Lettering font based on hand-lettering by Frank Engli. EuroComics.us

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2 EDITED AND DESIGNED BY Dean Mullaney ART DIRECTOR AND CO-COVER DESIGNER Lorraine Turner CONSULTING EDITOR Patrizia Zanotti Lettering font based on hand-lettering by Frank Engli. EuroComics.us EuroComics is an imprint of IDW Publishing a Division of Idea and Design Works, LLC 2765 Truxtun Road San Diego, CA Distributed by Diamond Book Distributors ISBN: First Printing, February 2017 IDW Publishing Ted Adams, Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Greg Goldstein, Chief Operating Officer/President Robbie Robbins, EVP/Sr. Graphic Artist Chris Ryall, Chief Creative Officer David Hedgecock, Editor-in-Chief Matthew Ruzicka, CPA, Chief Financial Officer Laurie Windrow, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing Dirk Wood, VP of Marketing Lorelei Bunjes, VP of Digital Services Jeff Webber, VP of Digital and Subsidiary Rights Jerry Bennington, VP of New Product Development THANKS TO: Diana Schutz, Bob Schreck, Justin Eisinger, and Alonzo Simon Cong S.A., Switzerland. Corto Maltese and Hugo Pratt Cong S.A. Art 2017 Casterman, Bruxelles. Translation 2017 Dean Mullaney and Simone Castaldi. All rights reserved. The IDW logo is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. All rights reserved. The EuroComics logo and colophon is a trademark of The Library of American Comics, LLC. All rights reserved. With the exception of artwork used for review purposes, none of the comic strips in this publication may be reprinted without the permission of the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in Korea.

3 thinking that I should leave. whenever I come to Venice I get lazy. There are three secret, magical places in Venice. One in the street of friends love. the second is near the bridge of wonders. the third is in the street of the Marranos, close to San Geremia in the old ghetto. When Venetians grow weary of the authorities they seek one of these courtyards, open a door at the far end, and disappear into a beautiful world of new adventures. Corto, what are you doing out there? Ah, yes, yes Venice does that. Would you like a small glass of rosolio? Rosolio? I didn t think anyone drank that anymore. tell me, Gold Mouth, how long have you been in Venice? I came here in 1300 with the cabalist Manoello Giudeo. Ah, yes, yes we were friends with Dante. all you need to do is open that door to travel back and forth in time. Like in a fairy tale it would be nice to live in a fairy tale. Ah yes, yes but you're already living in one. you just don t notice it anymore. When an adult enters the world of fairy tales he can never get out again. Didn't you know? No. Yes maybe we're late, today is December 34th and new year's hasn't come yet. Ah yes, yes but Christmas CAME on the 27th. The years are slowly getting longer in Venice. [What else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves and then punish them] I ve never been able to finish this book. Never mind, Corto you wouldn't have time. Your horoscope says that you'll make a long voyage full of adventures. Ah, yes, yes But what are you doing? Are you asleep? 9

4 There are many ways to begin A story and this one, the adventure involving COrto Maltese and the madman named Baron ROman von Ungern-SteRnberg, can begin with a broken line that means [no] in the game of [Kings] the book of changes. Due to the change, the number 9 becomes a movable solid line. From a strong line a weak one is born and from a weak line a strong one And so we have the hexagram of of I ve forgotten I'm getting old I can't remember ah, yes the sign is KUEi MEi, the marrying maiden. it's not a lucky sign. The Marrying Maiden means that New endeavors will have an inauspicious beginning and may lead to misfortune. Hey, Corto Maltese, what are you doing are you asleep? No! I was thinking of Venice and Gold Mouth I beg your pardon. 10

5 You were saying that the bride-to-be brings bad luck? Fine. Then I'll never marry. You're always joking. But the Book of Changes is not a joke. it was a source of inspiration for Confucius and Lao-Tse, people who knew much more than you about the game of life and death. Okay, Long Life, I'll be careful. We're living in difficult times. The Russians are fighting in the north The Japanese in the east. in times of confusion and upheaval even religious sects aim for more ambitious enterprises. in certain circumstances, a religious sect can turn into a political association and vice versa. Secret societies are banding together against the foreigners:the [white lotus] in league with the [three incense sticks,] the [society of brothers] with the [five rice piles] And what are you doing, Long Life? The [red triangle] waits for the signal from the [black rumble] and reports it to [red square,] who will pass it on to [white rectangle] and to [green circle.] sounds like a geometry lesson. Well time to go, Long Life. Thank you for everything. How do I Look? wonderful. the girls of Hong Kong will go crazy for you. The [triad] will watch after you, Corto Maltese. This [Brother of the night] says goodbye and thanks. 11

6 War over in Europe. fighting continues in one hundred thousand Czechoslovakian deserters from the Austrian army rose up against the Bolsheviks and took over the Trans-Siberian railway. allied forces landed at Vladivostok, followed by the Japanese and the Americans. admiral Kolchak, The Russian counter-revolutionary, has conquered most of siberia, and has proclaimed himself dictator of all of Russia. The warlords are fighting in Manchuria hmmm they're all just the best of friends. 12

7 I don t believe Rasputin, what are you doing in Hong Kong? Why? You don't own Hong Kong. The last time I saw you was two years ago on St. Kitts by the way, You look elegant in that trench coat. it was a gift. You still haven't answered my question 13