Lucky Luke Versus The Pinkertons
Lucky Luke Book 31: Lucky Luke Versus The Pinkertons, by Achde, Pennac & Benacquista, Cinebook
LUCKY LUKE’s creator, Morris, passed away in 2001, having lived a prolific creative career, amusing thousands across the globe with his cartoon strips in the process. Some of his creations live on, continuing to spread new laughter.
Achde, Pennac & Benacquista are credited as having completed this particular volume of Lucky Luke. Following in the French tradition of listing the writer last we may presume Benacquista takes that role, and the others work in tandem to produce the art.
On first appraisal you’d think it was Morris, but there’s a sharper focus, or attention, brought to bear on differentiating foreground and backgrounds to show perspective, and also the work is a little more slickly inked.
The story itself too feels right, but as it progresses you are aware of the writer’s more modernist approach both in terms of his jokes being contemporary in feel and also as reflection of what is happening in our world today, at least as perceived satirically by the writer. This is something that Morris tended not to do, as far as I’m aware, but it feels right for the times.
Alan Pinkerton has set up his detective agency: is he crook or good guy though? And is the work he’s doing, not just putting Lucky Luke out of a job in apprehending all those Wanted Men but leading to the veritable possibility of a police state where everyone’s whereabouts, movements and slightest peccadilloes are recorded after being snooped on by all and sundry?
The laughs get played out as more end up in gaol than out, and the bad guys get let out early for good behaviour because they’ve become overcrowded; chief among them those no-good rascally Daltons, regular villains in the Lucky Luke series. Suffice to say they think modern criminal ways may just be up their street just the way criminology is Pinkerton’s, and set out in earnest to earn a dishonest crust.
It all leads to Luke coming out of retirement to save the day and leaves us with some gentle considerations about morality, and ultimately how we cope with other people’s opinions of what that means. Serious stuff? No, a sufficient amount of corny gags along the way to keep you amused, young and old alike though.
For more information on Luck Luke books in English visit Cinebook.
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