compensation from the fate or the gods (dunno, are any gods supposed to exist in
Disney universe?)
Rating: 9/10
era story as the best piece of that creator's work, i don't recall any other Barkses story having moved me as much as this one.
The story begins with Donald and the nephews in one of the so many temporary businesses they have started over the history of
Disney comics. This time, they collect seaweed, close to an island, west of India. Donald soon realizes that, if they want their business
to survive, they have to try something dangerous; getting weed from a reef. The plan is to enter the lake in the middle of the sea by
crossing the rocks during the flow. By some convienient plot coincidence, the same night is the night a creepy event is scheduled to
happen. Once per 50 years, a random child on the island is kidnapped by a mysterious man in an iron outfit, never to be seen again.
This has happened 7 times over the last 400 years and the residents are preparing themselves, locking their children till the freaky night
goes by. Donald does not seem worried by the locals' superstitions and procceeds to his plan (which, surprisingly seems to succeed).
Well, you were mistaken mr Duck!
Next morning, one of the nephews (Dewey for the record, even though it could be one of the other two and the story wouldn't change;
those three ducklings are practically the same person, lol) is missing. To make matters worse, the unknown kidnapper has sabotaged
their ship, hoping that they would sink before reporting anything to the police.
Donald and the two remaining nephews search at random in the beginning, until Dewey's voice is heard from a hole in a rock. Now they
know that whoever or whatever kidnapped the poor child lives in a cave underwater. Alas, a great battle begins between the trio and
the ghost of the grotto. A battle that includes many interesting elements: tactical movements AND miscalculations from both sides, strokes
of luck and a giant octopus that acts as motive for some spectacular panels.
The revelation of the ghost's identity is shocking (WARNING: GARGANTUAN SIZED SPOILER ALERT). 400 years ago, a ship carrying spoils
of war from an english victory against Spaniards was crushed on this reef, opening the grotto in the proccess. The captain stayed there,
guarding the treasure, believing that his superior, Sir Francis Drake, would come back (obviously, that captain had got insane, even though
that is not mentioned in the story). Towards the end of his days, the captain kidnapped a kid and brainwashed it, implanting his madness
into the innocent creature's soul. When that kid turned into an aged lunatic as well, he repeated the proccess by kidnapping a new kid
and so on. This way, seven poor children wasted their whole lives for such a stupid purpose.
I don't know if you can conceive the tragicness of those seven people's fate. Because it was a Disney story, Barks could not make it very
dramatic, but i think that story could as well turn into a non Disney related movie. It would be interesting if someone decided to do it.
Well, in the end, the old man that kidnapped Dewey and tried to kill the rest of the feathery family does not go to jail (i don't know about
you, but i think he wouldn't deserve such an ending, after what he'd gone through for 50 years). Him getting the treasure and enjoying a
comfortable life for the rest of his days was some fair compensation from the fate or the gods (dunno, are any gods supposed to exist in
Disney universe?)
Rating: 9/10
