NEW DUCKTALES

So Disney recently has shown the first image Ducktales image, and it's a really interesting one. Here, said image.

First revealed image of Ducktales (2017 show). Copyrighted Disney

Also, some info I've sourced from two articles in Disney's official "Oh My Disney!" clickbait site:

The new series will star the same beloved characters as the old: Scrooge McDuck, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Launchpad McQuack, Donald Duck, Duckworth, Gyro Gearloose, Flintheart Glomgold, Magica DeSpell, Poe, Ma Beagle, the Beagle Boys, Mrs. Beakley, and Webbigail Vanderquack.

This new series once again stars Scrooge McDuck, grandnephews Huey, Duey, and Louie, and of course, Donald Duck.

 

After the read more, I present some thoughts on it, and fan art of my own!

If you're familiar with Disney's recent output, the stylised flat look will also remind you of their recent Mickey Mouse shorts series, animated in Toon Boom and set throughout the world. They've won a bunch of awards, and personally are pretty great, so that's a good sign for this show here.

Additionally, the image looks pretty promising and interesting in other ways. For starters, look- the nephews have new and different designs! I wonder if it's an intentional throwback to Quack Pack- I suppose it was technically the last duck-based tv show aired.

If so, maybe we can divine it in the outfits- Louie was the sports jock, and here he's got a hoodie- maybe a sports hoodie? Dewey was the brainiac... and I suppose he's got a nerdy shirt? Dunno. Additionally, Webby's got a nice new design, reminiscent of Daisy's in Quack Pack; and appears to be as old as the other kids, which seems a positive so far considering her role as the annoying whiny baby before. Let's hope she doesn't fall into "perfect action girl!" as an opposite.

Also notice how Donald and Scrooge, in terms of colours, are clearly based on the traditional comic book designs. Additionally, the proportions and the nostril in Donald's face are very reminiscent of Barks. This together with the paper textures and the print texture in the background, promises an intentional throw to the comics. 

This leads me to the real meat of this post. To be honest, as a kid, I never cared for Ducktales. To me, it was a watered-down version of the great comics I loved, so instead I rather preferred Darkwing Duck, which was a new thing.

The fact that they're specifically styling themselves after Carl Barks, and that Donald seems to have a bigger role this time around, gives me hope that in this new series, a series made in 2016, with access to the internet and in a post-Rosa era, with information worldwide available, that we might see more things from the comics. And not just Barks either, but Rosa, and even characters like Fethry or Brigitta.

So I tried depicting this in fan art. It's a desperate struggle, really- this isn't just fan art, the hope is that it goes viral somehow and someone at Disney sees it and goes "this is a good idea, let's use these characters". So in honour of such hopes, I give you...

 

  1. JOHN ROCKERDUCK AND FLINTHEART GLOMGOLD

These are the first ones I'd like to see. For one, to see Glomgold be correctly depicted as his South African self (and Magica be Italian too, incidentally!). I specifically based this one on Rosa's drawings, but you wouldn't need to, specifically. Just, he's not Scottish, man. Also his beard is different from portrayed.

Additionally, I'd love to see Rockerduck be used too, and I kinda think he might, considering his Barksian roots. I'd see him used as a more common, less villainous rival to Scrooge, I think. 

 2. FETHRY DUCK
This I also hope is a likely character to appear. Comics-focused communities in the internet will always mention Fethry, and he's been appearing commonly in the comics published in America. I don't think he'd need to be a recurring character, but having one episode or two around him would be interesting - a bit like Donald in the original Ducktales, now I think of it!





 

 3. BRIGITTA MACBRIDGE
OK, this is when I'm entering entirely wish-fulfilment areas. Brigitta I'd consider in the same chances as Fethry, IE a non-Barksian character known in Europe who's also often mentioned, except

• The fact she "contradicts" Rosa's love story of Scrooge and Goldie means there's also resentment against her; 
• Unlike Fethry, she seems to not be entirely established in all of Europe, just in the Italian markets.

Therefore, I've my doubts she'll appear. Still, I'd love to see her, even if only in a couple episodes too. She's been around for 50 years, come on.




 

  4. DICKIE DUCK (PAPERETTA YÈ-YÈ)

This isn't very likely at all. Dickie isn't even that popular in Italy, never mind being relevant enough to appear elsewhere. Still, I think you could make an interesting bunch of episodes with her. Mix it with doing a Rosa-inspired romantic story about Goldie. Have Dickie be kind of a symbol of Goldie in the story?

 

  5. QUACKMORE
I KNOW THIS WON'T HAPPEN AT ALL SINCE DUCKWORTH EXISTS BUT COME ON
A CAMEO
SOMETHING
PLEEEEEASE

Anyway, these are my assorted thoughts on the new show right now. How about you, readers? Feel free to post!