A page dedicated to Carl Barks
A list of comics by Carl Barks, with some notes.
Preamble
There is a definite development in Barks' work over time, particularly in the early days.
But it is not so much a development of the characters, as would indicate a single story arc, canon or universe. Rather it is Barks' own approach, even his skill level, that develops, again particularly in the first few years.
There is also collaboration of course. It is tempting to guess that Barks is at his best when he is both writer and illustrator, but that is simply not the case in the early work.
The classics start very early. By 1946, the style of the best stories has changed radically from the first few. The Terror of the River shows all the best features of Barks at his masterful best. But if we go by the order of publication there is no consistency.
The List
Dates are first publication date.
A Hole in One
1938, plot only by Barks, 5 panel newspaper strip
The Sheriff Goes Crabing
1938, plot only by Barks, 5 panel newspaper strip
Anything to Oblige
1938, plot only by Barks, 5 panel newspaper strip
Mr. Woodpecker Goes Picketing
1938, plot only by Barks, 5 panel newspaper strip
Out of the Frying Pant
1938, plot only by Barks, 5 panel newspaper strip
There's One Born Every Minute
1938, plot only by Barks, 3 panel newspaper strip
Donald's Golf Game
1938, plot only by Barks, 2 newspaper strips, a 4 panel then a 5 panel
Just a Heel!
1938, plot only by Barks, 5 panel newspaper strip
Into the Frying Pan
1939, plot only by Barks, 4 panel newspaper strip
A Heavy Fall of Snow!
1939, plot only by Barks, 5 panel newspaper strip
Donald Duck
1939, plot only by Barks, 4 panel newspaper strip
Pluto Saves the Ship
1942, Barks one of three writers. a longish story with Pluto the only main character.
Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold
1942. Only the art pages 1,2,5,12-40 is by Barks. Stars Donald and his nephews.
The Victory Garden
April 1943, original author unknown, rewritten and drawn by Barks, coloured by Susan Daigle-Leach.
Barks drawing is already quite awesome. Perhaps not as polished as in some later ones, with some panels rather bare for no obvious effect, but already brilliant.
The Rabbit's Foot
May 1943, the very next issue of Walt Disney Comics and Stories to The Victory Garden in fact, and written and drawn by Barks. Coloured by Gary Leach.
The story is not up to the standard of Barks' later work. The richness of the characters is just not there, they lack dimension.
Even the art is not up to the standard of the previous story. Was it perhaps written and drawn earlier, and the stories published out of sequence? We may never know.
Flashes of brilliance, but overall not his best by a long way.
Lifeguard Daze
June 1943, written and drawn by Barks. Coloured by Susan Daigle-Leach.
Quite simply one of the worst. A completely different approach in both story and drawing.
Good Deeds
July 1943, written and drawn by Barks. Coloured by Susan Daigle-Leach.
Getting better... but still a pale shadow of what was to follow.
The Limber W Guest Ranch
July 1943, written and drawn by Barks. Coloured by Susan Daigle-Leach.
Forgettable. Story and art both patchy. Flashes of brilliance, but...
The Mummy's Ring
The Hard Loser
Too Many Pets
1943, Drawn by Barks and written with one other.
The Mighty Trapder
September 1943.
A few nice panels and story twists, but not the best overall.
Good Neighbors
November 1943. written and drawn by Barks.
Not the best of the Neighbour Jones stories.
Salesman Donald
December 1943.
An early example of Donald as the conquering hero. But far from the best of them
Snow Fun
January 1944.
Flashes of brilliance but some very weak points both in story and art.
The Duck in the Iron Pants
December 1943, written and drawn by Barks.
Simply terrible, both the drawing and the story.
Kite Weather
Three Dirty Little Ducks
The Mad Chemist
Rival Boatmen
Camera Crazy
Farragut the Falcon
The Purloined Putty
High-wire Daredevils
Ten Cents' Worth of Trouble
Donald's Bay Lot
Frozen Gold
Mystery of the Swamp
Thievery Afoot
The Tramp Steamer
The Long Race to Pumpkinburg
Webfooted Wrangler
The Icebox Robber
Pecking Order
Taming the Rapids
The Riddle of the Red Hat
Days at the Lazy K
Eyes in the Dark
Thug Busters
The Great Ski Race
Best Christmas
Ten-Dollar Dither
The Terror of the River!!
1946, in Donald Duck Four Color #108.
A classic, and one of Barks' own favourites.
The Firebug
1946, in Donald Duck Four Color #108.
A classic. The last two panels are not by Barks, and it shows, but they don't spoil the story.
Seals Are So Smart!
1946, in Donald Duck Four Color #108.
Blatantly not up to the standard of his other work in that same issue!
Donald Tames His Temper
Singapore Joe
Master Ice-Fisher
Jet Rescue
Donald's Monster Kite
Biceps Blues
The Smugsnorkle Squattie
Swimming Swindlers
Playin' Hookey
The Gold-Finder
The Tax-Collectors
Santa's Stormy Visit
Turkey Trouble
Donald Duck's Atom Bomb
Maharajah Donald
The Peaceful Hills
The Cantankerous Cat
Going Buggy
Jam Robbers
Picnic Tricks
If the Hat Fits
Volcano Valley
Donald's Posy Patch
Donald Mines His Own Business
Magical Misery
The Ghost of the Grotto
Adventure Down Under
Vacation Time
The Waltz King
The Masters of Melody
Fireman Donald
A classic.
Three Good Little Ducks
Fashion in Flight
Christmas on Bear Mountain
Turn for the Worse
Machine Mix-Up
The Terrible Turkey
Darkest Africa
Wintertime Wager
Watching the Watchman
Wired
Going Ape
Spoil the Rod
Bird Watching
The Old Castle's Secret
Horseshoe Luck
Bean Taken
Rocket Race to the Moon
Donald of the Coast Guard
Gladstone Returns
Links Hijinks
Sorry to be Safe
Sheriff of Bullet Valley
A classic.
Best Laid Plans
The Genuine Article
Pearls of Wisdom
Foxy Relations
Toyland
Jumping to Conclusions
The Golden Christmas Tree
The True Test
Ornaments on the Way
The Crazy Quiz Show
Race to the South Seas
Truant Officer Donald
DD's Worst Nightmare
Pizen Spring Dude Ranch
Too Fit to Fit
Lost in the Andes!
April 1949, written and drawn by Barks, coloured by Susan Daigle-Leach.
A classic, and a Barks favourite.
Tunnel Vision
Sleepy Sitters
Rival Beachcombers
The Sunken Yacht
Managing the Echo System
Plenty of Pets
Slippery Shine
Voodoo Hoodoo
August 1949, written and drawn by Barks, coloured by Scott Rockwell.
A classic.
Fractious Fun
King-Size Cone
Super Snooper
The Great Duckburg Frog-Jumping Contest
Dowsing Ducks
Letter to Santa
Christmas Parade 1949, written and drawn by Barks, coloured by Susan Daigle-leach.
Far from the best of the Christmas stories, but with touches of brilliance... the opening panel and the first two panels of the courtroom scene are classics.
No Noise is Good Noise
Christmas Parade 1949, written and drawn by Barks, coloured by Michael Myers.
One-pager, not all that significant.
The Goldilocks Gambit
New Toys
Toasty Toys
Luck of the North
No Place to Hide
Tied-Down Tools
Donald's Love Letters
Rip Van Donald
Noise Nullifier
Land of the Totem Poles
February 1950, written and drawn by Barks, coloured by Scott Rockwell.
A classic and a Barks favourite. Donald as the flawed but eventually conquering hero, rescued by his nephews. And very, very funny.
Trail of the Unicorn
Matinee Madness
A Fetching Price
Serum to Codfish Cove
In Ancient Persia
Wild About Flowers
The Pixilated Parrot
Vacation Time
Camp Counselor
Donald's Grandma Duck
The Magic Hourglass
You Can't Guess
Christmas Parade #2 1950, written and drawn by Barks, coloured by Katy Llewellyn.
One of the Christmas classics. Barks at his very best.
Big-Top Bedlam
Dangerous Disguise
Billions to Sneeze At
Operation St. Bernard
No Such Varmint
A Financial Fable
The April Foolers
Old California
Knightly Rivals
Pool Sharks
The Trouble With Dimes
Gladstone's Luck
Ten-Star Generals
Attic Antics
The Truant Nephews
Untitled (Talking Parrot)
Terror of the Beagle Boys
The Big Bin on Killmotor Hill
Treeing Off
Projecting Desires
A Christmas for Shacktown
Gladstone's Usual Very Good Year
Christmas Kiss
The Screaming Cowboy
Osogood Silver polish
Soupline Eight
Statuesque Spendthrifts
Only a Poor Old Man
Coffee for Two
Rocket Wing Saves the Day
Gladstone's Terrible Secret
The Think Box Bollix
Full-Service Windows
Houseboat Holiday
Awash in Success
The Golden Helmet
Rigged-Up Roller
Gemstone Hunters
Crafty Corner
The Gilded Man
Spending Money
Armored Rescue
Stable Prices
The Hypno-Gun
A Prank Above
Omelet
Frightful Face
Trick or Treat
Hobblin' Goblins
A Charitable Chore
Turkey with All the Schemings
Flip Decision
Fare Delay
The Money Ladder
Back to the Klondike
The Checker Game
Somethin' Fishy Here
My Lucky Valentine
The Easter Election
The Talking Dog
Worm Weary
Much Ado About Quackly Hall
Some Heir Over the Rainbow
The Round Money Bin
Barber College
The Master Rainmaker
none
The Horseradish Story
none
The Money Stairs
Bee Bumbles
Bum Steer
The Menehune Mystery
Wispy Willie
The Cheapest Weigh
Ballet Evasions
The Hammy Camel
Fix-up Mix-up
Hospitality Week
Slippery Sipper
Turkey Trot at One Whistle
The Secret of Atlantis
McDuck Takes a Dive
Raffle Reversal
Flour Follies
Tralla La
Mental Fee
Outfoxed Fox
The Price of Fame
Oil the News
Dig it!
Midgets Madness
Salmon Derby
The Seven Cities of Cibola
Diner Dilemma
Billion Dollar Pigeon
Temper Tampering
Cheltenham's Choice
Wrong Number
Travelling Truants
Donald Duck Tells About Kites
Rants About Ants
Donald Duck Tells About Kites
A Campaign of Note
Too Safe Safe
Cash on the Brain
Classy Taxi!
The Mysterious Stone Ray
Blanket Investment
Search for the Cuspidora
New Year's Revolutions
The Lemming with the Locket
Cast of Thousands
The Tuckered Tiger
Iceboat to Beaver Island
Easy Mowing
Ski Lift Letdown
The Daffy Taffy Pull
The Ghost Sheriff of Last Gasp
Heirloom Watch
Deep Decision
Smash Success
The Fabulous Philosopher's Stone
A Descent Interval
Donald's Raucous Role
Good Canoes and Bad Canoes
The Great Steamboat Race
Trouble Indemnity
Roundabout Handout
Riches, Riches, Everywhere!
Come as You are
The Chickadee Challenge
The Unorthodox Ox
The Golden Fleecing
The Custard Gun
Doughnut Dare
Watt an Occasion
A Sweat Deal
Remember This
Courtside Heating
Power Plowing
Three Un-Ducks
Dogcatcher Duck
Secret Resolutions
Secret of Hondorica
Trapped Lightning
The Ice Taxis
The Art of Security
Fashion Forecast
Land Beneath the Ground!
none
Searching for a Successor
The Olympic Hopeful
Faulty Fortune
The Lost Crown of Genghis Khan
Gopher Goof-Ups
Gold Rush
Inventor of Anything
Fireflies are Free
Luncheon Lament
In the Swim
Camping Confusion
The Second-Richest Duck
Pound for Sound
The Master
The Cat Box
Buffo or Bust
Migrating Millions
A Whale of a Story
Smoke Writer in the Sky
The Colossalest Surprise Quiz Show
Back to Long Ago!
Backyard Bonanza
The Runaway Train
Forecasting Follies
Grandma's Present
Fertile Assets
All Season Hat
Statues of Limitations
Borderline Hero
Fishing Mystery
The Lost Peg Leg Mine
Early to Build
The Eyes Have It
A Cold Bargain
Knight in Shining Armor
China Shop Shakeup
Gyro's Imagination Invention
Donald's Pet Service
The Sure-Fire Gold Finder
Net Worth
Relative Reaction
Land of the Pygmy Indians
The Day Duckburg Got Dyed
In Kakimaw country
Forbidden Valley
Picnic
The Fantastic River Race
Special Delivery
History Tossed
Losing Face
The Mines of King Solomon
Gyro Builds a Better House
Red Apple Sap
Sagmore Springs Hotel
The Black Pearls of Tabu Yama
The Tenderfoot Trap
Rescue Enhancement
August Accident
City of Golden Roofs
September Scrimmage
Roscoe the Robot
The Code of Duckburg
The Persistent Postman
The Half-Baked Baker
Windfall of the Mind
Dogged Determination
The Money Well
Forgotten Precaution
Getting Thor
Wishing Stone Island
Rocket Race Around the World
Going to Pieces
High Rider
The Golden River
That Sinking Feeling
Dodging Miss Daisy
The Know-It-All Machine
Blinders gag
The Titanic Ants!
Fearsome Flowers
Water Ski Race
Mocking Bird Ridge
Gyro Goes for a Dip
Lights Out
Moola on the Move
The Fabulous Tycoon
The Strange Shipwrecks
All Choked Up
Old Froggie Catapult
Dramatic Donald
The Forbidium Money Bin
Noble Porpoises
The House on Cyclone Hill
The Littlest Chicken Thief
The Magic Ink
Christmas in Duckburg
The Twenty-four Carat Moon
Rocket-Roasted Christmas Turkey
Tracking Sandy
The Wishing Well
News from Afar
Immovable Miser
Pyramid Scheme
Kitty-Go-Round
The Flying Dutchman
Bill Wind
The Master Mover
Spring Fever
The Beachcombers' Picnic
The Prize of Pizarro
Krankenstein Gyro
The Lovelorn Fireman
Return to Pizen Bluff
A Honey of a Hen
The Weather Watchers
The Floating Island
The Flying Farm Hand
The Sheepish Cowboys
Jungle Hi-jinks
Mastering the Matterhorn
Trail Tycoon
Fun? What's That?
On the Dream Planet
The Black Forest Rescue
The Firefly Tracker
His Handy Andy
The Money Champ
The Watchful Parents
Crawls for Cash
The Good Deeds
The Lost Rabbit Foot
Black Wednesday
The TV Babysitter
Tight Shoes
The Stubborn Stork
The Bird Camera
The Librarian
The Master Glasser
Donald's Party
The Framed Mirror
Milktime Melodies
The Odd Order
The Double Date
The Beauty Queen
The Gab-Muffer
The New Girl
The Witching Stick
The Paul Bunyan Machine
The Money Hat
The Christmas Cha Cha
The Inventors' Contest
The Wax Museum
Touché Toupeé
The Snow Chaser
Under the Polar Ice
Mopping Up
Free Ski Spree
Knights of the Flying Sleds
Island in the Sky
Oodles of Oomph
Riding the Pony Express
Hound of the Whiskervilles
Mixed-Up Mixer
Tale of the Tape
Want to Buy an Island?
The Call of the Wild
The Madball Pitcher
His Shining Hour
Cave of the Winds
The Bear Tamer
Froggy Farmer
Rainbow's End
War Paint
Yoicks! The Fox!
Pipeline to Danger
Mystery of the Loch
The Dog-sitter
The Village Blacksmith
All At Sea
The Secret Book
Fishy Warden
The Balmy Swami
The Fraidy Falcon
Two-Way Luck
Rocks to Riches
Balloonatics
The Inventive Gentleman
Turnabout
A Sticky Situation
Ruling the Roost
That's No Fable!
Friendly Enemy
The Homey Touch
Ring Leader Roundup
Daringly Different
That Small Feeling
Undercover Girl
A Thrift Gift
Turkey Trouble
Small Fryers
Too Much Help
False Flattery
Clothes Make the Duck
Missile Fizzle
The Training Farm Fuss
The Whole Herd of Help
The Reversed Rescue
Sitting High
The Day the Farm Stood Still
Billions in the Hole
The Big Bobber
You can't win
Thumbs Up
Tree Trick
Lost Frontier
Bongo on the Congo
The Madcap Mariner
The Nose Knows
Mighty But Miserable
Mechanized Mess
Monsterville
Brain-strain
The Cube
Terrible Tourist
The Old Timer
Chugwagon Derby
Stranger than Fiction
Mythtic Mystery
Wily Rival
Boxed-In
Duck Luck
Fast Away Castaway
Gift Lion
Mr. Private Eye
Poor Loser
The Golden Nugget Boat
Hound Hounder
Buffaloed by Buffaloes
Jet Witch
Boat Buster
The Midas Touch
Duckburg's Day of Peril
Money Bag Goat
The Sleepies
Northeaster on Cape Quack
Movie Mad
The Great Pop Up
Ten-Cent Valentine
The Windy Story
Deep Down Doings
Cave of Ali Baba
Jungle Bungle
Merry Ferry
Monkey Business
Much Luck McDuck
Playmates
Medaling Around
The Unsafe Safe
Collection Day
Madcap Inventors
Seeing is Believing
Rags to Riches
Way Out Yonder
The Candy Kid
Tricky Experiment
A Spicy Tale
Art Appreciation
Finny Fun
Nest Egg Collector
Master Wrecker
Getting the Bird
Raven Mad
Stalwart Ranger
Log Jockey
Oddball Odyssey
Christmas Cheers
Posthasty Postman
A Matter of Factory
Snow Duster
The Status Seeker
The Jinxed Jalopy Race
A Stone's Throw From Ghost Town
The Case of the Sticky Money
Wishful Excess
Dueling Tycoons
Spare That Hair
Sidewalk of the Mind
A Duck's-eye View of Europe
Gall of the Wild
For Old Dime's Sake
Crown of the Mayas
The Invisible Intruder
Zero Hero
Beach Boy
The Duckburg Pet Parade
Isle of Golden Geese
The Travel Tightwad
Have Gun, Will Dance
The Lemonade Fling
Lost Beneath the Sea
Fireman Scrooge
Once Upon a Carnival
A Helper's Helping Hand
Double Masquerade
The Thrifty Spendthrift
Up and At It
Feud and Far Between
Man Versus Machine
No Bargain
Jonah Gyro
Bubbleweight Champ
The Many Faces of Magica de Spell
Cap'n Blight's Mystery Ship
The Loony Lunar Gold Rush
Rug Riders in the Sky
The Olympian Torch Bearer
How green was my lettuce
Hero of the Dike
The Great Wig Mystery
Unfriendly Enemies
Interplanetary Postman
Delivery Dilemma
Flowers Are Flowers
The Billion Dollar Safari
Saved by the Bag!
Instant Hercules
Ticking Detector
McDuck of Arabia
Duck Out of Luck
Mystery of the Ghost Town Railroad
The Bigger the Beggar
Plummeting with Precision
The Swamp of No Return
Snake Take
The Lock Out
Million-Dollar Shower
Monkey Business
The Giant Robot Robbers
Laundry for Less
Long Distance Collision
North of the Yukon
The Mummy's Ring
The Phantom of Notre Duck
Wasted Words
Top Wages
So Far and No Safari
It Happened One Winter
Down for the Count
The Queen of the Wild Dog Pack
House of Haunts
The Beauty Business
Treasure of Marco Polo
Micro-Ducks from Outer Space
The Not-so-Ancient Mariner
The Heedless Horseman
Hall of the Mermaid Queen
The Cattle King
The Doom Diamond
King Scrooge the First
Pawns of the Loup Garou
The Dainty Daredevil
Officer for a Day
Peril of the Black Forest
Life Savers
Whale of a Good Deed
Let Sleeping Bones Lie
Bad Day for Troop 'A'
Looter of the Lake
Bottled Battlers
Maple Sugar Time (How Sweet It Is!)
A Day in a Duck's Life
Traitor in the Ranks
Eagle Savers
Hound of the Moaning Hills
Storm Dancers
Gold of the '49ers
The Day the Mountain Shook
Duckmade Disaster
Wailing Whalers
Where There's Smoke
Be Leery of Lake Eerie
Teahouse of the Waggin' Dragon
New Zoo Brews Ado
Music Hath Charms
The Phantom Joker
Hark, Hark, the Ark
Captains Outrageous
The Milkman Story
Silent Night
Trick or Treat
Hang Gliders Be Hanged!
Go Slowly, Sands of Time
The Pied Piper of Duckburg
Horsing Around with History
Somewhere in Nowhere
Sources
Online
Wikipedia list with more information and links to detailed articles
Inducks page on Carl Barks with links to lots more information
Others
The Carl Barks Library,published by Gladstone, Another Rainbow and Bruce Hamilton Publishing.
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