Post by Matilda on Jul 3, 2017 0:08:11 GMT
The discussion on another thread about Petulia O'Hara got me thinking about how many characters I could identify in the Duckiverse who are married. The answer is, almost none. Mostly, I have to go back in time before the "present" to find married couples: Scrooge's parents, Donald's parents, HDL's parents (though some theorize that Della was a single mother), Elvira and Humperdink Duck, and all the couples on the Duck Family Tree; Katie Mallard and her presumed husband, Glomgold's parents, Rockerduck's parents, Gyro's parents, etc. AMJ's parents (Daisy's sister and her presumed husband) are probably both alive in the "present" but never appear. AMJ's parents are probably the only currently living married couple related to a major character, unless you go along with the theory that Matilda and Ludwig Von Drake are married. Or is it possible that Gyro's parents or Gus Goose's parents are currently alive, and we just never see them? (I'm thinking Gladstone's parents probably aren't alive, since they don't show up or contact him on his birthday.)
It's understandable that the "youngish adult" main characters are single, to make for more plot possibilities. It's also understandable, I guess, that one-shot characters rarely if ever have family members. Barks notably created a bunch of great one-shot characters whose aloneness is essential to their character: Mr. Birdmind, the Snow Hermit, the Phantom of Notre Duck, the retired cheesemaker, etc. And villains also rarely get spouses, I suppose, in comics generally. (Maybe it would just complicate things; maybe it would tend to humanize the villain.)
Still, it seems a bit surprising that virtually no named, shown, present-day character is married. Who even *might* be married, with a currently living spouse whom we just never see? Rockerduck? (I realize Glomgold can't be married, as Scrooge's doppelganger, but it would be surprising in real life if Rockerduck weren't married. Has he ever been shown with family? Or said explicitly to be a bachelor?) Philo T. Ellic? Longhorn Tallgrass? Any of the villains? Azure Blue, Sharky, Soapy Slick, Arpin Lusène? Perhaps the best possibilities are Scrooge's employees, Clerkly and the many-named butler (unless he lives at the mansion and is available to his employer 24/7). Miss Quackfaster is single (though some people want to identify her with DuckTales' Mrs. Featherby and claim she was married to a Mr. Featherby for a while). Korhonen's Stella Curfew could be married, I suppose; we only see her at work. There are couples among the Whiskervilles, but not individually named.
When I think about it, I'm kind of surprised that no one has a currently alive, married relative, and that no neighbors are married couples (cf. Neighbor Jones and Lars Jensen's Gertie Gabble, Daisy's annoying neighbor). Jensen has created some neighbors of Miss Quackfaster--I haven't read those stories, but as far as I can tell, the named residents are children or single adults.
When I scan through the list in Inducks' Duck universe, I can find only a few identifiably married couples: Commissario Pinko and Adelaide Pinko, who are in Fantomius' 1920's Duckburg, Gladstone's old school friend Thomas Duckis (Crunk) and his wife Lorraine Duckis, Mr. Phelps (the train inspector who tries to catch Garvey Gull) and Mildred Phelps, the alien couple Trowniz and Zintrow. Scarpa's Mrs. Snobby is said to be the wife of Cicci Snobby, but he is not listed as a character. And here's the thing: I have never read any stories including any of these characters!
So...three questions: (1) Am I missing anyone? (2) Is this phenomenon odd for an all-ages comics universe, or not? (3) Are there more married couples in the Mouse universe?
It's understandable that the "youngish adult" main characters are single, to make for more plot possibilities. It's also understandable, I guess, that one-shot characters rarely if ever have family members. Barks notably created a bunch of great one-shot characters whose aloneness is essential to their character: Mr. Birdmind, the Snow Hermit, the Phantom of Notre Duck, the retired cheesemaker, etc. And villains also rarely get spouses, I suppose, in comics generally. (Maybe it would just complicate things; maybe it would tend to humanize the villain.)
Still, it seems a bit surprising that virtually no named, shown, present-day character is married. Who even *might* be married, with a currently living spouse whom we just never see? Rockerduck? (I realize Glomgold can't be married, as Scrooge's doppelganger, but it would be surprising in real life if Rockerduck weren't married. Has he ever been shown with family? Or said explicitly to be a bachelor?) Philo T. Ellic? Longhorn Tallgrass? Any of the villains? Azure Blue, Sharky, Soapy Slick, Arpin Lusène? Perhaps the best possibilities are Scrooge's employees, Clerkly and the many-named butler (unless he lives at the mansion and is available to his employer 24/7). Miss Quackfaster is single (though some people want to identify her with DuckTales' Mrs. Featherby and claim she was married to a Mr. Featherby for a while). Korhonen's Stella Curfew could be married, I suppose; we only see her at work. There are couples among the Whiskervilles, but not individually named.
When I think about it, I'm kind of surprised that no one has a currently alive, married relative, and that no neighbors are married couples (cf. Neighbor Jones and Lars Jensen's Gertie Gabble, Daisy's annoying neighbor). Jensen has created some neighbors of Miss Quackfaster--I haven't read those stories, but as far as I can tell, the named residents are children or single adults.
When I scan through the list in Inducks' Duck universe, I can find only a few identifiably married couples: Commissario Pinko and Adelaide Pinko, who are in Fantomius' 1920's Duckburg, Gladstone's old school friend Thomas Duckis (Crunk) and his wife Lorraine Duckis, Mr. Phelps (the train inspector who tries to catch Garvey Gull) and Mildred Phelps, the alien couple Trowniz and Zintrow. Scarpa's Mrs. Snobby is said to be the wife of Cicci Snobby, but he is not listed as a character. And here's the thing: I have never read any stories including any of these characters!
So...three questions: (1) Am I missing anyone? (2) Is this phenomenon odd for an all-ages comics universe, or not? (3) Are there more married couples in the Mouse universe?