Corto Maltese: The Early Years

First a little word play. This is not the first book about Hugo Pratt’s Corto Maltese but it was the last written, I think. It was not the first one I read but will not be the last. Had it been the first one I read, likely it would be my last.And that was the most fun I have had with Corto Maltese ; The Early Years. If this is the young Corto, there is nothing young about how he handles himself. A fact made plain in the introduction. He may appear a tad younger than in books that portray him in later periods, but there is nothing in the Early Years that suggest this is an early Corto Maltese. Also explained in the intro is that unique among the Corto books this was commissioned to be a newspaper comic series. This explains much and begs the question of the proper definition of a graphic novel.This adventure finds him in the immediate after math of the Russo-Japanese war. Here he will do next to nothing while various characters, real and not so real do all that needs to be done. We are introduced to the ‘real’ Jack London doing almost what he was doing in Korea trying to cover the war. The full story of JL’s adventuring in Alaska then conducting a one-person invasion of a war zone where he was not wanted should have been this book. But that would have made this a better adventure story.We also meet Rasputin. I guess because London and Rasputin are supposed to have met there.Stuff happens. Most of it without Corto doing much but showing up now and again. This is a short adventure, and perhaps the better for it. The book is augmented with the beginnings of an incomplete sequel and a few scattered panels and drawings. Many of the drawings are the best aspect of the book.Having now read 2 from Hugo Pratts works, I plan to read more, but only as cheaper used copies catch my eye.

Not as good as the previous 4 I’ve read from the series. It’s explained in this book that this was commissioned for a newspaper so it’s very much like a newspaper comic strip. The issue with that is that it takes away from the cinematic pacing Pratt normally utilized to set the scenes and feel the mood of the stories. That kind of intuitive design and choice of shape and size of panels coupled with the ability to slow down the story is what makes Corto so good. Plus the story is slightly recapped two or three times throughout (no doubt for the newspaper readers to be able to follow the tale). Sadly Pratt was asked to continue this tale (which is really well written) but he refused to. Luckily in this addition his notes and loose panels for the next chapter in this story that was supposedly going to be quite long are published here. Plus the beautiful illustrations and presentation is what keeps this book at a 4 out of 5 for me. But I am also a big Corto Maltese fan at this point so...I would not recommend beginning your Corto Maltese journey with this book. Even though it may seem most logical as it’s chronologically the first story in the saga, but definitely not the first Hugo Pratt wrote. I’d start with something else.

Hugo Pratt's Corto Maltese: The Early Years is a strange volume but enjoyable when you accept it on its own terms. Designed as a daily comic strip, the art is confined to three-panel segments, yet the story flows despite these constrictions. Pratt's art was never more like Milton Caniff's than in this aborted comic strip story line. I wish the story had been completed, but I am happy with what little we have. I enjoyed the characterization of Jack London, one of my favorite writers, and found Rasputin annoying as always. This volume includes some strips for a continuation that never happed, plus some gorgeous water colors and character sketches by Hugo Pratt. As others have commented, this Corto Maltese volume is probably not the best place to start reading the series.Highly recommended with reservations.

Prat takes an obscure piece of international history -the fact that Jack London and Rasputin met during the Japanese - Russian war and weaves a magnificent graphic novel about it with a strong delineation of characters and time. This is like an Eisner late 40's Spirit story - Corto doesn't appear until the end where he plays a crucial role- but the story grabs you in spite of that. One o my favorite books by Pratt.

I'm sorry but I just couldn't get into this at all. The story was silly and made no sense at all and the dialogue was overdone and felt stilted throughout. Also what was the point of Rasputin being so out of character and turning him nto a Russian soldier. I know about poetic license but come on now this just doesn't work.

great to read corto in enlish,great translation.