Andrea Ferraris's Graphic Novel on the Ferdinandea Island Dispute

Andrea Ferraris, known for 'Churubusco' and 'La cicatrice', has created a graphic novel titled 'La lingua del diavolo', published by Oblomov Edizioni in 2018. The book reimagines the 1831 emergence and political dispute over Ferdinandea Island, a volcanic islet in the Sicily Channel between Sciacca and Pantelleria. The island, which rose to 65 meters high with a 4 km perimeter, was claimed by the British (as Graham Island), the French (as Julia), and the Bourbons (as Ferdinandea, after King Ferdinand II). It soon eroded and sank, leaving only a submerged lava platform eight meters deep. Ferraris introduces fictional fisherman Salvaturi Cavalca, who believes he can become the island's owner by being first to set foot on it. The story, set against historical events, explores themes of delusion and social marginalization, with dialogue echoing Sicilian vernacular. The artwork uses dense graphite lines and rough textures, creating a cinematic, neorealist feel reminiscent of Verga and Visconti. The review by Ferruccio Giromini highlights the graphic novel's expressive harshness and its focus on the futile struggle of the dispossessed.