This is a list of the main characters of the Blueberry comic/graphic novel series, with their basic characteristics, their role in the series and their contribution in the plot. Only the characters of the main series are presented, not from the spin-off series Young Blueberry – excepting the first three books from original creators Jean Giraud and Jean-Michel Charlier (part of the main series initially) – , and Marshal Blueberry as created by artists, other than the original creating duo. The number of appearances of each characters is that from the original Franco-Belgian publications. Spelling and affiliation are from those titles as released in English, where applicable. Otherwise, the spelling and affiliation are adhered to as featured in the original French-language publications.
Heroes Michael Steven Donovan, born on 30 October 1843 near Augusta, Georgia, is the main character of the eponymous series."Mike Steve Donovan" in the original publication. Date and place of birth as provided by co-creator Charlier in his fictional Blueberry biography included in the 1974 book Ballade pour un cercueil. Donovan is the son of a rich Southern farmer and starts out as a dedicated racist. After being framed for the murder, he did not commit, of plantation owner Tucker, the father of his fiancée Harriet, he flees and is saved by the escaped African-American slave Long Sam, who pays with his life for his act of altruism. He becomes an enemy of discrimination of all kinds, fighting against the Confederates (although being a Southerner himself), and trying to protect the rights of Native Americans. He chooses the surname "Blueberry" as alias when fleeing from his Southern enemies (inspired when he looks at a blueberry bush), starting with his adventures as a lieutenant in the United States Cavalry shortly after the American Civil War.In volume 5 of the Franco-Belgian Western comic series Les Gringos (created by Charlier and Victor de la Fuente), "Viva Nez Cassé" (48 pages, Paris:Dargaud, 1995/01, ), Blueberry makes a very prominent crossover appearance as himself as a military advisor to Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution of the 1910s, as established by Charlier in his Blueberry biography. In the story Blueberry meets up with Chini's granddaughter Isabel, who also plays a significant role in the story, and it is through her that Blueberry shortly reunites with Chini one last time, before she dies, after having been mortally wounded by her abusive second husband Roberto. Chini's first husband Vittorio incidentally, is in the story established as having undergone the exact same historically correct fate his historical counterpart had, implying that both characters had always been one and the same.
Jimmy McClure is an old gold prospector but he is above all a great drinker. Blueberry was advised by General Crook to ask him for some information about Indians because he was known as a specialist in the matter. Blueberry's best friend, he helped him in several of his adventures, often saving him, but also causing some unexpected problems, not rarely because of his fondness for the bottle. However, in the final part of Blueberry's life, at Tombstone, he did not appear at all. (appears in 17 albums)
"Red Neck",Additionally given the surname "Wooley" in a reprint of the original publication as an expert about Indians matters, was sent by General Dodge to Fort-Navajo to meet Lieutenant Blueberry. From then, he helped him in some of his missions. Though much more introverted and lonesome than McClure, he is a faithful friend to Blueberry. (appears in 11 albums)
Recurring characters, friends and foes General "Golden Mane" Allister, determined to exterminate the Cheyenne and Sioux tribes, was sent by Washington to subjugate Indians in 1867. He could not prevent the peace from being signed. Later, he tried to assassinate President Grant. He was killed by Blueberry after making a last attempt on Grant's life. (appears in 3 albums)
Wally Blount, with his mate and partner "Crazy" Cole Timbley, was a smart serial killer. Searching for the golden mine of the Superstition Mountains, he chased Prosit Luckner and forced him to lead him to the mine, but he was killed by a snake put by Prosit in his boot. (appears in 2 albums)
Captain Finley is a former Confederate officer. Instead of surrendering, after having deserted the Confederate forces, he fled to Mexico where he looted with his band, made out of members of his former command. In 1866, he helped Blueberry destroy a Mexican convoy of arms destined for the Apaches, contributing to establish peace again. In 1869, searching for the Confederate treasury, he became Blueberry's rival but was killed. Finlay was actually killed by his staunch compatriot, former Confederate sergeant Kimball, after the latter found out that Finlay, who wanted to continue his deprivations, had withheld from his men the pardon the band had received from President Grant in recognition of the help they had provided Blueberry earlier in Mexico, denying him and the others the opportunity to return to their families in the former Confederacy years previously. All of Finlay's men perished in his relentless pursuit for the gold. (appears in 5 albums)
Chihuahua Pearl is a former chorus girl. She was wooed by Lopez, a Mexican prison governor, and was ostentatiously ready to marry him for money. However, she had been more interested in the treasury of the Confederates, having actually already married its keeper, former Confederate colonel Trevor, as a ploy to pry the location out of him, something she never succeeded in. When she resumed the hunt for the hidden cache, she became occasionally allied with Blueberry. Despite the adversary nature of their relationship there was a sexual tension between the two as observed by his friend Red Neck, and served as the rationale for why she afterwards agreed to become party in a plot to free Blueberry from US Army imprisonment. Blueberry later fell in love with her but did not succeed in marrying her, despite a spectacular abduction from a church, she instead opting to marry the initially left at the altar Duke Stanton after all. Stanton, a wealthy railroad baron, exceedingly jealous but unaware of her checkered past, knows her as Lily Caloway only. (appears in 6 albums)
Chini is Cochise's daughter. Vittorio and Blueberry vied in a hard competition for her affections, the former in order to succeed Cochise. It actually was Blueberry's ill-conceived attempt to impress Chini, when he and several Navajo friends ambushed a stage coach carrying "Wild Bill" Hickok, that alerted US authorities to the fact that the alleged would-be assassin of President Grant was still alive, causing the hunt for the former lieutenant to resume, eventually endangering Cochise's tribe as well. Chini once met Chihuahua Pearl in person and exhibited jealousy, as she sensed the attraction between her and Blueberry. She was previously critically wounded by scalp hunter Gideon "Eggskull" O'Bannon when she tried to help Blueberry escape from him, but survived her wounds with the help from a US Army surgeon. She played an important role during the escape of her tribe to Mexico in the winter of 1871/1872, and eventually threw in her lot with Vittorio. (appears in 3 albums)
Colonel Clark is Blueberry's commanding officer at Fort Navajo. A gruff no-nonsense career officer he is the successor of Blueberry's previous commanding officer at the fort, Colonel Dixon, who had died pursuant being bitten by a rattle snake. Often aghast at his subordinate's unruly nature, he is only too happy to send him on detached missions, whenever he is able to. Nevertheless, he – though he will never admit to the fact – is fond of Blueberry and has a begrudging respect for his undeniable abilities and the loyalty he commands from the men under his command, and vainly tries to defend him when Blueberry is booted out of the army on trumped up charges. What Clark does not realize however, is that he is intentionally kept out of the loop by his superiors, as it is all an elaborate scheme to send Blueberry on a classified mission. Starting out as a major, he was promoted to colonel during his tenure as the fort's commander (appears in 4 albumsBlueberry's commanding officer has remained nameless in the main series. It was not until 1991 when he was finally given his name in "Sur ordre de Washington" (48 pages, Paris:Alpen Publishers, 1991/11, ), the first title in the Marshal Blueberry spin-off series.)
Cochise is the chief of the Navajo tribe. In 1866/67, he waged war against the American army after it imprisoned several Indian chiefs. Trusting Blueberry who urged him to sign peace, he finally accepted it. In 1870, he adopted Blueberry, wanted as an outlaw, into his tribe. He died in 1872 before his tribe had reached the safety of Mexican territory. (appears in 5 albums)
Lieutenant Crowe is a cavalry officer in the US Army at Fort Navajo. Of Native-American descent, he is hated by Major Bascom. He deserted from the army during the war against the Navajos in 1866, setting free several imprisoned Navajo chiefs previously captured by Bascom. He then helped Blueberry achieve peace with Cochise for which he was killed by Lone Eagle. (appears in 4 albums)
Jethro "Steelfinger" Diamond is an outlaw. His nickname came from the steel hand he used after his real hand was cut off by Indians. He was hired by the Central Pacific railroad to block Union Pacific's advance. He slaughtered bison with his band and blamed this crime on Union Pacific members to trigger a war with the Indians. He succeeded in making the Sioux and Cheyennes wage war against whites in 1868. After peace was achieved, he was finally killed by Sitting Bull in a duel. (appears in 3 albums)
General Dodge has always been a strong supporter and sponsor of Blueberry, ever since Blueberry had helped him escape Confederate imprisonment after the Battle of Chickamauga. Erroneously believing at first that Blueberry had betrayed him, it was Dodge who caused Blueberry's trademark facial feature, his broken nose. Later, Dodge notably helped in his rehabilitation on two occasions, the first time during the war, additionally arranging for Blueberry to become a commissioned officer, and the second time after the plot to assassinate President Grant. In between, he had entrusted his protégé with the mission of avoiding a war with Indians in 1868 at a time when he headed the Union Pacific Railroad. (appears in 6 albums)
Lieutenant Graig is the son of General Graig. Inexperienced, he was caught by Indians during the first Navajo war and then set free by Blueberry. He then helped Blueberry achieve peace by defending and supporting him. At one point Craig is captured by the Navajos and nearly tortured to death, before being saved by Blueberry. (appears in 4 albums)
"Wild Bill" Hickok is a hunter, army scout and bounty hunter. After having been ambushed by Blueberry and Navajos, Hickok teams up with the ruthless scalp hunter Gideon "Eggskull" O'Bannon to hunt down Blueberry, who had later managed to escape US Army custody, and the Navajos of Cochise. Foiled by Blueberry on virtually every turn, Hickok barely makes it out with his life, when the Navajos make their final dash into Mexico, unlike Eggskull (having already critically wounded Chini previously) who is trampled to death. (appears in 3 albums)
Lone Eagle aka Quanah, a cruel Indian determined to defeat the whites, he did his best to urge the Navajos to wage war in 1866. He succeeded in being hired as scout by the US Army, which had put him in a position to spy on, and sabotage the efforts of, the army. One of Blueberry's greatest enemies, he killed Crowe, an American officer of Indian origin and Mike's friend, and promised to also kill Blueberry. The latter finally defeated and killed him in a memorable duel, in the process avenging the death of his friend Crowe. (appears in 3 albums)