Lucky Marty

# Catalog Note: Doble Juego No. 39 (December 1982)

This Spanish-language serial publication contains "Poker de Ases" (Poker of Aces), an adventure narrative set in Sicily. The story follows two parallel protagonists: Randi Bianchi, a young Sicilian farmhand who daily delivers milk via an ancient bicycle through the treacherous mountain paths of Mount Etna, earning meager annual payment; and Eugeni Vitale, a celebrated professional cyclist and multiple champion of major European races (Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a España), who trains on those same mountains with support from his wealthy, blonde companion Maddalena Rossi in a Maserati sports car. The narrative includes extensive exposition on professional cycling's physical and psychological demands, team hierarchy dynamics, and the sacrifices required of domestique riders who support team leaders. An extended digression explains the sport's dangers: chain-fall collisions, injuries, and the constant pressure to perform despite pain and exhaustion. The account establishes stark contrast between the struggling young milk deliverer and the celebrated athlete in the same landscape.