Corto Maltese

Corto Maltese is a fictional character, a sailor-adventurer created by Italian comic book creator Hugo Pratt.

Related Topics:
Fictional character - Italian - Comic book creator - Hugo Pratt

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Corto Maltese (possibly derived from the Venetian Courtyard of the Maltese) is a laconic sea captain adventuring through the early 20th century (1900-1920s). A rogue with a heart of gold, he is tolerant and sympathetic to the underdog. Born in Valletta on July 10, 1887, he is a son of a British sailor from Cornwall and a gypsy witch from Gibraltar who carved his own life line on his palm, determining that his fate was his to choose. Although maintaining a neutral pose, Corto instinctively supports the disadvantaged and oppressed.

Related Topics:
20th century - 1900 - 1920s - Valletta - July 10 - 1887 - British - Cornwall - Gypsy - Witch - Gibraltar - Life line

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The character debuted in the serial Una ballata del mare salato (Ballad of the Salty Sea, 1967) concerning smugglers and pirates in the WW1-era Pacific Islands. In 1970 Pratt began a series of short Corto Maltese stories for the French comic magazine Pif. In 1974 he returned to full-length stories, sending Corto to 1918 Siberia in the album (Corto Maltese en Siberie).

Related Topics:
1967 - WW1 - Pacific Islands - 1970 - French - Pif - 1974 - 1918 - Siberia

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Chronologically, the first Corto Maltese adventure, (The Early Years), happens during the Russo-Japanese war. In several short stories (collected in In Africa and The Celts, NBM) he experiences the First World War in several locations, participates in the Russian Civil War after the October Revolution, and appears during the early stages of Fascist Italy. In a separate series by Pratt, (Les Skorpions du Desert) he is described as disappearing during the Spanish Civil War.

Related Topics:
Russo-Japanese war - First World War - Russian Civil War - October Revolution - Fascist - Spanish Civil War

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The character embodies the author's skepticism of national, ideological, and religious assertions. Corto befriends people from all walks of life, including murderous Russian Rasputin (no relation), British heir Tristan Bantam, Voodoo priestess Gold Mouth and Czech academic Jeremiah Steiner. He also knows and meets various historical figures, including Jack London, Ernest Hemingway, Herman Hesse, Butch Cassidy, Russian White general Roman von Ungern-Sternberg and Enver Pasha of Turkey. His acquaintances treat him with great respect, as when a telephone call to Josef Stalin frees him from arrest when he is threatened with execution on the border of Turkey and Armenia.

Related Topics:
Voodoo - Czech - Jack London - Ernest Hemingway - Herman Hesse - Butch Cassidy - Roman von Ungern-Sternberg - Enver Pasha - Turkey - Josef Stalin - Armenia

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The Corto Maltese stories range from straight historical adventure stories to occult dream sequences. He sees the Red Baron shot down, helps Jivaros in South America, and flees Fascists in Venice, but also unwittingly helps Merlin and Oberon to defend Britain and visits the lost continent of Mu.

Related Topics:
Occult - Red Baron - Jivaro - Venice - Merlin - Oberon - Lost continent - Mu

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A 2002 French-language animated film, Corto Maltese: La Cour Secrète Des Arcanes, was based on the Pratt novel Corto Maltese in Siberia.

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