Corto #28

A striking skull dominates the foreground of this Casterman edition, while a solitary dark-clad figure strides through a field of vivid sunflowers against a bright blue sky — a visual contrast that captures the wandering, fatalistic spirit of Hugo Pratt's celebrated seafarer. Les Helvétiques is presented here in Pratt's signature bold, economical linework, balancing beauty and mortality in a single glance. A handsome 2009 edition for anyone drawn to European adventure comics at their most atmospheric.