Written by: Yves H.
Illustrations: Hermann
Coloring: Hermann
Publisher: Le Lombard
Duke #1 Modder en Bloed – Comic Book Review
We’ve had a lot of Wild West stories on the site so far, and we simply can’t say no when another one comes knocking on our door. That being said, this new series named Duke, attracted our attention simply because of the gritty drawings and the somewhat cliché appearance. Those sentiments aside, we can’t help but love a good old-fashioned Western once in a while. We were quite curious to see if this series would come out guns blazing or feel like a tumbleweed in the midst of a deserted wasteland.
In a backwater city in Colorado in 1866, a gang runs the local mine, and they happen to be under the protection of the biggest landowner of said city. Nonetheless, the crooks think they can get away with pretty much everything and thus they behave like it. When they catch a man stealing gold, and punish him by shooting his wife and daughter, they appear on the local marshal’s assistant, Duke’s Midwestern radar. Sadly, his own employer is on the town owner’s payroll, thus often tells Duke to back off, but when blood is spilled in the local brothel, Duke can’t idly sit by anymore and declares it an open hunt, albeit one he’ll have to undertake on his own.
Overall this story proves to be a very typical Wild West story, with a hefty amount of predictable elements, with a small twist at the ending. That being said, the fairly fast flow, both due to the lack of lengthy dialogues and the many events that are occurring, make this issue rather interesting and show that Yves H. does not shy away from a classic Western story.
The gritty, and somewhat dated, illustrations set a nearly perfect tone for this story, as it has a fairly realistic feel to it. The faded and bland colors make the issue a tad darker, which tends to suck you in. Nonetheless, the facial features are sometimes a tad on the unattractive side, as many male characters look alike, and the female character also look like men in dresses. That aside, Hermann paints a fairly decent picture of this era.
Conclusion
Duke #1 Modder en Bloed is a fairly standard Western tale, that aims to present you with an authentic experience. The story is rather fun, albeit predictable with a small surprising twist at the end. If you’re into classic Wild West stories, this one will certainly provide you with an enjoyable evening. Those who are looking for something innovative might be left wanting more.
Duke #1 Modder en Bloed - Comic Book Review,
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