Uncle Scrooge vs. “the Bigger Operator” (Zio Paperone contro "il progettista" in the original Italian) is a comic story written by Giorgio Pezzin and drawn by Marco Rota. It features Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck, Grandpa Beagle and the Beagle Boys, Albert Quackmore, and, in his debut, Antoine Mountebank. Gyro Gearloose is also mentioned (in the English edition of the story, at least).
Description[]
When master architect and criminal Antoine Mountebank is spotted in Duckburg, Scrooge McDuck becomes worried that the so-called "Bigger Operator" will sell blueprints of his Money Bin's flaws to the criminals of Duckburg. Hoping to discover Mountebanks's plans so as to foil them, Scrooge sends Donald to Mountebank's house in the guise of his new butler - but can Donald discover Mountebank's plans before the villain discovers Donald's true identity?
References[]
- Antoine Mountebank is a master architect known as the “Bigger Operator” (in reference to Scrooge McDuck, whom the media nickname “the Big Operator”), who maps out the flaws of banks and other such buildings and sells them to other criminals.
- Gyro Gearloose's "Dollar-Hydrogen Mix" is the only thing which can revive Scrooge after he has fainted.
- Donald Duck disguises himself as criminal "Quackie De Fishtail". Similarly, Quackmore disguises himself as criminal "Slim Pickins".
- Antoine Mountebank's secret studio is protected by a spring-loaded anvil.
- Donald uses both a McDuck Skeleton Key and McDuck Secret Agent Skyscraper-Scalers while attempting to break into Mountebank's studio.
Behind the scenes[]
Uncle Scrooge vs. the Bigger Operator was first printed in Italy as Zio Paperone contro il "progettista" on August the 18th, 1974, in Topolino #977. It was printed in English in Uncle Scrooge #410. In this version, the script was not only translated but also localised, as per the American tradition, in this case by Thad Komorowski.