Interview with Janet Gilbert

Oggi sono lieti di intervistare Janet Gilbert, moglie di Michael Gilbert (creatore di Doc. Monster), già intervistato per questo blog.

What kind of stories do you prefer writing?

All kinds, really! It's as much fun to write a short little one-pager as it is to work on a longer story

Which Disney character do you like the most?

Donald! But the nephews come in a close second. Then there's Daisy and Neighbor Jones and Oona
and Gyro and Grandma Duck . . . hard to choose just one!

You have written many stories using characters from Disney TV programmes as Goof Troop,
DuckTales, Darkwing Duck, etc... Is this a personal choice?

I first started writing Disney comic stories back in 1990 for an American digest magazine called
"Disney Adventures". They based most of their comics on the TV shows, so that's what I wrote. I
haven't written any tie-ins since then (unless you count a Donald Twilight parody from earlier this
year!).

Could you please talk about your vision of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck?

The “classic” Mickey from long ago was so cute and spunky. That Mickey is my favorite version. But
Donald's personality is much more “rounded.“ He can be brave, weak, sweet, irritating . . . all the
human emotions rolled up into one sputtering little duck. I love him!

How would do you define Goofy and Fethry?

I've only written a couple of Goofy stories (based on the Goof Troop TV show from long ago) so it's
tough for me to define him. As for Fethry, I'd never even heard of the character until I started writing
for Egmont, and am still not quite sure who he is! A hippie, sort of?

One of your greatest stories ever is "Buon Compleanno, Paperino!”, drawn by
Giorgio Cavazzano, could you please say something about it?

Thanks for your kind words! I'd only been writing Disney comics for about three years when I
received that big assignment in 1993, and I was terrified! There was a very short deadline as well, and
I had to work like heck every day for a month to finish it. It was a real thrill to have Cavazzano draw
the story, his art was just spectacular! In a funny coincidence, he actually drew my very first Disney
comic story called “Mrs. Beakley's Secret Love.”

Another story by yours I like very much is “Once a Loser”, drawn by Vicar. In it, Donald changes city and everything goes as he's always wanted, but... 

Were you inspired by something when writing it?

Thank you! I just wanted Donald to be successful for a change, with everyone looking up to him. But
with great power comes great responsibility (thank you, Mr. Lee) and poor Donald soon learns that
it's nice just to be a lazy bum sometimes. Amen to that!

The questions are over, but if you want to share something about your career or your biography,
you're absolutely free...

Michael and I have been living in Eugene, Oregon since 1987. It's home to the University of Oregon,
whose sports mascot is Donald Duck! So there are lots of "ducky" things in this town, including the
Mallard Apartment Complex and a radio station called KDUK!

And this is the really nice artwork made by Janet Gilbert for the Daily War Drum.