Only the first three volumes were translated to English in the initial 1989 run by Catalan Communications. In 2005, Alias Comics started publishing it as a monthly comics edited for U.S. audiences, but stopped after 5 issues. In 2007, Dabel Brothers Productions in association with Marvel Comics published an uncensored XIII Volume 1 TP collecting the first three albums, and previously released issue #6 free online. English titles below are translations of the original titles, and may change for the actual albums if and when they are released in English.
XIII chronicles the adventures of a man, dubbed "XIII", with memory loss who is searching for his past, and a group of his friends who are trying to unravel the mystery of his identity, which is tangled in conspiracies, secrets, and killers who are out to murder him.
Volumes 1-5
The series begins with a man washing up on a shore in Peacock Bay in the East Coast of the United States, suffering from amnesia, and just the tattoo "XIII" on his collarbone to link him to his past. Volumes one through five deal with 'XIII' searching for his identity and his past, only to find himself confronting the "conspiracy of the XX" which aims to a coup d'état in the United States. They form a closed story arc, ending with the destruction of "the XX".
In the first volume, XIII washes ashore and soon finds himself hunted by assassins for reasons unknown to him. He manages to escape them and collect a photograph of himself in company of a woman, developed by a photograph shop in the city of Eastown. XIII departs to Eastown, where he identifies the woman on the photograph as Kim Rowland, widow of U.S. Army Captain Steve Rowland. Going to Kim Rowland's address, XIII finds a hidden message left by Kim saying that someone nicknamed "the Mongoose" has found track of her and that she will wait for XIII "where the Indian goes". Once again hunted by killers, XIII is rescued by the Colonel Amos, a government agent investigating the murder of President of the United States William Sheridan. Colonel Amos has a video footage showing XIII killing the President and so is sure he has caught the assassin, but he still ignores its real identity. XIII manages to escape, and on his run, is confronted by the Mongoose, the chief of the killers hunting XIII.
In the second volume, XIII's search for Kim Rowland leads to his capture by army General Carrington, who identifies XIII as Steve Rowland, Kim Rowland's husband and former member of a special operation unit called SPADS (Special Assault and Destroying Sections) Carrington created and commanded when Rowland was supposedly killed in an helicopter crash two years before. "Rowland" is returned to his home in Southbourg by Carrington's aide, Lieutenant Jones. While his father, Jeremie Rowland, a rich land owner, and other relatives express no doubt about his identity, XIII is disappointed to not find Kim there. Amos comes to meet XIII and still holds him as his prime suspect as his fingerprints were found on the sniper rifle that shot President Sheridan. But as XIII's amnesia prevents him to be of any use to find who has sponsored Sheridan's assassination, Amos lets XIII go looking for Kim Rowland because as she's hiding, he suspects she knows something important. XIII finally manages to find "where the Indian goes", but is tricked by Jeremie Rowland's young wife Felicity. Felicity kills Jeremie Rowland and Steve's uncle Matt, implicating XIII for the murders, in the aim to inherit of Jeremy's fortune. XIII nevertheless escapes the police with Carrington's and Lieutenant Jones' help, and meets with Kim in her hiding place. Kim reveals to him she is tattooed as well, wearing tattoo number XVII, that she doesn't know XIII real name, who is in fact no Steve Rowland. Kim disappears as XIII is arrested by the police, tried and found guilty for the murder of the Rowlands, and sentenced to maximum security prison.
The third volume finds XIII in a facility for the criminally insane. Meanwhile Colonel Amos, pursuing its investigation, begin to realize that XIII is not Steve Rowland but a body double. He so assumes that Steve Rowland was really killed in action and that XIII endured plastic surgery, assassinated President Sheridan, and the Mongoose tried to kill him to leave the investigators a body to be identified as Steve Rowland to drive the investigation into a dead end. Colonel Amos requests Carrington's help to identify people having been trained as top-level special operators and fitting XIII's physique, in the aim to find out XIII's real identity. Carrington provides the papers of about twenty people, one of them, a Ross Tanner, is missing since two years. Amos decides to leave XIII in prison to have him at hand and have him treated to disrupt its amnesia. The treatment fails, and the Mongoose tries to have XIII killed in the prison. To evade Mongoose's killer, XIII attempts an evasion which fails but Carrington and Jones manage to breakout XIII.
Volume four begins with Colonel Amos finding that Carrington invented the Tanner identity, and suspects him to be part of the conspiracy to kill President Sheridan. XIII, under the name of Ross Tanner, has been hidden by Carrington in a SPADS training facility in the fictitious country of San Miguel. Pursuing its check of files, Colonel Amos finds that in the grave of a Jason Fly was in fact the body of the real Captain Steve Rowland, not killed in an helicopter crash two years before but by bullets shortly after the assassination of President Sheridan. Assuming now that Rowland was the real assassin, Amos is confused about XIII real role but exposes Judge Allenby, who once identified one body in helicopter crash as the one of Rowland and is now chief of the investigation, as one of the conspirators, wearing the number VI. Amos asks Allenby the name of the Number I of the conspiracy, but Allenby is killed by a Mongoose's killer who is about to kill Amos when he is shot by Kim Rowland. Meanwhile a female SPADS Sergeant named Betty Barnowsky reveals to XIII she has seen once Steve Rowland in Eastown after his alleged death in helicopter crash, in company with SPADS Colonel Seymour McCall, thus exposed as member of the conspiracy. XIII, Barnowsky and Jones escape an assassination attempt by Colonel McCall, but end lost in San Miguel jungle.
Kim Rowland takes Amos to FBI director Carl Heideger and General Carrington who reveal that after faking his death in the helicopter crash, Steve Rowland contacted his wife Kim and had her member of the conspiracy. Kim, not sharing the conspiracy ideology and herself a former FBI agent, secretly alerted his former boss Heideger, who was nevertheless unable to prevent the assassination of President Sheridan. Steve Rowland was shot by the Mongoose to end all investigations to uncover the conspiracy, but he escaped badly wounded and died shortly after telling Kim what happened. Heideger and Carrington then came up with a plan to make the conspiracy of the XX believe that Steve Rowland had survived to attract Mongoose's killers in the hope to arrest them and follow their trail to the conspirators. They had Jason Fly turned into Steve Rowland's double, but soon after he disappeared (he was shot, at this point lost his memory, where the story begins). Kim Rowland is also revealed to be Carrington's daughter.
At the start of volume five, XIII, Jones, and Barnowsky kidnap Marquis de Préseau, a rich land owner, to steal his jet to fly back to the USA. Meanwhile Carrington and Heideger have been arrested by the conspirators, as they prepare to take over the country during a large-scale military exercise. XIII and the women meet with Colonel Amos, who brings them into contact with Walter Sheridan, brother of the assassinated President William Sheridan and himself candidate to the presidency.
Sheridan helps XIII infiltrate the military center of operations, and together with President Galbrain they manage to stop the conspiracy at the last moment. The entire conspiracy, with the exception of the illustrious Number I, has been killed or captured. Walter Sheridan is elected president. Kim Rowland remains missing for unknown reasons. At the end of the story arc XIII believes he has found his old identity as Jason Fly, and is prepared to continue his life normally, even if his memories have not yet returned.
Volumes 6-8
In the following volumes XIII takes up the investigation about his past. Volumes six and seven bring XIII to Greenfalls, a snowy town in the Rocky Mountains, where the story revolves around the fate of his father in the McCarthian 1950's. XIII learns that his father, Jonathan Fly, was murdered by the local Ku Klux Klan chapter, after they found out Fly's real identity was Jonathan MacLane, a "red" journalist who had to flee after suffering under McCarthy's witch hunt. The Mongoose still tracks XIII with the blessing of Jonathan MacLane's assassins, but XIII evades the manhunt, get justice for the murder of his father and manages to arrest the Mongoose, who reveals that he was on Number I's boat when he shot the bullet that made XIII amnesic, but no further information about Number I. The story ends and with a good idea that he has finally found his true identity as Jason MacLane.
In volume eight, XIII is approached by President Sheridan to become a special agent, charged with finding the still at large Number I. The Mongoose escapes from custody. XIII tracks down Kim Rowland, guessing she hides because she knows the identity of the Number I. He discovers that one of the boats close to the spot where he was found amnesic is Walter Sheridan's yacht. Meanwhile, Jones investigates further, and discovers that Kim Rowland had a love affair with Sheridan and had a child with him. After transmitting this information to XIII, they become convinced that Wally Sheridan was, in fact, Number I, and used the conspiracy of the XX to have his brother killed and later had the conspiracy exposed so he himself become president. Walter Sheridan had the child kidnapped to force Kim to marry Steve Rowland, to report the conspiracy to Heideger, to betray Jason Fly/MacLane when Heideger's plan threatened to expose him as Number I and have him trapped on his yacht where he was shot by the Mongoose. After trying to release Kim Rowland from an island where they believe she is sequestered, XIII and Jones, along with Kim, are caught by the Mongoose who is on Sheridan's yacht, and explodes it. XIII manages to rescue Jones only, and Kim Rowland is lost and presumed dead.
XIII finally faces Walter Sheridan, exposed as Number I but XIII has not any evidence or witness against him. Sheridan won't try to assassinate XIII to avoid a new investigation that might lead to expose him, and XIII and Jones leave the country.
Volumes 9-12
In the following volumes the action takes place in and around Costa Verde, a small fictional nation in Central America where XIII is led to believe he once led a revolution under the identity of "El Cascador", although El Cascador is supposedly dead. XIII gets involved with revolutionary Maria de los Santos, who claims to have been his wife. During the 10th episode, after freeing her from a prison from which she was awaiting execution, she confirms him to be her husband.
During the revolution XIII met up with Irish-American expat Sean Mullway, who claims to be XIII's real father. However, he also confirms XIII's identity as Jason MacLane. The history of XIII's Irish descent is revealed, and XIII learns that his mother was the sister of Giordino, who accidentally murdered her. The Giordino's are revealed as a Mafia family. At the end of the volume, XIII is offered amnesty by the American ambassador, who explains that XIII's help is needed: Carrington has apparently gone insane.
In volume twelve XIII, the corrupt American president Sheridan is kidnapped by General Carrington who has learnt that Sheridan ordered his daughter Kim's death. Carrington and Amos have XIII and Jones capture the Mongoose to get further evidence against Sheridan. In a televised "trial" Sheridan is revealed to the American public as the conspirator, with XIII and the Mongoose testifying. In the aftermath of the event the NSA director Giordino accidentally kills Sheridan, after Sheridan has killed the Mongoose.
Volume thirteen (XIII) is a special issue, where two journalists retrace the first twelve issues, clarifying and expanding the storyline.
Volumes 14-19
While in exile in Costa Verde, XIII and his father Mullway decide to attempt to find a treasure hidden somewhere in Mexico by their ancestors. Giordino, meanwhile, fabricates evidence revealing XIII as Seamus O'Neill, an IRA operative who trained under Fidel Castro. As O'Neill, XIII is wanted by the USA, but again manages to escape. He also survives an assassination by Irina Svetlanova, who has taken over the Mongoose's operation. After many setbacks the treasure is found, and then lost again. Meanwhile Giordino is finally removed from duty by the new President, who has received evidence from XIII and Mullway revealing Giordino as not only connected to the Mafia, but also as the true killer of Walter Sheridan.
Volumes eighteen and nineteen are the last albums written by Van Hamme. Volume eighteen The Irish Version was drawn by Jean Giraud otherwise known as Mœbius. It figures as a story within the story, and it is referred to as part of the plot in volume nineteen The Last Round. This story is the prequel to the initial story arc, and finally solves all mysteries surrounding XIII's identity.
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XIII - 01 - Zwarte Vrijdag
XIII - 02 - Waar De Indiaan Gaat
XIII - 03 - Alle Tranen Van De Hel
XIII - 04 - Spads
XIII - 05 - Rood Alarm
XIII - 06 - Het Dossier Jason Fly
XIII - 07 - De Nacht Van 3 Augustus
XIII - 08 - Dertien Contra Een
XIII - 09 - Voor Maria
XIII - 10 - El Cascador
XIII - 11 - De Drie Zilveren Horloges
XIII - 12 - Het Vonnis
XIII - 13 - De XIII Mysteries - Het Onderzoek
XIII - 14 - Staatsgevaarlijk
XIII - 15 - Laat De Honden Los
XIII - 16 - Operatie Monte Christo
XIII - 17 - Het Goud Van Maximiliaan
XIII - 18 - De Ierse Versie
XIII - 19 - De Laatste Ronde
XIII - A01 - XIII Mystery - De Mangoest
XIII - A02 - XIII Mystery - Irina