ALTESE
h HARVEY AWARD WINNER and EISNER AWARD NOMINEE h Best U.S. Edition of International Material “An absolute treasure, containing outstanding work by an acknowledged master creator, one who has long been out of reach of comic book fans…. I recommend this to any true fan of comic book storytelling. It’s that good.”
Project-Nerd “Classic adventure comics for adults, enjoyable but with depth. Strongly recommended.”
Library Journal “Pratt’s tales are like coming home to an entire oeuvre of fables you’ve never known existed but have always been waiting to read…I can guarantee that Corto Maltese will quickly become one of your most beloved protagonists.”
Alex Mangles, tor.com “Classic adventure literature of the highest order.”
The New York Journal of Books “The wordly magic of Hugo Pratt…an Italian masterpiece is coming to America.”
Publishers Weekly “IDW’s collection brings Pratt’s iconic work to the U.S. without losing any of its heart and soul, and readers should quickly seize this opportunity to experience one of the medium’s great works.”
HUGO PRATT
Praise for HUGO PRATT and CORTO
C O R T O M A L T E S E
A.V. Club “These are the lines of a master, bringing you far-flung escapist adventures that take place in the early part of the 20th Century, a romantic world of rogues and scoundrels.”
Dan Greenfield, 13th Dimension
Scoop “Corto Maltese has counted prominent names among its admirers, the recently-departed Umberto Eco perhaps most famously, but all you have to do is read these comics to know that there has never been anything else quite like them.”
Joe McCullough, The Comics Journal
7
$29.99 • EuroComics.us • idwpublishing.com
IN SIBERIA
“There’s a reason that the EuroComics editions of Hugo Pratt’s Corto Maltese have been nominated for both the Eisner and Harvey Awards…. Like Under The Sign of Capricorn, Beyond The Windy Isles, and Celtic Tales before it, The Ethiopian transports the reader into a brilliantly crafted world, one in which Pratt continues his incredible blend of Ernest Hemingway and Milton Caniff.”
EDITED AND DESIGNED BY Dean Mullaney
Lorraine Turner Patrizia Zanotti
ART DIRECTOR AND CO-COVER DESIGNER CONSULTING EDITOR
Lettering font based on hand-lettering by Frank Engli.
EuroComics.us EuroComics is an imprint of IDW Publishing a Division of Idea and Design Works, LLC 2765 Truxtun Road San Diego, CA 92106 www.idwpublishing.com Distributed by Diamond Book Distributors 1-410-560-7100 ISBN: 978-1-63140-848-9 First Printing, February 2017 IDW Publishing Ted Adams, Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Greg Goldstein, Chief Operating Officer/President Robbie Robbins, EVP/Sr. Graphic Artist Chris Ryall, Chief Creative Officer David Hedgecock, Editor-in-Chief Matthew Ruzicka, CPA, Chief Financial Officer Laurie Windrow, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing Dirk Wood, VP of Marketing Lorelei Bunjes, VP of Digital Services Jeff Webber, VP of Digital and Subsidiary Rights Jerry Bennington, VP of New Product Development
THANKS TO:
Diana Schutz, Bob Schreck, Justin Eisinger, and Alonzo Simon. © 1974 Cong S.A., Switzerland. Corto Maltese ® and Hugo Pratt™ © Cong S.A. Art © 2017 Casterman, Bruxelles. Translation © 2017 Dean Mullaney and Simone Castaldi. All rights reserved. The IDW logo is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. All rights reserved. The EuroComics logo and colophon is a trademark of The Library of American Comics, LLC. All rights reserved. With the exception of artwork used for review purposes, none of the comic strips in this publication may be reprinted without the permission of the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in Korea.
There are three secret, magical places in Venice. One in the street of friends’ love. the second is near the bridge of wonders. the third is in the street of the Marranos, close to San Geremia in the old ghetto. When Venetians grow weary of the authorities they seek one of these courtyards, open a door at the far end, and disappear into a beautiful world of new adventures.
Ah, yes, yes… Venice does that. Would you like a small glass of rosolio ?
Rosolio ? I didn’t think anyone drank that anymore. tell me, Gold Mouth, how long have you been in Venice ?
Ah yes, yes… but you're already living in one. you just don’t notice it anymore. When an adult enters the world of fairy tales he can never get out again. Didn't you know ?
[What else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves and then punish them]… I’ve never been able to finish this book.
thinking that I should leave. whenever I come to Venice I get lazy.
Corto, what are you doing out there ?
I came here in 1300 with the cabalist Manoello Giudeo. Ah, yes, yes…we were friends with Dante. all you need to do is open that door to travel back and forth in time. Like in a fairy tale…
No. Yes… maybe we're late, today is December 34th and new year's hasn't come yet.
it would be nice to live in a fairy tale.
Ah yes, yes… but Christmas CAME on the 27th. The years are slowly getting longer in Venice.
Never mind, Corto… you wouldn't have time. Your horoscope says that you'll make a long voyage full of adventures. Ah, yes, yes… But what are you doing ? Are you asleep ?
9
There are many ways to begin A story and this one, the adventure involving COrto Maltese and the madman named Baron ROman von Ungern-SteRnberg, can begin with a broken line that means [no] in the game of [Kings]… the boOk of changes. Due to the change, the number 9 becomes a movable solid line.
And so we have the hexagram of… of… I’ve forgotten…
From a strong line a weak one is born and from a weak line a strong one…
The Marrying Maiden means that New endeavors will have an inauspicious beginning and may lead to misfortune.
I'm getting old… I can't remember… ah, yes… the sign is KUEi MEi, the marrying maiden. it's not a lucky sign.
Hey, Corto Maltese, what are you doing… are you asleep ?
No ! I was thinking of Venice and Gold Mouth… I beg your pardon.
10
You're always joking. But the Book of Changes is not a joke. it was a source of inspiration for Confucius and Lao-Tse, people who knew much more than you about the game of life and death.
You were saying that the bride-to-be brings bad luck ? Fine. Then I'll never marry.
Okay, Long Life, I'll be careful.
in certain circumstances, a religious sect can turn into a political association and vice versa. Secret societies are banding together against the foreigners:the [white lotus] in league with the [three incense sticks,] the [society of brothers] with the [five rice piles]…
We're living in difficult times. The Russians are fighting in the north… The Japanese in the east. in times of confusion and upheaval even religious sects aim for more ambitious enterprises.
The [red triangle] waits for the signal from the [black rumble] and reports it to [red square,] who will pass it on to [white rectangle] and to [green circle.]
How do I Look ?
And what are you doing, Long Life ?
Well… time to go, Long Life. Thank you for everything.
sounds like a geometry lesson.
The [triad] will watch after you, Corto Maltese.
wonderful. the girls of Hong Kong will go crazy for you.
This [Brother of the night] says goodbye and thanks.
11
War over in Europe. fighting continues in Siberia @
one hundred thousand Czechoslovakian deserters from the Austrian army rose up against the Bolsheviks and took over the Trans-Siberian railway. allied forces landed at Vladivostok, followed by the Japanese and the Americans.
admiral Kolchak, The Russian counter-revolutionary, has conquered most of siberia, and has proclaimed himself dictator of all of Russia. The warlords are fighting in Manchuria‌ hmmm‌ they're all just the best of friends.
12
I don’t believe it @
Why ? You don't own Hong Kong.
Rasputin, what are you doing in Hong Kong ?
The last time I saw you was two years ago on St. Kitts… by the way, You look elegant in that trench coat.
it was a gift.
13
You still haven't answered my question…