Five Italian Comics to Read on Vacation
A roundup of five graphic novels published in Italy in 2019, each offering a distinct genre and artistic approach. 'O Diavolo' by Francesco Di Bella, Luca Scornaienchi, and Luca Ralli (Round Robin, €18) is a black-and-white crime story set in Rome's Tor Bella Monaca district during Christmas, adapted from Di Bella's album. Shigeru Mizuki's 'La guerra del riso e del ferro' (Rizzoli Lizard, €22) is the late manga master's final work, blending Japanese folklore and history around archaeological discoveries in Izumo. Maicol & Mirco's 'L'Arcanoide' (Coconino Press, €18) follows a lonely monster on a deserted planet, exploring solitude and friendship. Maurizio Lacavalla's debut 'Due attese' (Edizioni DB, €15) is an enigmatic narrative set in Barletta at the end of World War II, as a woman searches for her missing husband. Giuseppe Ferrandino and Ugolino Cossu's 'Zampino' (Allagalla, €12) collects four noir episodes from the 1980s featuring a detective in Naples, originally serialized in 'Orient Express'.
Key facts
- Five Italian graphic novels published in 2019 are reviewed.
- 'O Diavolo' is by Francesco Di Bella, Luca Scornaienchi, and Luca Ralli, published by Round Robin at €18.
- The story is set in Rome's Hotel Bellavista in Tor Bella Monaca on Christmas night.
- Shigeru Mizuki's 'La guerra del riso e del ferro' is his last work, published by Rizzoli Lizard at €22.
- Mizuki's comic revisits the history of Izumo province based on archaeological finds.
- Maicol & Mirco's 'L'Arcanoide' (Coconino Press, €18) is about a solitary monster on a deserted planet.
- Maurizio Lacavalla's 'Due attese' (Edizioni DB, €15) is set in Barletta at the end of WWII.
- Giuseppe Ferrandino and Ugolino Cossu's 'Zampino' (Allagalla, €12) collects four noir stories originally published in 'Orient Express' between 1983 and 1984.
Entities
Artists
- Francesco Di Bella
- Luca Scornaienchi
- Luca Ralli
- Shigeru Mizuki
- Maicol & Mirco
- Michael Rocchetti
- Maurizio Lacavalla
- Giuseppe Ferrandino
- Ugolino Cossu
Institutions
- Round Robin editrice
- Rizzoli Lizard
- Coconino Press
- Edizioni DB
- Allagalla
- Orient Express
- Artribune
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Tor Bella Monaca
- Hotel Bellavista
- Izumo
- Japan
- Barletta
- Naples
- Milan
- Turin