Previewing ‘Lucky Luke: Untamed’ – Blutch Brings His Style To A Classic Lucky Luke

When I saw the Cinebook releases for April, it was this Lucky Luke volume that stood out – one of the Homage Editions, very special volumes with modern Euro artists giving us their take on Morris’ classic character – and oh boy, Blutch lives up to my hopes here!

Yep, when I saw this on the coming titles list I had this to say –

‘[Blutch is] a French comic artist/author who’s swiftly become one of the modern greats, producing work that fascinates with the draughtsmanship, an artist who keeps innovating and pushing the work. He’s been working in comics since 1988 and produced so many incredible series and albums, including Waldo’s Bar, Mademoiselle Sunnymoon, Rancho Bravo, Blotch, le Roi de Paris, Blotch Face à Son Destin, Sunnymoon, Tu Es Malade, La Lettre Américaine, Mitchum, Peplum, Le Petit Christian, Vitesse Moderne, Total Jazz, So Long, Silver Screen, Dark Side of the Moon, Modern Speed, and Where is Kiki?

I simply cannot wait to read and see what Blutch has done with Lucky Luke. It won’t be a reinvention, in the same way that Bonhomme’s work on Lucky Luke wasn’t, these are homages, taking the character and keeping true to the core idea and values by allowing new and different artists to interpret the character. It should be rather special.’

Long story short – it’s VERY special and definitely maintains the quality of these Lucky Luke Homage editions that take the magnificent character created by Morris and have contemporary artists give it their own unique take. We’ve already seen two Cinebook volumes by Matthieu Bonhomme, The Man Who Shot Lucky Luke and Wanted Lucky Luke. There’s also albums hopefully awaiting translation and publication by Cinebook from Guillaume Bouzard, Mawil, and Ralf König.

But 18 April sees Blutch‘s version of the cowboy who shoots faster than his own shadow with Untamed. And it’s absolutely everything I wanted it to be.

Blutch takes a very Morris sort of tale, with Lucky Luke getting saddled with a couple of very bratty kids after bringing in their older brother to the local sheriff. And it unfolds with all the classic style and comedy the very best of Lucky Luke has, whether it’s the Morris years, the Goscinny & Morris years, or the many different writers and artists who’ve taken over the saga since Morris’ death.

But it’s also very much a Blutch album, where he both homages Morris’ classic look and feel to the whole book but also stamps his own unique look and style on things.

More on this when I re-read and review it, but I can save you the wait now and just tell you that this one lived up to every single hope I had, Blutch being Blutch and of course being brilliant but also managing to give us a genuinely classic Lucky Luke tale.

Okay, here’s the Cinebook blurb and a preview… enjoy it as much as I did!

Lucky Luke – Untamed

Writer/artist: Blutch

Lucky Luke enters a small town to drop off at the sheriff’s office a young man who tried to steal Jolly Jumper. A few miles down the road, in the middle of nowhere, he suddenly finds himself threatened … by a little girl! Young Rose and her brother are currently alone in their cabin after the mysterious disappearance of their parents. Luke will have to investigate, but also take care of two particularly wild and undisciplined children!

Published by Cinebook on 18th April 2024