Le Grand Duc

Le Grand Duc is a Lucky Luke adventure written by Goscinny and illustrated by Morris. It is the fortieth book in the series and it was originally published in French in the year 1973 and by Cinebook in 2011 under the title of The Grand Duke. The story is loosely based on the Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia, who undertook a tour of America in 1870-1871.

Le Grand Duc
(The Grand Duke)
Cover of the French edition
Date1973
SeriesLucky Luke
PublisherDargaud
Creative team
WritersGoscinny
Morris
ArtistsMorris
Original publication
Published inPilote
Date of publication1973
LanguageFrench
Chronology
Preceded byChasseur de primes (1972)
Followed byL'Héritage de Rantanplan (1973)

Plot

The Russian Grand Duke Leonid pays a diplomatic visit to the United States. However, a great reader of James Fenimore Cooper, in order for an important treaty to be completed, he first wants to have a recreational trip through the West, complete with bandits and Indian attacks! Lucky Luke is assigned as a bodyguard to the duke, who is quickly targeted by all sorts of villainous persons — first and foremost a Russian anarchist who tries his best (or his worst) to assassinate the Grand Duke. With the interpreter of the Grand Duke, they travel the country, chased by the mysterious terrorist trying to assassinate the diplomat. Their journey begins in Abilene, the city where cowboys meet.

Characters
  • Grand Duke Leonid of Russia: A huge aristocrat, on a diplomatic visit to the U.S.
  • Colonel Fedor Mikhaïlovitch Boulenkov: His minute aide-de-camp and interpreter. Speaks slightly imperfect English (referring to a horse as a "horseradish").
  • Russian anarchist: An unnamed anarchist who repeatedly tries to kill the Duke, without success. His attempts are never even noticed by the people targeted.
  • Laura Legs: A saloon dancer who will reappear later in other stories: Settlement of accounts (published in The Hanged Man's Rope) and The Man Who Shot Lucky Luke.

Analysis

This fictional character is most likely inspired by the real Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovich of Russia, son of Emperor Alexander II and ambassador to the United States, whose trip to America from 1871 to 1872 left a picturesque memory, especially when he distinguished himself during a buffalo hunt with the famous Buffalo Bill.

gollark: ```scheme(maybe-tit-for-tat-or-grudger 1280)(alt 982)(gollariosity 1254)(grudger 1307)(devil 1097)(mean-tit-for-tat 989)(tit-for-tat 1306)(angel 1198)```
gollark: I MAY have to improve gollariosity.
gollark: Actually, it doesn't.
gollark: I don't have that one.
gollark: ```(alt 842)(gollariosity 998)(grudger 1049)(devil 950)(mean-tit-for-tat 845)(tit-for-tat 1048)(angel 944)```


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