Authors that don't shy away from karma directed at Gladstone

[dismaldowns]

Carl Barks managed to create such an obnoxious character that even with his established luck he had to lose - or at least not win as much as Donald in the end - in a lot of stories in order to illicit some catharsis. I think with Barks the ratio is 50/50. He is unbelievably lucky but half the time Donald manages to have the last laugh. Don Rosa made him win every time but granted he didn't use the goose as much as Barks did.

With that said do you know authors that tend to provide this sort of satisfaction for the fans more often - without breaking the character's core qualities.

[RobbK1]

Gladstone is a pathetic character, because he always gets what he "thinks" (or "Fate" thinks) he wants. Therefore, what he gets is meaningless, and his only "joy" in life is thinking of himself as having some "value" in life, being "The Luck Champion" of The World. But it is a "hollow" victory, which cannot make him feel accomplished and "worthy", because he didn't do any of it himself. Therefore, he can have no real feelings of self worth, and, thus cannot "love" himself. And so, being constantly ego-driven related to false values, he cannot love someone else. It is, therefore, easy for the story author to find a way for Gladstone to have the automatic,"nominal" hollow victory, but for Donald to have the moral victory, and be warmly consoled by his loved ones (Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and/or Daisy). He sometimes feels sorry for Gladstone, because the latter isn't capable of really enjoying anything, and is really all alone, even when he's with people.

[Orora]

Oct 18, 2017 2:48:41 GMT RobbK1 said:

Gladstone is a pathetic character, because he always gets what he "thinks" (or "Fate" thinks) he wants. Therefore, what he gets is meaningless, and his only "joy" in life is thinking of himself as having some "value" in life, being "The Luck Champion" of The World. But it is a "hollow" victory, which cannot make him feel accomplished and "worthy", because he didn't do any of it himself. Therefore, he can have no real feelings of self worth, and, thus cannot "love" himself. And so, being constantly ego-driven related to false values, he cannot love someone else. It is, therefore, easy for the story author to find a way for Gladstone to have the automatic,"nominal" hollow victory, but for Donald to have the moral victory, and be warmly consoled by his loved ones (Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and/or Daisy). He sometimes feels sorry for Gladstone, because the latter isn't capable of really enjoying anything, and is really all alone, even when he's with people.

What stories best show that? It'd be interesting.