THERUNNINGGAGS

A running gag is an ongoing joke where the humour primarily derives from repetition. In that context the majority of Carl Barks' comic book stories contain different sorts of running gags. This page will only show a small fraction of Barks' incredible versatility creating running gags. Below you will be presented with only 10 categories containing one example in each. It was incredibly difficult to choose even these few examples from so many, and you will undoubtedly miss many of your favourite running gags. Who will ever forget The Junior Woodchucks' Guide Book with its more or less helpful advice, or the nephews' animal call whistles that were guaranteed to spell trouble? Not to mention the most memorable gimmick of them all - Scrooge's money bath! This can not be helped, so just sit back and enjoy this small selection of some of Barks' running gags in different categories.

THE BACKGROUND GAGS


During the 1980s there were many TV and film comedies in which the funny background details were so numerous that one simply had to view the films several times in order to see them all! Just think of the American Naked Gun series starring the hopeless police detective Leslie Nielsen. Occasionally, Barks also added things to the background that had no bearing on the plot. This suite of panels derive from WDCS271 in which a potted plant grows incredibly rapidly!

THE CURIOUS GAGS


Sometimes Barks would use more subtle running gags in his stories. A good example is the strange, bearded man who frequently occurs in U$10 The Philosopher's Stone without doing anything. Until in the end that is, when he presents himself as an employee from The International Money Council.

THE DEVELOPING GAGS


In FC0318 No Such Varmint Donald is a snake charmer. And he certainly seems to have the knack for it as the story unfolds and he gets bolder and bolder.

THE EDUCATIONAL GAGS


Barks drew a handful of stories in which the running gags were of a more educational nature. In WDCS199 Donald takes the nephews on a dreamtrip to teach them about comparative sizes. The examples he chooses grow bigger and bigger as the story unfolds.

THE ESSENTIAL GAGS


Some of Barks' running gags were very important to the story. In VP1 Vacation Time Donald tries repeatedly to photograph a deer but he fails every time. But the seemingly useless camera takes one essential photo in the end...

THE LONG-RUNNING GAGS

U$07	U$10	U$12
A few times Barks would use the same character in different stories. Barks drew 4 one-pagers (U$01, 07, 10, and 12) in which Scrooge manages to get cheap cups of coffee in different ways from an increasingly more frustrated café owner.

THE MEMORABLE GAGS


There are plenty to choose from in this category! But who will ever forget the red-eyed parrot in FC0282 The Pixilated Parrot who is endlessly counting different things. As it turns out it has also memorized the combination to Scrooge's safe.

THE PREDICTABLE GAGS


In WDCS132 Donald tries to outdo his nephews who are training for merit badges for the Junior Woodchucks. He is convinced that his contraptions are so much better than those of the nephews. Of course, they are not...

THE REPEATED GAGS


Repetition is the backbone of a running gag, and Barks often used it in his stories. This example comes from WDCS168 in which the nephews wish for a small pet alligator. Donald decides to discourage them by substituting the animal with increasingly bigger ones.

THE UNUSUAL GAGS


As indicated in the introduction a running gag is also funny, but some may even be considered unusual as well. Unusual in the sense that a primary character acts in a totally different way. In this example from WDCS131 the luckster Gladstone is followed by constant bad luck.