 Scrooge McDuck had already made his debut as a supporting character in the 1947 "Donald Duck" story "Christmas on Bear Mountain", and made several other appearances in Donald Duck stories in "Walt Disney's Comics and Stories", but "Poor Old Man" was the first comic book story with Scrooge as the main character.In this first story with Scrooge as the focus, Barks softened the character, making him appear emotionally and financially vulnerable, rather than the ruthless miser that he had been in previous guest appearances.The story has been reprinted many times.