Corto Maltese (vol. 1): Under the Sign of Capricorn

This long-running European series has been on my radar for a while now.  Every time I’ve heard someone talk about it, they’ve mentioned how good it is and what a shame it hasn’t been brought over here properly yet.  Now that it’s here, I’m thinking it might be a while before its appeal becomes apparent to me.  That’s likely down to the fact that the stories being reprinted here are over 40 years old and from the very start of the series.  Sometimes titles take their time before getting really good, and that appears to be very much the case here.  (Expect to read a variation on this theme when my copy of “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part I — Phantom Blood vol. 1” arrives.)

Things start off with Corto getting involved with a young boy’s quest to complete the journey his father started with subsequent adventures involving the overthrow of a despotic colonel and his forces, the hunt for treasure via hints from cards carved on whalebone, and an annoying seagull that leads to his involvement in the mystery of a missing fugitive.  The title character makes a striking impression from the first panel, and maintains a likeably roguish attitude throughout as he puts out cigarettes on the foreheads of thugs, and manhandles other bad guys by ways of fisticuffs or firearms.  Problem is that the stories start off kind of weak with staid artwork that doesn’t give them any real momentum.  Pratt has some winning character designs and impressive jungle artwork in some panels, but there’s a lot of awkwardness in the fight scenes and a general feeling that the artist was still feeling out this whole long-form graphic story business.  Things do improve by the final story which suggests better things to come in the second volume.  An inauspicious start, to be sure, yet there’s still the potential for this series to grow into the engrossing read that I’ve heard it to be.