Character Profile: Eugene Colbert

👤 General Metadata

• Full Name: Eugene Colbert

• Species: Anthropomorphic Rhinoceros (Rhino)

• Gender: Male

• Universe: Blacksad (1950s New York City Noir setting)

• First Appearance: Blacksad: Under the Skin (Opening Sequence)

• Voice Actor (English): Jerry Di Giacomo

📊 Biographical & Professional Details

• Marital Status: Married

• Spouse: Mrs. Colbert

• Affiliation: John Blacksad (Determinant client/adversary), Desmond O'Leary

• Employment Background: He mentions that he famously quit his previous career/job out of devotion to his wife, emphasizing how much he values his marriage despite his recent slip-up.

🧠 Personality & Core Motivation

• Desperate & Panic-Driven: Colbert enters the narrative in a state of absolute panic. Having realized his infidelity has been completely caught on film, he swings violently between aggressive intimidation and pathetic begging.

• Manipulative / Bargaining: Rather than accepting accountability, his immediate survival instinct is to buy his way out of trouble. He relies heavily on financial leverage to alter the truth.

• Core Goal: To keep his wife from finding out about his extramarital affair, preserve his family unit, and escape the deadly radar of local mobsters.

🎬 Narrative Backstory & Context

Eugene Colbert finds himself targeted by a private investigation launched by his suspicious wife. John Blacksad successfully tracks Colbert down and photographs him engaging in an explicit affair.

When cornered, Colbert claims the infidelity was a "one-time mistake" where he was actively seduced by his bodyguard. To kill the story, Colbert ambushes Blacksad in his office and offers a massive bribe: 10 times the amount his wife is paying the detective to fabricate a "white lie" declaring his total innocence.

🔀 Branching Fates (Determinant Statuses)

Depending on player choices, Eugene Colbert's profile updates to one of the following statuses by the end of his arc:

Choice Path Resulting Status Narrative Outcome

Accept Bribe & Protect Him Alive / Reconciled Blacksad takes the money and lies to Mrs. Colbert

Refuse Bribe & Expose Truth Ruined Blacksad rejects the bribe and turns the photographic evidence over to Mrs. Colbert, completely destroying Eugene's marriage.

Expose to the Mob Deceased If details of his secrets or whereabouts are poorly managed or shared with the ruthless mob figure Desmond O'Leary, Colbert is tracked down and murdered.

Violent Escalation Injured During the initial office confrontation, if dialogue parameters fail or aggressive QTE prompts are chosen, Blacksad physically overpowers Colbert, resulting in a fractured jaw.

Species_and_Major_Physical_Traits: Eugene Colbert is an imposing rhinoceros character, inspired by the noir universe of Blacksad. His large physique is a defining trait, suggesting strength and authority.

Body_Outfit_and_Accessories: He is consistently seen in tailored suits, impeccably maintained, reflecting his desire to project an image of wealth and control, crucial to his perceived social standing. These suits, while elegant, often seem to constrain him, mimicking the emotional constraints he places upon himself.

Personality_Traits_Behavior_and_Speech: Colbert is reserved and simmering, maintaining a rigid exterior that barely contains his roiling emotions. Anger, shame, and paranoia flicker beneath the surface, shaping his interactions and decisions. He is status-conscious, deeply concerned with appearances and social standing, making him prone to deflection and half-truths under pressure.

Hobbies_Gimmicks_and_Unique_Traits: Beyond his professional life, Colbert's affair indicates a hidden recklessness, driven by emotional neglect and dissatisfaction. This affair is not merely an indulgence but symptomatic of a deeper malaise within his marriage.

Attributes: Attributes include intimidation through physical presence, financial acumen indicative of a businessman, instinctive lying as a defense mechanism, and underlying physical strength potentially rooted in a past connected to military or law enforcement. Despite his formidable appearance, he tends to use his size defensively, suggesting a reluctance to engage in outright cruelty.

Additional_Information: A complex blend of power and vulnerability defines Colbert, making him a compelling figure entangled in the dark web of noir intrigue.

Back_Story: Eugene, once a respected businessman, found his life unraveling amidst a clandestine affair and growing marital discord. His carefully constructed world began to crumble as secrets and lies surfaced within the city's upper echelons.

Species_and_Major_Physical_Traits: Eugene Colbert is an imposing rhinoceros character, inspired by the noir universe of Blacksad. His large physique is a defining trait, suggesting strength and authority.

Body_Outfit_and_Accessories: He is consistently seen in tailored suits, impeccably maintained, reflecting his desire to project an image of wealth and control, crucial to his perceived social standing. These suits, while elegant, often seem to constrain him, mimicking the emotional constraints he places upon himself.

Personality_Traits_Behavior_and_Speech: Colbert is reserved and simmering, maintaining a rigid exterior that barely contains his roiling emotions. Anger, shame, and paranoia flicker beneath the surface, shaping his interactions and decisions. He is status-conscious, deeply concerned with appearances and social standing, making him prone to deflection and half-truths under pressure.

Hobbies_Gimmicks_and_Unique_Traits: Beyond his professional life, Colbert's affair indicates a hidden recklessness, driven by emotional neglect and dissatisfaction. This affair is not merely an indulgence but symptomatic of a deeper malaise within his marriage.

Attributes: Attributes include intimidation through physical presence, financial acumen indicative of a businessman, instinctive lying as a defense mechanism, and underlying physical strength potentially rooted in a past connected to military or law enforcement. Despite his formidable appearance, he tends to use his size defensively, suggesting a reluctance to engage in outright cruelty.

Additional_Information: A complex blend of power and vulnerability defines Colbert, making him a compelling figure entangled in the dark web of noir intrigue.

Back_Story: Eugene, once a respected businessman, found his life unraveling amidst a clandestine affair and growing marital discord. His carefully constructed world began to crumble as secrets and lies surfaced within the city's upper echelons.