Don Rosa

Lore & Background

Rosa's first published comic was The Pertwillaby Papers, a college newspaper strip begun in 1971. He graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1973 with a degree in civil engineering. After college, he worked only as a hobbyist cartoonist while employed at the family tile company. He created the superhero strip Captain Kentucky for the Louisville Times from 1979 to 1982, then retired from cartooning for four years.

In 1986, Rosa discovered a Gladstone Comics Disney comic and contacted editor Byron Erickson, leading to his first professional Duck story, 'The Son of the Sun,' which was nominated for a Harvey Award. He joined the Danish publisher Egmont in 1990 and began The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck in 1991. The series won an Eisner Award in 1995. Rosa went on strike in 2002 over lack of control and payment issues, reaching an agreement later that year.

Rosa retired from comics in 2008 after a retinal detachment and subsequent surgeries. He cited eye troubles, low pay, and unauthorized use of his stories by international Disney licensees. He is more popular in Europe than in the United States.

Reader's Guide

Don Rosa's significance lies in his continuation and expansion of Carl Barks' Disney duck universe, particularly through The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck, which earned an Eisner Award. His work is characterized by meticulous research and integration of Barks' characters and locations. Rosa's career highlights the challenges faced by creators working under corporate licensing, including flat per-page pay and lack of royalties or control over reprints. His retirement in 2008, driven by health issues and disputes with Disney licensees, underscores ongoing tensions in the industry. Despite limited fame in his native country, Rosa is widely regarded in Europe as a leading Disney comics artist. His non-Disney work, including The Pertwillaby Papers and Captain Kentucky, was later collected in archival volumes.

Did You Know?

• Rosa's first published comic was a college newspaper strip called The Pertwillaby Papers, which ran 127 chapters by the time he graduated.
• His first professional Duck story, 'The Son of the Sun,' was nominated for a Harvey Award for Best Story of the Year.
• Rosa went on strike in 2002 over issues including incorrect printing, improper colors, and lack of royalties.
• He suffered a severe retinal detachment in March 2008, leading to multiple eye surgeries and his retirement from comics.