The Old Castle's Secret facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "The Old Castle's Secret" |
|
|---|---|
Original cover by Carl Barks
|
|
| Story code | W OS 189-02 |
| Story | Carl Barks |
| Ink | Carl Barks |
| Date | December 3, 1947 |
| Hero | Donald Duck |
| Pages | 32 |
| Layout | 4 rows per page |
| Appearances | Donald Duck Huey, Dewey, and Louie Scrooge McDuck |
| First publication | Four Color Comics #189 June 1948 |
The Old Castle's Secret is an exciting 32-page Disney comics adventure. It's a mystery and a bit spooky! The famous artist Carl Barks wrote and drew this comic. It first came out in June 1948.
This story features Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck, and Donald's three nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. They go on a thrilling treasure hunt in an old castle in Scotland. This was Uncle Scrooge's very first treasure hunt in a comic book! Carl Barks also drew the cover for the first time. This popular story has been printed many times since.
Contents
The Story Begins
Scrooge McDuck asks his nephews for help. He wants to find a family treasure. This treasure is hidden in Dismal Downs, the old castle of The Clan McDuck. The castle is in the middle of a swamp in Scotland.
The treasure belonged to Sir Quackly McDuck. Both he and the treasure disappeared during a battle in 1057. The McDuck family has looked for it for hundreds of years. Scrooge, who is the last McDuck, thinks he can find it. He has a special X-ray machine to look through the castle walls.
Facing the Mystery
Finding the treasure turns out to be the easy part! But then, a mysterious ghost appears. This ghost steals the treasure. It also tries to stop anyone who chases it. You can't see the ghost itself, but you can see its shadow. The shadow looks like a skeleton!
During this time, Scottie, the castle's caretaker, seems to have been hurt by Sir Quackly. Scrooge, Donald, and the nephews get stuck in a locked part of the castle. The nephews escape by swinging into the moat (a water ditch around the castle). They can't get back inside the castle.
However, they remember a story about Sir Swamphole McDuck. He sealed up the castle's dungeons because they cost too much to keep open. The nephews find a secret way into the dungeons. It's hidden near Sir Swamphole's fake grave! His real skeleton was inside his armor.
The Chase and the Truth
Scrooge and Donald are still stuck. Scrooge then shows he has a gun. He uses it to shoot the lock and open the door. Scrooge feels a bit silly and tells Donald to give him a "good, swift kick!"
Inside the dungeon, the nephews find the treasure box. But the ghost almost attacks them! They find another way out of the dungeon. A pillar holding Sir Swamphole's armor is actually a secret door.
Scrooge, Donald, and the nephews find a special invisibility spray. They then chase the ghost through the swamp. The ghost is now covered in mud, so it's no longer invisible! The nephews and Donald tackle the ghost. They get the treasure box back.
The "ghost" is actually a thief! He was pretending to be Scottie. The real Scottie had passed away from old age years ago. The thief used a special spray that made him invisible. But it didn't stop his skeleton from casting a shadow! Donald tries to take all the credit for catching the thief. He says the nephews didn't even know about the invisibility spray. The nephews get angry. They trick Donald into thinking the spray is mosquito repellent. They spray him, making him completely invisible, except for his tail and legs!
How the Story Was Made
Uncle Scrooge first appeared in a story called "Christmas on Bear Mountain" in December 1947. This story, "The Old Castle's Secret," was his second appearance.
In an interview from 1962, Carl Barks was asked if people liked Scrooge. Barks said, "Not a word, but I kind of liked old Scrooge and he filled a gap. We needed somebody to help Donald out." Barks wanted to use Scrooge again, so he wrote this story. It helped explain where the character came from.
See also
- The Old Castle's Secret is the main story in Fantagraphics The Complete Carl Barks Disney Library Vol. 6 - Donald Duck: "The Old Castle's Secret"
- List of Disney comics by Carl Barks
