It was 1527 and a gang of lansquenets of Georg Frundsberg are crossing Italy and burn everything in their way are standing before the gates of Rome. Fanfulla is one of those mercenaries fighting the Medici. But Fanfulla feels remorse for all the sins he has committed and decides to enter the monastery. But after two years, the blood creeps where it can not go and decides to pick up his weapons once again to fight the Medici. But by betrayal does not make it easy to win.
The Medici was a powerful and influential family who played a leading role as founder of the international banking system in the 15th century. The best known "Medici" is Catharina the "Medici who lived from 1519 to 1589. She made it to the Queen of France. She might have been the commissioner to Bartholomew Night, the massive massacre, and she would have poisoned her brother-in-law, the throne succesor. In addition, she introduced the perfume, potato, chocolate and haute cuisine in France. But her we do not see in this story, we also do not see Cosimo I the 'Medici, the first Grand Duke of Tuscany who lived from 1519 to 1574. Although Fanfulla and his corners fought against him.
No Hugo Pratt tells the little story of the mercenaries who fought against the 'Medici'. And that's just like Pratt, he tells the stories that seem unimportant. It's an exciting story with a rough diamond as a hero. This graphic novel is also filled with action, but it's not at the expense of the story, it's very well-founded and there is room for the development of the characters here and there.
The black and white drawings, also made by Hugo Pratt, are beautiful. They seem to be thrown onto paper and look a bit sketchy here and there. I find that Pratt has chosen to put an antagonist on the cover rather than the protagonist. Perhaps Pratt or the publisher thought that a woman sold better than when they put a man on the cover. That may very well be, I have no objection to that choice anyway.
I definitely recommend this album from 1988.
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Tags and links:
Adventure
Fanfulla on Catawiki
Hugo Pratt on Wikipedia
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