Barko Totally Explained

Everything about Barko totally explained

Barko is a fictional sled dog character created by Carl Barks who first appeared in Dell Comics, Uncle Scrooge #59 , North of the Yukon in September 1965.
   Barko was once a great sled dog and "champion of all the North". However, as he reached old age, he became unwanted and stricken with rheumatism. He spent most of his retirement at a hardware store that used to rent/sell sled dogs.
   It wasn't until the crooked Soapy Slick threatened to take the fortune of Scrooge McDuck because of an I.O.U. from 1898 that Barko was needed. Scrooge had proof through a receipt, but because of a fight upon the plane with a disguised Slick, Scrooge's bag (along with the receipt inside) fell near the Frozenjaw River. Scrooge needed a sled team fast, but the only good team left was in Slick's possession. Upon seeing that the only two dogs left were "Kyoodles", Scrooge then discovered Barko in the snow. The two instantly befriended each other, and thus, the quest began.
   The team soon caught up with Slick's team, thanks to Scrooge helping Barko, whose rheumatism was threatened by the rolling hills. Slick then dropped off drugged fishes to knock out Scrooge's team. Scrooge discovered this, but then succumbed the fumes of the drugged fish himself. Barko was the only one unaffected, and bravely pulled the sled by himself, along with the Kyoodles and Scrooge aboard.
   Later that night, Scrooge awoke to see that his sled dog buddy had pulled the whole way. Scrooge then volunteered to pull while Barko slept on the sled the rest of the way. The team then caught up with Slick's team by the Frozenjaw River's icy shore. Slick saw Scrooge, then fired his pistol sending the old duck quadzillionaire into the icy waters. Barko rescued his friend just in time. As the sled crashed through the ice, Barko was pulled under just as Scrooge made it near where his receipt laid at the mercy of Soapy Slick. Scrooge then did the unexpected, and saved Barko instead of his fortune. Upon the cracks of ice, Scrooge and Barko ("It's all right, old fellow! We sort of belong on this ice cake together!"). All seemed lost until Huey, Dewey, and Louie showed up with Poly Poly, a polar bear cub raised by the Arctic Patrol of the Junior Woodchucks. Poly Poly rescued the two friends, and just as Slick got the receipt, newsreporters, courtesy of Donald Duck, arrived before he could rip it.
   In the end, Scrooge got to keep his great fortune while Barko and Poly Poly became famous animal heroes. Once again, Barko's potential was recognized thanks to Scrooge, and he reclaimed his title as the Champion of the North.

Trivia

Many thought the name of the sled dog Barko was something of a self portrait; Barks later explained that he just thought it was a good name for a dog.
The character of Barko was inspired by an actual sled dog named Balto, who participated in the 1925 serum run to Nome. Barks had read an article about Balto in an issue of National Geographic, and was inspired to create this character. (Some Barks enthusiasts believe that the story also had something to with not putting down on old age as this was Barks' last supposed Alaska story.)
In a newer story published in Gemstone's Uncle Scrooge # 361; during a flashback, Scrooge races a large, tough mountain man(dog?) named Big Barnsmell. They both race for the deed to a gold mine that one of their miner friends is giving up. In the dog sled race, Scrooge's lead dog is a husky named Barko. In the course of the story, a tree falls on Scrooge, trapping him and one of Barko's paws. Before they become prey for a pack of wolves, Barnsmell saves them but rushes off quickly towards the finish line. Scrooge then places Barko in the sled as his paw is injured. This could be a nod towards the Carl Bark's classic: North of the Yukon, where the Barko in that story limps because of his old age and rheumatism, but is put on the sled because he pulls the whole way after Scrooge and the other dogs get drugged by Soapy Slick.

Further Information

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