Corto Maltese returns as climate activist in new comic 'L'isola di ieri'

Bastien Vivès and Martin Quenehen have written the 37th Corto Maltese comic, 'L'isola di ieri', set for release on September 19, 2025. The story returns to the Pacific Ocean settings of the 1967 debut 'La ballata del mare salato', but with a contemporary twist: Corto and his friend Marcus, met again in Sydney, rescue a Chinese environmental activist arrested in Tuvalu. The plot tackles climate change and geopolitics, replacing exotic landscapes with polluted nature and pirates with unscrupulous politicians and businessmen. Published by CONG, the volume marks the third original work by the French duo, presenting Corto as an activist attuned to modern global challenges.