Little Helper, Lil' Bulb, or simply Helper, debuted in the story "The Cat Box" in Uncle Scrooge #15 (September 1956). Helper is a small, humanoid robot (about 20 cm tall), constructed from pieces of metal and a lightbulb, which serves as his head. He acts as the assistant to the inventor Gyro Gearloose.
In the Donald Duck comics, he is often shown as an inventor himself, sometimes copying Gyro's inventions. A few stories have given Little Helper prominence, such as when a movie director is shooting a film in Duckburg about an outer space giant attacking Earth, which is in actuality a robot programmed to destroy houses on a set. However, the robot walks off start and starts destroying actual houses in Duckburg, to include one with Gyro and the director inside. At the last minute when the two men are near death, Little Helper disables the giant robot's machinery. Gyro is given a medal for saving the director, and Little Helper is given a medal for saving all of Duckburg.
Little Helper never speaks, but occasionally uses thought bubbles. He enjoys chasing mice and helping Gyro clean up the unusual consequences of his inventions.
Helper's origin is given in the story "Gyro's First invention" (written by Don Rosa), which appears in Uncle Scrooge #324 (December 2003) as part of Gyro's 50th anniversary. In this retelling, Gyro accidentally passed on some of his intelligence to Donald Duck's desk lamp. Gyro added small metal arms and legs to the lamp, so that it could move about. Little Helper lived up to his name, helping his creator with his inventions.
In the Italian comics, where he was featured prominently, his name is Edi, in reference to Thomas Edison.
Little Helper occasionally appeared alongside Gyro in the animated series DuckTales. He is called Little Bulb in the series, which is compatible with the Brazilian name for the character - Lampadinha - informal diminutive of Lâmpada (lamp), in Portuguese. However, despite his prominence in Gyro's comic stories, as well as being prominently seen in one shot of the theme song, Little Bulb's only major appearance on the series was in "The Money Vanishes", though he also briefly appears in the show's intro sequence and "Dough Ray Me".
Little Helper, this time known as Lil Bulb, reappears in the reboot series. He first appears in the episode "The Great Dime Chase!" as a multi-purpose assistant Gyro tries to present to Scrooge McDuck. After the idea is rejected by Scrooge's advisers (primarily due to Gyro's history with malfunctioning robots), Louie convinces Gyro to let him borrow Lil Bulb to recover the Number One Dime Louie lost. As Louie carelessly mistreats Lil Bulb during the assignment, Lil Bulb's negative feelings corrupt it and it merges with the coin-sorting machine to upgrade into a larger, dangerous mech that chases after Louie for the dime. During the chase, Gyro saves Louie by distracting the robot, where it turns out that Lil Bulb was malfunctioning from a 75-watt bulb (he can only handle a 50-watt bulb); he replaces the bulb, returning Lil Bulb to its dutiful state. Despite the incident, Gyro keeps Lil Bulb around and is inspired to begin Project Blatherskite.
Video Games:Video game (HD remake/Soundtrack) • DuckTales 2 • The Quest for Gold • Scrooge's Loot Comics:Comic Books (IDW) Books:Dinosaur Ducks • The Secret City Under the Sea • Dinosaur Valley • Launchpad's Daring Raid • Welcome to Duckburg • Sphinx for the Memories and Sir Gyro Gearloose • The Great Lost Treasure Hunt • Scrooge McDuck and the Big Surprise • Dinosaur Ducks and Jungle Duck • The Hunt for the Giant Pearl • Scrooge's Treasure Hunt • Christmas at the North Pole • Armstrong the Robot and Earthquack • Silver Dollars for Uncle Scrooge • Webby Saves the Day
Disney Parks
DuckTales World Showcase Adventure • PLAY!
Characters
1987 series:Scrooge McDuck • Huey, Dewey, and Louie • Launchpad McQuack • Webby Vanderquack • Bentina Beakley • Duckworth • Chief O'Hara • Shedlock Jones • Gyro Gearloose • Little Helper • Yardarm • Doofus Drake • Fenton Crackshell • Donald Duck • Gladstone Gander • Bubba the Cave Duck • Abominable Snowwoman • Tootsie the Triceratops • Skittles • Blackjack • Poupon • Gene the Genie • Glittering Goldie • Mad Dog McGurk • Feathers Galore • Burt Quackarach • Major Courage • Micro Ducks • Admiral Grimmitz • King Homer • Queen Ariel • Shawebizad • Gandra Dee • McPapa • McMama • Robotica • Beagle Boys • Ma Beagle • Pete • Flintheart Glomgold • Phantom Blot • Dijon • Argus McSwine • Magica De Spell • Minima De Spell • Poe De Spell • El Capitan • Joaquin Slowly • Merlock the Magician • Cinnamon Teal • Dracula Duck • Dr. NoGood • Millionara Vanderbucks • Fritter O'Way • Lawrence Loudmouth • Bruno Von Beak • Armstrong • The Sirens • Circe • Harpies • Yuckalinda • Queen Griselda • Djinni • Terra-Firmie King • Overlord Bulovan • Solego • GICU-2 • Magica's Shadow • The Fear Demons
2017 series:Della Duck • Lena • Captain Peghook • Manny the Headless Man-Horse • Pixiu • Gabby McStabberson • Hack and Slash Smashnikov • Roxanne Featherly • Toad Liu Hai • Mark Beaks • Falcon Graves • Amunet • Sabaf • Toth-Ra • Zeus • Selene • Storkules • Briar and Bramble • Darkwing Duck • Gosalyn Mallard • Megavolt • Don Karnage • Quackerjack • Liquidator • Black Heron • Zan Owlson • Fisher • Mann • Drosera occidendum • José Carioca • Panchito Pistoles • Fethry Duck • John D. Rockerduck • Jeeves • Gavin • Grandpappy Beagle • Violet Sabrewing • Unicorn • Percival P. Peppington • Paddywhack • Negaduck • Daisy Duck • Goofy • Chip and Dale • Monterey Jack • Zipper • Gadget Hackwrench • Kit Cloudkicker • Taurus Bulba • Molly Cunningham • Lieutenant Penumbra • General Lunaris • Neighbor Jones • Steelbeak • Indy and Ty Sabrewing • Emma Glamour • Inspector Tezuka • Akita • Strongbeard • Jormungandr • Lorelai Birdgess
Episodes
1987 series
Season One: "The Treasure of the Golden Suns" • "Send in the Clones" • "Sphinx for the Memories" • "Where No Duck Has Gone Before" • "Armstrong" • "Robot Robbers" • "Magica's Shadow War" • "Master of the Djinni" • "Hotel Strangeduck" • "Lost Crown of Genghis Khan" • "Duckman of Aquatraz" • "The Money Vanishes" • "Sir Gyro de Gearloose" • "Dinosaur Ducks" • "Hero for Hire" • "Superdoo!" • "Maid of the Myth" • "Down and Out in Duckburg" • "Much Ado About Scrooge" • "Top Duck" • "Pearl of Wisdom" • "The Curse of Castle McDuck" • "Launchpad's Civil War" • "Sweet Duck of Youth" • "Earth Quack" • "Home Sweet Homer" • "Bermuda Triangle Tangle" • "Micro Ducks from Outer Space" • "Back to the Klondike" • "Horse Scents" • "Scrooge's Pet" • "Catch as Cash Can" • "Merit-Time Adventure" • "The Golden Fleecing" • "Ducks of the West" • "Time Teasers" • "Back Out in the Outback" • "Raiders of the Lost Harp" • "The Right Duck" • "Scroogerello" • "Double-O-Duck" • "Luck o' the Ducks" • "Duckworth's Revolt" • "Magica's Magic Mirror" • "Take Me Out of the Ballgame" • "Duck to the Future" • "Jungle Duck" • "Launchpad's First Crash" • "Dime Enough for Luck" • "Duck in the Iron Mask" • "The Uncrashable Hindentanic" • "The Status Seekers" • "Nothing to Fear" • "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. McDuck" • "Once Upon a Dime" • "Spies in Their Eyes" • "All Ducks on Deck" • "Ducky Horror Picture Show" • "Till Nephews Do Us Part" Season Two: "Time is Money" • "Super DuckTales" Season Three: "The Land of Trala La" • "Allowance Day" • "Bubbeo & Juliet" • "The Good Muddahs" • "My Mother the Psychic" • "Metal Attraction" • "Dough Ray Me" • "Bubba's Big Brainstorm" • "The Big Flub" • "A Case of Mistaken Secret Identity" • "Blue Collar Scrooge" • "Beaglemania" • "Yuppy Ducks" • "The Bride Wore Stripes" • "The Unbreakable Bin" • "Attack of the Fifty-Foot Webby" • "The Masked Mallard" • "A DuckTales Valentine" Season Four: "Ducky Mountain High" • "Attack of the Metal Mites" • "The Duck Who Knew Too Much" • "New Gizmo-Kids on the Block" • "Scrooge's Last Adventure" • "The Golden Goose"
2017 series Season One: "Woo-oo!" • "Daytrip of Doom!" • "The Great Dime Chase!" • "The Beagle Birthday Massacre!" • "Terror of the Terra-firmians!" • "The House of the Lucky Gander!" • "The Infernal Internship of Mark Beaks!" • "The Living Mummies of Toth-Ra!" • "The Impossible Summit of Mt. Neverrest!" • "The Spear of Selene!" • "Beware the B.U.D.D.Y. System!" • "The Missing Links of Moorshire!" • "McMystery at McDuck McManor!" • "JAW$!" • "The Golden Lagoon of White Agony Plains!" • "Day of the Only Child!" • "From the Confidential Casefiles of Agent 22!" • "Who is Gizmoduck?!" • "The Other Bin of Scrooge McDuck!" • "Sky Pirates...in the Sky!" • "The Secret(s) of Castle McDuck!" • "The Last Crash of the Sunchaser!" • "The Shadow War!" Season Two: "The Most Dangerous Game...Night!" • "The Depths of Cousin Fethry!" • "The Ballad of Duke Baloney!" • "The Town Where Everyone Was Nice!" • "Storkules in Duckburg!" • "Last Christmas!" • "What Ever Happened to Della Duck?!" • "Treasure of the Found Lamp!" • "The Outlaw Scrooge McDuck!" • "The 87 Cent Solution!" • "The Golden Spear!" • "Nothing Can Stop Della Duck!" • "Raiders of the Doomsday Vault!" • "Friendship Hates Magic!" • "The Dangerous Chemistry of Gandra Dee!" • "The Duck Knight Returns!" • "What Ever Happened to Donald Duck?!" • "Happy Birthday, Doofus Drake!" • "A Nightmare on Killmotor Hill!" • "The Golden Armory of Cornelius Coot!" • "Timephoon!" • "GlomTales!" • "The Richest Duck in the World!" • "Moonvasion!" Season Three "Challenge of the Senior Junior Woodchucks!" • "Quack Pack!" • "Double-O-Duck in You Only Crash Twice!" • "The Lost Harp of Mervana!" • "Louie's Eleven!" • "Astro B.O.Y.D.!" • "The Rumble for Ragnarok!"
