I just read and enjoyed the two stories where Mickey and Goofy adventure with oceanographer Estrella Marina, another fine Casty (and Cavazzano) creation. I'm hoping these stories appear soon in the IDW comics! I read the first in French and the second in Dutch.
Here's my question: Does anyone know what species Estrella is supposed to be? an anthropomorphic what? At first I thought she was a cat, but the nose doesn't fit with that. Is she a gray fox?
Post by Scrooge MacDuck on Jul 13, 2016 9:15:56 GMT
I'm not sure, but I'd say she's either a dog (terrier maybe?) or a wolf. It would be interesting in both cases, since if she's a wolf is an aversion of the "wolves are evil" stereotype, and if she's a dog, it's a call-back to early Gottfredson anthropomorphic dogs, who, unlike Barks's later dogs but like Estrlla here, had a very animal-like face, with fur on it.
Ah, yes, a terrier, I could see that--like a Westie, maybe. Yes, a good wolf would be interesting--though the way her hair/fur fluffs out is more Westie-like than wolf-like. I think I thought "gray fox" because a fox's fur does fluff out some, especially at the sides of its head.
There is a pun behind that maybe I should explain you. In Italian we say "(vecchio) lupo di mare", literally "(old) sea wolf", to mean "an experienced sailor". The expression is also used (actually, more often used) in a figurative sense, to denote "someone with great experience on something" or even more generically "someone who knows many things". Casty says that Esterella is a "lupetta di mare", namely a "little sea wolf".
There is a pun behind that maybe I should explain you. In Italian we say "(vecchio) lupo di mare", literally "(old) sea wolf", to mean "an experienced sailor". The expression is also used (actually, more often used) in a figurative sense, to denote "someone with great experience on something" or even more generically "someone who knows many things". Casty says that Esterella is a "lupetta di mare", namely a "little sea wolf".
Welcome to the forum, Monkey_Feyerabend! And thanks for the definitive answer to my question. Thanks also for the explanation re: sea wolf. In English the equivalent expression for an old or experienced sailor is "sea dog"! But that hasn't in English become a general term for someone who is experienced or knowledgeable in other fields.
Post by Monkey_Feyerabend on Jan 18, 2017 15:04:47 GMT
Thank you for the welcome Matilda!
So you say sea dog! The root of the expressions must probably be the same. Well, then I guess you english-speakers can see her as some kind of wolfy dog, just for the sake of the pun I suppose that many have asked Casty about the animal aspect of Esteralla, and that's why he decided to give a definitve answer in the volume.
Out of curiosity, in a recent collective interview done by fans in an Italian forum Castellan was asked about the animal origin of Eurasia, and where the hell her ears are. He said that Eurasia is a mouse like Mickey, and her ears are tied behind her head as it is fashion in these days. I cannot tell how much ironical he was concerning the ears
Out of curiosity, in a recent collective interview done by fans in an Italian forum Castellan was asked about the animal origin of Eurasia, and where the hell her ears are. He said that Eurasia is a mouse like Mickey, and her ears are tied behind her head as it is fashion in these days. I cannot tell how much ironical he was concerning the ears
I've assumed that she is a mouse like Mickey, and her ears are just hidden under her hair. Flattened, with the hair pulled over them to draw it back into the braid. It works, if you don't think about it too much!