The First World War is approaching, and the world powers are lurking in the Southwest Pacific. Between the fronts, the unpredictable Rasputin and Corto Maltese, the captain without a ship, are conducting shady dealings on behalf of a mysterious monk. Essentially, they are pirates, but with different morals. While Rasputin does not hesitate to throw entire crews to the sharks and take the young admiral's daughter Pandora Groovesnore hostage, Corto operates under the motto: "Live and let live." This marks the launch of the comprehensive new Italian translation of the comic classic by Hugo Pratt. In addition to the regular color edition, there will also be a classic edition for the purists among fans, featuring the original black-and-white drawings.