WHEELING

1774. Criss Kenton, a 17 year old who has fled Virginia after the massacre of his family by the Indians, and Patrick Fitzgerald, an English aristocrat who has immigrated to America, make each other’s acquaintance while participating in a series of organized raids on Indian tribes. During one of these raids they meet Mohena, a young woman who has been raised by the Shawnees.  As their adventures unfold, the friendship between Criss and Pat grows stronger, but soon the War of Independence against England breaks out and the two friends find themselves on opposing sides. A great story of friendship and loyalty, Wheeling leaves ample room for History, as many of its characters actually existed. In that regard, Pratt said, “In Wheeling, as in other stories, I try to imagine something imaginary embedded in the context of precise historical references. But at times the truth is more surprising than the imagination.” (Hugo Pratt, All’Ombra di Corto)

In this volume we find Criss and Mohena, the two heroes of the first story, heading back to Wheeling. But the War of Independence is still raging, and Criss will soon have to have to depart once more on a mission, leaving the girl Mohena alone again. Being a spy is not easy, and Criss often has to count on his old friends in order to succeed. “Pratt’s novels are not made to be read in small doses. By doing that, you would miss half or more of the richness of these books, because what makes Pratt’s work unique is the environment, recreated with his drawing style and the play of black and white, which you have to sink into gradually. The author rarely gives us a mere story: rather, he offers us a universe.” (Yves Marchal, Media Animation, November 1978).

Ci troviamo verso la fine del XVIII secolo nella Virginia occidentale. Il giovanissimo Criss Kenton si arruola nell’esercito e fa amicizia con Patrick Fitzgerald, appena sbarcato dall’Inghilterra.  I due ragazzi, che scoprono i valori dell’amicizia e della lealtà, dovranno presto fare i conti con la violenza della guerra. Ma quando gli Americani reclamano l’indipendenza dai Britannici, ognuno di loro dovrà decidere da che parte stare. Romanzo d’avventura e di formazione, Wheeling è un vero omaggio agli autori che hanno marcato l’infanzia e l’adolescenza di Hugo Pratt come Kenneth Roberts, James Fenimore Cooper, James Oliver Curwood e Zane Gray.  Questa appassionante storia ha accompagnato il Maestro veneziano lungo tutta la sua carriera, dalle prime tavole disegnate nel 1962, alle ultime pagine create negli anni ’90 poco prima della sua scomparsa.