Series and novel within the Pratt universe
In a fresh entry set within the universe crafted by a celebrated Italian creator, a novel emerges that reimagines Corto Maltese as a teenager. This work, not a direct continuation from past adventures, arrives as a thoughtful addition by a trusted collaborator who shares a long history with Pratt’s world. It centers on a young, observant boy navigating a sea of travel, memory, and the longing for freedom. The narrative, steeped in the spirit of exploration, was recognized with an esteemed prize for adventure literature, marking its impact within the broader collection that celebrates the Hugo Pratt canon. It is being introduced to readers in a renewed presentation, expanding the catalogue of works connected to Pratt’s maritime and exploratory legacy. The unveiling is coordinated through a curated series within the collection, and the book reaches the public in a measured, ceremonial fashion, with key figures from the curatorial team present to mark the moment.
This addition joins a roster of previously published materials that illuminate the travels and dialogues surrounding Corto Maltese. It sits alongside illustrated travelogues, diary-like reflections, and conversations that explore the imaginative world crafted by Pratt and expanded by others who have contributed to the same literary horizon. The collection project, managed by a dedicated organizer, emphasizes that the works span Pratt’s own writings as well as pieces by different authors who inhabit the same universe. The guiding voice in this exploration is a sailor-adventurer figure who mirrors the author’s own passion for voyage and discovery, underscoring a shared ethos of exploration and storytelling.
The hero of this tale follows a seasoned navigator who once served as a confidant to Corto Maltese’s father. The journey unfolds with a smuggler’s instinct and a restless heart, seeking a different breeze to ease the weight of the past. Together with a steadfast companion, the voyage twists through the Mediterranean and toward distant shores of the Orient, weaving through ports such as Sicily, Venice, Istanbul, and on toward southern China and the waters of the Mekong.
The narrative places a young Corto Maltese at the center, revealing early signs of the character’s charisma, wit, and romantic sensibility. These traits, glimpsed in adolescence, hint at the lifelong essence that fans have come to admire in mature renditions of the sailor and authorial creator alike. The work treats these strands with a respectful reverence, letting the reader sense the pull of the sea, the allure of adventure, and the timeless appeal of a boy growing into a legend.
The prose is framed as an invitation to experience the world through the senses. It aims to capture the atmosphere that has always defined Corto Maltese’s stories—a blend of exotic myths, nautical lore, and European maritime history—translated through a contemporary lens. Its success lies in transforming a classic milieu into a breathing, newly discovered landscape where every horizon promises a new discovery.
On the pages that follow, the reader is treated to a travelogue of impressionistic scenes, where the traveler’s inner life and the outward voyage intertwine. The authorial voice underscores the value of observation and curiosity, inviting readers to savor the textures, sounds, and scents that color nautical adventures. The tone remains earnest and reflective, a deliberate counterpoint to action-driven plots, and it emphasizes the sensory pleasures of exploration as a means of understanding the wider world.
Author and background
The writer behind this project is a figure known for bridging continents and concepts, spending time between a home city and the metropolis that mirrors the book’s global sensibility. A collaborator with Pratt over a significant period, the author continued the conversation with the Maltese universe after the creator’s passing, carrying forward a tradition of narrative curiosity and maritime storytelling. The work also reflects a broader journey, including travels to far lands and engagements with other sailors, writers, and artists who have helped illuminate the nautical imagination that defines Pratt’s circle.
The companion volumes in the same collection feature illustrated travel diaries, intimate conversations, and candid explorations of the maritime world. Edited in alignment with Pratt’s enduring themes, these pieces collectively form a diverse panorama of the Pratt-inspired sphere. They underscore the idea that the Maltese saga extends beyond a single author and a single moment, thriving instead as a living ecosystem of stories, images, and voices drawn from real voyages and imagined ones alike.
This latest entry marks a second appearance of the Maltese hero during adolescence, following an earlier work that introduced the teenager in a different context. Readers who follow the Maltese chronicles will find in this new volume a continuation of their fascination with a character who began as a boy and grew into one of the most enduring symbols of adventure in graphic storytelling. The book stands as a testament to the translator’s instinct for preserving mood and myth while inviting new readers to discover the beginnings of a legend.