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rungemaille's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
annaka_haynes's review
5.0
I never thought I'd like Corto Maltese- the sketchy, linear style doesn't appeal to my aesthetic, and the frankly weird looking characters put me off. But- the stories! I don't know how Pratt breaths so much life into a collection of black and white lines, but I was hooked by the middle of part two. Maltese, for all that his profile looks like a smoking Easter Island head, is intriguing and dryly humorous, and his cast of supporting characters range from strangely familiar to downright bizarre. I'm disappointed that not all of the Maltese cannon are available in English, and that this series seems to be switching up the order a bit- but Under the Sign of Capricorn was a great introduction. I'll definitely be seeking out the rest of them, and hope to find them in French, too.
os_elliott's review
4.0
Corto Maltese by Hugo Pratt feels seminal and to anybody that has had the joy of exploring the pages of this comic it probably is treated as such, but somewhere along the line these books seem to have been forgotten by popular culture. Filled with strong, etched out linework and a wonderous classical adventure charm and even though art comes first and foremost in Pratt's tale, this swashbuckling charm is notable and infectious.
The only flaw with the work is a flaw with many pieces of classic adventure work, that being the sources of the exoticism of the story and some of the more regressive racial politics of the time, interestingly often displayed side-by-side with deconstruction of tropes and positive progressive messages, which makes the book feel simultaneously of an earlier era of adventure stories, of the politics of its time and of the politics of a future. Pratt presents a writer that is pitted between the exoticism of his tale and the progressiveness of his politics. It adds an element of unexpected complexity to this salty-dog adventure, which is often only noted for its (incredible) art.
The only flaw with the work is a flaw with many pieces of classic adventure work, that being the sources of the exoticism of the story and some of the more regressive racial politics of the time, interestingly often displayed side-by-side with deconstruction of tropes and positive progressive messages, which makes the book feel simultaneously of an earlier era of adventure stories, of the politics of its time and of the politics of a future. Pratt presents a writer that is pitted between the exoticism of his tale and the progressiveness of his politics. It adds an element of unexpected complexity to this salty-dog adventure, which is often only noted for its (incredible) art.
michaelclorah's review
5.0
Great mysteries, pitting schemers against schemers, unfolding a twisted adventure across exotic locales and executed with graphic aplomb -- in short, wonderful adventure comics.
+++++++++
Still a masterwork.
+++++++++
Still a masterwork.
pwnyboy's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
fedor_ulysses's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ilovegravy's review
5.0
Read it in one go on one beautiful summer day when I was accidentally locked up in my friend’s house. The book certainly allowed for the imaginary journey to escape the captivity and the time spent on waiting passed as quickly as the story itself. I wish I knew more about the historical context of that period of time, but it was breathtaking regardless!
cdbert's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Pleasantly surprised!
geekwayne's review against another edition
4.0
'Corto Maltese: Under the Sign of Capricorn' is another reprint of the late 1960s-early 1970s series by Hugo Pratt. The adventure takes place around 1916 in the South Seas.
Corto Maltese, for those unfamiliar, is a mysterious ship captain and sometime ruffian who finds himself in the midst of trouble and always looking for a big score in buried or sunken treasure. He also finds himself on the edges of world conflict as he runs across plotting German captains.
This volume has a few stories, but the main one is called 'The Secret of Tristan Bantam' and concerns a young man who hires Corto Maltese to solve a mystery left behind by his deceased father. This will lead Tristan and Corto Maltese on an ocean adventure with unexpected results. Another story finds Corto Maltese on a beach, being shot at, and no memory of himself or how he got there.
They are high adventure stories from another time. The art is not bad. Corto Maltese is gangly and laid back, usually finding himself leaning against a door frame with a cigarette in his mouth. Sometimes his legs look a little too long and some of the native people are are a bit garish. The depictions of different races seems harsh at first glance, but these characters resonate with wisdom and intelligence, so it makes it's way into less offensive territory (at lease for me). I enjoyed this volume of stories and wouldn't mind reading more of handsome, laid back Corto Maltese.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Corto Maltese, for those unfamiliar, is a mysterious ship captain and sometime ruffian who finds himself in the midst of trouble and always looking for a big score in buried or sunken treasure. He also finds himself on the edges of world conflict as he runs across plotting German captains.
This volume has a few stories, but the main one is called 'The Secret of Tristan Bantam' and concerns a young man who hires Corto Maltese to solve a mystery left behind by his deceased father. This will lead Tristan and Corto Maltese on an ocean adventure with unexpected results. Another story finds Corto Maltese on a beach, being shot at, and no memory of himself or how he got there.
They are high adventure stories from another time. The art is not bad. Corto Maltese is gangly and laid back, usually finding himself leaning against a door frame with a cigarette in his mouth. Sometimes his legs look a little too long and some of the native people are are a bit garish. The depictions of different races seems harsh at first glance, but these characters resonate with wisdom and intelligence, so it makes it's way into less offensive territory (at lease for me). I enjoyed this volume of stories and wouldn't mind reading more of handsome, laid back Corto Maltese.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.