The Basque comic set a before and a after in the 1980s with several works by the editorial Erein, including three volumes of the Justin Hiriart collection between Fructuoso and Harriet:Itsasgorritan (1983), Ice Trap (1989) and El Secreto (1989). Now, three decades later, the full edition of this series has been edited, adding two more to the previous three works: The Brulota and the boat of Satan. And it is to be welcomed this edition, not only for the possibility of rereading these works, but also for publishing the entire collection in a book, for the enjoyment of the readers.

Justin Hiriart is the name of the great protagonist, captain of a Basque whale in the early 17th century. And on the pages of the book, the reader will know the adventures of the captain and his friends with an increasingly intense rhythm. Inuits, Mic-Mac Indians, debates and struggles between European countries in America… and in addition to all that, in this book you also find relations between human beings, violence, cunning or even friendship, support and love.

This comic book is an adventure book. The result of a large number of classical works in literature (very interesting the study done in an unsigned prologue). And in that sense, the work that prepares to entertain and enjoy the reader. Wall Harriet has drunk stories of Basque balleners for script; it shows the well-known relationship of Basque fishermen with the Newfoundland Indians and their struggles with the Inuits, as well as with French boats and authorities.

But in addition to the adventure, the book also shows the concern about nature, the behavior against excessive consumption by Justin; when he wants to stay with the Indians the wager on nature…: “I was right when I said that there you can’t live in Mic-Mact’s life, but here you can, that’s why I want to stay!”

The authors use the vitality of comics to tell the story. Few words, few interviews and descriptions, along with them the power of images. Between Justin and Martin, for example, in the following distinction of the aforementioned interview: Observing Justino, the boat that departs on the ground, lifts the anchor and down there two figures, one terrestrial and the other marine, in each of which the two whole faces are observed. The reader does not need words, as it is the image itself that represents what works in the mind of two friends.

It is worth applauding Erein’s wager and congratulating us lovers of adventures, comics, stories and literature: a book we have for many years.