IDW Publishing; $19.99

The captivating, almost laconic and by now familiar style that Hugo Pratt imbued in his Corto Maltese adventures is not entirely developed in this story. Not only is it shorter than the other graphic novels in this wonderful series, but Corto Maltese himself isn’t really the main character as things start off. Instead, it’s Rasputin. This is the story of their first meeting, and it’s set at the end of the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. Novelist Jack London, then a war correspondent, also features in the story.

While the action and pacing are indeed a bit different, the title character does indeed reveal bits of himself to the reader, making this a very welcome addition to the series. This volume also has some great additional art to soak in as well.

– J.C. Vaughn