Corto Maltese: Under The Sign of Capricorn – spoiler light (3 preview pages incl

[Colin YNWA]

Nope never heard of that one but by George sounds right up my street. Thanks for the heads up.

[Colin YNWA]

Finally got around to reading 'Fable of Venice' absolutely exquiste. Superb (if as Timothy says below a little exposition heavy) story, with a lovely weavey plot, the art, laways fantastic managed to raise up a level and boy wasn't that ending a gem.

Possibly my favourite to date.

[Timothy]

The Golden House of Samarkand is out and, for the first time in this series, I have some slight niggles.

First though, the good stuff. It's a belter of a story crammed full of betrayals and double crosses. The translation of the dialogue is a step up from previously. Rasputin's dialogue in particular is spot on. It's also nice to have a longer story for a change rather than a linked narrative split into chapters. I enjoyed it lots.

So why the niggles? Well the price has shot up compared to previous volumes (the Brexit effect perhaps), and there is then the issue of the first page. Most of the book is in the usual Corto inked style, but the first page is in watercolour. It is reproduced clearly and looks pretty but it is in black and white where it should be in colour. The colour version can be seen online and is vastly superior. For a premium price book of this kind I think we could have expected a proper colour reproduction of that page. It's not as if a single page of colour is going to destroy budgets. Am disappointed (a little).

[I, Cosh]

The Golden House of Samarkand is out and, for the first time in this series, I have some slight niggles.

Where did you get it from? I've been refreshing my amazon links on a daily basis but still no joy.

[Timothy]

FLC shop.

[Colin YNWA]

The Golden House of Samarkand is out and, for the first time in this series, I have some slight niggles.

Where did you get it from? I've been refreshing my amazon links on a daily basis but still no joy.

I'm getting bad at spoting when these come out. Anyway pop over to Wordery Cosh as they have some there for the much more palatable price of £22 (gulp!)

https://wordery.com/corto-maltese-the-golden-house-of-samarkand-hugo-pratt-9781684051861

[Colin YNWA]

Just read The Golden House of Samarkand and l have to be honest struggled with this one a little. I mean its still a fantastic read and the story is rich and deep, but at this extended length I was wondering if we'd have more time to explore things. But its so dense and full. The plot cracks on at an immense pace and while there are scenes that are allowed a little more space and time, so much happens and so much is covered.

I just don't think I was able to give it the good length of reading a pleasure like this deserves to get the best out of it. At some point in the future I'll have the time to devote to this the attention it deserves. As it is I'll settle happily for the shallow reading I've managed.Not had this problem before with any of this series but this one left me frustrated as I knew I was missing meaning and ideas.

Still a glory to behold and even read with the lack of insight I managed I fantastic tale. At moments its just breath-taking and Rasputin has turned here into one of my all time favourite comic characters, just a joy. So no problems and I should be happy that I know this has so much more to offer when I return to it.

[Timothy]

I know what you mean about it needing time to soak in. I have been going back through the series recently and, by and large, have enjoyed the shorter stories more easily. There is much to love in the longer stories, but they do require more space and more work on the part of the reader to get the most out of them.

[Timothy]

I have not read it yet, but Tango is out. I picked it up at lunchtime today and will dive in while on holiday next week. It's another slim vol.

[Colin YNWA]

As well as reading the X-Mas Prog read Tango over the last couple of nights and its a delight.

I whined last time about the story moving at such break neck speed that I know I missed stuff and nothing had room to breathe  well Tango doesn't make this mistake is 48 pages still tell a tight muscular story cracking along but its not quite so breakneck and feels compact rather than chaotic.

Now that's not to say I think I've cracked the themes and ideas there's much still to draw out of this. As with the very best literature in any format I know future reading will give me so much more insight but this one felt far more balanced and focused. Just a delight and possibly my favourite to date (If I exclude Ballard of as its not been in this series).

A glorious mystery to indulge any comic reader.

[Apestrife]

Anyone seen this? Secret rose and Early years coming in March and August.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Corto-Maltese-Secret-Hugo-Pratt/dp/1684054028/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1547288980&sr=8-2&keywords=corto+maltese

https://www.amazon.com/Corto-Maltese-Early-Hugo-Pratt/dp/1684055032/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1547289012&sr=8-1&keywords=corto+maltese

I feel a reread is imminent, Capricorn up to the upcoming Rose

Also. That makes 10 of 12 total? Last two should be The Ballad of the Salty Sea and Mu right?

[Colin YNWA]

Nice one. It'll be interesting to see what the do with Ballard as it a different scale page countwise. It's either going to carry a hefty price tag or be split?

[Apestrife]

Nice one. It'll be interesting to see what the do with Ballard as it a different scale page countwise. It's either going to carry a hefty price tag or be split?

Looked at the page count for it, and that's an interesting question! How many pages long is it? I've seen it differ from 160 to 250 on amazon.

I'm thinking they'll add a 10 to the price. Hoping for a nice fatty on the shelf

Anyone read Mu? Thoughts?

[Colin YNWA]

Nice one. It'll be interesting to see what the do with Ballard as it a different scale page countwise. It's either going to carry a hefty price tag or be split?

Looked at the page count for it, and that's an interesting question! How many pages long is it? I've seen it differ from 160 to 250 on amazon.

I'm thinking they'll add a 10 to the price. Hoping for a nice fatty on the shelf

Anyone read Mu? Thoughts?

I've got a copy of the Universal (I think it was) edition in the nerd cave and I think the 250 page is nearer the mark. Is a good hefty read. That edition isn't a patch on the one's we're getting currently so alas whatever the cost I'll be getting the new version!

[I, Cosh]

Remember that one of the issues with that edition was that pages were cropped and labels rejigged to fit the shaker format so I'd imagine a significant reduction in page count. That's still going to make it bigger than most though so another tenner seems fine.

Haven't posted my thoughts on the last few, mostly because I keep promising myself I'll do a reread to pick up more on the recurring characters and ideas.