The Collector is a collection of 5 stories about a man known as the Collector. We don't know his name, or his origins, only that he travels the world looking for unique, precious objects which he likes to collect. These objects have "deep personal meaning" to him. They have "lived" and have "actors in histories" only The Collector knows. In his trips the protagonist meets with peculiar sometimes bizarre characters. All of which add to the mystery, and to the heavy atmosphere of the stories. Heat, difficult landscapes, long distances, danger and enemies are always waiting for him. But he does not mind. He will do anything and offer everything to get what he wants. And he always gets what he wants. (Amazing, isn't it!)
The Collector is a fascinating character. Sometimes he reminds me of a western hero, keeping his cool in dangerous situations. He is persistent and stubborn, never giving up. He's got a righteous spirit: he saves people from death in some stories and has made friends all over the world this way. However, he can also be a complete bastard, harming or killing whoever is between his precious objects and him. And if that wasn't enough, The Collector has also supernatural (or magical?) powers he uses in extreme situations. I didn't understand the nature or system of these powers or why The Collector didn't use them every time he was in danger but this didn't make me like less the stories. I love how Toppi designed this character, not only his personality and the mysterious aura around him but also his physical appearance. Tall and thin, and always wearing the same smart clothes.
Each story included in this book is a quest for one particular object. The "narrative" feels like an adventure, dark and mysterious, revealing interesting aspects of the land and culture of the lands visited. In this book we visit USA, Ethiopia, Mongolia, Ireland, Tibet and other (exotic) places. The art is amazing and perfect for these kinds of stories.
1. The Red Rock Peace Pipe - The Collector looks for an old Indian pipe used by several notable Indian chiefs across the years. They say one can see the future through its smoke.
2. The Abyssinian Obelisk - The Collector goes to Ethiopia looking for an Obelisk believed to turn anyone who touched the stone in King of Kings.
3. The Mongol Jewel - the Collector goes to an Indonesian island searching for a valuable jewel hidden in a cave by a thief and murderer. Legend says the jewel is the only tear a mongol warrior shed when his horse died during a battle. Every year in the a anniversary of the battle the silhouette of the horse can be seen through the tear.
4. The Scepter of Muiredach - The Collector is after an old "magic" scepter. Somewhere in Ireland someone sings a song telling the story of the Scepter. The Collector meets the father of the singer and asks for the priceless object to be given to him as he is its rightful guardian. An English man, named Eoin Dunchada, attacks them, takes the Scepter and the leaves the protagonist for dead. Time after, the Collector is following Dunchada's trace to recover what he believes is his.
5. The Necklace of Padmasambhava - our protagonist goes to Tibet searching for a magic necklace made with pieces of bones of a powerful Lama. Anyone who possesses the Necklace acquires the powers of the Lama.
My edition is in English (translated from Italian by Edward Gauvin) published by Archaia in 2014. It has 252 pages, but this is something I had to search online as the book does not have page numbers!!
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