Zodiac Stone questions

[Kriton Kyrimis]

(I guess these questions are for David.)

I was looking at the preview of Walt Disney's Comics & Stories 722, where I
noticed that one of the colorists for the second chapter of the Zodiac Stone
is "Nea Aktina A.E.", which was the company that used to publish Disney Comics
in Greece until 2013.

Comparing the US edition and the most recent Greek edition, I see that the
coloring is very similar, with the exception of the color of Goofy's sweater:

https://comicstrades.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/wdcs722e.jpg
https://comicstrades.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/wdcs722f.jpg

Thus, my question is, what was the contribution of each of the numerous
colorists mentioned in the credits? Did IDW get the coloring from the Greek
edition, making various modifications? Did they get the coloring from the
Greek edition of some chapters, while other chapters were colored by others?
Both? Something else?

While comparing the two versions of the first page of the story, I also
noticed that there are differences in the art, as well. The word balloons are
different and at different places, and there is more art in the US version of
the first panel. (Art revealed by moving the word balloons to the top and by
replacing the title banner, and the store at the left has an additional row of
bricks under the orange roof, which is higher than the roof in the Greek edition.)

Which of the two versions is the original? Did the Greeks squeeze the art in
the top panel, or was more art added in the US edition?

And what about the art under the word balloons? Did the Greeks hide it, by
lowering the balloons, did IDW have the missing art filled in, after raising
the balloons, or does the art come in something like photoshop layers, with
the balloons on a different layer, where one can modify them to one's heart's
content, without having to worry about the art, which is on a different layer
underneath? Did they even produce comics that way back in 1990, so that the
latter might be an option?

Kriton.
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"I don't exist in your world!"
"Then you won't feel the bullets when we shoot you!"
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[David Gerstein]

Hey Kriton,

> (I guess these questions are for David.)

I guess so, too. And thanks (-: Good to be in touch again!

> Thus, my question is, what was the contribution of each of the numerous colorists mentioned in the ["Zodiac Stone"] credits? Did IDW get the coloring from the Greek edition, making various modifications? Did they get the coloring from the Greek edition of some chapters, while other chapters were colored by others? Both? Something else?

We got the coloring from the Greek edition of ALL chapters, because it was the best-looking color I knew to exist on the story. But Greece had... er, rather manhandled the story...

See, each original Italian chapter starts with a full-page "Search for the Zodiac Stone" title panel and series recap on Page 1; then a splash panel and chapter title on Page 2.
Nea Aktina removed Italian Page 1 of each chapter entirely, then revised Page 2 to shorten the splash panels, enlarge (or replace) the title scrolls, move voice balloons around - essentially, whatever needed done to make the Page 2s INTO new Page 1s.

Now, I wanted to use the original Italian openings at IDW, so what we're doing is -

We have Digikore Studios (one of our usual coloring teams) recolor Italian Page 1 of each chapter from scratch, matching the Greek color style when possible.
And then Digikore recolors Italian Page 2 of each chapter to match the Greek "Page 1" closely in terms of color, while preserving the original Italian layout (with voice balloons where they should be, etc.)

Then IDW Page 3 and onward = the Greek "Page 2" and onward, taken directly; but with our fearless letterers/production people Travis and Nicole Seitler correcting the colors so that the characters match their American color schemes (i. e. Goofy and his sweater!).

> Which of the two versions is the original? Did the Greeks squeeze the art in the top panel, or was more art added in the US edition?

IDW is more original, but only retroactively so, as you see...

> Did they even produce comics that way back in 1990, so that the latter might be an option?

I wish they had! But there aren't many who even do it that way NOW! (...mumble... eggs instead of turkey...)

Dave!

--
David Gerstein
rama...@gmail.com
http://www.cartoonresearch.com/gerstein
http://ramapithblog.blogspot.com


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[Kriton Kyrimis]

DAVID:

What a wealth of information about the production background of the story!

As this seems to be of interest to Greek readers, can I post a translation of
your reply to the Greek blog, to which I contribute?

> (...mumble... eggs instead of turkey...)

I assume this is the bit from the letter that I wrote to Gladstone way back
when, that you used in the translation of "Colossus of the Nile". Although I
was quoting from memory in that letter, what I'd written was surprisingly
accurate. Looking at the 1976 reprint, which most likely uses the same
translation as the 1966 edition, to which I was referring in my letter, the
only difference from what I'd written is that Scrooge was talking about turkey
in tomato sauce. This sounds like an Italian recipe (turkey cacciatore,
perhaps) so was that what Scarpa had written?


Kriton.
-----
"What is your name, sir?"
"Dr. What."
"Dr. who, sir?"
"What! Who is my uncle; I haven't seen him for ages!"
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