The artist Corteggiani approached in 1996 turned out to be , the artist of one of the "Big Five" Franco-Belgian western comics in the 1970s, the critically acclaimed Jonathan Cartland series. It was almost certain that Blanc-Dumont had been the only artist Corteggiani sought out as the latter was well aware of the fact that he was a favorite of both Giraud as well as of the late Charlier Sr., who had once stated, "Had I not coincidentally met Jean Giraud, I would have preferably started the long Blueberry saga with Michel Blanc-Dumont." To his credit, Blanc-Dumont had no idea what was going on with the Young Blueberry series and could only rely on what Corteggiani cared to tell him, which was in a non-committal way informing him that there were "some differences of opinion" with Wilson and if Blanc-Dumont was interested to do Blueberry or "something else" with him. As Blanc-Dumont recalled, "He therefore made me a [generic] proposal, like all good scenario writers do." On that occasion Blanc-Dumont had to decline though, as he had to finish up on his aviation comic Colby he had created with Greg and the replacement comic for Cartland (in which he had been very much invested), he, to his immense regret, had to stop due to the illness of his scenario writer Laurence Harlé – who would eventually die from it in 2005 – with whom he had a very close and warm working relationship.Svane, 2003, p. 53
