Donald Duck is an an iconic character all over the world, but is particularly popular in Finland. Every week, a Donald Duck comic will be read by over 1.5 million people in Finland, which has a population of around 5.5 million people. It is very common for a subscription to Donald Duck comics to be purchased for a child when they are born, and Carl Barks, the Good Duck artist himself, was received very warmly on his visits to the country.
Noting this popularity, and going off a suggestion from a fan from Finland, Don Rosa created what might be the most fitting tribute to Finnish Donald Duck fans with “The Quest For Kalevala”. The Kalevala is Finland’s national epic and is a poem based on folktales and traditions dating back millennia. It was assembled and composed into the form we know, by Elias Lönnrot who traveled the country speaking with folksingers to find the traditions and record them, and it had a major impact on the Finnish identity and quest for independence.. The tale is a long one but a key part is a quest for the Sampo, a mystical object that can create Salt, Grain, and Gold Coins from nothing and was an object of desire.
The Quest for Kalevala sees the nephews find an I.O.U. written to Scrooge by Elias Lonnrot, and upon the nephews explaining about the Sampo, Scrooge’s interest in finding the legendary artifact is sparked. What follows is a love letter to Finnish traditions that Rosa spent a long time preparing, with help from local fans, and he noted that it was just as intensive to work on as his Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck series. Scrooge, Donald, and the nephews head to Finland and soon find themselves on a mystical adventure that is held as one of the best.
I do not want to give away spoilers for the story, but rather to impress on why you should read it. Rosa mimicked the poetic pattern of the Kalevala and worked in figures from the legends like Väinämöinen and Louhi. Rosa himself also noted that Barks indirectly drew inspiration from the writing style, via the The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Longfellow, which itself was inspired by the Kalevala. It is not only about paying tribute to Finnish fans though, as Rosa managed to give more insight into the ducks as well. We see Donald as an analog to figures in the legends and showing him as a truly heroic figure, building on earlier work. Characters like Magica De Spell and Gyro Gearloose factor in, and work great in the story as well.
But this is a Scrooge McDuck story first and foremost, and it is his place to shine. Scrooge may have gold fever when he sees wealth to be had, but there is more to him as we all know. Rosa not only shows a deeper side to Scrooge, but we also get a hint of what may be Scrooge’s ultimate fate as intended by Rosa. Scrooge is himself a figure of legend as established by Barks and Rosa and the lands of north and snow have a special place for him. Sometimes, though you just need a reminder even if it is from a legendary being, of what that special place means to you.
The comic can be read in the Don Rosa Library Volume 8 along with many other great stories and I urge you all to read this.