135 - MORRIS and GOSCINNY. — Lucky Luke. In the Shadow of the Oil Derricks.

MORRIS and GOSCINNY. — Lucky Luke. In the Shadow of the Oil Derricks. Marcinelle-Charleroi, Éditions Dupuis, 1966. In-4, publisher’s illustrated hardcover, square spine, 46 color plates. Lucky Luke Collection, No. 18. Reprint of the 1966 edition, bearing the copyright notice “© 1966 by Morris and Ed. J. Dupuis, Fils & Cie.” The back cover features a woodgrain-effect design listing eight titles from the collection, including *Billy the Kid*, *The Daltons in the Blizzard*, *The Daltons Are Still on the Run*, *The Caravan*, *The Ghost Town*, and *The 20th Cavalry*. Art by Morris and story by René Goscinny. Originally published as a graphic novel in 1962, *In the Shadow of the Derricks* plunges Lucky Luke into the frenzy of the oil rush that swept through Pennsylvania in the mid-19th century. In Titusville, the discovery of black gold sparks a veritable speculative frenzy. Adventurers, prospectors, and businessmen flock to the area in hopes of striking it rich. Lucky Luke must restore order to this region, which has been thrown into chaos by the ambitions and rivalries of the new oil tycoons. Morris and Goscinny deliver a delightful satire on the birth of the American oil industry, blending historical figures, humor, and adventures in the American West. The particularly expressive cover depicts Lucky Luke, holding a man at gunpoint, who is hidden inside a barrel bearing the inscription “E. L. Drake Oil Co.”—a reference to Edwin Laurentine Drake, a pioneer of American oil exploration. In the background are a derrick, a vulture, and Jolly Jumper. Condition: Good copy. The front cover has bright, well-preserved colors, with slight rubbing and a few minor signs of wear. Corners are slightly rounded. The back cover, with a wood-grain finish, is well-preserved, with a few superficial marks and slight wear along the edges. The interior is slightly yellowed, with no major apparent defects.