The Man Who Shoots Faster than his own Shadow...
Lucky Luke Book 24: The Judge, by Morris, Cinebook
LUCKY LUKE is hired to steer a herd of cattle to a ranch in Silver City but to get there he has to ride by Langtry in Texa. There resides one Judge Roy Bean, known as “The law west of the Pecos”... and a right rascal he is; in fact the only decent thing he does is sell ice cold bar in his saloon!
You see the Judge made up the law in those parts himself and in doing so, has a tendency to fine everyone who wanders into his territory. That and shoot them. Sometimes both. The funeral director also makes a good living in Langtry.
Suffice to say, Luke gets nabbed, accused of being a cattle thief, and is tried between rounds at the bar in the saloon, looking likely to be fined, then hung. But then, the Judge doesn’t know he’s dealing with a man who shoots faster than his own shadow.
Nor does he bargain with a rival judge by the name of Bad Ticket, for that’s when things get just a tad surreal in the European comedy vein as they become rivals and shoot-outs galore ensue, with Luke siding with Ticket, then, by a curious twist of fate, with Bean instead.
This is a cartoon comedy of the highest order. The story is so well-constructed that even when you know some of the events are inevitably about to take place you can’t help but raise a smile. There are jokes that are downright corny and there are others that are clever too.
Visually it’s a delight, with more rip-roaring on-panel action than you’ll see in a box full of the latest American superhero comics and better comic timing (of the comedy persuasion) than a month’s worth of modern TV sitcoms on any ocean.
The fact that the book first came out in 1971 hasn’t dated it one bit. In these recession-hit times it just goes to show quality still counts and this is cheap at half the price if it can raise a smile on your face.
Good stuff, really good stuff. And it’s for all ages.
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