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Corto Maltese #4
Korto Malteze 4: Kelti
Korta Maltezea, junaka bez domovine, pronaći ćemo prvi put u Veneciji. Nakon severne Italije, brzo ćemo poći za njim u Irsku i Englesku, gde se iza kulisa Velikog rata odigrava jedan, nije nemoguće, još veći – rat između elfova, vila, korigana i leprekona sa ostrva i germanskih trolova, dvorfova, nibelunga i valkira što nadiru s kontinenta. Potom ćemo se vratiti na sever Francuske kako bismo svedočili poslednjim danima barona Rihthofena. Međutim, kako god se u savremeno doba nazivale sve te dične zemlje, jedno im je zajedničko – mitovi i mitska bića koja tumaraju po njima još uvek su ona koja su za sobom ostavili Kelti.
152 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1971
11 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Hugo Pratt
722 books419 followersHugo 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
November 27, 2019
Corto travels through war-torn Europe at the end of WWI. Unforgettable graphics and dialogues in this adventure which also is a memoriam the horrors of war.
December 4, 2022
Describing my experience of reading Anne Carson's Antigonick I told my best friend that I was indifferent to the use of illustrations. My friend is a bit of an authority on graphic novels and he then took the expected exception to this slur. He reminded me of Corto Maltese. He bought me a stack of these compilations a few years ago. I relented.
It wasn't terrible but it is a form that asks plenty of questions. What's the optimal size for the reader/observer to appreciate? My appreciation of Pratt is largely informed by Eco. I suppose I'm rife with such surrogate authority. These stories all are Great War digressions with nods to Hemingway, the Red Baron and the joys of Côtes du Rhône. The depicted atmosphere is routinely grim but with a leftist sort of hope. I suppose I could have enjoyed these more but I didn't.
It wasn't terrible but it is a form that asks plenty of questions. What's the optimal size for the reader/observer to appreciate? My appreciation of Pratt is largely informed by Eco. I suppose I'm rife with such surrogate authority. These stories all are Great War digressions with nods to Hemingway, the Red Baron and the joys of Côtes du Rhône. The depicted atmosphere is routinely grim but with a leftist sort of hope. I suppose I could have enjoyed these more but I didn't.
February 28, 2019
The action moves from the Caribbean to the battlefields of WWI, but the style remains the same, mixing fantastical digressions with pseudo- historical events for a fine bit of entertainment that increasingly taunts me to learn French so that I can get the full flavor of the text, which plainly suffers in translation.
November 8, 2020
Simply beautiful!
Perfect edition of my favorite Corto stories. Time of the First World War - biplanes, triplanes, spies, and then Merlin and Stonehenge and submarines and Ireland and IRA and Venice and El Dorado and femmes fatales and Corto completely dreamlike. Proto-Gaiman (American Gods) only much, much better.
This is my favorite Corto!
*Read again and just reconfirmed the above :)
Perfect edition of my favorite Corto stories. Time of the First World War - biplanes, triplanes, spies, and then Merlin and Stonehenge and submarines and Ireland and IRA and Venice and El Dorado and femmes fatales and Corto completely dreamlike. Proto-Gaiman (American Gods) only much, much better.
This is my favorite Corto!
*Read again and just reconfirmed the above :)
September 6, 2020
One of the best in the series. Recommended.
Read
April 18, 2017The maps behind Corto's face on the covers normally suggest exotic adventure; somewhat less so when the first place-name to catch your eye is Croydon. But yes, after a stop in Venice, this volume largely finds the wry, roguish sailor in Europe's north-west, whether that be the trenches of France or the British Isles. 'Concerto in O Minor for Harp and Nitroglycerine' has an amazing title, but then the beautiful Irish revolutionary Banshee O'Danaan arrives, and one suspects it's a name even Chris Claremont might have rejected as a bit heavy on the national stereotypes. Still, what seems at first like a horribly black-and-white take on the Irish Question turns out to have a suitably bittersweet sting concealed; Corto (and his creator) may both have a natural inclination towards anything which can be painted as a struggle for liberation, but they also know that even the noblest cause makes for deceit and ignoble death along the way. And then there's 'A Midwinter Morning's Dream', with Oberon and Merlin obliged to use Corto as a makeshift Arthur in a desperate echo of the Matter of Britain. It's the closest I've seen the series come to outright fantasy, yet somehow it fits in this world of adventure and nautical tall tales; if lost treasure and strange tribal rites, then why not lost kings and little folk? This also has been one of the dark places of the Earth.
May 5, 2017
More great Corto Maltese here, as our intrepid hero finds himself in Venice in the waning days of World War I and in Ireland and Brittany during the Irish rebellion. These stories are masterful works of comics fiction, and one story draws up the ancient Arthurian legends to help keep the Germans out of Cornwall. Very inventive!
It was nice to see Pratt's fictionalized Ernest Hemingway and Aristotle Onassis, although Onassis was still pretty young in real life, compared to the character here. Still, lots of fun to read, and Pratt's art is magnificent as always.
It was nice to see Pratt's fictionalized Ernest Hemingway and Aristotle Onassis, although Onassis was still pretty young in real life, compared to the character here. Still, lots of fun to read, and Pratt's art is magnificent as always.
February 16, 2023
Racconti di guerra e di sogno, che mostrano i segni del tempo ma anche la solitaria grandezza di un maestro del fumetto. Sul racconto dedicato al Barone Rosso ammetto di aver versato qualche lacrimuccia.
November 8, 2025
Hugo Pratt nunca falla. ¿Qué puede salir mal si llevamos a Corto Maltés a las viejas leyendas inglesas? Exacto, nada. "El sueño de una mañana de invierno" es un relato brillante, perfecto. En fin, lo habitual en Corto, que una vez leído, pocas cosas te acaban llenando tanto.
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August 25, 2024Relectura. Quería volver a los relatos de Irlanda después de este verano.
December 3, 2020
This is a very eclectic collection of stories.
Returning from the Americas into a Europe torn apart by the First World War, Corto travels first to Venice. The first story is a treasure hunt for the map to El Dorado gold amongst the monasteries, whilst the second story is a heist for revolutionary gold involving Scots, Americans, and Frenchmen caught between the Italian and Austrian armies. In both, the war is but a backdrop for gentlemen and women of fortune.
Then Corto moves on to Ireland in revolution, gun running for the IRA and witnessing a highly emotional story of bravery, betrayal, and broken love. From there, Corto goes to Stonehenge and Tintagel to defend England against a German plot with the help of Oberon, Morgana, Puck and Merlin.
Next, Corto appears on the French coast to resolve a murder and a spy mystery in a theatre company. And finally, Corto travels to the trenches to witness the end of the Red Baron amongst Australian troops.
That’s the one striking element of some of these stories, a dropping of famous names to help place Corto in the historical and cultural context. Somehow that gimmick falls flat.
Each of these stories have a high quality in themselves, with great writing, wit, wisdom, emotion, and superlative art, but I can’t help but feel that these stories are stranded between the dreamlike tales of the previous collections and the more hard-nosed politically engaged stories that followed in later collections.
This is an excellent collection, but in my view it is a weaker offering.
Returning from the Americas into a Europe torn apart by the First World War, Corto travels first to Venice. The first story is a treasure hunt for the map to El Dorado gold amongst the monasteries, whilst the second story is a heist for revolutionary gold involving Scots, Americans, and Frenchmen caught between the Italian and Austrian armies. In both, the war is but a backdrop for gentlemen and women of fortune.
Then Corto moves on to Ireland in revolution, gun running for the IRA and witnessing a highly emotional story of bravery, betrayal, and broken love. From there, Corto goes to Stonehenge and Tintagel to defend England against a German plot with the help of Oberon, Morgana, Puck and Merlin.
Next, Corto appears on the French coast to resolve a murder and a spy mystery in a theatre company. And finally, Corto travels to the trenches to witness the end of the Red Baron amongst Australian troops.
That’s the one striking element of some of these stories, a dropping of famous names to help place Corto in the historical and cultural context. Somehow that gimmick falls flat.
Each of these stories have a high quality in themselves, with great writing, wit, wisdom, emotion, and superlative art, but I can’t help but feel that these stories are stranded between the dreamlike tales of the previous collections and the more hard-nosed politically engaged stories that followed in later collections.
This is an excellent collection, but in my view it is a weaker offering.
January 13, 2009
Hugo Pratt has long been my favorite creator in the world, and his Corto Maltese work is my favorite of all his works...though I should take this moment to gently chide (you effin' BASTARDS!!!) English publishers over how little of his work has seen print in the only language I speak or read.
The Corto Maltese material, for me, is evocative of just the type of dreamy adventure that I wish my life had been filled with. I wish I could live in a world of Pratt's women. It would be worth the occasional bullet wound. And Corto himself is one of the great characters in fiction: deeply rich without being overly complex. Determined to fight to his last breath, but, if he loses, it's only life, eh?
Ahhh...I love this stuff so much that I can even explain my attraction to the material. The best I can say is that it feels right. And it feels like the work of a man who would have produced the exact same material even if he'd never had a single reader.
The Corto Maltese material, for me, is evocative of just the type of dreamy adventure that I wish my life had been filled with. I wish I could live in a world of Pratt's women. It would be worth the occasional bullet wound. And Corto himself is one of the great characters in fiction: deeply rich without being overly complex. Determined to fight to his last breath, but, if he loses, it's only life, eh?
Ahhh...I love this stuff so much that I can even explain my attraction to the material. The best I can say is that it feels right. And it feels like the work of a man who would have produced the exact same material even if he'd never had a single reader.
December 14, 2017
Μόλις τελείωσα το "μεγαθήριο" των έξι ιστοριών των Κέλτικων. Η συλλογή είναι απλά εξαιρετική. Αψεγάδιαστη. Μια άψογη μείξη φαντασιακού-ρεαλιστικού. Δεν νομίζω να υπάρχει άλλος που να καταφέρνει να δέσει τόσο ομαλά τραγικά και σκληρά συμβάντα του πρώτου παγκοσμίου που κάλλιστα θα μπορούσαν να είναι αλήθεια με την λυρικότητα του αρθουριανού μύθου και των παραδόσεων της Βρετανίας. Δεν νομίζω να υπάρχει άλλος που θα ρισκάρει να το κάνει. Το ευφάνταστο είναι ελλιπές για να περιγράψει κάποιες ιστορίες από τις έξι, στις οποίες ο Πραττ ξεπερνά τον εαυτό του.
Από την καλύτερη προς την λιγότερο καλή:
1. Μπουρλέσκ μεταξύ Ζύντκοτ και Μπρέυ-Ντυν: Η αρχή της ιστορίας είναι καθηλωτική και περιττό να πω πως αισθήματα τρόμου προέκυψαν μέσα μου με την όψη του Μέρλιν στις πρώτες σελίδες. Ακόμα και όταν έμαθα ότι ήταν μαριονέτες σε παράσταση, δεν μειώθηκε η ανησυχία που μου προκάλεσαν οι φιγούρες έτσι όπως τις σχεδίασε αριστουργηματικά ο Πρατ. Η ανατροπή με τις σικελιανές μαριονέτες και τους παλαντίνους της Γαλλίας με άφησε με το στόμα ανοιχτό. Ξέρω ότι επαναλαμβάνομαι αλλά εδώ ο Πρατ έδωσε ρέστα στα πάντα: Αφήγηση, ροή, σχέδιο, σενάριο, πλάνα, στήσιμο, χαρακτήρες. Οπτική απόλαυση το Μπουρλέσκ στο δυτικό μέτωπο του 1918.
2. Κάτω από την σημαία του Χρήματος: Μαζί με την "Ο Αγγελος στο παράθυρο της ανατολής" ήταν η λιγότερο "παραμυθένια", αλλά την αγάπησα γιατί δείχνει μια πλευρά του Κόρτο ως συντονιστή, ως puppeteer ενός άριστα στημένου κουκλοθεάτρου όπου υπάρχει σύγχυση και γκρίζες ζώνες μόνον, ενώ η γραμμή μεταξύ φίλων και εχθρών διαγράφεται τελείως. Για χάρη της σημαίας του χρήματος αναδεικνύεται η ματαιότητα αυτού (και κάθε) ηλίθιου ιμπεριαλιστικού πολέμου που ξεχνιέται αμέσως μόλις το προσωπικό συμφέρον σβήσει κάθε φυλετική έχθρα. Εδώ ήταν ένας βαλκανικός θησαυρός που ένωσε Ιταλούς, Αυστριακούς, Μαλτέζους, Αμερικάνους και Ελληνες (μα δεν είναι φτυστός ο Ωνάσης ο καπετάνιος της άραγε; ).
3. Κονσέρτο σε Ο μινόρε για άρπα και νιτρογλυκερίνη: Μια ακόμα φοβερή ιστορία που αποκαλύπτει τις διασυνδέσεις του μικρού μαλτέζου με τον Εθνικό Απελευθερωτικό Στρατό (κάτι που ψυλλιαζόμουν από την πρώτη στιγμή που έμαθα ότι υπάρχει κόρτο μαλτέζε με τον τίτλο "Κέλτικα"). Μια φοβερή ανατροπή στο τέλος που και 50 φορές να το διάβαζα δεν θα την μυριζόμουν ποτέ, η Ιρλανδική εξοχή του ορμητηρίου του αδερφού του Φίνακαν και της Μπάνσι σχεδιασμένη πανέμορφα, και ένας Κόρτο που αυτή τη φορά βγήκε πολύ έξω από τα νερά του. Και, όπως ορίζει η μοίρα που χάραξε ο ίδιος στο χέρι του, συναντά ακόμα μια φορά ένα θηλυκό που είναι στην άλλη πλευρά.
4. Όνειρο χειμωνιάτικου πρωινού: Παράφραση έργου του Σαίξπηρ, μια από τις ιδιαίτερες συμπάθειες του Πρατ, το "Όνειρο χειμωνιάτικου πρωινού" δεν επιτρέπει στον αναγνώστη τι είναι τελικά αλήθεια και τι πραγματικότητα. Και αυτό την κάνει σαν ιστορία μοναδική. Μου έμεινε ιδιαίτερα η χρήση των ονομάτων (Χέρσα κλπ) μεταξύ της Αγγλικής ιστορίας και των Γερμανών με το υποβρύχιο. Διαφορετικά πρόσωπα, αιώνες μετά, η ίδια απειλή.
5. Κοτ ντε νουί και ρόδα της πικαρδίας: Πολλοί τοποθετούν την ιστορία του κόκκινου βαρώνου στο πάνθεον του τεύχους αλλά και των μικρών ιστοριών του Κόρτο συνολικά και τους καταλαβαίνω. Παρόλα αυτά δεν συμμερίζομαι την άποψη τους. Αναγνωρίζω το φανταστικό artwork και την πιστότητα στην στολή και το αεροπλάνο του Ριχτχόφεν, απλά η θεματολογία είναι τόσο δυνατή που της άξιζε μια μεγάλου μήκους ιστορία. Ο Κόκκινος Βαρώνος θα ήταν πολύ δυνατός αντίπαλος για τον Κόρτο, αντίπαλος άξιος σεβασμού που θα του έκανε την ζωή δύσκολη για πάνω από 20κάτι σελίδες και τρεις μικρές πράξεις. Παρόλα αυτά την ευχαριστήθηκα πολύ.
6. Ο άγγελος στο παράθυρο της ανατολής: Καλή ιστορία, δεν μπορεί όμως να σταθεί απέναντι στις άλλες. Ισως φταίει που είναι πρώτη στην σειρά και την ξεκίνησα μουδιασμένα, μπορεί να την αδικώ. Σε κάποια άλλη εποχή ίσως να την εκτιμήσω. Γενικά η Βενετσιάνα Στήβενσον δεν μου κάθεται καλά ως φιγούρα, ακόμα και ως villain. Ανάθεμα και αν κατάλαβα πως γλύτωσε στο Βουντού.
Συμπεράσματα από αυτή την πρώτη ανάγνωση, αφού σίγουρα θα ακολουθήσουν εν καιρώ ελπίζω πολλές. Από τα τεύχη με τις μικρές ιστορίες τα Κέλτικα βγαίνουν μπροστά με διαφορά χιλιομέτρων. Είναι σε περιβάλλοντα και χώρες που γουστάρω πολύ παραπάνω από τον Νότο (Αφρική, Λατινική Αμερική κλπ), έχουν πολλή δουλειά πάνω τους, πολλά μηνύματα που θέλουν το χρόνο τους για να απορροφηθούν, πολλά ονόματα που προξενούν περιέργεια για περαιτέρω ψάξιμο, γενικά υπάρχει χωροχρονική διττότητα που κάνει τα Κέλτικα μυστηριώδη και γοητευτικά. Σε σαγηνεύουν και σε κάνουν δικό τους από την αρχή.
Από την καλύτερη προς την λιγότερο καλή:
1. Μπουρλέσκ μεταξύ Ζύντκοτ και Μπρέυ-Ντυν: Η αρχή της ιστορίας είναι καθηλωτική και περιττό να πω πως αισθήματα τρόμου προέκυψαν μέσα μου με την όψη του Μέρλιν στις πρώτες σελίδες. Ακόμα και όταν έμαθα ότι ήταν μαριονέτες σε παράσταση, δεν μειώθηκε η ανησυχία που μου προκάλεσαν οι φιγούρες έτσι όπως τις σχεδίασε αριστουργηματικά ο Πρατ. Η ανατροπή με τις σικελιανές μαριονέτες και τους παλαντίνους της Γαλλίας με άφησε με το στόμα ανοιχτό. Ξέρω ότι επαναλαμβάνομαι αλλά εδώ ο Πρατ έδωσε ρέστα στα πάντα: Αφήγηση, ροή, σχέδιο, σενάριο, πλάνα, στήσιμο, χαρακτήρες. Οπτική απόλαυση το Μπουρλέσκ στο δυτικό μέτωπο του 1918.
2. Κάτω από την σημαία του Χρήματος: Μαζί με την "Ο Αγγελος στο παράθυρο της ανατολής" ήταν η λιγότερο "παραμυθένια", αλλά την αγάπησα γιατί δείχνει μια πλευρά του Κόρτο ως συντονιστή, ως puppeteer ενός άριστα στημένου κουκλοθεάτρου όπου υπάρχει σύγχυση και γκρίζες ζώνες μόνον, ενώ η γραμμή μεταξύ φίλων και εχθρών διαγράφεται τελείως. Για χάρη της σημαίας του χρήματος αναδεικνύεται η ματαιότητα αυτού (και κάθε) ηλίθιου ιμπεριαλιστικού πολέμου που ξεχνιέται αμέσως μόλις το προσωπικό συμφέρον σβήσει κάθε φυλετική έχθρα. Εδώ ήταν ένας βαλκανικός θησαυρός που ένωσε Ιταλούς, Αυστριακούς, Μαλτέζους, Αμερικάνους και Ελληνες (μα δεν είναι φτυστός ο Ωνάσης ο καπετάνιος της άραγε; ).
3. Κονσέρτο σε Ο μινόρε για άρπα και νιτρογλυκερίνη: Μια ακόμα φοβερή ιστορία που αποκαλύπτει τις διασυνδέσεις του μικρού μαλτέζου με τον Εθνικό Απελευθερωτικό Στρατό (κάτι που ψυλλιαζόμουν από την πρώτη στιγμή που έμαθα ότι υπάρχει κόρτο μαλτέζε με τον τίτλο "Κέλτικα"). Μια φοβερή ανατροπή στο τέλος που και 50 φορές να το διάβαζα δεν θα την μυριζόμουν ποτέ, η Ιρλανδική εξοχή του ορμητηρίου του αδερφού του Φίνακαν και της Μπάνσι σχεδιασμένη πανέμορφα, και ένας Κόρτο που αυτή τη φορά βγήκε πολύ έξω από τα νερά του. Και, όπως ορίζει η μοίρα που χάραξε ο ίδιος στο χέρι του, συναντά ακόμα μια φορά ένα θηλυκό που είναι στην άλλη πλευρά.
4. Όνειρο χειμωνιάτικου πρωινού: Παράφραση έργου του Σαίξπηρ, μια από τις ιδιαίτερες συμπάθειες του Πρατ, το "Όνειρο χειμωνιάτικου πρωινού" δεν επιτρέπει στον αναγνώστη τι είναι τελικά αλήθεια και τι πραγματικότητα. Και αυτό την κάνει σαν ιστορία μοναδική. Μου έμεινε ιδιαίτερα η χρήση των ονομάτων (Χέρσα κλπ) μεταξύ της Αγγλικής ιστορίας και των Γερμανών με το υποβρύχιο. Διαφορετικά πρόσωπα, αιώνες μετά, η ίδια απειλή.
5. Κοτ ντε νουί και ρόδα της πικαρδίας: Πολλοί τοποθετούν την ιστορία του κόκκινου βαρώνου στο πάνθεον του τεύχους αλλά και των μικρών ιστοριών του Κόρτο συνολικά και τους καταλαβαίνω. Παρόλα αυτά δεν συμμερίζομαι την άποψη τους. Αναγνωρίζω το φανταστικό artwork και την πιστότητα στην στολή και το αεροπλάνο του Ριχτχόφεν, απλά η θεματολογία είναι τόσο δυνατή που της άξιζε μια μεγάλου μήκους ιστορία. Ο Κόκκινος Βαρώνος θα ήταν πολύ δυνατός αντίπαλος για τον Κόρτο, αντίπαλος άξιος σεβασμού που θα του έκανε την ζωή δύσκολη για πάνω από 20κάτι σελίδες και τρεις μικρές πράξεις. Παρόλα αυτά την ευχαριστήθηκα πολύ.
6. Ο άγγελος στο παράθυρο της ανατολής: Καλή ιστορία, δεν μπορεί όμως να σταθεί απέναντι στις άλλες. Ισως φταίει που είναι πρώτη στην σειρά και την ξεκίνησα μουδιασμένα, μπορεί να την αδικώ. Σε κάποια άλλη εποχή ίσως να την εκτιμήσω. Γενικά η Βενετσιάνα Στήβενσον δεν μου κάθεται καλά ως φιγούρα, ακόμα και ως villain. Ανάθεμα και αν κατάλαβα πως γλύτωσε στο Βουντού.
Συμπεράσματα από αυτή την πρώτη ανάγνωση, αφού σίγουρα θα ακολουθήσουν εν καιρώ ελπίζω πολλές. Από τα τεύχη με τις μικρές ιστορίες τα Κέλτικα βγαίνουν μπροστά με διαφορά χιλιομέτρων. Είναι σε περιβάλλοντα και χώρες που γουστάρω πολύ παραπάνω από τον Νότο (Αφρική, Λατινική Αμερική κλπ), έχουν πολλή δουλειά πάνω τους, πολλά μηνύματα που θέλουν το χρόνο τους για να απορροφηθούν, πολλά ονόματα που προξενούν περιέργεια για περαιτέρω ψάξιμο, γενικά υπάρχει χωροχρονική διττότητα που κάνει τα Κέλτικα μυστηριώδη και γοητευτικά. Σε σαγηνεύουν και σε κάνουν δικό τους από την αρχή.
July 11, 2019
Ho scoperto questo autore attraverso la mia guida spirituale anobiiana, Occhi di Velluto . Grazie perché Cloudstreet è bellissimo !!! Collocato nel sud ovest dell’Australia, Perth e dintorni, a partire dagli anni 40, il romanzo narra la storia di due famiglie rurali che hanno sofferto molto a causa delle tremende disgrazie che gli sono capitate e che decidono di fuggire in città per raccogliere i pezzi delle loro vite e ripartire daccapo. Il destino vuole che si ritrovino insieme nella stessa enorme casa mono-famigliare , al numero 1 di Cloudstreet, i Lamb e i Pickles. All’inizio divisi e chiusi nel loro dolore, sia come famiglie che come individui, con il passare degli anni condividono tragedie e trionfi che gradualmente li avvicinano, finché dopo circa 20 anni “il tetto sopra le loro teste non diventa il rifugio dei loro cuori”. Da una parte la disperazione, lo sconforto e l’angoscia , dall’altra la speranza, il desiderio e il sogno. Questi i due sentimenti contrapposti in cui si muovono i protagonisti che sostengono e determinano la qualità spirituale del romanzo. Rimarchevole il modo con cui sono stati delineati ed accostati i tratti psicologici dei personaggi, e come l’autore li fa evolvere con il passare del tempo conducendoli verso un costante e progressivo avvicinamento ai valori di comunione, tolleranza e solidarietà, malgrado il contesto esistenziale duro e spietato. Lo stile narrativo è notevole ed originale. Il racconto combina bizzarri elementi di realismo e fantasia con un tocco di tragedia. I personaggi agiscono in un contesto costruito attraverso un efficace linguaggio simbolico, sempre mutevole e colorito, surreale, alcune volte ironico altre tragico, che si contrappone ai fatti banali ed insignificanti delle loro vite. Come suggerisce la nota sulla quarta di copertina Cloudstreet è un libro magico ed ipnotico, ma occorre farsi prendere per mano e condurre, afferrarne la chiave, stare al gioco. Una nota di merito per il modo evocativo con cui sono descritti i paesaggi e la natura domestica o selvaggia dell’Australia. Un aspetto questo, e non è il solo, che mi fa accostare Tim Wintom a Meir Shalev. Attraverso storie famigliari che si dipanano nel corso degli anni in un contesto storico e sociale reale entrambi gli autori hanno il potere di “trasfigurare la realtà cogliendone gli spunti favolosi, in una rievocazione ondulante, leggera, che ci fa amare ogni personaggio come se davvero appartenesse ad una nostra privatissima storia”. Nel 2011 in Australia è stato realizzato un adattamento televisivo in 6 puntate; allego due link ricchi di informazioni, belle foto e video. http://showtime.com.au/cloudstreet/ http://daviddareparker.photoshelter.c... Per chi conoscesse già il libro spero che la visione possa riportare in superficie e magari arricchire le immagini nate durante la lettura. Per chi invece non ne avesse mai sentito parlare spero che possa essere di sprono per … una bella corsa in libreria !!!
November 16, 2022
Es increíble la variedad y diversidad de situaciones que tiene Corto Maltese, podemos pasar de un conflicto irlandés a magos y hadas en Stonehenge, eso hace tan enriquecedor las aventuras de este marinero. Sinceramente, disfruto demasiado leer cada uno de los relatos, porque siento que Corto me lleva a esos tiempos, me hace sentir que soy un personaje más en las historias, y puedo ser testigo de sus hazañas.
Cada uno de los cuentos tenía algo especial, pero pienso que Concert en O mineur pour harpe et nitroglycérine es una obra maestra. No sólo quiero enaltecerla por el giro de guion, sino por lo que significa para la historia. El mismo título ya nos anticipa sobre ella, un concierto triste (tonalidad menor) basado en los dos conceptos importantes: la cultura y la guerra. El arpa, representa la cultura céltica, mostrando lo bello y lo elegante de la mitología, pero al fin de cuentas desde una perspectiva triste y melancólica, casi depresiva, y por otro lado, la nitroglicerina, quién nos dará las herramientas para luchar contra tanques blindados en un conflicto bélico.
Y si ya la explicación del título ya parece increíble, también lo es la historia de dos personajes a quiénes queremos idolatrar, pero al fin de cuentas, uno quedará en la historia y otro en el olvido, todo teñido de traición, donde finalmente creemos lo que nos diga el autor de turno en las páginas de la historia. Por lo tanto, queda la misma enseñanza de siempre, la historia la escriben los vencedores, sin saber si realmente las situaciones fueron así. Por lo que quizá en verdad todo es parte de un arreglo para dejar cuentos para futuras generaciones sobre cómo fue, siendo que nunca fue así, pero era necesario para su momento, en este caso, ese mártir. Lamentablemente, al terminar este relato, sentimos que la vida termina siendo siempre más cruel y dura de lo que creemos, porque al fin de cuentas, nadie obtuvo la justicia que se merecía.
Cada uno de los cuentos tenía algo especial, pero pienso que Concert en O mineur pour harpe et nitroglycérine es una obra maestra. No sólo quiero enaltecerla por el giro de guion, sino por lo que significa para la historia. El mismo título ya nos anticipa sobre ella, un concierto triste (tonalidad menor) basado en los dos conceptos importantes: la cultura y la guerra. El arpa, representa la cultura céltica, mostrando lo bello y lo elegante de la mitología, pero al fin de cuentas desde una perspectiva triste y melancólica, casi depresiva, y por otro lado, la nitroglicerina, quién nos dará las herramientas para luchar contra tanques blindados en un conflicto bélico.
Y si ya la explicación del título ya parece increíble, también lo es la historia de dos personajes a quiénes queremos idolatrar, pero al fin de cuentas, uno quedará en la historia y otro en el olvido, todo teñido de traición, donde finalmente creemos lo que nos diga el autor de turno en las páginas de la historia. Por lo tanto, queda la misma enseñanza de siempre, la historia la escriben los vencedores, sin saber si realmente las situaciones fueron así. Por lo que quizá en verdad todo es parte de un arreglo para dejar cuentos para futuras generaciones sobre cómo fue, siendo que nunca fue así, pero era necesario para su momento, en este caso, ese mártir. Lamentablemente, al terminar este relato, sentimos que la vida termina siendo siempre más cruel y dura de lo que creemos, porque al fin de cuentas, nadie obtuvo la justicia que se merecía.
December 26, 2023
6.5/10
Good book. Five short stories, 20 pages long each, where Corto Maltese hangs around Europe during World War I. (The b/w English edition by IDW has six stories, but I have read the original Italian one in colours.)
More than usual, Pratt's mariner feels like a spectator, or a semi-deus-ex-machina intervening in someone else's story. In the Italian trenches, Corto is the mastermind behind a treasure hunt, reminding us that risking death for greed is still better than dying for your country. At least, that makes some sense. On the French side of the front, he accidentally helps shoot the Red Baron down, although in the most convoluted way. In both stories set in England, Corto unveils the role of some attractive spies working for the Germans, directly or indirectly getting help from Merlin, Morgana, and all that bestiary from Celtic mythology. Here, we really have Corto Maltese as Sandman twenty years before Sandman. In the only story set right after WWI, Corto is actively sympathetic to the Irish revolutionaries, especially the usual cute and existentialistically troubled girl.
These stories were published in 1970-1972, a transition period for Pratt. The man was moving away from realism towards a simpler line, but I do not think he had found the right balance yet. It would take a few more years to get there. As usual with Pratt, beside some epic one liner, the dialogues are stiff, even when they are not verbose. Also, a bit too much of that 'referencing historical figures and poets' in this volume, for my tastes. You were well read Pratt, we get it, move on.
Good book. Five short stories, 20 pages long each, where Corto Maltese hangs around Europe during World War I. (The b/w English edition by IDW has six stories, but I have read the original Italian one in colours.)
More than usual, Pratt's mariner feels like a spectator, or a semi-deus-ex-machina intervening in someone else's story. In the Italian trenches, Corto is the mastermind behind a treasure hunt, reminding us that risking death for greed is still better than dying for your country. At least, that makes some sense. On the French side of the front, he accidentally helps shoot the Red Baron down, although in the most convoluted way. In both stories set in England, Corto unveils the role of some attractive spies working for the Germans, directly or indirectly getting help from Merlin, Morgana, and all that bestiary from Celtic mythology. Here, we really have Corto Maltese as Sandman twenty years before Sandman. In the only story set right after WWI, Corto is actively sympathetic to the Irish revolutionaries, especially the usual cute and existentialistically troubled girl.
These stories were published in 1970-1972, a transition period for Pratt. The man was moving away from realism towards a simpler line, but I do not think he had found the right balance yet. It would take a few more years to get there. As usual with Pratt, beside some epic one liner, the dialogues are stiff, even when they are not verbose. Also, a bit too much of that 'referencing historical figures and poets' in this volume, for my tastes. You were well read Pratt, we get it, move on.
May 1, 2020
Hugo Pratt's 'Corto Maltese: Celtic Tales' is an absolutely amazing collection of historically based action-adventure stories that occur during WWI and throughout Europe. Pratt is known for doing extensive research before writing the more historically based stories and those details add a lot of depth to the stories. I particularly like the encounter with the Red Baron that was able to depict the class character of fighter pilots without citing a political manifesto. Pratt also blends in some stranger elements along the lines of occult-like creatures or fairy tales of sorts. Corto Maltese is a very unique character and the overall feel is hard to pin down; the historical parts reminded me of Indiana Jones and the stranger supernatural parts reminded me of Hellblazer (but not too much). If you are looking for strange action stories, maybe skip this, but if you like action adventure stories that have no problem getting weird, yet sentimental with some subtle political consciousness then check this out.
Note: 2016 edition says its Vol. 5 on the back and not 4 as listed in the description here.
Note: 2016 edition says its Vol. 5 on the back and not 4 as listed in the description here.
March 26, 2025
Hugo Prattin "Kelttiläistarinoissa" (Jalava, 1998) sarjakuvataiteilija laittaa onnensoturi Corto Maltesen vaeltelemaan pitkin ja poikin ensimmäisen maailmansodan raatelemaa Eurooppaa. Seikkailuilla on historiallinen taustansa ja niissä esiintyy myös aitoja henkilöitä kuten Punainen paroni Manfred von Richthofen tai heitä kovasti muistuttavia hahmoja (esimerkkinä vaikkapa amerikkalainen kirjailija Hernestway), mutta tiukan realismin vastapainoksi välillä liikutaan unenomaisissa ja vähintään maagista realismia lähestyvissä tunnelmissa. Corto sattuu muun muassa uinahtamaan Stonehengelle ja päätyy pelastamaan Englannin yhdessä parin myyttisen kelttihahmon kanssa.
Neljäskään tähti ei olisi vääryys, sillä onhan tämä nyt hienoa eurooppalaista sarjakuvaa.
Neljäskään tähti ei olisi vääryys, sillä onhan tämä nyt hienoa eurooppalaista sarjakuvaa.
December 5, 2024
все больше и больше Пинчонленд. Венеция и Первая мировая, дирижабли и подводные лодки, золото Эльдорадо и затерянные руины Му. практически Вайссу. но только с Ирландией, Хемингуэем и Онассисом. и опять здесь прекрасные монтажные склейки, вводящие в сюрреальное пространство фантазии и бреда и выводящие из него.
September 5, 2018
Pratt piirtää kauniimmin yksinkertaisia kuvia kuin monet jotka tuhlaavat satoja viivoja yhteen kuvaan.
Ei tämä yhtä täydellinen kokoelma ole kuin edellinen tai sitten vain ärsytti tavallistea enemmän runomuotoon kirjoitettu runomuotoinen näytelmä. Se nyt vain oli tekotaiteellista ja muka-älykästä.
Ei tämä yhtä täydellinen kokoelma ole kuin edellinen tai sitten vain ärsytti tavallistea enemmän runomuotoon kirjoitettu runomuotoinen näytelmä. Se nyt vain oli tekotaiteellista ja muka-älykästä.
June 11, 2023
I am still developing sense for Hugo Pratt.
The thing is that every book was somehow "en vogue" having in mind the choice of topics, attitudes, cameo celebrities etc.
And yet Corto Maltese stands there like an axis.
The thing is that every book was somehow "en vogue" having in mind the choice of topics, attitudes, cameo celebrities etc.
And yet Corto Maltese stands there like an axis.
January 12, 2018
Another tight collection of short pieces but the red, yellow, blue, and green motif from the previous volume makes its slow, subtle reappearance.
August 18, 2018
Kolejny bardzo dobry i dosyć zróżnicowany zbiór krótszych historii. Reklamować chyba już nie trzeba.
May 19, 2021
4 cildin en iyisi buydu.
April 10, 2022
Une aventure de Corto un peu différente, en Irlande, au pays des Celtes, mais toujours aussi bien dessinée et des personnages attachant.
January 23, 2023
Sei storie ambientate durante la prima guerra mondiale che vedono Corto Maltese testimone non protagonista di questo disastroso evento
February 21, 2023
Qualsiasi raccolta che abbia Concerto in O’ minore non può che essere 5 stelle
April 7, 2023
This is literatura
Read
October 13, 2023Letto nella edizione Bompiani
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