Post by Spectrus on Dec 30, 2017 11:06:19 GMT
Since we have a thread about PKNA, I feel there should also be one about non-PKNA stories that are good (and could be picked up by IDW).
Some of my favourites are:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL++908-AP
Castor and Pollux. Rockerduck sends a criminal twin duo to Donald's house because he wants to solve the mystery of the twin statuettes... but Donald sees through it and turns the tables with the help of his "friend" Duck Avenger!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL++991-AP
Scrooge wants to get a hold of the Indian reservation because he knows there is oil in the ground...
So while this is easily identifiable as a Guido Martina story, it makes no mistake about placing Duck Avenger firmly on the morally right side - as opposed to Scrooge. De Vita is always good for getting the appropriate atmosphere right; in that sense, this may be my favourite early Duck Avenger story.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1149-AP
Scrooge wants to search for a pirate's treasure (with the help of Donald and his nephews), but Rockerduck is hot on his trail and gets a hold of (what he thinks is) the treasure.
One thing that is typical of the early Duck Avenger stories is how Donald really starts to increase his self-confidence, at least compared to other Italian comics of the time. Here he uses considerable wit to make himself look good, yet you don't get the feeling he shouldn't BE the winner.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1319-BP
One of Giorgio Pezzin's first Duck Avenger stories - criminals who commit crimes while sitting in jail? What's going on?
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1707-A
A mysterious person is stealing chewing gum out of automats. Donald thinks such small crimes aren't important but soon, the public's image of Duck Avenger starts to suffer...
Admittedly, this story isn't flawless - it spends a lot of time harping on about Duck Avenger's failures at the beginning, then suddenly things get cleared up way too quickly and with no proper explanation. But it is of historical importance because it introduces Little Gum, who would go on to appear in twenty more stories. And from a visual point, Chierchini's two-tiered pages featuring normal drawings over "painted panels" are simply extravagant.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1742-A
One of several ecologically themed story from Giorgio Pezzin, and perhaps the best one.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1832-C
You know Intoxman, don't you? This is the classic debut appearance of this remarkable villain, and as far as Duck Avenger stories go... well you won't find many better ones.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1864-B
Not even a year later Giorgio Pezzin presented the sequel to the previous story - and once you've read it, you can't help but wonder why he was revived in "Ultraheroes". Yes, he was one of Duck Avenger's best antagonists, but here we have one of the most striking examples of a criminal being reformed / healed / converted / whatever.
The Spectrus cycle:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1855-A
Well, I guess everybody knows why I chose this one. Spectrus was just too good a character to simply let him languish as a one-shot, so Bruno Sarda brought him back after "Zodiac Stone". And in terms of convincing atmosphere, this is simply a masterpiece. And Duck Avenger crawling around on the ground with his eyes blindfolded...priceless!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1964-B
While it shows that Bruno Sarda didn't write the next Spectrus story, I still think it's very good - partially due to Valerio Held's art, but also because of the magnificent ending sequence. Spectrus wants to hypnotise Duck Avenger into committing suicide (!)...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++40-3
And Spectrus makes another appearance - and we have Sarda back to ensure the plot's quality. The evil magician claims to have lost his hypnotising powers & therefore not being evil any more. This is more of a detective tale than a superhero story, but it's GOOD! Sandro Del Conte had emerged from being Scarpa's inker in the 70s and 80s, so you can guess this doesn't look too bad...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2653-1
Almost ten years after his last appearance (and two years before his final one to date in Ultraheroes), Spectrus was revived by Stefano Ambrosio. This story also marked the debut of his invention Antonio Papernova, another magician with superpowers who becomes Donald's ally in several further stories. While it's certainly not a masterpiece, I don't think the bad Inducks rating is justified - Spectrus is used somewhat out of character, and Cavazzano inexplicably made him look a lot fatter, but many gags are good and I like the overall construction.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK+++25-1
If you wondered why a superhero needs a secret identity... here's the explanation!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++28-1
Giorgio Pezzin did it again, this time with the young Andrea Freccero, whose style is an acquired taste IMO, but if I had to pick one instance where I really like him, it's gotta be this one. But the story itself isn't bad either: The entirety of Duckburg is on an esoteric kick...except Donald, who (annoyed by Daisy's behaviour in particular) sets out to debunk all those fake sorcerers. One turns out to be a particularly dangerous figure...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK+++31-2
Sort of a scenario not unlike a Scrooge/Rockerduck or Scrooge/Glomgold 'contest' but with Duck Avenger & Gyro on one side and an alliance of villains on the other... with a very surprising ending!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2129-1
There had been a few attempts to move Duck Avenger back to his roots after years of super-heroing and to pick up some of the loose ends from the first couple of stories, but this one has to be the first successful one. Like "The Diabolic Duck Avenger", this was drawn by Giovan Battista Carpi, and the tone is noticeably darker compared to standard Paperinik fare. Marco Gervasio also derived some inspiration for his Fantomallard stories from this one, so it's very important to the overall timeline.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK+++39-1
Stalking (courtesy of an annoying female "fan" and writer) + machine guns and hand grenades in a Disney comic? You bet!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++39-2
An interesting Christmas story involving aliens and a very surprising ending. Well done!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++40-1
Here we have a rather unusual story, both in the art (courtesy of Roberto Vian) and the way the story is told. Overall, I class it as a success. While Donald and Scrooge have to cope with a businessman's weird sense of humour, far worse trouble is to come when Rockerduck gets kidnapped!
Professor Electron:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++41-1
Androids who want to destroy humanity to create "the perfect world"...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++62-1
Electron's return
The Lola Duck tetralogy:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++36-2
There is an astrologist in Duckburg who can apparently predict the future because her horoscopes are always right-on. But what consequences does Donald have to draw from that assumption?
Sarda obviously loves the astrology topic. Luciano Gatto is great for "classic" plots like this, and for making Lola look appropriately attractive.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++42-1
Donald gets drawn into problems by an attractive writer, but he makes the wrong conclusions...
Gotta love Chierchini's "hand approaching the reader" scene!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++42-3
The Duck Avenger is asked to keep an eye on the valuable requisites for an opera...
Wonderful, funny scenes with Duck Avenger chasing Lola Duck across the theatre stage and her setting the curtain on fire (!) - if dialogued properly.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++46-1
Scrooge asks Donald to transport a pink diamond across the ocean on a cruise ship. Guess who he runs into? Lola Duck, who doesn't know who she's dancing & flirting with!
"The Chameleon" double:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++49-1
Scooge is the victim of a criminal known as "The Chameleon", who is capable of changing his appearance and imitating other people perfectly (even Donald couldn't tell that it wasn't actually his uncle). Duck Avenger tries to stop the villain but this guy is far cleverer than he thought...
A running gag appears in the form of Duck Avenger testing whether Scrooge is actually Scrooge, by pulling on his beak! Hilarious!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++53-1
The Chameleon has escaped from prison and now wants his revenge on Duck Avenger, the only one who ever managed to catch him. Soon, Donald is facing a flood of doppelgangers...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++49-3
Gladstone has become a witness in a process against a gangster boss, but he doesn't want any police protection. So Duck Avenger has to take care of his cousin!
Incredibly funny!! Also, Guido Scala's art is a thing of beauty.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++57-1
Imagine Donald having actual superpowers (á la Super Goof) - what could happen? Angry Donald exclaiming "Oh no! I've roasted the TV!"
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++59-1
A gnome from another dimension is causing mayhem! And it's all because he's a big fan of Duck Avenger...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++67-1
First time travel story by Lucio Leoni and Emanuela Negrin: Duck Avenger tries to stop the Beagle Boys from robbing the Money Bin - and fails! He then wants to correct his mistakes by using Gyro's time machine - but he ends up causing all those mistakes himself! How to get out of that situation?
Professor Brain:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++68-1
Donald is plagued by recurring nightmares and seems to have forgotten everything that happened in the last couple of days. There is a new mayor in town, and something else doesn't seem to be quite right... Donald has forgotten that he is the Duck Avenger!
One of THE outstanding works by Lucio Leoni and Emanuela Negrin - a real thriller!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++85-1
The sequel turns out to be even more dark and complex, as Professor Brain has managed to completely re-write history and change the present tense with his time machine, making himself dictator/king. Now it's up to Duck Avenger to undo all this, at least he gets help from his friends... Duck Avenger, Feathery, Maya and Sabio Von Drake. What?!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2328-1
Francesco Artibani and Giorgio Cavazzano - that's all you really need to know! Rockerduck wants to trump Scrooge, so he hires the Beagle Boys to make Scrooge a bit poorer. But they aren't exactly known for careful work... and away goes money down the drain! What follows is a string of observers being observed themselves, Donald spraying one mask over the other, and other crazy things happening. Overall, one of the best Duck Avenger stories.
One of the subplots is about basketball, so it seems a natural fit for US localization...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2477-1
Again Artibani - you just know what to expect when he's involved: Class!
Scrooge forces Donald to do restauration work on Cornelius Coot's statue. Unfortunately (for Donald), Rockerduck and his secretary/assistant sabotage the efforts. Time for Duck Avenger to clear things up... but what to do when the famous statue suddenly starts flying across Duckburg?!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK+114-1
Another Leoni/Negrin time travel story, dystopian and impressive: Duck Avenger ends up in the future, but it's looking more like the Middle Ages - except for those creepy law-inforcing robots that look like him!!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK+123-1
Another Leoni/Negrin time travel story, but far lighter than previous ones. Donald tries to flee from Scrooge's fury and accidentally jumps into the future - to find out that Huey, Dewey and Louie have become his superhero successors!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2639-1
Marco Gervasio is known for being the writer and artist who's reviving the spirit of the early Duck Avenger stories - and here he manages to strike a balance between Donald working to improve his standing and not being overly mean-spirited.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2675-1
Marco Gervasio's first serious venture into the world of Fantomallard (Donald's 'spiritual' predecessor) and some attempts to flesh out his environment, which would lead into his Fantomius series.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2902-2
A book has been released about Fantomallard and his crimes, now somebody is committing the same crimes with the same equipment... why?
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2933-1
"Back to the future" - Donald accidentally goes back in time and almost ruins his predecessor's career!
Professor Delta:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2915-5
Scrooge gets sucked into his computer. What to do?
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2949-4P
A weird fog, coinciding with rot of food and flowers, causes fear in a little village...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+3006-1P
A long epic, perhaps a bit TOO long for his own good, but with many good scenes. There are weird things happening out on the ocean; ships from various epochs are appearing out of nowhere, bottles come raining down from the sky, and pirates use hallucination machines to simulate fires so they can take over ships. And somewhere, amidst all that, is Emil Eagle, trying to lure Duck Avenger into his trap...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+I/D+2012-003
Another "Duck Avenger has problems" story, this one actually mostly circles around Donald being trapped in his secret hideaway in freezing coldness, while his inflatable Duck Avenger drone is somewhere out there...
Some of my favourites are:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL++908-AP
Castor and Pollux. Rockerduck sends a criminal twin duo to Donald's house because he wants to solve the mystery of the twin statuettes... but Donald sees through it and turns the tables with the help of his "friend" Duck Avenger!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL++991-AP
Scrooge wants to get a hold of the Indian reservation because he knows there is oil in the ground...
So while this is easily identifiable as a Guido Martina story, it makes no mistake about placing Duck Avenger firmly on the morally right side - as opposed to Scrooge. De Vita is always good for getting the appropriate atmosphere right; in that sense, this may be my favourite early Duck Avenger story.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1149-AP
Scrooge wants to search for a pirate's treasure (with the help of Donald and his nephews), but Rockerduck is hot on his trail and gets a hold of (what he thinks is) the treasure.
One thing that is typical of the early Duck Avenger stories is how Donald really starts to increase his self-confidence, at least compared to other Italian comics of the time. Here he uses considerable wit to make himself look good, yet you don't get the feeling he shouldn't BE the winner.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1319-BP
One of Giorgio Pezzin's first Duck Avenger stories - criminals who commit crimes while sitting in jail? What's going on?
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1707-A
A mysterious person is stealing chewing gum out of automats. Donald thinks such small crimes aren't important but soon, the public's image of Duck Avenger starts to suffer...
Admittedly, this story isn't flawless - it spends a lot of time harping on about Duck Avenger's failures at the beginning, then suddenly things get cleared up way too quickly and with no proper explanation. But it is of historical importance because it introduces Little Gum, who would go on to appear in twenty more stories. And from a visual point, Chierchini's two-tiered pages featuring normal drawings over "painted panels" are simply extravagant.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1742-A
One of several ecologically themed story from Giorgio Pezzin, and perhaps the best one.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1832-C
You know Intoxman, don't you? This is the classic debut appearance of this remarkable villain, and as far as Duck Avenger stories go... well you won't find many better ones.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1864-B
Not even a year later Giorgio Pezzin presented the sequel to the previous story - and once you've read it, you can't help but wonder why he was revived in "Ultraheroes". Yes, he was one of Duck Avenger's best antagonists, but here we have one of the most striking examples of a criminal being reformed / healed / converted / whatever.
The Spectrus cycle:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1855-A
Well, I guess everybody knows why I chose this one. Spectrus was just too good a character to simply let him languish as a one-shot, so Bruno Sarda brought him back after "Zodiac Stone". And in terms of convincing atmosphere, this is simply a masterpiece. And Duck Avenger crawling around on the ground with his eyes blindfolded...priceless!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+1964-B
While it shows that Bruno Sarda didn't write the next Spectrus story, I still think it's very good - partially due to Valerio Held's art, but also because of the magnificent ending sequence. Spectrus wants to hypnotise Duck Avenger into committing suicide (!)...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++40-3
And Spectrus makes another appearance - and we have Sarda back to ensure the plot's quality. The evil magician claims to have lost his hypnotising powers & therefore not being evil any more. This is more of a detective tale than a superhero story, but it's GOOD! Sandro Del Conte had emerged from being Scarpa's inker in the 70s and 80s, so you can guess this doesn't look too bad...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2653-1
Almost ten years after his last appearance (and two years before his final one to date in Ultraheroes), Spectrus was revived by Stefano Ambrosio. This story also marked the debut of his invention Antonio Papernova, another magician with superpowers who becomes Donald's ally in several further stories. While it's certainly not a masterpiece, I don't think the bad Inducks rating is justified - Spectrus is used somewhat out of character, and Cavazzano inexplicably made him look a lot fatter, but many gags are good and I like the overall construction.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK+++25-1
If you wondered why a superhero needs a secret identity... here's the explanation!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++28-1
Giorgio Pezzin did it again, this time with the young Andrea Freccero, whose style is an acquired taste IMO, but if I had to pick one instance where I really like him, it's gotta be this one. But the story itself isn't bad either: The entirety of Duckburg is on an esoteric kick...except Donald, who (annoyed by Daisy's behaviour in particular) sets out to debunk all those fake sorcerers. One turns out to be a particularly dangerous figure...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK+++31-2
Sort of a scenario not unlike a Scrooge/Rockerduck or Scrooge/Glomgold 'contest' but with Duck Avenger & Gyro on one side and an alliance of villains on the other... with a very surprising ending!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2129-1
There had been a few attempts to move Duck Avenger back to his roots after years of super-heroing and to pick up some of the loose ends from the first couple of stories, but this one has to be the first successful one. Like "The Diabolic Duck Avenger", this was drawn by Giovan Battista Carpi, and the tone is noticeably darker compared to standard Paperinik fare. Marco Gervasio also derived some inspiration for his Fantomallard stories from this one, so it's very important to the overall timeline.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK+++39-1
Stalking (courtesy of an annoying female "fan" and writer) + machine guns and hand grenades in a Disney comic? You bet!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++39-2
An interesting Christmas story involving aliens and a very surprising ending. Well done!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++40-1
Here we have a rather unusual story, both in the art (courtesy of Roberto Vian) and the way the story is told. Overall, I class it as a success. While Donald and Scrooge have to cope with a businessman's weird sense of humour, far worse trouble is to come when Rockerduck gets kidnapped!
Professor Electron:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++41-1
Androids who want to destroy humanity to create "the perfect world"...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++62-1
Electron's return
The Lola Duck tetralogy:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++36-2
There is an astrologist in Duckburg who can apparently predict the future because her horoscopes are always right-on. But what consequences does Donald have to draw from that assumption?
Sarda obviously loves the astrology topic. Luciano Gatto is great for "classic" plots like this, and for making Lola look appropriately attractive.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++42-1
Donald gets drawn into problems by an attractive writer, but he makes the wrong conclusions...
Gotta love Chierchini's "hand approaching the reader" scene!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++42-3
The Duck Avenger is asked to keep an eye on the valuable requisites for an opera...
Wonderful, funny scenes with Duck Avenger chasing Lola Duck across the theatre stage and her setting the curtain on fire (!) - if dialogued properly.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++46-1
Scrooge asks Donald to transport a pink diamond across the ocean on a cruise ship. Guess who he runs into? Lola Duck, who doesn't know who she's dancing & flirting with!
"The Chameleon" double:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++49-1
Scooge is the victim of a criminal known as "The Chameleon", who is capable of changing his appearance and imitating other people perfectly (even Donald couldn't tell that it wasn't actually his uncle). Duck Avenger tries to stop the villain but this guy is far cleverer than he thought...
A running gag appears in the form of Duck Avenger testing whether Scrooge is actually Scrooge, by pulling on his beak! Hilarious!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++53-1
The Chameleon has escaped from prison and now wants his revenge on Duck Avenger, the only one who ever managed to catch him. Soon, Donald is facing a flood of doppelgangers...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++49-3
Gladstone has become a witness in a process against a gangster boss, but he doesn't want any police protection. So Duck Avenger has to take care of his cousin!
Incredibly funny!! Also, Guido Scala's art is a thing of beauty.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++57-1
Imagine Donald having actual superpowers (á la Super Goof) - what could happen? Angry Donald exclaiming "Oh no! I've roasted the TV!"
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++59-1
A gnome from another dimension is causing mayhem! And it's all because he's a big fan of Duck Avenger...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++67-1
First time travel story by Lucio Leoni and Emanuela Negrin: Duck Avenger tries to stop the Beagle Boys from robbing the Money Bin - and fails! He then wants to correct his mistakes by using Gyro's time machine - but he ends up causing all those mistakes himself! How to get out of that situation?
Professor Brain:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++68-1
Donald is plagued by recurring nightmares and seems to have forgotten everything that happened in the last couple of days. There is a new mayor in town, and something else doesn't seem to be quite right... Donald has forgotten that he is the Duck Avenger!
One of THE outstanding works by Lucio Leoni and Emanuela Negrin - a real thriller!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK++85-1
The sequel turns out to be even more dark and complex, as Professor Brain has managed to completely re-write history and change the present tense with his time machine, making himself dictator/king. Now it's up to Duck Avenger to undo all this, at least he gets help from his friends... Duck Avenger, Feathery, Maya and Sabio Von Drake. What?!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2328-1
Francesco Artibani and Giorgio Cavazzano - that's all you really need to know! Rockerduck wants to trump Scrooge, so he hires the Beagle Boys to make Scrooge a bit poorer. But they aren't exactly known for careful work... and away goes money down the drain! What follows is a string of observers being observed themselves, Donald spraying one mask over the other, and other crazy things happening. Overall, one of the best Duck Avenger stories.
One of the subplots is about basketball, so it seems a natural fit for US localization...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2477-1
Again Artibani - you just know what to expect when he's involved: Class!
Scrooge forces Donald to do restauration work on Cornelius Coot's statue. Unfortunately (for Donald), Rockerduck and his secretary/assistant sabotage the efforts. Time for Duck Avenger to clear things up... but what to do when the famous statue suddenly starts flying across Duckburg?!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK+114-1
Another Leoni/Negrin time travel story, dystopian and impressive: Duck Avenger ends up in the future, but it's looking more like the Middle Ages - except for those creepy law-inforcing robots that look like him!!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+PK+123-1
Another Leoni/Negrin time travel story, but far lighter than previous ones. Donald tries to flee from Scrooge's fury and accidentally jumps into the future - to find out that Huey, Dewey and Louie have become his superhero successors!
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2639-1
Marco Gervasio is known for being the writer and artist who's reviving the spirit of the early Duck Avenger stories - and here he manages to strike a balance between Donald working to improve his standing and not being overly mean-spirited.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2675-1
Marco Gervasio's first serious venture into the world of Fantomallard (Donald's 'spiritual' predecessor) and some attempts to flesh out his environment, which would lead into his Fantomius series.
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2902-2
A book has been released about Fantomallard and his crimes, now somebody is committing the same crimes with the same equipment... why?
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2933-1
"Back to the future" - Donald accidentally goes back in time and almost ruins his predecessor's career!
Professor Delta:
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2915-5
Scrooge gets sucked into his computer. What to do?
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+2949-4P
A weird fog, coinciding with rot of food and flowers, causes fear in a little village...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+3006-1P
A long epic, perhaps a bit TOO long for his own good, but with many good scenes. There are weird things happening out on the ocean; ships from various epochs are appearing out of nowhere, bottles come raining down from the sky, and pirates use hallucination machines to simulate fires so they can take over ships. And somewhere, amidst all that, is Emil Eagle, trying to lure Duck Avenger into his trap...
inducks.org/story.php?c=I+I/D+2012-003
Another "Duck Avenger has problems" story, this one actually mostly circles around Donald being trapped in his secret hideaway in freezing coldness, while his inflatable Duck Avenger drone is somewhere out there...