Authors: Lambil & Cauvin
Age: 8 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages: 48 colour pages
ISBN: 9781800441774
£8.99 incl VAT Buy direct from Cinebook at https://www.cinebook.co.uk/bluecoats-drummer-p-4592.html
After yet another bloody battle, the Union Army organises a recruiting drive during which Blutch attempts to dissuade an obviously too young boy from signing up. To no avail, though, and before long the kid, Pucky, joins them as … a drummer boy!
While Chesterfield is tasked with looking after him, Pucky begins to practice his drumming – much to the displeasure of the troops, who are eager to get some rest before the major engagement looming on the horizon.
There is one thing that I have pointed out before and I will point it out here once again. The creators do not hide the fact that the American Civil War was BAD but around this they produce stories that are quite funny. In this book the first page deals with the aftermath of a battle and the commanders on both sides reacting to casualty figures. The book then ends with....the aftermath of a battle and the commanders on both sides reacting to casualty figures!
Sadly, men were cannon fodder and The Blue Coats tend to show this. That written; the humour, which can be slap-stick at times, always works with two characters you might call "Dumb-ass" at one point and "Total ----" the next but that makes them and their adventures even more fun -they are flawed characters who will even fight like two tom cats in a field hospital.
There is NOTHING gory shown. I will admit that at one point I thought they were going to have the drummer boy shot down in battle. He wasn't.
I always recommend The Blue Coats and there are now 19 volumes for you lucky folk to collect!
No comments:
Post a Comment