"The Admiral of the South Seas."A watercolor graphic novel created by Jorge Zentner and Carlos Nine in 1992.

From BoDoi:

Initially, almost 30 years ago, this story was commissioned on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. It is the first collaboration between the Argentine writer, Jorge Zentner, and his compatriot Carlos Nine.

In the preface to this book, Carlos Nine's son Lucas recounts that these two creators did not even meet and that his father drew this maritime exploration adventure based on a script received by post - no email in the early 1990s. And he drew it in a hurry, given the very short publication deadlines: altering his usual way of doing things and abandoning his charcoal sketches, Carlos Nine devoted himself to dry watercolors, with a spray, in a frenzied graphic cavalcade to finish time.

The Admiral of the South Seas recounts the expeditions of Don Álvaro de Mendaña in the mid-16th century, who left Peru to find new lands in the Pacific. After a promising first expedition, during which he maps several islands, he gets married and succeeds in setting up a new expedition, to colonize these archipelagos. But faulty navigation and the native population will lead to his unrealistic project's destruction ...

The voiceover is brilliant, the dialogues concise. And the line and the colors of Carlos Nine magnify this story of blind quest for glory. Deformed faces stand out against the luminous sets, with sharp facets reflecting the harsh light of the sun or from a fire on the beach. The eyes disappear or enlarge, the heads lengthen, sometimes taking on a disturbing cartoon aspect which will later characterize the work of Nine.

Google Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira to learn more about his expeditions.

Resume:

Épisode particulier dans l'histoire des conquistadors, ce long périple jusque dans les lointaines îles Philippines fut dirigé d'une main de fer par Isabel Barreto, autoproclamée Amirale après son veuvage. Commandé aux auteurs pour la commémoration des 500 ans de la découverte du continent américain, ce récit encore inédit en France nous permet d'apprécier un aspect plus épique du talent hors-norme de Carlos Nine.

Préface de Lucas Nine.