Under the sign of the Capricorn
Writing and drawn by Hugo Pratt, Under the sign of the Capricorn , reports 6 new adventures of Corto Maltese which succeed the Ballade of the salted sea :
- 3rd - the Secrecy of Tristan Bantam
- 4th - Go to Bahia
- 5th - Samba with Shooting Fixes
- 6th - the Eagle of Brazil
- 7th -… And we will speak again of the gentlemen of fortune
- 8th
- Because of a gull
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They are held in South America: in Guyana, with the Brazil, in the mouth of the the Amazon, with the Honduras and in the Lesser Antilles, of 1916 with 1917.
The return of Corto
In November
1969, to the 5 International fair of the comics with Lucca, in
Italy, Hugo Pratt is presented to Georges Rieu, editor association of the weekly magazine
Pif Gadget . This last proposes to him to publish it in France. Pratt accepts and decides to take again the character of the Maltese sailor whom it had created in
the Ballade of the salted sea . It will make its character fetish of it by offering the destiny of one hero to him to the Conrad.
Six episodes
Attention: What follows, reveals whole or part of the intrigue!
In Dutch Guyana, ordering it Corto Maltese rests with
Paramaribo, in the pension held by the indonésienne, Mrs Java. It become acquainted there with Jeremiah Steiner, former professor of the University of
Prague, now fallen in the trap from alcohol. One day, a teenager, Tristan Bantam - in possession of documents that his/her father, the scientist Ronald Bantam, bequeathed to him - comes to require of the assistance to the latter to find what his/her father always sought of alive sound: the Kingdom disappeared from Mu, which was in the area of High Xingu, to the Brésil. To also find his/her half-sister, Morgana - which also has documents entrusted by his/her father. It is that it is owner of the Atlantic Financial Co which it directs with the Bouche magician Gilded. The events precipitate; Tristan is wounded after an attack against its person and the boat of Corto is burnt. This leads the commander Maltese to carry out the survey. It is not long in delivering to the police force the only survivor hired killers. He learns thus that the silent partner from the assassination from the Bantam young person, is not other than his tutor, the Milner lawyer, officiant in London. Tristan Bantam, then buys to the
Yawl Mrs Java, “Dreaming Boy”, to try to join his/her sister to São El Salvador da Bahia. Invite the professor to accompany it and engages Corto Maltese for this voyage.
While skirting the coasts of the French Guiana, the crew is alerted by calls to the help coming from the ground. While unloading, they become acquainted with an escaped prisoner of the bagne, called Cayenne which they embark with them to take again their road. Cayenne knows the Milner lawyer. It knows that it directs a network of equivocal businesses in all the area. The convict hopes to hold it one day, to avenge for former companions whom it made assassinated. On its side, Corto is persuaded that the lawyer removed the father of Tristan for a history of heritage. According to the information of Gilded Mouth, Milner would be with
Bahia, while brother and sister meet for the first time. Milner is not long in being vis-a-vis the Bantam young person but Corto intervenes and puts the life of lawyer concerned in part of charts at the conclusion which it delivers it to the revenge on Cayenne.
As for the documents that Morgana has in its possession, they has indications there to go to the vestiges of the Kingdom of Driven. Corto decides to go to return visit to Bouche Gilded, on the beach of Ipatoa…
While unloading on the beach, they are awaited by Gilded Bouche which is not long in proposing a business with Corto. His/her friends of the Sertão, revolt against a colonel who eliminates the rebellious peasants via mercenaries. She asks him, against beautiful reward, to use her boat to deliver weapons and money to them. here they are going up the Rio São Francisco. Soon approached by a drain-hole, a confrontation déclanche. Put out of cheek, Corto is saved by a shooting of the Cangaceiros since bank. The latter seizes the drain-hole and make captive the crew. Morgana recognizes their chief, Tir Fixed. It is a friend. The weapons and the money are given to him. Corto and its new friends go up the river in direction of the property of the colonel. Arrived on the spot, Tir Fixes carries out it. Corto comes in reinforcement and makes jump all these beautiful people. Alas, Fixed Tir was touched mortally. The fight must continue because “there will be always a new colonel” and a Shooting will be always needed Fixes to take the changing. To fight to obtain justice and freedom, such is the mission that will have to continue its successor, Corisco de Sao Jorge.
Of return to Gilded Mouth, Corto Maltese refuses the promised reward because it feels a little responsible for dead for Fixed Shooting. Morgana, as for it, awaits visit: a certain German Baron, Hasso von Manteuffel. Jeremiah Steiner, Tristan Bantam and Corto Maltese, are not delayed and weigh the anchor towards north, so that Tristan Bantam can join the England to continue its studies. At the end of some miles, close to the island of Marajó, they notice the strange presence of a German warship. would this Be there the explanation of the disappearance of many ships combined in this zone of the Atlantic? Corto makes the decision to wet and to unload and here that it re-examines the famous baron and surprises it spirit to communicate by light signals with the German ship. Undoubtedly for a forthcoming fuel supply. Indeed a Brazilian cargo liner is in sight and the events are specified. the baron will learn by a sergeant from the British police force, infiltrated in its rows, which Gilded Bouche and Morgana are agents of English commercial espionage. They mislead the Germans while agreeing to supply their fleet. The German ship is immobilized and the crew made captive.
Continuing its voyage towards north, Corto evokes a hunting for the treasure. It began, here are two centuries, with the Barracuda pirate. To find this treasure, it is necessary to find four charts in bone of whale. Each one of them represents have and contains part of the enigma. Joined together they reveal the access to the treasure. does he remember this history because it is for Saint-Kitts? Always it is that it tests the need to make stopover with Basseterre to return visit to Miss Ambiguity of Poincy. Barracuda is its ancestor and Corto has an idea behind the head. It has the clover ace. Ambiguity, the ace of square. Vis-a-vis it, he learns with surprise, that Raspoutine is him also moored in the port. Them which it are left, with Panamá, a few months before. Moreover, it is him which holds the ace of heart! Ambiguity and Corto go up on board boat of Raspoutine. The reception is rather hard but the three accomplices cooperate and decipher the charts in their possession by travelling towards their “island with the treasure”. While unloading, they discover that they are not alone. The powder of the guns will speak. Ambiguity will leave its skin there. As for the treasure… On its return, after being itself separate of Raspoutine in departure for Cuba, Corto joined its sailing ship. It realizes of the absence of Tristan, already on the way for the England. Jeremiah comes gives a letter of Gilded Mouth to him, arrived during its absence. By opening it, it there with the fourth chart in bone of whale: the ace of spade!
left|250px On the island of Maracatoquã, with broad of the Honduras, Corto is in bad posture. It essuie the shootings of a gunner embusqué without being able to escape from it because a gull announces least its displacements while circling to the top of him. So that it ends up being reached. Wounded, here it is the delirious one under the sun. The gunner approaches. It is an young girl. Obviously, it took it for another and realizes of its error. Without delaying, it transports it in its residence. Corto is restored little by little but here it is become amnesic. He forgot some until his name. He takes some steps outside when a fire is declared in the house. Corto runs to save the young girl of the flames and discovers an individual who threatens it with his weapon. It neutralizes it and gives up it with the flames by carrying the young lady far from the blazing inferno. Soledad Lokäarth is its name. A secrecy of family is thus revealed. A history of assassination and revenge. False rumors erected scaffolding around its family to hide the truth. Constraint to find refuge with his on this small island lost to escape the killer. In vain. Alerted by the flames, the police force arrives. It is necessary to flee. Corto proposes to them to take its boat. But what had it come to make on this island? Who is it? He still does not remember it. The gull alone, knows it.
Anecdotes
First publications
The 6 episodes of the new adventures of Corto Maltese, appear for the first time in Pif and its gadget surprised .
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1. Tristan Bantam : n° 58 of the April 3rd 1970
- 2. Go to Bahia : n° 59 of the April 10th 1970
- 3. Samba with Shooting Fixes : n° 66 of the May 29th 1970
- 4. the Eagle of Brazil : n° 75 of the July 31st 1970
- 5. … And we will speak again of the gentlemen of fortune : n° 82 of the September 18th 1970
- 6. Because of a gull : n° 89 of the November 6th 1970
Albums
Published at Publicness: - 1971, Corto Maltese , pulling of head, cardboard roofing fabric.
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Become rare and very required by the collectors, it can reach naps records at the time of auction. - 1971, Corto Maltese , Volume 1, edition colors in format “with Italian” of the 6 episodes: the Secrecy of Tristan Bantam - Return in Bahia - Samba with fixed Shooting - the Eagle of Brazil -… And we will speak again of the gentlemen of fortune - Because of a gull.
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1st Phoenix Price of the best cartoon of adventure.
Published at Casterman:
- 1972, Return to Bahia , edition colors in hard-bound album of the first 3 episodes: the Secrecy of Tristan Bantam - Return in Bahia - Samba with Fixed Shooting.
- 1973, the Eagle of Brazil , edition colors in hard-bound album of the last 3 episodes: the Eagle of Brazil -… And we will speak again of the gentlemen of fortune - Because of a gull.
- 1979, Under the sign of the Capricorn , edition black and white in album stitched of the 6 episodes.
- 1988, Under the sign of the Capricorn , edition black and white in format pocket in the collection “I read data base” of the 6 episodes.
- 1990, Continuation caraïbéenne , edition connected colors of the first 3 episodes with documents and watercolours of Hugo Pratt: the Secrecy of Tristan Bantam - Go to Bahia - Samba with Fixed Shooting.
- 1999 /2001, Under the flag of the pirates , edition connected colors of the last 3 episodes with documents and watercolours of Hugo Pratt: the Eagle of Brazil -… And we will speak again of the gentlemen of fortune - Because of a gull.
- 2001, Under the sign of the Capricorn , republication stitched in black and white of the 6 episodes.
- 2006, editions colors of small size (14 X 21)
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Tome 3: the Secrecy of Tristan Bantam Volume 4: Go to Bahia Tome 5: Samba with Shooting Fixes Tome 6: the Eagle of Brazil Volume 7: … And we will speak again of the gentlemen of fortune Tome 8: Because of a gull
The cartoon film
Means-measuring - Under the sign of the Capricorn
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Inspired of the first 5 episodes. Scenario writer: Jean Pecheux. Realizers: Richard Danto and Liam Saury. With the voices of Richard Berry (Corto Maltese), Patrick Bouchitey (Raspoutine), Catherine Jacob (Ambiguity), Marie Trintignant (gilded Mouth). Diffused on television on Channel +, the November 19th 2003 DVD: Studio Canal, 2003.