Only a Poor Old Man
| "Only a Poor Old Man" | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Story code | W OS 386-02 |
| Story | Carl Barks |
| Ink | Carl Barks |
| Date | September 27, 1951 |
| Hero | Scrooge McDuck |
| Pages | 32 |
| Layout | 4 rows per page |
| Appearances |
Scrooge McDuck Donald Duck Huey, Dewey and Louie Beagle Boys |
| First publication | March 1952 |
"Only A Poor Old Man" is a 32-page funny animal comic book story written, drawn, and lettered by Carl Barks. It was published by Four Color #386 (March 1952) in the first issue of Uncle Scrooge. It was the first comic book story with Scrooge McDuck as its main character (he had already made his debut as a supporting character in Christmas on Bear Mountain). The story has been reprinted many times. It was originally published with the one-page gag stories "Osogood Silver Polish", "Coffee for Two", and "Soupline Eight". Gemstone Publishing selected Poor Old Man for Free Comic Book Day 2005. Barks expert Michael Barrier has dubbed the story a masterpiece.
The story begins with Scrooge McDuck swimming in his money bin, speaking his now-famous line, "I love to dive around in it like a porpoise, and burrow through it like a gopher, and toss it up and let it hit me on the head!" He is watched by his nephew Donald, and they discuss the relative merits of having so much money.
While looking through the window, Scrooge is alarmed to see that the Beagle Boys have bought the lot next to the money bin. Scrooge understands that they plan to build a house on it so they can secretly drain Scrooge's money out of the bin. Scrooge immediately faints.
Huey, Dewey and Louie ask Scrooge why he is so attached to his money, and he explains that to him it is not just money: his fortune is the result of a long life of hard work and canny action. Every coin is a memento of an adventure. "You'd love your money as much as I would if you'd gotten it the way I did – by thinking a little faster than the next guy, by jumping a little quicker." Scrooge also repeats another of his now-famous mantras: he made his fortune by being "smarter than the smarties and tougher than the toughies, and I made it square!"
...
Wikipedia