GIRAUD - Lot 65

GIRAUD JEAN GIRAUD BLUEBERRY L'Homme au poing d'acier (T.8),vDargaud 1970 Original plate no. 14, prepublished in Pilote n° 403, July 13, 1967. India ink on paper 36.5 × 47.6 cm (14.37 × 18.74 in.) First appearance, in L'Homme au poing d'acier, of Guffie Palmer, director of a "traveling theatrical troupe" that has come to entertain Union Pacific workers building the railroad that will link the East and West of the United States. Although this story appeared in Pilote in 1967, it's easy to imagine that the ladies under the control of the opulent director aren't there (just) to put on a show. Guffie's reunion with the disreputable Jethro Steelfingers ties up the plot of this part of the "Iron Horse" cycle, putting him on the trail of a convoy carrying workers' pay. Blueberry will have a hard time preventing the crook from getting his hands on the loot... Graphically, Jean Giraud is reaching the height of his talent. Guffie would return later in Hors-la-loi and, above all, in Angel Face.