Corto Maltese: Mù la città perduta

Corto Maltese #12

by Hugo Pratt

Nous sommes entraînés, à la suite de Corto, à la recherche du continent perdu, mais surtout "dans une aventure qui est non seulement plus onirique que réaliste, mais aussi plus ironique qu'onirique." (Dominique Petitfaux, De l'autre côté de Corto). Ainsi, nous retrouvons une galerie de personnages déjà rencontrés dans les albums précédents : Tristan Bantam, le professeur Steiner, Bouche Dorée, Raspoutine, Soledad, Levi Columbia, .. Ce dernier album, par son inspiration et son imagination, se rapproche des Helvétiques, mais surtout "n'est que mystère et poésie. Poésie d'une quête qui dépasse l'homme. Poésie aussi d'un dessin d'une épure sublime."

Genres: Comics, Bande Dessinée, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Adventure, Comic Book, Historical Fiction

292 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Hugo Pratt, born Ugo Eugenio Prat (1927–1995), was an Italian comic book writer and artist. Internationally known for Corto Maltese, a series of adventure comics first published in Italy and France between 1967 and 1991, Pratt is regarded as a pioneer of the literary graphic novel.

Born in Rimini, Italy, Pratt spent his childhood in Venice in a cosmopolitan family environment. In 1937, ten-years old Hugo moved with his parents to Ethiopia, East Africa, following the Italian occupation of the country. Pratt's father eventually died as a prisoner of war in 1942. Hugo himself and his mother spent some time in a British prison camp in Africa, before being sent back to Venice. This childhood experiences shaped Pratt's fascination with military uniforms, machineries and settings, a visual constant in most of his adult works.
As a young artist in post-war Italy, Pratt was part of the so-called 'Venice Group', which also included cartoonists Alberto Ongaro, Mario Faustinelli. Their magazine Asso di Picche, launched in 1945, mostly featured adventure comics.
In 1949 Pratt moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he worked for various local publishers and interacted with well-known Argentine cartoonists, most notably Alberto Breccia and Solano López, while also teaching at the Escuela Panamericana de Arte. During this period he produced his first notable comic books: Sgt. Kirk and Ernie Pike, written by Héctor Germán Oesterheld; Anna nella jungla, Capitan Cormorant and Wheeling, as a complete author.
From the summer of 1959 to the summer of 1960, Pratt lived in London drawing war comics by British scriptwriters for Fleetway Publications. He returned to Argentina for a couple more years, then moved back to Italy in 1962. Here he started collaborating with the comics magazine Il Corriere dei Piccoli, for which he adapted several classics, including works by Robert Louis Stevenson.
In 1967, Hugo Pratt and entrepreneur Florenzo Ivaldi created the comics magazine Il Sergente Kirk, named after one of Pratt's original characters. Pratt's most famous work, Una ballata del mare salato (1967, The Ballad of the Salty Sea) was serialised in the pages of this magazine. The story can be seen as one of the first modern graphic novels. It also introduced Pratt's best known character, mariner and adventurer Corto Maltese. Corto became the protagonist of its own series three years later in the French comics magazine Pif gadget. Pratt would continue releasing new Corto Maltese books every few years until 1991. Corto's stories are set in various parts of the world, in a given moment in the first three decades of the 20th century. They often tangently deal with real historical events or real historical figures. The series gave Pratt international notoriety, being eventually translated into fifteen languages.
Pratt's other works include Gli scorpioni del deserto (1969-1992), a series of military adventures set in East Africa during WWII, and a few one-shots published for Bonelli's comic magazine Un Uomo Un'Avventura ('One Man One Adventure'), most notably the short story Jesuit Joe (1980, The Man from the Great North). He also scripted a couple of stories for his pupil Milo Manara.
Pratt lived in France from 1970 to 1984, then in Switzerland till his death from bowel cancer in 1995.

Reviews

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started the series with sky high hopes and expectations, and came to love Corto Maltese as a character, and Pratt as a comics writer. Not only is Corto immensely likable but the cast of characters he meets throughout his adventures have a depth of personality little seen in other comics of the time, or even now. The hackneyed misogyny and imperialistic racism that commonly spoils adventure narratives is nowhere to be seen. Instead you get deeply researched, politically complex tales, conveyed in fluid, impressionistic pen strokes. In my estimation, Pratt joins Herge, Goscinny, Tezuka and Koike as one of the greats of comic book writing.

[Przemysław Skoczyński · Rating 3 out of 5]

Corto Maltse - jeden z najlepszych i najsłynniejszych cyklów komiksowych w historii. Porażający erudycją i onirycznym klimatem starych legend, przygód i pragnieniem odkrywania tajemnic ludzkości. Uważam, że do "Złotego domu w Samarkandzie" włącznie jest to seria wybitna i tego autorowi raczej nikt nie odbierze, ale porównajcie kreskę "Ballady o Słonym Morzu" z którymś z ostatnich tomów, a zobaczycie, że na tym polu zrobiło się dosyć topornie, jakby Prattowi już nie zależało. Podobnie jest niestety z tymi ostatnimi częściami pod kątem fabuły i w "Mu - zaginionym mieście" widać to jak na dłoni. To jakby w mniejszym stopniu przemyślany scenariusz, bardziej ciąg zdarzeń niewynikających z siebie i podsuwanie bohaterowi kolejnych przeszkód, by uzasadnić ogromną wiedzę twórcy. No właśnie - w najlepszych momentach cyklu oczytaniu Pratta podporządkowane były fabule. Tutaj jest na odwrót - fabuła przestaje mieć znaczenie, liczy się eksponowanie erudycji autora. Mało mnie tym razem obchodziło co działo się w czasie wędrówki Corto, widziałem tylko cel, reszta to nadmiar faktów, nazw i kulturowych odniesień sypanych czytelnikowi pod nos całymi garściami. Gdzieś zgubił się fun, oniryzm uzasadnia każde nieprawdopodobieństwo, a chyba nie o to chodziło. Nadal kocham, ale uważam, że lepiej było to skończyć po ośmiu tomach

[Florin Pitea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good, actually.

[Stefan Garland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doviđenja, Korto, džentlmenu sreće!

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Το ολοκλήρωσα. Και σχετικά γρήγορα παρόλο το μέγεθος των 160κάτι σελίδων. Σε αυτό συντελεί το σχέδιο που είναι πιο αφηρημένο και πρόχειρο, τόσο πρόχειρο που πρόσεξα έντονα τις σκιάσεις στο δέρμα των σκουρόχρωμων χαρακτήρων που δεν διέφερε από το να πιάσει κάποιος ένα μολύβι και να γεμίσει ένα χώρο στο χαρτί ενώ του ξεφεύγουν οι γωνίτσες. Σίγουρα δεν στα ανήκει καλύτερα κόρτο, δεν μπαίνει στην εφτάδα ή την οκτάδα απλά γιατί τα άλλα είναι εξαιρετικά. Δεν είναι κακό όμως στο σύνολο του. Είναι κακό για πρώτη επιλογή άλμπουμ του Κόρτο, μπορεί να αποθαρρύνει κάποιον από έναν πανέμορφο κόσμο.



Η ιστορία μου έβγαζε έντονα ένα συναίσθημα τίτλων τέλους για το σύμπαν του Κόρτο. Η παρουσία των σημαντικότερων χαρακτήρων από τα υπόλοιπα 11 άλμπουμ του συντελεί στην εικόνα που έφτιαξα στην οποία υπάρχει από πίσω στις σκιές ο Πραττ θυμίζοντας πως ήρθε η ώρα να ρίξουμε αυλαία. Όλη η αισθητική είναι αφαιρετική και μυστηριακή, απλά σε τόσο έντονο βαθμό που ξεφεύγει από τα ήδη ξεχειλωμένα όρια αφήγησης του Πραττ. Λίγο ασχολήθηκα με την ιστορία σαν ιστορία, για την ήπειρο της ΜΟΥ και της Αζτλα και τους μύθους και θρύλους που τυλίγουν το κόμικ, δεν με τράβηξαν. Ισως μπήκαν ως ευγενείς πόθοι του Ούγκο. :)



Μ'άρεσε. Όχι όσο άλλα και καταλαβαίνω γιατί έχει την αντιμετώπιση που έχει. Αντιθέτως όμως εγώ θα το πρότεινα ακόμα και σε αυτόν που δεν τρελαίνεται με ΚΜ. Οχι για το σχέδιο, όχι για την ιστορία, αλλά για την τελευταία παράσταση του μεγαλύτερου ευγενούς τυχοδιώκτη που πέρασε ποτέ στην φανταστική ιστορία αυτού του πλανήτη και που αξίζει να μας πάρει μαζί του μια τελευταία φορά για να τον δούμε να πνεύσει τα λοίσθια και να χαθεί. :)



Το Mu μας προσφέρεται από έναν Πραττ αρκετά χαμένο στην ψυχεδέλεια του ηλιοβασιλέματος της ζωής του. Σαν άλμπουμ κρύβει μέσα του τον ρομαντισμό του μπαμπά του μέσα σε αυτή την τυχαιότητα που είναι γραμμένο. Δεν βγάζει κανένα νόημα στις 160 σελίδες του, αλλά ίσως να μην είναι αυτός ο σκοπός του. Επίσης δεν ξέρω αν ο Πραττ αισθανόταν ότι σιγά σιγά έπρεπε να αποχωριστεί τον ήρωα που τον σημάδεψε σαν δημιουργό, αλλά στο Mu ξεχειλίζει μια λύπη που νιώθεις από τις πρώτες σελίδες.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dreamy journey into fairy tale and folklore, as Pratt continues to move away from treasure-hunting adventure strips and into an exploration of fairy tale itself. Mu is a trippy, fascinating book - it won't grab you the same way Corto's early pirate adventures do, but Mu probably opens itself up to more rereadings and a greater depth and range of exploration.

[Graziano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sono migliaia
d'anni che
guardiamo
le stelle...

...e da migliaia
di anni le stelle
guardano noi.
"Loro" hanno promesso
di ritornare...
(178)

Ma... allora
Mu'... l' Atlantide
...esistono?
(229)

[GagaReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

tres cool. jai adore la preface

[Chiara Graziani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leggere Corto è stato un sogno e, come in Mū, si diventa consapevoli di aver vissuto la più incantevole delle fantasie. Storie scritte, catapultate nel reale. Sì, perché abbiamo viaggiato lungo tutto il continente ma lo abbiamo fatto dal divano di casa, nella nostra cameretta, magari sotto alle coperte. Abbiamo davvero vissuto le avventure che Pratt ci ha raccontato. E come in Mū, a fine lettura, ci si riprende da un sogno che avremmo voluto non finisse così presto, perché troppo bello.
"Non resta che ricominciare"
Grazie Pratt, per aver cambiato le mie prospettive, per avermi insegnato più cose di quante non sia riuscita a studiarne a scuola, per avermi fatto diventare l'ennesima donna caduta ai piedi di Corto. <3

[Gisela Adriano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uma das poucas vezes que fiquei decepcionada com uma aventura do marinheiro de Malta. Parece que pegaram nas personagens mais famosas de todos os livros e as colocaram aqui, numa espécie de dúvida permanente entre o sonho e a realidade. Tirando a teoria harmónica, tudo o resto ficou aquém.

[Burak Taşcı · Rating 3 out of 5]

Corto Maltese bu eserde kayıp kıta Mu'nun peşine düşüyor. Motivasyonu yine hazine, yoldaşı yine Rasputin oluyor. Platon'un eserlerinde, kadim metinlerde Mu hakkında sözü edilen efsane ve rivayetlerle örülmesi edebi derinliğini arttırmış kitabın. Corto Maltese kitaplarındaki mizahî taraf hikayenin akıp gitmesini sağlıyor.

[Mariana Duarte Ferreira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Passei uma maravilhosa 5a feira à tarde com este livro.

[William Holm]

This is the last story about Corto Maltese told by Hugo Pratt. In some ways it seems fitting that we get to see many of the characters from Corto's previous travels across the world again. There is no real explanation why they are all gathered on a boat on the hunt for the lost continent of Mu, but in a way they have gathered for a grand finale. It also seems fitting that Pratt's drawing are less detailed in a thicker line. It is like the entire creation has been assembled just to fall apart. There is even a bang at the end that could have marked the definitive demise of all the characters. However, as always, Corto survives to sail away to unknown destinations. Despite this it is hard to see how Pratt could continue after this. He seems to have lost interest in telling the history of the early 20th century through the episodic adventures of Corto. This book is more about mythology and storytelling. Also in the artwork one can sense a lack of interest; mostly empty speech balloons are allowed to take up large fractions of some of the panels. Sometimes, the characters are stylized to a point where they are hardly recognizable. In a postmodern context this book can in some ways be seen as a reconstruction of the earlier adventures, where finally there is so little left that it is not possible to continue the story.
This being said, it is a cultural feat that all 12 volumes of this series have been made available in English and they all deserve to be read. Just don't start with the last one.

[Alessandro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of interesting background information in the first part of the book.
I found the story itself a bit less enjoyable than the other Corto Maltese stories I read. The impression it gave me was that, having done a thoruough research of the myths of Atlantis and Mu, Hugo Pratt wanted to include some reference or cameo of al the different elements and theories uncovered by the various theories. I found this unconvincing and not very engaging during teh reading but perhaps I could try to read the story again in the future to see if I get a different impression.

[Fugo Feedback · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y así sin previo aviso, voy y me salto nosecuántos tomos del Corto y voy directo al final, que no lo es tanto. Y así, entre viñetas grandes, diálogos crípticos y muchas secuencias oníricas, me dejo llevar por una historia que puede parecer sólo para entendidos (y entiendo que no soy uno de ellos), pero se puede disfrutar desentendiéndose también.

Para cuando llene los muchos huecos prattianos que tengo, seguro la relea.

Si me gustó, así, no me imagino asá.

[Edward Correa · Rating 5 out of 5]

La última gran aventura de Corto Maltés a cargo de Hugo Pratt terminó siendo una maravillosa fábula con Centroamérica como uno de los puntos protagonistas. Aunque Las historias de Corto Maltés son buenas con historias de espionaje y politizadas me parece que, al menos a nivel personal prefiero las que están más relacionadas con mitologías y fantasías de la humanidad, no importa el lugar del mundo al que correspondan.

[Mateen Mahboubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly these more “psychedelic” adventures aren’t my favourites for Corto but this was a fitting send off for the adventurer. Euro Comics did a great job with these volumes and they were a blast to read.

[Ludwig Aczel · Rating 2 out of 5]

5.5/10
Elegant abstract art in this last effort by Pratt.
Only...what the bloody hell was this story about?

[Martín D. Herrera Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Mû" es otro viaje surrealista (como Las Helvéticas ), pero aquí Corto lo emprende acompañado de varios de sus viejos y queridos companeros: Rasputín, Tristán Bantam, Steiner, Levi Columbia, Boca Dorada; a diferencia de "Las helvéticas" donde viajó solito. Eso creo que es parte de lo que le añade epicidad a este episodio final. Y entre tantos conocidos, también se suman nuevos personajes, que me agradaron e interesaron.

La búsqueda de una Atlántida que el marino Maltés ya tenía pendiente hace bastante tiempo. Después de tanto contexto rigurosamente histórico y político en toda esta serie, resulta una gran sorpresa terminar en un país casi completamente imaginario (y digo casi nomás porque Pratt siempre da crédito a las civilizaciones que le inspiraron).

[Adriana Fogaça · Rating 5 out of 5]

Série: Corto Maltese 09 - Mu, a Cidade Perdida - Hugo Pratt
Título original: Corto Maltese: Lá Cité Perdue
Título: Corto Maltese: Mu, a Cidade Perdida
Autor: Hugo Pratt
Tradução: Reginaldo Francisco e Fernando Scheibe
Prefácio: Marco Steiner
Fotografia: Marco D'Anna
Série: Corto Maltese 09
Editora: Nemo
Ano: 2012

Com uma edição impecável a Nemo trás mais um volume de Corto Maltese. Hugo Pratt mais uma vez trás temas ficcionais, fábulas e personagens históricos. Não há dúvida que o autor é mestre em misturar ficção e realidade...

Quer ler a resenha completa e muito mais, visite o blog Momentos da Fogui:

http://foguiii.blogspot.com/2018/04/s...

[Brad Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is for the IDW edition. Very quick review and maybe I'll come back someday and review all the IDW Corto Maltese editions which are excellent volumes in and of themselves. Very exciting story and Mr. Pratt certainly packs a load of action, legend, history and characters into what seems to be a small space although this is the largest book in the series. Almost to the point it seems rushed at times (including the art) and some of the characters short changed. But still a fine and engaging story.

[Rahul Mukherjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still confused around the book. I was rather lost among dreams and realities all through the book. Among all doldrums the calm demeanor of Corto remains unfazed. Walking back and forth about dream and reality was fun, the haze of confusion relaxes the mind. Something far away from the raw realities of our daily life, something to keep your deepresions and daily tensions at bay.

I always loved Corto Maltese but "Mu, The Lost Continent" was one of the best.

[Dani Wladdimiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

He terminado este largo viaje de Hugo Pratt, pasando por distintos momentos de Corto, ya sea en Asia, Oceanía, América, África, Europa y Asia. Definitivamente debía pasar por cada continente, contando una que otra historia de este marinero, desde una bélica hasta una fantástica. Mû justamente trata de alejarse de los inicios, donde se planteaban conflictos basado en hechos reales, aquí es todo lo contrario, contamos con historias oníricas donde no sabemos que es realidad y no.

Mû es una isla pérdida en Centroamérica la cual para llegar es necesario el permiso de entrar, por lo que no será fácil su ubicación, pero como ya sabemos, nada es imposible para este aventurero. Así que aprovecha de embarcarse en una epopeya, plagado de simbolismos de culturas ancestrales, donde lo que más predomina es la Maya. Viñetas donde no sabemos sin es real, distorsión de la realidad o alguna búsqueda extraña, porque al final Corto se queda en una isla sin sabe realmente a dónde ir.

Nuestro protagonista no da más, ha pasado con tantas situaciones que muchas veces ya le es más cómodo vivir en un mundo soñado que real. De ser así, ¿por qué tanto sacrificio? Para quedar grabado en la eternidad, y así generaciones de generaciones digan quién fue Corto Malteses. Me quedo con un lindo sabor, de una gran saga de quién dio más de una alegría en mi adolescencia. Hasta luego Corto, porque nos volveremos a ver, pero con otro responsable en la pluma que te haga navegar por los años mares del planeta Tierra.

[Timo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Liian vähän seikkailua, ihan liikaa mystisiä tapahtumia ja perseilyä. Eikä Pratt edes tainnut tällä kertaa piirtämiseen keskittyä. Kovin nopean ja huolittelemattoman näköistä jälkeä.

[Simøn Mélançon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un des meilleurs de la série.

[Ragnar Bang Moe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Papirutgave. Biblioteket. Grafisk roman. Norsk, bokmål. Corto Maltese nr 12. litt vel svevende for meg, men Corto er Corto og Pratt er Pratt, så absolutt lesverdig!

[Valentina Baldin · Rating 5 out of 5]

il fascino di Corto🫠
iniziare dalla fine…

[Juan Fuentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una de las aventuras mas psicodélicas de Corto

[Volkan Levent Soylu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zaman zaman şiirsel ve masalsı anlatıma kayıyor.

[Dragan Nanic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corto's last adventure (as written by Pratt) is also Corto's strangest adventure in Pratt's own words as written in the comic itself, an off-the-wall return to the beginnings, both with the topic and the characters involved. Here they are in one place - Levi, Steiner, Tristan, Soledad, Gold Mouth and inevitable Rasputin - back on the trail of the ancient civilizations Atlantis and Mu. How they came to be together is less important than imposing adventure, containing the inevitable dream parts, yet this time the story is divided equally and without clear division between dreams and reality, the possibility of switching from one to the other an option Corto is even given at one time.

Everything is mixed here - from Mexico and mushrooms to talking pictograms on the wall, from hot air balloons to exploding volcanoes, from Jaguar men to Scorpio men to Spider men to Amazons (not to mention regular pirates and couple of other native tribes). There is a falling plane and a rescued pilot, there is diving for treasure and there is underground exploration, but also climbing on the ancient temples - adventure rollercoaster cannot get faster or crazier.

This time the drawings are sketchy in many places, almost caricatures at some. At one point Corto is unrecognizable, yet the effect of it just reestablishes him as a symbol, grown bigger than life in the comics themselves. We know him, we know his friends, we love them and Pratt seized that opportunity.

The end is fitting, leaving many things open and inviting to start over again. So I did just that - reread every story in chronological order one after another. Came back to Mu and figured out I could do it again. In fact, definitely sure I will do it again and again in the future.

*Again there are couple of typos at the beginning of the book. Pity.