{"id":32591,"date":"2025-04-09T08:00:53","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T08:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=32591"},"modified":"2025-04-08T18:07:15","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T18:07:15","slug":"bluecoats-volume-18-duel-in-the-channel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2025\/04\/09\/bluecoats-volume-18-duel-in-the-channel\/","title":{"rendered":"Bluecoats volume 18: Duel in the Channel"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nBy Willy Lambil <\/strong>& Raoul Cauvin<\/strong>, with Leonardo<\/strong> & translated by Jerome Saincantin<\/strong> (Cinebook)
\nISBN: 978-1-80044-152-1 (Album PB\/Digital edition)<\/p>\n

This book includes Discriminatory Content<\/strong> produced in less enlightened times but also emphasised for dramatic effect.<\/em><\/p>\n

Devised by Louis \u201cSalv\u00e9\u201d Salv\u00e9rius & Raoul Cauvin – who scripted the first 64 volumes until retirement in 2020 – Les Tuniques Bleues <\/em><\/strong>(or Dutch iteration De Blauwbloezen<\/em><\/strong>) began as the 1960s ended: created to soften the blow of losing Lucky Luke<\/strong> when that mild-mannered maverick megastar defected from Le Journal de Spirou <\/em><\/strong>to arch-rival periodical Pilote<\/em><\/strong>. From the start, the substitute strip was popular: swiftly becoming one of the most-read bande dessin\u00e9e series in Europe. Following stints by the Jose-Luis Munuera and BeKa writing partnership it is now scribed by Kris and up to 68 volumes\u2026<\/p>\n

Salv\u00e9 was a cartoonist in the Gallic big-foot\/big-nose humour manner, and after his sudden death in 1972, successor Willy \u201cLambil\u201d Lambillotte gradually moved towards a more realistic – but still overtly comedic – tone and look. Born in 1936, Lambil is Belgian and, after studying Fine Art in college, joined publishing giant Dupuis in 1952 as a letterer. Arriving on Earth two years later, scripter Cauvin was also Belgian and – prior to entering Dupuis\u2019 animation department in 1960 – studied Lithography. He soon discovered his true calling was comedy and began a glittering, prolific writing career at Le Journal de Spirou<\/em><\/strong>. In addition, he scripted dozens of long-running, award winning series including C\u00e9dric<\/em><\/strong>, Les Femmes en Blanc<\/em><\/strong> and Agent 212<\/em><\/strong>: clocking up more than 240 separate albums. Les Tuniques Bleues<\/em><\/strong> alone has sold over 15 million copies\u2026 and counting. Cauvin died on August 19th<\/sup> 2021, but his vast legacy of barbed laughter remains and – as of ten minutes ago \u2013 Lambril, at 87, is still drawing the Boys in Blue…<\/p>\n

The Bluecoats<\/strong> are long-suffering protagonists Sergeant Cornelius Chesterfield <\/em>and Corporal Blutch:<\/em> worthy, honest fools in the manner of Laurel & Hardy<\/strong>; ill-starred US cavalrymen defending a vision of a unified America during the War Between the States – well, at least one of them is\u2026<\/p>\n

The original format offered single-page gags set around an Indian-plagued Wild West fort, but from second volume Du Nord au Sud<\/em><\/strong>, the sad-sack soldiers were situated back East, perpetually fighting in the American Civil War. Subsequent exploits are set within the scant timeframe of the Secession conflict, but – like today\u2019s tale – occasionally range far beyond the traditional environs of the sundered USA, dipping into and embracing actual events (also like today\u2019s tale), tackling genuine, thoroughly researched moments of history…<\/p>\n

Blutch is an everyday, whinging little-man-in-the street: work-shy, mouthy, devious and ferociously critical of the army and its inept orchestrators and commanders. Ducking, diving, deserting at every opportunity, he\u2019s you or me – except at his core he\u2019s smart, principled, loyal and even heroic\u2026 if no easier option presents itself. Chesterfield is a big, burly professional fighting man: a proud career soldier of the 22nd<\/sup> Cavalry who devoutly believes in patriotism and esprit-de-corps of The Army. Brave, bold, never shirking his duty and hungry to be a medal-wearing hero, he\u2019s quite na\u00efve and also loves his cynical little pal. Naturally, they quarrel like a married couple, fight like brothers and simply cannot agree on the point and purpose of the horrendous war they are trapped in. That situation again stretches their friendship to breaking point in this cunningly conceived instalment, in which both find themselves pretty much fish out of water…<\/p>\n

Coloured by Vittorio Leonardo, Les Tuniques Bleues Duel ans la Manche <\/em><\/strong>was serialised continentally in Le Journal de Spirou<\/em><\/strong> #2967-2976, before becoming the 37th<\/sup> album in 1995, and Cinebook\u2019s 18th<\/sup> translated Bluecoats<\/strong> book. Once more it diverges from the majority of tales, which tread a fine line between comedy and righteous anger, so if you share these books with younger kids, read it first. However the trenchant wit and sardonic comedy are unleashedly full bore as the tale explores a triumphant maritime moment in US history with the lads hapless witnesses.<\/p>\n

It begins in the port of Amsterdam on June 10th<\/sup> 1864, where Blutch and Chesterfield have just debarked from US navy vessel USS Kearsarge. However, unlike the rest of their crewmates, shore leave holds no joy for them. They – even Blutch – would much rather be back in the army, but that\u2019s currently impossible.
\n\"\"
\nFollowing a disastrous attack by new commander General McLellan<\/em>, the northern land forces were responsible for the deaths and wounding of many of their own troops and, seeking scapegoats, the big boss arbitrarily blamed it all on the boys…<\/p>\n

Disgusted by the whole face-saving process, their immediate superior General Alexander<\/em> secretly arranges for their transfer to the sea borne services and, after a period stoking boilers and hating water, they fetch up in the beguiling city of a thousand pleasures. Chesterfield wants none of it and yearns to be on a horse of the 22nd<\/sup> Cavalry, charging into fusillades of hot lead, but his little pal can see the upside, even as they both fall foul of sharpers, merchants and good time girls who don\u2019t even speak English let alone what these Yankee louts are spouting…<\/p>\n

Unluckily for them the Kearsarge is in the midst of a vendetta with Confederate Navy ship CSS Alabama: a seagoing marauder that has already sunk many Union vessels. Captain John Ancrum Winslow<\/em> has sworn to sink the Alabama and has trailed her to Cherbourg where she is undergoing repairs. Winslow has sworn to destroy her or not return. Everywhere it seems is filled with madmen resolved to cause Blutch\u2019s doom…
\n\"\"
\nOf course, the odd couple are well-versed in making enemies too, and it\u2019s almost a relief when the recall comes and the rowdy crew are mustered to go into battle again. Nevertheless, when they reboard the Kearsarge, an alarmingly determined Dutch vendor follows them…<\/p>\n

Battle is joined on June 19th<\/sup> but by then Blutch and Chesterfield have so incensed the Captain that when the cataclysmic clash occurs they are chained to the floor of the brig with no chance of escape if their despised ship sinks…<\/p>\n

Somehow surviving the historic victory, the boys are soon on burial duty and ready to make more trouble when word comes from America that they can return… if they want to…
\n\"\"
\nAgain highlighting not only divisions and disparities of officers and enlisted men but also of the American class structure – particularly the inherent racism driving the rich and poor players on all sides – Duel in the Channel<\/strong> is another edgy epic based on a true incident, but if you can refrain from looking up the history until you finish, it will be to your benefit.<\/p>\n

Devastatingly exploiting history to make a point, Duel in the Channel<\/strong> proves how much stranger than fiction is truth and reveals how war costs everybody, but only profits a few of the very worst, by making moments of shocking verity doubly powerful and hard-hitting. Funny, thrilling, beautifully realised and eminently readable, Bluecoats<\/strong> is the best kind of war-story and Western: appealing to the best, not worst, of the human spirit. And this one is really, really sad\u2026
\n\u00a9 Dupuis 1995 by Lambil & Cauvin. All rights reserved. English translation \u00a9 2024 Cinebook Ltd.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Willy Lambil & Raoul Cauvin, with Leonardo & translated by Jerome Saincantin (Cinebook) ISBN: 978-1-80044-152-1 (Album PB\/Digital edition) This book includes Discriminatory Content produced in less enlightened times but also emphasised for dramatic effect. Devised by Louis \u201cSalv\u00e9\u201d Salv\u00e9rius & Raoul Cauvin – who scripted the first 64 volumes until retirement in 2020 – … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Bluecoats volume 18: Duel in the Channel”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[191,113,63,122,125,111,93,99],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-comedy","category-european-classics","category-historical","category-humour","category-satirepolitics","category-war-stories","category-westerns"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-8tF","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32591"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32596,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32591\/revisions\/32596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}