general media Donald Duck's popularity in Europe.

[CastletonSnob 3,068]

I heard that the character Donald Duck is really popular in Europe. In particular, his comic books are super popular.

 

Can anyone who lives in or has been to Europe confirm this? And why do you think Donald is so popular in Europe?

[Tacodidra 60,862]

He is very popular in Finland. The local Donald Duck magazine is (or at least used to be) the highest-selling printed publication, not counting newspapers. It still sells well in spite of magazines struggling in general. A lot of comics have been discontinued, but Donald is still going strong, and unlike many others, is also popular among adults. And no, Donald Duck was never banned in Finland, that was just an urban legend.

I've understood that Donald is a lot more popular than Mickey in many European countries and I can understand why. Donald is more relatable due to his flaws. And though he fails so often, he never gives up – the same reason why everyone roots for Wile E. Coyote instead of the Road Runner.

[CastletonSnob 3,068]

6 minutes ago, Tacodidra said:

He is very popular in Finland. The local Donald Duck magazine is (or at least used to be) the highest-selling printed publication, not counting newspapers. It still sells well in spite of magazines struggling in general. A lot of comics have been discontinued, but Donald is still going strong, and unlike many others, is also popular among adults. And no, Donald Duck was never banned in Finland, that was just an urban legend.

I've understood that Donald is a lot more popular than Mickey in many European countries and I can understand why. Donald is more relatable due to his flaws. And though he fails so often, he never gives up – the same reason why everyone roots for Wile E. Coyote instead of the Road Runner.

I think Donald is way funnier and more interesting than Mickey. 

[Leavemealone 547]

2 minutes ago, VG_Addict said:

I think Donald is way funnier and more interesting than Mickey. 

True dat. 

[StormBlaze 992]

considering we have Disneyland Paris this way, yeah he's pretty popular

[Sparklefan1234 168,163]

Because, Donald Duck is the most entertaining character in the "Mickey" group of characters?  That's my opinion, at least.

Edited November 3, 2017 by Sparklefan1234

[Vicke 3,188]

I'd say he's popular in Sweden as well. 

 

I'd assume it's because it's a series that caters to every demographic. Unlike Mickey Mouse, he isn't boring to watch. He gets mad, curses and more often than not, something bad happens to him, which everyone can enjoy and laugh at. I believe Donald Duck is created for the more mature audience to enjoy while his siblings are for the younger audience. 

[PlzDelete 2,456]

I agree that Donald is way more entertaining than Mickey. 

Even Donald himself agrees! Just look! 

[Prospekt 11,015]

I prefer Donald to Mickey. All the way. Mickey is iconic but Donald has always been funnier and he's more interesting because he actually has flaws.

[Sir Hugsalot 9,081]

His "golden age" in Poland is long gone, but he still is pretty popular around here. Definitely not as popular as during my childhood, when people were pretty much crazy about him, but still pretty recognizable and You can buy comic books with him and the rest of "Disney crew" in stores. Now that I think about it, it makes me feel pretty nostalgic. I collected every comic with Donald Duck when I was little kid, even had that comic book about how Scrooge McDuck became so rich  

[Hierok 11,831]

The Donald Duck was the first kids paper and still is one of the largest because the other ones which were quite good stopped. So now it is one of a few which still is left and the most iconic.

[Guest]

He's been very popular in Denmark since World War 2.

[Jeric 46,848]

Comic Donald is usually depicted far more nuanced, calm, and intelligent than the television and movie Donald, save for the more recent DuckTales. Comic Donald > all other incarnations. I'm curious if this may be one other reason for his popularity outside of the States. He is usually a great foil for the Barks and Rosa written Scrooge since he routinely outwits Scrooge, or teaches him a moral lesson on some occasions. 

[CastletonSnob 3,068]

3 hours ago, Jeric said:

Comic Donald is usually depicted far more nuanced, calm, and intelligent than the television and movie Donald, save for the more recent DuckTales. Comic Donald > all other incarnations. I'm curious if this may be one other reason for his popularity outside of the States. He is usually a great foil for the Barks and Rosa written Scrooge since he routinely outwits Scrooge, or teaches him a moral lesson on some occasions. 

2017 Ducktales Donald is my favorite animated incarnation of Donald. He's an overprotective single father figure who would do anything for the triplets. He can also be a badass. He took on 2 Beatle Boys by himself.

[Jeric 46,848]

8 minutes ago, VG_Addict said:

He took on 2 Beatle Boys by himself.

That was impressive, Paul usually carries a bat with nails tho. 

[Babyyoshi309 1,829]

Donald still holds up as a good character even in modern day. Mickey on the other hand, does not.

[Ivan The Adorable 304]

I went most of my life in the southern US without ever knowing that Donald was a comics character. I'm curious, is he even well known as such on like the east coast US?

[EightBit 284]

He was very popular in Northern Ireland. I can tell you that much. Many people, including myself, have very fond memories of him. I daresay he was even more popular than Mickey. He had a sort of comedy to him that characters like Mickey didn't/

[Mlppotterwhoovian 381]

On 10/30/2017 at 6:25 PM, VG_Addict said:

I heard that the character Donald Duck is really popular in Europe. In particular, his comic books are super popular.

 

Can anyone who lives in or has been to Europe confirm this? And why do you think Donald is so popular in Europe?

Well I've recently seen duck tales and duck tales 2.0 and he is kinda funny  

[碇 シンジン 27,431]

I've been reading the comics here as long as I can remember I actually first learnt to read from them. 

They are intelligent interesting comical and close to earth. 

On 5.11.2017 at 8:58 PM, Jeric said:

Comic Donald is usually depicted far more nuanced, calm, and intelligent than the television and movie Donald, save for the more recent DuckTales. Comic Donald > all other incarnations. I'm curious if this may be one other reason for his popularity outside of the States. He is usually a great foil for the Barks and Rosa written Scrooge since he routinely outwits Scrooge, or teaches him a moral lesson on some occasions. 

Here the comic Donald is decipted as owing money to everyone and living off in a house owned by Scrooge who slaves him off threatening to kick him out. He has tried every job that there is but failed at all of them. Usually he is working either for Scrooge or for margarine packing factory. He always picks over the top fights with his neighbour and ends up destroying the neighbourhood or part of it usually. He also is a superhero behind the scenes.

Barks and Rosa are kinda the figures whom everyone else has adapted after here as their content is considered canon by the comics here mostly. My favourites were always the Rosa stories because of the distinct and detailed art as well as beautiful and we'll thought out story. 

It came to me as a surprise when i learned that Donald wasn't as popular in America as it was here. 

Here the European drawn and driven comics are far more popular than even the ducktales cartoons.  I always thought the ducktales was some kind of alternate setting because it didn't feel like it was doing justice to the original stories of Barks which I considered canon as as I grew with the comics.

While ago I stopped my subscription to the comic though because I've ran into issues where to put all of them as I don't have much space anymore.  Though I might consider getting the mobile app which has all of the almost 70 years of content  but I haven't gotten to that yet.

I really like the comics here 

 

[Divine plywood 1,239]

Donald Duck comics are very popular in all of the Nordic countries and also in Italy

[azbat 305]

Italy publishes a weekly digest called Topolino (little mouse).  Despite Mickey Mouse's name being the title, both Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge are featured more often than Mickey.  Donald beats Mickey by over 200 issues.  Italy also brought us PK aka Paperinik (Duck Avenger), Donald's alter-ego crime fighter persona.

[Rhythm Red 6,484]

Donald Duck has always been, and always will be, my favorite of the Mickey Mouse crew.

Quack quack!

[GuerrierCosmique 146]

Yes, I live in Europe and the Duck universe is my favourite media franchise. <3

I'm a Barks purist. To me, only Cark Barks' stories in the German translation of Dr Erika Fuchs are canon, the rest of it is more or less entertaining apocryphia.