Moebius 6: Young Blueberry

Young Blueberry (Moebius, #6) ( Graphitti Designs Limited Hardcover Edition, #24) by Jean-Michael Charlier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Young Blueberry collects Blueberry's Secret, A Yankee Named Blueberry, and The Blue Coats, all written by Jean-Michael Charlier and drawn by Jean Giraud, aka Gir, aka Moebius.

It's #WesternComicsMonth again and Young Blueberry was my first read. I bought it from Graphitti Designs last year when I bought the other two Blueberry books and have been stashing it ever since.

Young Blueberry delves into the past of Blueberry. For instance, he started life as the son of a plantation owner and his real name is Michael Donavan. Blueberry was a spur of the moment alias for young Michael when he was in trouble and the name Michael Blueberry stuck with him.

Anyway, the three stories in this book are from Blueberry's early days, days of running from the law, evading firing squads, blowing up bridges and trains, as one does in their youth. Charlier puts Blueberry through the wringer. I was surprised he was in the Superstition Mountains since one of the other Blueberry volumes sees him finding the legendary Lost Dutchman's Mine in those very mountains.

The stories are gripping enough but the real attraction is the art of Jean Giraud. Far from the clean line style of Moebius, this style is gritty as hell and uses a lot more black ink. I was surprised that he used mostly pens in it and only went back in later to touch things up with a brush. Some panels look almost like Mike Mignola panels. It's hard to believe he was using such a style in 1966 when you look at what everyone except Kirby and Ditko were doing at the same time.

Since I just read Drawing Perspective and the concepts were fresh in my mind, it was fun looking at how the once and future Moebius implemented the techniques. Telegraph poles and railroad tracks really helped show off one and two point perspective.

Like most prequels, some of the jeopardy is diminished but Young Blueberry is still a fun collection of westerns. Four out of five done.

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