Mobil Disney Comics #20
In "Spare the Rod," Carl Barks delivers a classic tale of parental limits and unintended consequences as Donald Duck’s attempt to be a more understanding uncle backfires spectacularly. When child psychologist Prof. Pulpheart Clabberhead convinces Donald to abandon discipline, the nephews quickly turn his leniency into full-blown chaos—until a fiery prank proves even experts need a firm hand. With every line drawn and lettered by Barks himself, this 1964 free comic from Mobil Oil Australia remains a sharp, timeless look at the balance between kindness and structure.
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Donald's disciplining of his nephews is witnessed by Prof. Pulpheart Clabberhead, a child psychologist, who convinces the duck that punishing children for their misdeeds will hamper their development. He soon learns that children without boundaries become spoiled brats, as the nephews take full advantage of Donald's new leniency. At the end of his rope, Donald invites the Professor to his house where the nephews set off giant firecrackers under his chair, proving that even an indulgent child psychologist can chase kids with a switch in his hand.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).