The protagonist of this tale, actually, is not the 18 year old Corto, but Rasputin, a deserter from a Siberian rifle regiment, and the writer Jack London, who was a war correspondent in the region at that time.

Jack London is already friends with Corto and introduces the sailor to the unpredictable Russian, who even as a young man kills with disconcerting ease and is ready to lie and betray without hesitation. It is, however, "the beginning of a beautiful friendship" that continues throughout the series.

As a bonus, the book includes additional material that sets up the entire series, as well as several never before published pages that Pratt intended for a continuation of the tale, in which Corto and Rasputin were to embark on a search for King Solomon's mines.

Author: Hugo Pratt
Artist: Hugo Pratt
Publisher: Nantier, Bell, Minoustchine, 1983 (Out of Print)
Number of pages: 64
Format: Soft Cover; Full Colour illustrations
Size: 8" x 11" (215mm x 280mm)
ISBN: 091834848X
Condition: F - Fine