The Oklahoma Land Rush by René Goscinny

Why read the book?

The Land Rush of 1889 gives Goscinny and Morris a perfect crowd to play with. Lucky Luke is set to watch the start, which means hunting down the cheats who creep over the border early, men like Coyote Will, Beastly Blubber and Dopey. When the gun fires, a whole town called Boomville rises from bare ground in an afternoon.

Speculation, a crooked saloon and a hidden gambling den all follow, and Luke clears them out. The neat twist is that Dopey, one of the early cheats, is elected mayor and turns honest. Jolly Jumper threads the chaos while Luke keeps a straight face.

Favourite quote

What I Loved

The sheer energy of a city built between two pages is a joy, and Morris draws the mad scramble with real glee.

Goscinny finds the comedy in greed without ever turning sour. Dopey's slide from swindler to decent mayor is a warm little arc, and the running gag of settlers reaching the same empty plot at once never gets old.

Key Takeaway

A whole frontier town built and corrupted in a single sunlit day.

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