Alfredo Castelli, creator of Martin Mystère, dies at 76

Alfredo Castelli, the Milanese cartoonist best known as the creator of the iconic comic series Martin Mystère, died on February 7, 2024, at the age of 76. Born in Milan on June 26, 1947, Castelli began his career at 18 with the satirical series Scheletrino, published as a supplement to Diabolik. He co-founded Comics Club 104, Italy's first fanzine, and wrote for titles such as Cucciolo, Tiramolla, Rocky Rider, and Topolino. In 1969, he launched the horror magazine Horror and the self-produced humor magazine Tilt with Mario Gomboli, Marco Baratelli, and Carlo Peroni. Castelli started working with Sergio Bonelli Editore in 1976, writing numerous Zagor stories. In 1982, he created Martin Mystère, a series about an archaeologist-detective investigating mysteries of the past and present, illustrated by Giancarlo Alessandrini. The series is considered a bridge between classic Bonelli titles like Tex and Mister No and later hits like Dylan Dog, Nick Raider, and Nathan Never. Castelli also wrote for RAI television series in the 1960s. Sergio Bonelli Editore remembered him as a curious, intellectually omnivorous figure whose artistic and intellectual legacy is immense, praising his storytelling verve and enduring impact on Italian comics.