Rosa Remarks: a Don Rosa Podcast

16/07/2024

*SNORT!* The mightiest podcast to ever trod the sod strikes again! Our episode devoted to Don Rosa's follow-up to great "Super Snooper" story is out now!

This episode featured guests from two different perspectives: a long-time Carl Barks fan, Morten Guldberg, who also loves superhero comics, as well as Ryan Bailey, who is new to the duck comics and provides a fresh, "newbie" perspective.

My guests and I had a great time discussing the story through our different perspectives (I was not a fan of superhero comics for most of my early comics days). We also considered why this story rates so low on the INDUCKS rankings, compared to the vast majority of Rosa's other stories. While I was pretty critical of the story we covered in last week's episode ("War of the Wendigo"), I (and my guests) considered this one quite successful, if not an all-time great.

Listen wherever you get podcasts!
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/27-super-snooper-strikes-again/id1664868578?i=1000662324672

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7hfqKo4XXu5cs2jzCxXCNG?si=dyOgQb_AScaJvENFKuZUHw

24/06/2024

In just a few hours (I scheduled the release for 5:40 Eastern U.S. time), Rosa Remarks will see its glorious return from hiatus, with the release of our episode covering Don Rosa's "War of the Wendigo!"

I'm joined by returning guest Geoff Moses, also known as GeoX, blogger extraordinaire who has been talking about Disney comics for a million years now in internet time over at the Duck Comics R***e (https://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/)!

Listeners, I'm really excited to be back, energized to move forward with the podcast; and thrilled that we are almost up to our coverage of the Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck saga. That said, this story is a bit of an awkward one to be our big return, because...it just isn't my favorite. 🙃 I definitely don't hate it and in fact see a lot to appreciate about it, but I do have some criticism to levy on this one (and it's probably not about what you're thinking).

Just know that my guest and I made an effort to be thoughtful about this one, and hopefully everyone is well-acquainted with the concept that no one is going to equally like every work in an artist's ouvre. 🤷

Listen to Rosa Remarks wherever you find podcasts!

19/06/2024

Coming Soon…

Yes! The podcast is (almost) back! School’s out and this speech therapist is back on podcast duty, with lots of great episodes planned for release this summer!

Thanks for your patience, and look forward to our glorious return this coming Monday, with the anticipated release of the episode covering “War of the Wendigo!”

15/04/2024

Hi folks! Another new episode of the podcast is up, covering Rosa's "the Island at the Edge of Time," a story with a real attention-grabbing title and cover. Just look at it, how can you not be intrigued by the ducks paddling TOWARD a volcanic eruption! It may not play out quite like that in the story, but this one manages the trick of telling a high concept story drawn some rather dry subject matter -- the international date line!

Join me and guest Alban Leloup, who works on the French Picsou Magazine, available wherever you get podcasts!

27/03/2024

Ted does great collages; I love the selections he curated here in this post celebrating Barks’ birthday.

Today would have been the 123rd birthday of the creative genius Carl Barks!

Barks created some of the most iconic characters in comic book history.

We as readers were invited to adventures in the Andes, on the seven seas, into space and beneath the ground.

Through his stories we came in contact with the abominable snowman, larkies, micro-ducks and pygmy indians.

The Ducks faced opponents such as the Beagle Boys, Magica de Spell and Flintheart Glomgold.

We learned to never give up. To be tougher than the thoughies, and smarter than the smarties. And to make it square.

We learned that no man is poor who can do what he likes to do once in a while.

We learned about history, economics and how society works.

We learned to always have an open mind and to see possibilities in things that happens.

We learned that there is always a way to help the less fortunate.

We learned that sometimes all you need is a tall, cool ice-cream soda.

Barks taught us about life itself, and in the most entertaining way possible!

08/03/2024

A great post from Ted, on participating in this episode, and his great piece of original art and other memories! Love that graphic!

08/03/2024

New episode! I'm pleased to have been joined by returning guests Anders Christian Sivebæk & Ted Johansson, to discuss the ten-pager "Incident at McDuck Tower," a classic gag story which clocks in as his second-highest ranked ten-pager on INDUCKS.

You'll note that there aren't a lot of options for a covers gallery for this one, but at least Greece and Finland have featured panel reproductions on select covers, even if they share space with Vicar. Edit: I’m editing to add Ted’s great graphic to juice the small covers gallery. 🙂

Listen on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/episode/4xdOIQPD5vbiuzx11t7VMS?si=P4VtwrFbQfqO1DeIN8pEnw) or Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/24-incident-at-mcduck-tower/id1664868578?i=1000648436616) or wherever you get podcasts!

22/02/2024

New episode! I was joined by a new guest, Chand John, a professor, engineer and longtime Rosa fan with a great perspective on the engineering and science that underpins much of Rosa's storytelling (Chand is also the creator of a widely-viewed TED video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaNLJf8xzC4).

We talked about "the Duck Who Fell to Earth," a Rosa story that has never been one of my favorites...and yet, doing this kind of deep dive always reveals so much to appreciate, and this was no exception. I came out of this one with an appreciation for the story's great sight gags, its use of the different atmospheric layers as a storytelling device, and its masterful section of wordless storytelling.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/23-the-duck-who-fell-to-earth/id1664868578?i=1000646352453

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0lmUYKFPrIwbsrvl2uP2dx?si=dBr802bBT_umJ9YO7USqdg

16/02/2024

This is officially about the main Barks Remarks podcast, but also alludes to the Rosa Remarks podcast! What a treat to make an appearance in one of the Disney comics!

13/02/2024

Hi folks - you may have noticed the podcast is not updating as frequently these days. Never fear, Rosa Remarks (and its parent “Barks Remarks”) *will* continue through the entire run of comics. I’ve just had to slow my pace somewhat for sanity’s sake.

I’m aiming to put the next episode (covering “the Duck Who Fell to Earth” out in the next week or so). In the meantime, here is one of our long-delayed Favorite & Notable Panel features, for “the Master Landscapist,” one of the all-time great gag stories!

Catch this and other episodes wherever you get podcasts!

03/02/2024

Our newest episode is out this week, and it's a doozy! "Return to Xanadu" is one of Rosa's all-time classics, and pulls off a deft trick, weaving together a follow-up to TWO Barks classics!

I was joined by Harry Fluks, founder of the great resource INDUCKS, and who also counts this as one of his all-time favorites.

You can listen to Rosa Remarks wherever you get podcasts!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/22-return-to-xanadu/id1664868578?i=1000643476643

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1qwWO4nziQJX2Qk29midxf?si=wlhWA6drRGeLEp96U_GnXA

03/01/2024

"This souped-up podcast is the fastest thing in the Keys! Nobody could catch US unless they chased us to the edge of the world!"

Yep, it's a new episode! Thomas “Dillerpanda” Schrøder returns, to discuss one of my all-time favorite Rosa stories, the high-concept treasure hunt, “Treasure Under Glass.” Thomas is a Danish editor, translator, and writer who has worked extensively localizing and providing commentary for Rosa’s stories!

This is a wonderful story, with an absolute preponderance of high concept splash panels, some great historical flavor, and one of the times Rosa takes the ducks on a sort of “treasure hunt to end all treasure hunts!” There was a time when I probably would have named this my all-time favorite of his stories. Check out the episode wherever you get podcasts.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/21-treasure-under-glass/id1664868578?i=1000640396936TBA

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0zFlpUT5qIcmEj1srpJh0F?si=xKBrM2E_S8-nLFLs2vvOjw

23/12/2023

Hey, it’s our Favorite & Notable Panels feature! It’s been a minute - I enjoy doing these, but they do take a bit of doing, so forgive their recent absence while life has been busy.

Anyway, “the Money Pit” is something special. Check out some of these curated panels with commentary in captions.

23/12/2023

Merry Christmas from Rosa Remarks!

20/12/2023

Just a wee bit late releasing this one...if only I had Gyro's stopwatch (Patent Pending)! I was joined by Bucket Think Tank to discuss this brisk adventure, a personal favorite of mine! We have a lot to say about this time-stopping adventure, one Rosa's many high-concept stories. Give it a listen wherever you find podcasts!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/20-on-stolen-time/id1664868578?i=1000639166348

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0WmpKfLUZjiyBWqvt3xJ1z?si=Ruh6FRG2S66G--MHh2ycZg

08/12/2023

Here is the Panels feature for “the Pied Piper of Duckburg.” I’m letting the feature I did for the Barks Remarks page do double duty, for obvious reasons.

This was a fun feature (and episode). It isn’t every day I get to include panels from 3 Disney comics legends, Carl Barks, Don Rosa, and Daan Jippes.

I thought about comparing the two completed takes on the stories more directly, but it didn’t really seem relevant, since the stories have such different takes. And anyway, I grew up reading and re-reading Rosa’s take on the story since age 9; I only had the opportunity to read Jippes’ take a few days before recording, since it was hard to come by for a long time in the States.

07/12/2023

Just released: our episode covering Rosa’s “the Master Landscapist!” Olsrud Tegner and Mikkel Hagens tegninger return for a discussion of his take on the “Brittle Mastery” story type that Carl Barks made famous!

There is a surprising amount to say about this extremely funny ten-pager. Check it out wherever you get podcasts!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/19-the-master-landscapist/id1664868578?i=1000637752719

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2embo1hXP1PrUQQTaP7ygE?si=lCJr-pf2Qc6hcyfeab76ig

04/12/2023

Hi folks,

I’m still aiming to make my release target for “the Master Landscapist” for later this evening.

In the meantime, check out this fascinating project: a live action take on the Barks/Rosa Scrooge ducks (in human form)! This intriguing project is seeking backing, so check out their pitch and trailer. I watched the trailer myself and found it full of promise and strikingly good production design.

Take part in the creation of the 1st short-movie directly inspired by $crooge McDuck adventures by sponsoring the 2nd part of the shooting!

27/11/2023

New episode is out today! Orion Trunk joins me to discuss “the Money Pit,” Rosa’s tightly-paced, entirely-interior-set follow-up to the all-time great Barks ten-pager “the Trouble with Dimes.”

This story is a surprisingly emotional one and serves as Rosa’s treatise on some of the ridiculous aspects of collecting. It is a personal favorite of mine and Orion’s. Check it out!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/18-the-money-pit/id1664868578?i=1000636610222

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7w2OatwVWgT9TDK99uw0zg?si=YytYrD9dSxyqkI2hBi0ihA

21/11/2023

Hi folks,

I’d intended to release our next episode, covering “the Money Pit” today, but alas, it is delayed. I’ll aim for release sometime around the coming week.

In the meantime, why not check out the episode of Barks Remarks - a Carl Barks Podcast that covers the story that this one follows up, the all-time classic ten-pager, “the Trouble with Dimes” (currently the highest-rated ten-pager on INDUCKS). That episode was the first where I was joined by famed Disney comics artist Patrick Block!

“Trouble With Dimes”:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/barks-remarks-a-carl-barks-podcast/id1569066754?i=1000555421746

08/11/2023

Does anyone have a higher quality image available for this, the sole cover I found for “the Pied Piper of Duckburg”?

08/11/2023

This week’s episode is something special: Nils Lid Hjort joins me to discuss Barks’ (and Rosa’s!) “the Pied Piper of Duckburg,” a late 50s Gyro Gearloose story he abandoned after sketching 3 pages. Around 1989, Don Rosa was asked to complete the story (published 1990). Then, Dutch legend Daan Jippes was likewise asked to finish his own take on the story for publication in 2007.

We discuss both Rosa and Jippes’ take on the story in this episode, which serves as likely our only episode to be cross-posted between this series and Barks Remarks!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/barks-remarks-a-carl-barks-podcast/id1569066754?i=1000633945246

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6EwicNtAVSV8dL0NcnUB7V?si=0WZE1GU0RdKGunE4X2tmNA

06/11/2023

Here are the stories we are covering in November AND December on Rosa Remarks!

11/6 or 11/7, depending on when I finish editing - “the Pied Piper of Duckburg,” featuring new guest Nils Lid Hjort. This is a special cross-post with Barks Remarks!

11/20 - “the Money Pit,” featuring returning guest Orion Trunk

12/4 - “the Master Landscapist,” featuring returning guests Mikkel Hagen & Ruben Olsrud

12/18 - “On Stolen Time,” featuring returning guest Bucket Think Tank

25/10/2023

New episode, listeners! This one is something different; a rapid fire episode covering the various short stories and gags that were Rosa collaborations or were too short to merit their own episode. Most of the stories covered were written by Dutch writers and drawn by Rosa, during the brief stretch of time where he worked as an artist for hire for the Dutch publisher Oberon. I'm joined by Finnish Rosa fan Markku Mujunen, who is a great sport for coming on and discussing this collection of less notable, but still fascinating grab bag of stories.

It includes discussions of:
-Making the Grade (10 pages)
-Give Unto Others (7 pages)
-the Starstruck Duck (10 pages, storyboard only)
-Fir Tree Fracas (4 pages)
-Back in Time for a Dime! (4 pages)
-Forget Me Not (3 pages)
-Additional 1-2 page gag stories

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mark2787/episodes/16---Making-the-Grade-and-additional-short-gags--stories-e2b18a2

23/10/2023

This week’s episode is still targeted for release today, but likely this evening and could fall to tomorrow. It is a “Grab Bag” episode primarily focused on the ten-pager “Making the Grade,” but also covering all of Rosa’s Disney comics releases under ten pages (with the exception of “the Pied Piper of Duckburg”). Thanks for your patience!

18/10/2023

Time for Favorite & Notable Panels, “On a Silver Platter” edition! I mentioned previously, I think this is a strong contender for Rosa’s very best ten-pager/gag story. The community agrees; according to INDUCKS. This one clocks in just outside the 100 all-time greatest Disney comics, per user votes ( #113), an impressive ranking, since gag stories often get the short-shrift.

This story is a masterpiece of setup, pacing, and comic timing, and boasts what I consider four of the funniest panels in all Disney comicsdom.

09/10/2023

Out today! The latest episode, covering “On a Silver Platter!” I’m joined by new guest, Maciek Kur, hailing from Poland! Maciek is an accomplished writer of comics, animation, and a co-host of his own Disney Comics-focused podcast, Duck Heads! Several of his works even have English language releases, including the comic Dollicious and the subtitled Kayko & Kokoush, available on Netflix!

If I may offer a hot take: “Platter” is Rosa’s all-time best ten-pager. It cracks me up every time I read it. Especially the last four panels, which are among the funniest to appear in any Disney comic.

Give it a listen wherever you get podcasts!

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/15-on-a-silver-platter/id1664868578?i=1000630656543

Spotify: https://spotify.link/CRvL3ZtBLDb

09/10/2023

Time for our last Panels Feature from Rosa’s masterpiece “His Majesty, McDuck!” It’s a short one, mostly focused on one particular sequence: the panels that set up the story’s heartfelt ending. I’ll admit it, the first time I read it, I immediately backtracked in the story, to confirm what had really happened. Just a masterpiece of a twist ending!

Tomorrow the podcast releases a new episode covering another Rosa masterpiece, “On a Silver Platter,” my pick for his all-time best ten-pager! I’ll be joined by longtime Polish fan Maciek Kur, an award-winning writer of Polish comics and animation, and co-host of another Duck comics-focused podcast, Duck Heads! Check the episode out wherever you get podcasts.

06/10/2023

Here’s part 3 of our Favorite & Notable Panels feature for “His Majesty, McDuck,” mostly covering the invasion of the bin!

02/10/2023

Continuing to feature some Favorite & Notable Panels (part 2!) from “His Majesty, McDuck.” Check the commentary for notes on what is certainly the most iconic ever appearance of Cornelius Coot, additional movie/literary references, and an oily villain that shoulda made a return!