Bertrand Labévue
 | |
| Basics | |
| Name | Bertrand Labévue |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Bennie/Bertje Blunder (Dutch) Bartje (Norwegian) Bernard Blunder (Swedish) Bertie Blunder (English) |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Moe Points | glasses |
| Related Characters | |
| Friends: Gaston Lagaffe, Jules Relatives: unnamed little sister | |
Bertrand Labévue is a character in the Belgian comic strip Gaston.
Appearance
He wears a large pair of glasses, has black hair, and buck teeth. He always wears an open jacket.
Personality
Bertrand is one of Gaston’s friends and often helps him out with his plans.[1]
Bertrand is depressed most of the time.
History
He is initially introduced in strip 347, being sent by Gaston to cover for him for the day. He is initially as clumsy as he is, by dropping a bottle of ink on Fantasio’s face.[2] He later returns during the “tin wars” as an accomplice of Gaston; he paid a visit to the office with his little sister, who asked Fantasio if he could give Gaston a kiss before going to boarding school. She was hiding a tin opener in her hair bow.[3] He appears for a third time in strip 458B, with Jules and an unnamed Englishman; the three go to the office attic where Gaston is to rehearse a song. Gaston suggests they name their band "The Sound Asleeps". However, Gaston’s Goofophone destroys the office building, leaving the staff without a place to work the next morning.[4]
He returns in strip 735, coming to Gaston’s office feeling depressed and downcast. Gaston and Jules try to cheer him up, first by taking him for a trip to the forest, then by cooking a soufflé for him (which explodes), and lastly by giving him some snacks. They start opening food tin cans until Bertrand accidentally sets off a smoke bomb which covers the whole building.
Anecdotes
- Franquin, suffering from depression himself, gave this character a depressive streak.
- He is part of a band along with Gaston and Jules called Moon Module Mecs (or Lunar Lander Lads in the Cinebook translation).[5].
