Prices for Don Rosa's banned Uncle Scrooge McDuck stories have skyrocketed on eBay.
Prices for Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge #295, which was published in 1994 and includes the story "The Empire-Builder from Calisota" (oftentimes referred to as "The Richest Duck in the World") written and illustrated by Rosa, have seen serious price increases on eBay following Disney's decision to reportedly ban the story from future reprints or collections. Rosa's "The Dream of a Lifetime" (published in 2002 in Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge #329) was also banned from future reprints or collections and has similarly seen price increases from third-party sellers. Single issues of Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge #295 have sold for around $100-$150 on eBay, while an issue of Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge #329 sold for $129. Other sellers have listed Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge #295 for as high as $799.
Disney's Uncle Scrooge Ban and Rosa's Response
On Feb. 14, 2023, Rosa reportedly received an email briefly explaining the situation surrounding two of his Scrooge McDuck stories. The email reads, "As part of its ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, The Walt Disney Company is in the process of reviewing their library of stories. As a result of this, some stories that do not align with their values will no longer be published. This applies to two of your classic stories, 'The Richest Duck in the World' and 'The Dream of a Lifetime.' These stories will not be part of any reprints or new collections." CBR has reached out to Disney directly for comment on the situation.
Rosa responded to the situation in Facebook's "The Official Don Rosa Group." He wrote, "I wonder what other Duck stories are now banned? Maybe only mine? Maybe not? But obviously all 12 chapters of my [Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck] are now banned because they can't be published without the final chapter. I won't even comment on what this will mean to the collector market."
While Disney has not provided specific reasoning as to why "The Empire-Builder from Calisota" and "The Dream of a Lifetime" have been banned, both stories include the appearance of a character named "Bombie the Zombie." The character, who was cursed by a witch doctor named "Foola Zoola," first meets Scrooge when he travels to Africa on an expedition to become the richest duck in the world. After becoming trapped on an island at the end of the story, the character then appears in Scrooge's dreams in "The Dream of a Lifetime."
Source: eBay